Education Routine

Paper Star Making

Aim

The aim is to plan, carryout and evaluate an education routine in an ECCE setting which is paper star making. To assess the development of children ages 3 – 4 years on their physical, language, emotional, cognitive and social development, considered as holistic development of the child.

Plan

My aim is to plan, carryout and evaluate an education routine in an ECCE setting which is making a paper star for at least 15 minutes. To assess the development of 4 children ages 3 – 4 years on their physical, language, emotional, cognitive and social development, considered as holistic development of the child. I consulted with the staff member if I could do the paper star with the kids, since its Christmas time and if the kids can use scissors.   I asked if there were available materials that I could use like scissors, coloured pencils, coloured paper, glue or stapler, ribbon and powder glitters as my resources.  I also asked if they could use a stapler, but for their safety only adults could use the stapler.  (Childcare Act 1991 – Health, safety and welfare of children who are on the service)

Implementation

            My activity started at 3:15 pm 29^th of November in an ECCE setting, a toddler room with 4 kids ages 2 – 3 years old.  I was there at 2:30 pm. It was the same room where I did my observation in cognitive development. To give time to kids to be comfortable with me, I sung some children’s songs and demonstrated to them how to make a paper airplane.  They liked it and asked me to make them.  While they were playing with their paper airplanes, I gathered all the needed materials with the help of staff, like scissors, coloured pencils, coloured paper, glue or stapler, ribbon and powder glitters for my activity. We cleared the table and let the kids sit on their chairs.  

While they were still playing the staff played music and told the kids to tidy up.  When all kids were settled on their chairs, they were given scissors, coloured pencils, coloured paper, glue, and powder glitters. First, I demonstrated how to make a perfect square using a coloured paper.  Fold in two in a triangular shape, cut until the edge in five and fold alternately.  I finished the five-perfect square and joined them together to look like a star. 

I talked to the staff and told my observation, it seems that it is too difficult for them.  I asked the staff what is the best thing to do and she suggested to let them draw their own star and let them design and cut it out. We gave them an A size bond paper.  The kids spread glue on it, put the glitters and cut it out using a safe scissors. They were talking with each other while a girl encourages the other to share some of the glitters. All their crafts were gathered and displayed on the wall.

Evaluation

The aim is to plan, carryout and evaluate an education routine in an ECCE setting which is paper star making. To assess the development of children ages 3 – 4 years on their physical, language, emotional, cognitive and social development, considered as holistic development of the child. 

I feel that this aim was achieved even though my original activity was changed. The kids were interested in doing their own star by drawing the star on the paper, spreading glue on it, putting glitters and cutting it out. Doing this activity shows their different areas of development. 

In physical development they showed their skills by drawing, putting and spreading glue on their paper and cutting it using the scissors.  This area of development is in line with Siolta 2006 “Ensuring that each child’s rights are met requires that she/he is enabled to exercise choice and to use initiative as an active participant and partner in her/his own development and learning”

In cognitive development they showed their imagination, creativity, memory skills, concentration skills, problem solving skills and concept formation by using their imagination to draw a star and putting some glitters on it to look like a Christmas star. Children use their sense, their minds and their bodies to find out about and make sense of what they see, feel and experience in the world around them (Flood 2013).  This linked to exploring and thinking, one of the Aistear theme.

In their language development they talk to each other sharing the glue and glitters which form a communication. (Flood 2013) The kids were able to communicate by saying to each other if they wanted to borrow or share glue or glitters, this linked to theme of communicating.

In social development they show their ability to interact with others and form friendship by exchanging words and sharing their materials. (Flood 2013) This linked in theme of “Identity and Belonging” where children develop a positive sense of who they are, and feeling that they are valued, are respected as part of family and community by giving them a chance to express a right to belong to the group and explore their own attitudes in relation to equality and diversity.

In emotional development they showed and recognized and deal with emotions in a positive healthy and socially acceptable way which includes self-esteem and self-concept by willingly doing the activity for themselves and they are happy while doing it.  (Flood 2013) This linked to the theme of “Well-being” where they are expressing themselves creatively in arts.

Making the paper star was difficult for the 2 – 3 age group. It was a good idea to change it to suit the kids age and interests.  This activity is in line with Aistear and Siolta guidelines which promotes the equality and diversity for all. (NCCA 2009: 8)

My role was to demonstrate how to make a paper star and teach them how to make it themselves. But it seemed that it was too difficult for them. I consulted the staff what would be the best thing to do, and she recommended they will draw, cut and put some glitters on their star.  This is in line with the Siolta standardised rights of the child in ECCE setting with 3 components which covers the following and its very close to the UN rights:

§  Children’s choices and Children’s decisions

§  Children’s opportunities to take the lead and being appropriately independent

§  Children being supported to solve the problems

§  Children actively participating in daily activities, conversations and all other appropriate situations

§  Children as a partner

 “Ensuring that each child’s rights are met requires that she/he is enabled to exercise choice and to use initiative as an active participant and partner in her/his own development and learning” Síolta 2006.

Component 1.1

“Each child opportunities to make choices, is enabled to make decisions, and has her/his choices and decisions respected”.

Component 1.2

            “Each child has opportunities and is enabled to take the lead, initiate activity, be appropriately independent and is supported to solve problems”.

Component 1.3

            “Each child is enabled to participate actively in the daily routine, in activities, in conversations and in all other appropriate situations, and is considered as a partner by the adult”

Recommendation

            I recommend that adults should engage more with kids, like asking them questions, why they choose the colour of glitters, what colour they like, etc.

            I will recommend to do some arts and crafts to children like hand painting, also puzzles, storytelling and encourage to bring their favourite toys and let them talk about it, why they chose it, what colour of their toys, etc.  This will help in their other areas of development.

           

Reference

Flood, E. and Hary, C. 2013, Early Childhood Education and Play Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.

French (2007).  The Framework for Early Learning – Children’s Early learning and development. Dublin: NCCA

NCCA 2009, Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework – Guidelines for Good Practice.  Dublin

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