Learner Record 5

Learner Record Entry 5

Participate effectively in team work in an ECCE setting and show evidence of the same.

            It is clearly important that the qualification level and experience of each staff is needed not only to comply with statutory requirements.  A well-organised and effective children team needs a balance of team members with a variety of skills, attitudes and personal qualities.  Also, the personal characteristics of each member are critical.    A team made up of too many members with the same attitudes and personal approaches will create an imbalance which could prevent the team from working effectively.

            Listening with a heart is the most important teamwork tactic to use.  People will talk to you in the childcare setting, it is important to be attentive, listening with understanding.  Asking for help if you are in need is something that could lead to a harmonious relationship among peers.

            I am always willing to help when someone asking for it or I can offer my help if I feel that someone is too shy to ask.  I always wear a smile, because I always remember this saying “Begin a day with a smile and the world will smile at you”.  This showed a friendly atmosphere in any workplace.  Sometimes, you give everyone a smile and some will not respond positively, but don’t take it by heart because sometimes some people are in the middle of deep thought and did not notice you.  Helping and understanding helps develop a harmonious relationship with peers and gives me a feeling of positivity towards my work.

            Respecting your peers and all those around you, is the most important thing one can do in teamwork.  A child being cared can feel the calmness, relaxed and happy disposition of the person who cared for them.  On the other hand, an atmosphere of fear and anger will not engender this, and may lead to poor care conditions.  “Do unto others what you would want others to do unto you” – doing this my job is much easier and teamwork is more effective in giving proper and complete care.  Carrying out duties and responsibilities without complaining is the best way to earn respect. 

            To help build a good relationship, one should show empathy, which means putting yourself on someone shoes.  Understanding ones feeling when they are not in their best mood helps too, to build a good relationship, because they feel you are connected with them.  This will earn respect from your peers, they will trust you.  Trust is the most important part of any kind of relationship, between peers, co-workers, family and community as a whole.  It is difficult to trust because we are afraid of failures.  But one must be honest too, to avoid disappointments and help to relive any stress.  Informing your peers or co-worker that you will be late or absent will be one factor to earn their trust and respect.  To work effectively, one need to be a good communicator.

Sharing information with colleagues is one of the most important tasks you do every day.  This could be important information about a child’s daily activities or a message from a parent of carer.  It is essential to pass it on accurately and in an appropriate way whatever information it is.  Urgent information needs to be passed on immediately by speaking to an appropriate person, as it may affect the well-being of a child or the safety of others.  A child showing signs of illness, a missing child, a health and safety issue such as a broken piece of equipment are considered urgent information.  It is reasonable to interrupt a meeting or phone call on these cases, to make someone aware of the situation immediately.  This kind of information should be recorded in case anyone asked about it later.

            Writing messages if another way of sharing information, and most organisations have some kind of communication book, which staff can use to share information with others.  For my experience, I wrote it my notebook and wrote in a piece of paper, send to the person’s concerned.  The information composed of date, day, time, what, when, who, where.  There are guidelines to follow in writing messages in a ECCE setting.  Use clear, simple language and short sentences and avoid unnecessary long words.  Only use abbreviations and terms that reader can understand.  Make sure that you write is a fact and contains only relevant information. Avoid using the word I don’t know, instead say I will check, because others will get confused.

           

Teamwork within Childcare

I am only doing my assignment in a placement, staff work as team and I join in with them.  chair.  It was in a toddler room is the next stage after creche and manned by 2 staff. There are 6 kids when I arrived ages 2 ½ to 3 ½ years old., colourful a lot of toys ready for the kids.  A pre-planned programme is in place each week to incorporates various activities such as painting, gluing, puzzles, stories and role-play.  The room is divided into different areas of interest where the children can choose an area they want to play.  Some of the areas are home corner, block area, messy area and quiet area.  One staff was gathering materials to make a play dough and some kids sitting on the chair while other staff was with other 2 kids and my self was with other kid. 

The kid sits on my lap white I grab a chair to sit down to write my observation.  He tried to grab my pen and wants to write as well.  So, for few seconds I teach him how to hold the pen and draw a small circle.  This is a kind of activity I always did to children to get their attention, sing the “small circle, small circle, big circle” he was watching and listening, try to grab my pen.  I hold his hand and teach him how to hold the pen, guided his hand to do the small circle thing.

On the other hand, a staff was preparing to make a dough and all kids sitting on the chairs watching and helping out, but he has no interest, he still stands beside me.  He holds my hands, I did same, after few seconds he lift his hand, a sign that he wants to be lifted and carry him.  I told him, I can’t carry him since my knee since my knee was injured a year ago.

The dough is ready for the kids to mould and play on, every kid got a portion and he try to grab a small portion and put on his mouth.  I told him it’s not for eating, he immediately takes it out from his mouth, put on the table and I pick it up and throw in the bin.  He did not join other kids that time, he still clung unto me.  He sits on my lap and playing the dough, I joined him and we make a snake and he put some small sticks on it.

Two of the kids approach me and hold my hands, I let them hold and we form a circle, he joined in and I sing “the more we get together the happier are we”.  He enjoys as well as the others, while singing move forward and back raising and holding our hands.  They were happy and smiling and I clap my hands and they did do the same.

My role was to mind one or two kids, but the kid I’m minding was always on my side.  One of the staff was responsible to making a play dough and the other staff was watching over other kids who are not sitting in the chair because they are playing.

The most important teamwork skill, is the ability to communicate effectively.  It is essential to teach children how to get along with each other and jointly work toward a goal and what better way to do this is demonstrating teamwork.