Form B: Reflective Summary

How did you coach the children to learn?

Summarize weekly events using the criteria outlined in Learning Together with
Young Children. This is a running record showing your work each week.
Submit this form to your College Evaluator in weeks 3 & 6 making sure
that all weeks are visible each submission.

Students Name: _Rachel Thompson__ Weeks of: __1-3____________________

Posts should occur each week and must be dated. D2L Submissions
in weeks 3 & 6
1. Creating Nourishing Classroom Cultures (dated weekly posts)
Date:
March 15: This week, I quickly got a hang of classroom duties and making myself known
to other staff in the centre and families, in a warm way. I put a personal effort into trying
to be 2 steps ahead of the situation, to prepare the room while still using it and leading
the children in the moment. I felt that I have succeeded this week as there have been no
issues and during our weekly overview, my educator stated that I was had initiative. To
create a nourishing environment, I made sure to have a genuine smile daily and show
the children, employees and families that I cared about the centre and children. I also
asked the children questions and encouraged their curiousity any chance I got. I felt that
was a positive impact as it will help the children learn and think for themselves.
March 22: This week I improved in this area as I built stronger relations with families and
become a more involved educator in the classroom. This week, I started to take over
snack time songs a tiny bit more. This week, I also had more responsibilities with snack
and lunch prep from the cart to the children. I made the classroom environment more
flowed as I kept an awareness of all in the room and what I can do next to help and
transitional periods. I have started to take notice of ways that I can lead the class and
what my host does. I take iniative when I see my host needs assistance. Another way I
create a nourishing environment is by keeping a calm mood and brings a smiling and
helpful attitude into the classroom. Lastly, during an indoor afternoon, I realized there
was a need for a change so I asked my host if I could bring a bucket of snow in for the
children to play with. I brought it in, had toy animals and tiny cups that my host brought
and the children had fun for about an hour till I had to go.
March 29: This week, I led atleast 3 songs or book reading during snack time. I took
charge of changing more diapers with ease and in good time. During the transition of
changing for outside and coming in, I am fully are of the extra help needed so am quick
to go where I am needed. I took more roles with snack and lunch prep and got faster at
getting it ready. I have also become more aware of where all the childrens beds go so
am able to lay them out and set out their blankets and bears, sookies, etc. This week I
learned more about being totally present and ways to bring children out of their shells. I
learned this by watching my hosts and practicing a bit with the children and being
successful. I learned to slowly give the child a bit more responsibilities and praise them
for their successes and be straight forward when I see behavioral challenges. This week
I worked hard to create spontaneous experiences and fun on the playground. The
children and I counted cars and I made up songs with the children and showed a great
deal of enthusiasm.

2.

Using Childrens Ideas to Pursue Investigations (dated weekly

posts)

Date:
March 15: This week, I noticed that the children were using blocks to play music so the
next day I brought my ukulele for my get to know me experience. I felt that the children
very much enjoyed that and I helped encourage their musical interest. Another day, I
was working with the children outside and we started to put snow in containers and
made castles, so the next day, we started again and got a bigger group. I worked with
the children the terms more and less. The children took turns to shovel snow into an
orange cone that I dumped over and made a cone castle. I saw something that children
were showing interest in and used it to help teach concepts.
March 22: This week I grew a great deal in this area as I picked up a lot of ideas while
observing the children. I observed the children, and learned about the childrens skills
and interests. I made sure to really watch and see what the children are learning, and not
taking their actions simply. For example, if a child pushes a car, I do not just take it as an
interest in cars, but as their skill improving for gross motor, cognition and sensory. That
small action could take me in many different directions and experiences.
March 29: This week I was able to take what I learned last week and incorporate that
with using the childs interest and loose parts and process, not product to build my
experiences. This week, I reminded myself of the importance of process rather than
product as I felt my experience was too structured. This week, I reflected on my past
week and worked to build my knowledge of their interests and skills. My next step is to
write more notes and include experience ideas, right beside the observations that made
me think about it.
3. Enhancing the Curriculum with Materials (dated weekly posts)
Date:
March 15: This week, I used materials to deepen the play and tried to use loose parts in
that way. I saw a child playing alone outside so I went to him and started to grab a pot
beside me and some blocks and handed them to him to see what he would do. He
started to stack the blocks in the pot and did this for 20 minutes, really getting into the
idea of building and balancing the blocks. I noticed that the child needed some
stimulation so I grabbed loose parts that were nearby and related them to a piece of
mathematical learning; which helped build a relationship.
March 22: This week I used the materials in the classroom and playground much more
freely and not only how they are meant to be used. During my observations, I would
study their level of interaction and I would judge if they needed more stimulation and
add that to the environment. This week I brought in an experience that could go onto the
windows and focused on colour mixtures, which my educator used left over materials for
a craft later on. I used colourful tissue paper which is related to science when put with a
bright window.
March 29: This week, I brought in magnets as part of my experience and I white board to
be part of the childrens curriculum and help form their possible interests. The children
showed quite the interest in the magnets and I brought them out twice in the day and
both times they were quite popular.
4. Coaching Children to Learn about Learning (dated weekly

posts)
Date:
March 15: This week I worked hard at encouraging the children to use your mind to
question or dig deeper. A few times this week, I would ask the child what they thought

the answer was or tell them I would like to see them try. I feel that giving the child the
answer will not encourage the child to look for the answer and use their imagination. I
believe that keeping a childs curiosity alive is very important. Children need to know
how to find the answer, other than going straight to the educator.
March 22: This week, I worked at asking the children more questions and listening to
their answers to get a better idea at where there are mentally and where to take the
next step. I made sure to share my thoughts with my host to share ideas. I believe that
children should be encouraged to use their own mind and find the answer on their own
with encouragement and assistance when needed. This week I made sure to ask the
children questions that made them wonder and to think outside of the box. When I saw
conflict between children, I made sure not to speak for the children but encouraged them
to use their own words to explain their feelings.
March 29: This week, I feel that I improved greatly in this section as I for every conflict, I
asked each child to say how they felt and it some cases it helped, or at least the child
who was upset, was able to have their voice heard and the child who, in most cases took
the toy, was able to hear how they made their friend feel. My goals for next week in this
area are to, continue to do all of this, ask more broad questions and encourage children
to think of their own questions.
5. Dig Deeper to Learn with Children (dated weekly posts)
Date:
March 15: This week I got down to the childs level and put thought into where they are
at. The child may be doing a regular task but there is a great deal going on in their mind
that shows their learning. I made sure to observe regularly and try to see what theyre
working on. I used what I learned when working with them in a situation that needed a
distraction. For example, I used a song when a child was crying to help cheer him up as I
got on his level and learned that is what he reacted well to. Understanding the children
and what they need to be happy and comfortable with will help the children form a bond
with me. After that is done, I can continue to teach and learn with them.
March 22: This week, I built on this skill by getting onto their level and letting the child
lead the play and listen to how they would like the activity to go. I would sit and observe
them as they explained their interests to me, I would listen and get into their mind and
become part of their play. When I successfully was into the play with the child, I would
ask the child questions related to the play to encourage deeper imagination and problem
solving skills. This week, I also asked the children more questions about home and their
weekend plans to show the children I care. Doing this, showed the children that I am
interested in them and they can trust me and know that I want to learn and be around
the children.
March 29: This week, I continued to get into the childs play and ask related question
that end up building the childs confidence, problem solving skills and imagination. I feel
that the more questions and interest I showed the child, the better relationship I built
with the chid. I believe that understanding the child and seeing the world from their
perspective will make it far easier for the child when you try to help solve conflict and
help lead them away from behavioural issues or danger. Next week, I hope to use our
stronger relationship to build something with the children in a spontaneous activity
based off of questions and loose parts.

6.

Connections. How has your planning connected to the How

Does Learning Happen document?

Date:
March 22: This week, the foundation was belonging and focuses on helping to encourage
children to build relationships with others and to learn about the natural world. My
experience this week, was tissue paper and fish. The children were able to work together

and share the materials and learn about how the light impacts colour, after we put it on
the window. I also read the children The Rainbow Fish, which taught the children about
including and sharing with everyone.
March 29: This week, I was supposed to do two experiences but was only able to do one,
due to a stomach flu, which kept me in the foundation of belonging. This foundation is
centered on becoming closer to the natural environment and forming bonds. This week,
my experience was magnetic letters, numbers and shapes. The magnetic aspect gave
the children science and math, helping them learn more about the world. The shapes I
brought in and found, were ways for the children to use their cognitive and social skills in
using them in representation for faces or buildings. My goal for next week is to work on
the foundations of wellbeing and engagement.

7.