Resource Folio for Curriculum Planning (P-3)

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Contents Page

Part One Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................................. 4 Curriculum Position Statement .............................................................................................. 5

Part Three The Australian Curriculum Analysis ...................................................................................... 8Part Four Essential Learnings Analysis ................................................................................................. 10

Part Five Early Years Curriculum Guidelines Analysis ........................................................................ 12

Part Six P-3 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators and Year 1 Learning Statements Analysis ..............14

Part Seven Discussion about continuity across early, middle and senior phases of schooling and identification of resources to support continuity across the early years of schooling ........................................................................................................ 15

Part Eight Relevant issues for practice related to curriculum decision-making in the Queensland context, especially with reference to planning for learning, teaching and assessing using the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines, the Essential Learnings and The Australian Curriculum ............................................................... 18

Part Nine A discussion of relevant planning approaches to support curriculum decision-making ...... 21

Part Ten Relevant assessment materials including:

- Discussion about purposes for assessment and assessment approaches relevant to P-3 contexts ............................................................................................................ 23

- Identification and description of assessment practices that support these purposes including formative, summative and diagnostic assessment ................................... 24

- Identification of strategies for documenting learning and providing feedback about children’s learning for a range of assessment purposes .......................................... 24

Draft rubric for a sample learning area in a selected year level from years 1 to 3 ................ 27 References ............................................................................................................................. 29

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Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this resource folio is to help me, as a future teacher, to make informed curriculum decisions and to help me plan for years P to three. Included in the folio is a personal curriculum position statement which states my views regarding curriculum, curriculum documents relevant to years P to three with an analysis of each to help me understand how to implement them, a discussion about continuity including resources to support continuity, discussion regarding relevant issues for practice related to curriculum decision-making, discussion in relation to relevant planning approaches, relevant assessment materials and a draft rubric. This resource folio will be an important tool for my teaching and is designed so that it can be updated when necessary.

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Curriculum Position Statement

Children and how they learn

Many theories and opinions exist regarding the topic of how children learn. Two theorists with theories in relation to this topic are Piaget and Vygotsky.

Piaget theorises that there is a “universal child” and that all children progress through the same stages of development regardless of their situations and contexts. Whereas Vygotsky theorises that children are social beings whose learning is influenced by their social world and especially the culture in which they are immersed. Both of these theorists, however, believe that children learn through play (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2007 & Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010).

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (EYCG) support both Piaget and Vygotsky in some ways, however, their statements of how children learn best seem to be more in support of Vygotsky’s theory, with statements such as “children learn best when they learn in a responsive and supportive social environment” (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006, pg 10).

I believe that children's’ learning is inextricably linked to their social and cultural contexts and that play is a crucial part of learning. I do not think that there is such a thing as a “universal child.” Because of these beliefs, as a teacher I will know the social and cultural contexts of each child in my class and endeavor to plan my lessons with these contexts in mind so that all children have equal opportunities of learning.

Diversity and the curriculum

Children are diverse. They come from many different backgrounds of family make-up, culture, belief systems and impairments or disabilities (Arthur et al, 2007 & Hyde, Carpenter & Conway, 2010). It is of high importance that educators are respectful of diversity and utilise resources that reflect the diversity in the classroom (Arthur et al, 2007).

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) has a strong emphasis on the respect for diversity in the classroom. EYLF states that educators “make curriculum decisions that uphold all children’s rights to have their cultures, identities, abilities and strengths acknowledged and valued, and respond to the complexity of children’s and families’ lives.” (Australian Government Department of Education & Employment and Workplace Relations for the Council of Australian Governments, 2009, pg 13).

In my opinion diversity is something to be not only respected but also celebrated. All children are different and I believe children should take pride in their uniqueness. As a teacher I will educate myself on children’s different backgrounds and cultures. When planning lessons I will include topics about the diversity of the community and will respect the values and beliefs of everyone that I work with.

Nature of knowledge and its relationship to learning, teaching and assessing

According to Katz and Chard (as cited in Arthur et al, 2007, pg 97) knowledge is “the contents of the mind.” Knowledge is the result of learning and previous knowledge guides new learning

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(Wolfolk & Margetts, 2010). The acquisition of knowledge by children generally comes about when they try to make sense of something in their environment ( Arthur et al, 2007).

The EYCG suggest that teachers use children’s prior knowledge as a starting point for teaching and to give children some agency and voice in their own learning. By doing this children will build on their prior knowledge and make connections between prior and new knowledge (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006).

Assessment of children is an important part of the learning and teaching process. Assessment should have a purpose, be systematic and be ongoing to monitor children’s learning. Information gained from the assessment of children should be used for future planning and to see where the child is in their development and learning (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006).

I believe that knowledge is acquired by children through their life experiences and through intentional teaching of the child. When teaching children I will take into consideration their prior knowledge and discuss with them what they would like to learn so their prior knowledge can be utilised in creating new knowledge.

Continuity of learning across and beyond the early years of schooling

The EYCG states that “building continuity of learning as children move to and through school provides foundation for their future success” (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006, pg 14). It also recommends that continuity be built through curriculum and teaching practices, establishing positive relationships, by valuing and expanding children’s diverse social and cultural understandings and by managing transition processes between settings (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006).

I strongly believe that continuity in a child’s learning is key to their success. As a teacher I endeavor to build strong, positive partnerships with the children and their families to ensure continuity between home and school life and so I can expand on children’s diverse social and cultural understandings. I will also manage children’s transitions between grades by ensuring all curriculum outcomes are met by each child and by suggesting staff meetings to discuss continuity between grades and to create effective strategies to ensure continuity is maintained.

Professional practice and ethics

The EYCG provides teachers with eight principles for practice. These principles include; “seeing children as capable and competent learners, offering choice to children in their learning experiences, allowing children to learn through interactions, exploration and experimentation, encouraging positive dispositions to learning, building environments where supportive relationships are apparent, recognise, value and build on cultural and social experiences of children, build continuity of learning and assess children as part of the learning-teaching process.” (Queensland Studies Authority, 2006).

To practice professionally teachers must be ethical and therefore must be aware of the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics (ECA). The values and processes considered most important in the ECA are; “respect, democracy, honesty, integrity, justice, courage, inclusivity, social responsiveness, cultural responsiveness and education.” The ECA doesn’t only relate to children, however, also relates to “families, colleagues, communities, students, employers, yourself and research” (Early Childhood Australia, 2006).

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I believe it is of utmost importance for teachers to be professional and ethical at all times. Because of this belief, I will, as a teacher, follow the EYCG eight principles for practice so children in my class have the best opportunity possible for learning. I will also use the ECA in my daily practice to ensure everyone involved in the education of the children in my setting are treated fairly and equally and make sure the values and processes of the ECA are met.

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The Australian Curriculum

The Document:

The Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2011) is the new national curriculum for Australia. The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (Ministerial Council on Education Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008) has a strong influence in the development of The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011). This influence ensures that the curriculum has the importance of knowledge, understanding and skills of learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities as its foundation.

Currently The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) covers the subject areas of Mathematics, English, Science and History, however, progressively geography, languages, the arts, economics, business, civics and citizens, health and physical education and information and communication technology and design and technology will be added. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) also includes three cross-curriculum priorities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and sustainability. These subjects and cross-curriculum priorities ensure that the curriculum is covering its seven capabilities of focus which are literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology competence, critical and creative thinking, ethical behaviour, personal and social competence and intercultural understanding.

The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) document is quite complex, although logically set out. The document is sectioned into the learning areas and within each learning area are the following: a statement of rationale and a set of aims, an overview of how the learning area is organised, year level descriptions, content descriptions, content elaborations, achievement standards, annotated student work samples and a glossary (ACARA, 2011).

Underpinning Approaches and Theories:

When reading through The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) it becomes clear that it has Developmentally Appropriate Practice approach underpinnings. Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or “DAP”, is an approach which focusses on child development and creates a curriculum appropriate for children of different ages, shown in The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) by having a year level aligned curriculum rather than a learning aligned curriculum. The concept of age appropriateness implies that there are universal patterns of development within all areas of learning. DAP also uses the concept of individual appropriateness which acknowledges that there are individual differences in children because of social and cultural contexts, personality and learning style (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2007).

DAP, however, has been criticised by sociocultural, postmodern and postructuralist theorists as they believe DAP does not see the social and cultural contexts in which children live as important enough. They think DAP has to strong a focus on the individual child rather than children in social and cultural contexts. These criticisms, however, should not mean that we abandon DAP, rather we should combine the knowledge we have of DAP with our knowledge of the importance of social and cultural contexts (Arthur et al, 2007).

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The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) has a focus on age appropriateness as it is set out year by year and also gives advice on the nature of learners across four age groupings which is a developmental approach to teaching, however, The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) also takes into account the diversity of children stating “Students in Australian classrooms have multiple, diverse and changing needs that are shaped by individual learning histories and abilities as well as cultural language backgrounds and socio-economic factors” (ACARA, 2011, Appendix 1).

The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) is also a mandatory curriculum, in that it is prescribed by a government department or authority (Arthur et al, 2007). How it is mandated, however, is different between private and public schools. Private schools in Australia are being subjected to “hard” policy as the following quote from The Schools Assistance Bill, 2008 (as cited in Kennedy, 2009, pp. 6) suggests “A funding agreement for a non-systemic school, or an approved school system, must require the relevant authority for the school or system to ensure that the school, or each school in the system, implements the national curriculum prescribed by the regulations for primary education or secondary education (or both, as applicable).” Public schools in Australia however receive a “soft” policy approach to implementation as they are state/territory funded and therefore the Commonwealth does not have authority. Because of this the process of how the national curriculum will be implemented in public schools will be negotiated through National Education Agreements with the individual states and territories which means that nothing can be guaranteed (Kennedy, 2009). Kennedy (2009) points out that this shows very different treatment of private and public schools and could end up being problematic.

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Essential Learnings

The Document:

The Essential Learnings (Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), 2007) is the curriculum that was in use before The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) was implemented. Currently it is still in use for teaching the arts, health and physical education, studies of society and environment and technology, however, these will be phased out progressively as The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) introduces these subjects.

Written by the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) is not set out year by year like The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), rather it is set out by four year junctures which are by the end of year three, by the end of year five, by the end of year seven and by the end of year nine. Within each year juncture are the learning areas which are split into three headings, including; learning and assessment focus, ways of working and knowledge and understanding.

The learning and assessment focusses are an overview of what children will do in that subject, ways of working outlines what students must be able to do regarding that subject at a particular year juncture and knowledge and understanding breaks the subject down into its components, for example, the arts is broken down into dance, drama, media, music and visual art, and then explains what children will learn in each component of the subject.

Underpinning Approaches and Theories:

When reading the Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) it is noticeable that it has a strong focus on students relating their subjects to their community lives and to their own experiences and to be able to work individually and collaboratively. These elements of Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) bring to mind a theorist by the name of Lev Vygotsky.

Vygotsky believed that development can not be separated from a child’s social and cultural context (Hill, Stremmel & Fu, 2005). He suggested that people engage in a higher level of thinking when in a collaborative situation (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010). For a child, Vygotsky believed that “every function in a child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level and later on the individual level; first between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological)” (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010, pp. 52).

Vygotsky’s thinking developed a new educational theory called sociocultural theory. It is clear that Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) has underpinnings in this theory. Sociocultural theory suggests that for children to learn most effectively the curriculum must connect to their everyday lives and to what the children are interested in, it also acknowledges that each child will learn differently (Arthur et al, 2007).

Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) shows underpinnings of this theory by emphasising community, diversity, collaboration and individuality in each subject. For example, in the arts learning area, under learning and assessment focus, it states “They (students) see the place of the arts in people’s work and community lives”, “Students gain awareness of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists” and “They (students) develop their arts practice through active engagement,

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both individually and collaboratively” (QSA, 2007, appendix 2). It must be noted that these focusses do not only appear in the arts learning area, but appear in every learning area presented by Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007).

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Early Years Curriculum Guidelines

The Document:

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), 2006) is a curriculum document written by the Queensland Studies Authority for use in the preparatory year of school. Along with Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) it will be phased out and replaced with The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), however, this does not mean to completely discard it as it is full of useful information and advice on teaching the preparatory year.

This curriculum document is very extensive and in depth. The set up of the document is in basically no ways similar to Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) or The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011). It is not split into subjects rather it is split into informative and advisory sections for teachers and provides learning statements for its five learning areas of social and personal learning, health and physical learning, language learning and communication, early mathematical understandings and active learning processes.

The informative and advisory sections for teachers include perspectives that shape the early years curriculum, key components of an effective early years curriculum, learning statement overviews for curriculum decision making and exploring decision-making processes.

Underpinning Approaches and Theories:

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) is underpinned by several approaches and theories. Theories provided by Piaget, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, reconceptualists and brain researchers have been utilised in the creation of this curriculum document (QSA, 2006).

Piaget was a developmental theorist who believed children passed through four stages of cognitive development which were the sensorimotor stage (0-2 years), the preoperational stage (2-7 years), the stage of concrete operations (7-11 years) and the stage of formal operations (11-adult). Piaget acknowledged that children may pass through these stages at different ages from each other, however, stated that the sequence through which children pass through the stages could not change thus creating the theory of “the universal child” (Arthur et al, 2007 & Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010).

Vygotsky’s theory was discussed under underpinning approaches and theories for Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007), however, to re-cap Vygotsky believed that development can not be separated from a child’s social and cultural context (Hill, Stremmel & Fu, 2005).

Bronfenbrenner theorised that children were active and developing individuals who could engage in reciprocal relationships with other people and also with their environment. Because of this Bronfenbrenner believed that the child, other people and the environment all play a role in a child’s development (Hill, Stremmel & Fu, 2005).

The reconceptualists are a group who challenge the traditional theories of developmentally appropriate practice and who believe in postmodern, poststructualist and critical theories (Arthur et al, 2010).

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The brain researchers come from a cognitive perspective which is an approach which sees learning as a mental process through which the child actively acquires, remembers and utilises knowledge (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2010).

Although The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) is underpinned by several theories it is a predominantly socioculturally underpinned curriculum. It values children learning through their environments, having strong relationships among everyone in the learning community and recognising cultural and social experiences of children as outlined in its’ principles for practice (QSA, 2006).

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P-3 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators and

Year 1 Learning Statements

The P-3 literacy and numeracy indicators and the year one learning statements (QSA, 2009) are all support documents for the Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) curriculum, however, provide useful information to teachers regardless of what curriculum document is in use. They are a resource teachers can use to support themselves in their planning, learning, assessment and monitoring. The literacy and numeracy indicators (QSA, 2009) outline the expected learning in literacy and numeracy that should take place from preparatory year to year nine and are excellent indicators which guide teachers in determining where children may need extra support (QSA, 2009).

The year one learning statements (QSA, 2009) outline what children should be able to know, understand and do by the end of year one. Like the literacy and numeracy indicators (QSA, 2009) they support the teacher in their planning and aid the teacher in identifying what the focus of teaching and learning in year one is. They are also a helpful resource in supporting continuity between the preparatory year and year one.

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Discussion About Continuity Across Early, Middle and Senior Phases of Schooling

and Identification of Resources to Support Continuity

Across the Early Years of Schooling

In Australia it has been decided that our schooling system be split into three phases which are early, middle and senior (Luke, Weir & Woods, 2008). Throughout this section continuity between these three phases will be discussed with a focus on the first day of school, equity of access, equity of engagement and equity of pathways and resources that support continuity throughout the early years.

The First Day of School:

A child’s first day of school is not only an important time for the child but is an important time for the child’s family and educators. The first day of school is one of the biggest challenges that a child has to face in their early years of schooling and it is critical for this day to be a positive experience as it can set the tone of the child’s schooling (Dockett & Perry, 2001).

Dockett and Perry (2001, pp. 3) state that “a child’s transition to school is understood in terms of the influence of contexts (for example, family, classroom, community) and the connections among these contexts (for example, family-school relationships) at any given time and across time.” It is important that during the transition period strong relationships are formed between the school and the home of the child (Dockett & Perry, 2001).

The Starting School Research Project based at the University of Western Sydney conducted interviews and questionnaires with children, parents and early childhood educators to find out what they thought the key issues for children starting school were and what children needed to be capable of to start school. Their findings fell into eight categories including; “the knowledge children needed to have in order to start school, elements of social adjustment required in the transition to school, specific skills children needed to have mastered, dispositions conducive to a successful start to school, the rules of school, physical aspects of starting school, family issues and the nature of the educational environment within school” (Dockett & Perry, 2001, pp. 4).

What adults thought important for children starting school and what children thought were important for themselves starting school were found to be considerably different. Children’s main concerns in starting school were what rules they needed to know, whereas, adults found how children adjusted socially to school was most important. Surprisingly it was found that few people thought children’s knowledge was an important issue in children starting school (Dockett & Perry, 2001).

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Transition to school programs have mostly been left to schools to deal with, however, Dockett and Perry (2001) suggest that starting school is not just the schools issue rather it is a community issue and responsibility as successful transition programs emphasise relationships. Through their research Dockett and Perry (2001) developed ten guidelines to create an effective transition to school program. These guidelines include: “establish positive relationships between the children, parents, and educators; facilitate each child’s development as a capable learner; differentiate between “orientation-to-school” and “transition-to-school” programs; draw upon dedicated funding and resources; involve a range of stakeholders; are well planned and effectively evaluated; are flexible and responsive; are based on mutual trust and respect; rely on reciprocal communication among participants; and take into account contextual aspects of community and of individual families and children within that community” (Dockett & Perry, 2010. pp. 6-7).

Equity of Access, Equity of Engagement and Equity of Pathways:

Luke, Weir and Woods (2008) suggest that the phases of schooling be in regards to goals based on high quality and high equity. The early years phase of schooling has been set in regards to equity of access. This focusses on providing access to a “shared toolkit for learning, cultural participation and ongoing education” (Luke, Weir & Woods, 2008, pp. 49). This supports children in building continuity between their early years and middle years education by building foundations in their learning and aiding children in their development of positive dispositions to participation in school (QSA, 2009).

The middle phase of schooling has been set in relation to equity of engagement. As the title suggests there is a focus on engagement. This focus addresses issues concerning motivation, identity, youth and community cultures, participation and resistance to schooling which has been discussed in a range of literature about the middle years of schooling (Luke, Weir & Woods, 2008). This supports adolescents in building continuity between their middle years of schooling and their senior years of schooling by holding their engagement and interest in their learning across all KLA’s to support their progression to their senior phase of schooling (QSA, 2009).

The senior phase of schooling has been set to equity of pathways. This focusses on multiple pathways that can be taken to work and civic and cultural life and sets the goal that all students will be productive and active participants in society (Luke, Weir & Woods, 2008). This supports young adults’ in building continuity between their senior phase of schooling and their transition to after school port of calls by giving them the knowledge of the different pathways they can take to their post-school destinations (QSA, 2009).

Resources to Support Continuity in the Early Years:

The Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) provides teachers with many resources to support continuity. In the early years of schooling the QSA provides teachers with four documents which include the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006), the Year 1 Learning Statements (QSA, 2009), the Essential Learnings by the end of Year 3 and Standards (QSA, 2007) and the P-3 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators (QSA, 2009).

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) supports continuity through the early years by building foundations of learning around five learning areas in the preparatory year. It also provides teachers with a chapter advising teachers on the promoting of continuities through the preparatory year (QSA, 2009 & QSA, 2006).

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The Year 1 Learning Statements (QSA, 2009) support continuity between the preparatory year and year one by carrying over the five early learning areas from The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) and using them as organisers to avoid confusion. They also link to what children will learn post year one by making links to the Essential Learnings by the end of Year 3 (QSA, 2007) (QSA, 2009).

Continuity is supported by the Essential Learnings by the end of Year 3 (QSA, 2007) by being able to be applied to the Year 1 Learning Statements (QSA, 2009) and by creating a logical flow between the Essential Learnings by the end of year 3, year 5, year 7 and year 9 (QSA, 2007) (QSA, 2009).

Finally, the P-3 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators (QSA, 2009) support continuity by acknowledging that children learn at different rates and providing indicators for where children are expected to be in literacy and numeracy in their preparatory year, year one, year two and year three. This is supportive of continuity as it allows the teacher to determine where children may need extra support to help them reach the next level.

Having the knowledge of children’s transitions into school and how to support continuity throughout their schooling life, and accessing provided resources to help support continuity through the early years, will ensure that children will have a smooth journey through their schooling.

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Relevant Issues for Practice Related to Curriculum Decision-Making in the Queensland Context

Especially with Reference to Planning for Learning,Teaching

and Assessing Using the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines, the

Essential Learnings and The Australian Curriculum

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) and the Building Student Success document (QSA, 2008) both provide teachers with information and advice regarding curriculum decision-making. These two documents in relation to planning for learning, teaching and assessing will be discussed and compared and finally The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) will be brought into the discussion.

Early Years Curriculum Guidelines:

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) provides teachers with a chapter entitled “Exploring decision-making processes” (QSA, 2006, pp. 77). The chapter issues educators with advice regarding planning, interacting, reflecting and monitoring and assessing which are named by The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines, the four interactive processes of curriculum decision-making (QSA, 2006).

Within the chapter is a diagram that aids teachers in their curriculum decision-making. It is a “dynamic, non-linear, integrated and child responsive” (QSA, 2006, pp. 17) tool which can be used by teachers as a starting point for planning (see appendix 3).

Planning

Planning must, as said by the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006), have a focus on integrated learning promotion. Teachers should plan across multiple time frames which include preparation planning which is short and long term planning and also on-the-spot planning which occurs when an observation of a teachable moment has been made. It is important for the teacher to record their planning to make sure that decisions, intentions, actions and results are made clear (QSA, 2006).

Planning helps teachers in a variety of ways. It helps to build continuity, ensure learning is relevant, provide balance between child and teacher initiated, collaboratively planned and spontaneous learning opportunities, develop opportunities children can make choices in, focus teaching interactions, make learning clear to everyone, integrate assessment and allocate time for reflection (QSA, 2006).

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Collaborative planning is also important and teachers need to ensure that their partners are engaging in decision-making as well. These partners include children, parents and carers, colleagues and other educational professionals.

Interacting Teachers make both planned and spontaneous decisions when deciding how to interact with children and other partners to promote learning. Teachers interact for several different reasons including; to build the intellectual quality of the learning experiences, to plan and reflect collaboratively, to ensure environments are always supportive of children and partners, to promote continuity between home and school and prior, past and future learning and to recognise and engage with diversity (QSA, 2006).

There are a few different types of interactions teachers may engage in which are “facilitating, collaborating as a learning partner, making learning explicit, building connections and extending children’s thinking to develop deep understandings” (QSA, 2006, pp. 81). Reflecting

Teachers reflect both individually and collaboratively including with children, colleagues and parents, carers and the community on practice. Individual or personal reflection allows teachers to critically reflect upon their own professional practice. Reflecting with children on their learning aids in future decision-making. Reflecting with collegues can occur in informal and formal situations and helps in understanding how to make their practice better which in turn aids in curriculum decision-making. Finally, reflecting with parents, carers and the community allows teachers to find out important information regarding children’s interests, how learning could be enhanced and opens negotiations for curriculum decisions (QSA, 2006).

Reflection is critical as a teacher and should not be kept to a verbal situation, some reflections should be documented to allow ideas to be explored further or revisited, a professional reflective journal could aid in this practice (QSA, 2006). Monitoring and Assessing

Monitoring and Assessing is an important and ongoing aspect of curriculum decision- making. Partnerships are an integral part of assessment as teachers, parents and children need to know what is being assessed and how. Teacher values and their views of children, learning and teaching, along with partnerships shape assessment (QSA, 2006).

The purposes of assessing children is to gather information to use for planning future learning, build an overall picture of a child’s learning and development, give direction to conversation between children, parents or carers, other teachers and other professional colleagues and to record point-in-time judgements to record and report on (QSA, 2006).

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) demonstrates a four step monitoring and assessing guideline. The four steps are gathering evidence of children’s learning, using folios to organise evidence about children’s learning, interpreting evidence of children’s learning in folios and using the early learning record to report on children’s learning.

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Building Student Success:

Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) is a support document created to be used in conjunction with the Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007). Considerations it sees relevant to planning include; understanding the community, knowing students needs, using the ways of working and knowledge and understanding, devising meaningful and efficient combinations of Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007), be aware of cross-curricular priorities and perspectives, know systemic priorities and respond to data collected in regards to student achievement (QSA, 2008).

Five processes to guide planning are outlined in Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) they are set out in a diagram to aid teachers in their planning (see appendix 4). The five processes include; “identify curriculum - select the Essential Learnings, school priorities and context for learning; develop assessment - plan a variety of assessment instruments to collect comprehensive and meaningful evidence of learning; sequence teaching and learning - plan teaching strategies and learning experiences to respond to the needs and interests of the learners; make judgements - use the evidence in student responses and consider how judgements will be made about the quality of learning; and use feedback - consider how and when to provide feedback” (QSA, 2008, pp. 43).

Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) then goes on to give a thorough example of how a teacher could plan from the five processes.

Early Years Curriculum Guidelines and Building Student Success Comparison:

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) and the Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) guidelines for curriculum decision-making and planning are quite different although have few similarities.

Both guidelines have diagrams to aid teachers in the planning as seen in appendix 3 and appendix 4, however, they use different processes for planning. The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) gives teachers copious amounts of information regarding planning, interacting, reflecting and monitoring and assessing, which are their processes for curriculum-decision making, whereas, Building Student Success doesn’t give thorough background information on their processes.

Building Student Success (QSA, 2008), however, gives a very thorough example on how to use their planning guide with their processes, whereas, The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines doesn’t give as thorough an example.

Both documents are however, suited to their contexts, with The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines being in use for the preparatory year and Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) to be used in conjunction with the Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007).

The Australian Curriculum:

The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) doesn’t give a clear guideline for teachers to use when planning, assessing and making curriculum decisions. As The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) shares the learning areas with the Essential Learnings (QSA, 2007) using the Building Student Success (QSA, 2008) guidelines would be appropriate.

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A Discussion of Relevant Planning Approachesto

Support Curriculum Decision-Making

Discussion of Relevant Planning Approaches

There are many approaches to curriculum used all over the world. Following is a discussion of the main approaches used in Australian curriculums. These approaches include; developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), play-based/active learning approach, mandatory curriculum, child-centered curriculum and adult-centered curriculum.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Developmentally appropriate practice is an approach which has a focus on child development and is considered to be appropriate for children at different ages (Arthur et al, 2007). It is thought by Fleer (as cited in Arthur et al, 2007) that program planning in the DAP approach more often than not follows rather than leads a child’s development and in turn cognition. DAP contains two dimensions. Firstly, age appropriateness implies universal patterns of development in children across all areas of learning. Secondly, individual appropriateness acknowledges that there are differences between children because of their social and cultural backgrounds (Arthur et al, 2007).

Because of its focus on the individual child, DAP has come under criticism by sociocultural, postmodern and poststructuralist theorists as they don’t believe DAP considers social and cultural contexts of children as important enough.

Play-based/Active Learning Approach

Play-based/active learning approaches believe that children learn best through play. Through play children investigate which enables them to make sense of the social world in which they live and allows them to connect their initial understandings with their new experiences to progress from simple to complex understandings (Arthur et al, 2007).

In general the child initiates play and it is enjoyable for them and therefore play creates engagement and motivation to learn in children. Play approaches encourage children to take risks, interact with their peers and draw on their own family and community experiences which in turn scaffolds their learning (Arthur et al, 2007).

Mandatory Curriculum

A mandatory curriculum is an outcomes-based curriculum implemented by government departments or authorities. Most teachers do not use only a mandatory curriculum

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approach, usually they will couple the mandatory approach with other approaches which suit their context. Using only a mandatory approach is most likely to hinder children’s learning, however, implemented with additional approaches it can be made into a viable approach (Arthur et al, 2007).

Child-centered Approach

Child-centered approaches consider every child’s strengths and interests, occasionally they also take into account children’s perceived needs. Observations of individual children are usually emphasised and most experiences are child-initiated and directed with the teacher providing the child with resources if required. The basis of this approach is that children control their own learning.

Adult-centered Approach

Adult-centered approaches are basically the opposite of child-centered approaches. In an adult-centered approach the teacher decides what and how the children will learn. The planning in this approach does not take into account the children’s interests, social or cultural backgrounds or diverse learning styles. There is set content that is transmitted from the teacher to the children to create a predetermined product and diversity is generally viewed as a problem (Arthur et al, 2007). Discussion of ways of Documenting Planning

There are many ways to document planning, however, the simplest way to document it is by using monthly, weekly and daily plans. Monthly plans should include a brief comment on what is happening on a particular day (mainly special events such as sports days or excursions), weekly plans are more detailed than monthly plans and should include whats happening each day that week at what time and daily plans should be more detailed again providing detailed information on activities with links to the curriculum and observations.

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Relevant Assessment Materials

Discussion about purposes for assessment and assessment approaches relevant to P-3 contexts:

The purpose of assessment is to aid the teacher in planning for future learning, to build pictures of children’s learning and development, to direct conversations with the child, parents or carers, specialist teachers, children’s future teachers and other professional colleagues and to document point-in-time judgements (QSA, 2006). Klenowski and Adie (2009) agree with the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) suggesting that assessment results should inform teaching and learnings processes and track students progress.

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (QSA, 2006) suggests a four step approach to assessment. Step one is gathering evidence of children’s learning which involves gathering evidence over time to develop an overall picture of children’s learning. This can be achieved by observing children as they are learning, talking with children in regards to their learning, helping children to identify what they have learnt, gathering artefacts children create during learning, make comments on children’s learning with relations to the curriculum and have formal and informal discussions with parents/carers and professional colleagues. (QSA, 2006).

Step two is using folios to organise evidence about children’s learning which involves the teacher organising all the evidence of learning they have gathered over time into folios for each child. These folios could have records of conversations with children, anecdotal records, checklists with comments, photographs, video footage or audio recordings, artefacts children have created and records of discussions with partners. Ensuring teachers collect this evidence can only be guaranteed if the teacher has planned ahead to provide learning experiences to children where this evidence will be collected. After the evidence is collected it needs to be analysed by the teacher to find out what learning has taken place (QSA, 2006).

Step three is interpreting evidence of children’s learning in folios. Evidence of learning is useless unless it is interpreted. Interpreting the evidence is what informs daily planning and helps the teacher to make judgements in regards to what children have learnt in relation to the curriculum outcomes. Interpreting evidence also supports curriculum decision-making by providing teachers with information regarding children when planning for future learning, focuses for discussions with the child, parents/carers, specialist teachers, future teachers and other professional colleagues, information and evidence to support judgements made about a child’s learning and development and a foundation which comments can be written about the contexts and phases of learning in the early learning record (QSA, 2006).

Finally, step four is using the early learning record to report on children’s learning. Early learning records should be completed for each child in a setting a minimum of twice a year. These documents make judgements on a child’s learning in relation to the learning statements. They are also important for the child’s teacher in the next year so they are able to see where the child is at in their learning and development (QSA, 2006).

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Identification and description of assessment practices that support these purposes including formative, summative and diagnostic assessment

Assessment currently sits in three categories, summative, diagnostic and formative. Summative assessments are used to summarise what students have learnt at the end of a unit, term, semester or year. This form of assessment is generally evaluative and reported as a grade. Examples could include exams, projects and work portfolios. Summative assessment is usually what the children and parents are interested in viewing as it is generally what is used for report cards, however, summative assessment standing alone is not a sufficient aid in maximising students learning as it is conducted at the end of a unit which is to late to find out if students are learning (McTighe & O’Connor, 2005).

Diagnostic assessment is completed throughout a unit making it an appropriate tool for guiding teaching and learning. Teachers use this type of assessment to find out information on children’s prior knowledge and skill level. Diagnostic assessment assists teachers in planning. Examples of diagnostic assessment include skill checks and surveys in regards to student interest and learning style. These assessments are generally not graded. (McTighe & O’Connor, 2005).

Formative assessments are ongoing assessments which provide feedback to teachers and students to aid teaching and learning. This type of assessment can be formal or informal and can include such things as ungraded exams, discussions/questioning, teachers observations, student’s drafts, learning logs and portfolio reviews. This kind of assessment is generally not included in a summative evaluation and grading (McTighe & O’Connor, 2005).

Identification of strategies for documenting learning and providing feedback about children’s learning for a range of assessment purposes:

Contemporary approaches to documenting are collaborative, involving staff, children and families in the process so children’s learning and achievements can be celebrated together. Reflective practice is also emphasised in contemporary approaches to documenting and is also collaborative with children, families and staff members (Arthur et al, 2007). Strategies and approaches to documenting learning for providing feedback about children’s learning for a range of assessment purposes can include:

Sociocultural Method

Sociocultural methods of documentation focus on the learning children receive within their family and community context and acknowledge that children bring knowledge from home to school which can turn into a great resource for teachers as they have prior knowledge to build on. This method also emphasises the documentation of the learning that happens in group situations as these can provide the teacher with knowledge of the roles adults and peers play in learning. The planning that results form this kind of documentation method is related to children’s contexts (Arthur et al, 2007).

Collaborative Method

Collaborative documentation involves taking on board opinions of children, families and staff. In this method children are seen as valuable partners in the process of documentation. It gives children a voice to inform us of their interests and in turn this will result in them informing us of their abilities and social expectations. This information can be invaluable to a teacher in their planning (Arthur et al, 2007).

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Families also need to be seen as valuable partners in the process of documentation as they can provide teachers with knowledge of what knowledge children have acquired in contexts outside of the school setting which can provide the teacher with new perspectives (Arthur et al, 2007).

Staff also need to be involved in collaborative documentation and it should be influenced by every member of the team. Different staff members will have different ideas and opinions regarding documentation and planning and this can create a diverse and rich learning experience for children (Arthur et al, 2007).

Narratives

Narratives describe, in detail, an event or experience. There are several different types of narratives including running records, learning stories, anecdotes and jottings. When documenting using a narrative method detail is key. What happened prior to the even, who was there at the time of the event and what happened post event need to be recorded along with any other relevant information to what happened (Arthur et al, 2007).

Learning Stories

Learning stories focus on the child’s strengths and acknowledge the child’s social and cultural context. Like a narrative the record a child’s experience, however, they only document significant points, feelings and interpretations rather than documenting every minute detail (Arthur et al, 2007).

Samples

Samples are examples of children’s work and can also include time samples and event samples. Collecting samples of children’s work, such as drawings, paintings and writing, to use as documentation gives children a voice as they are creating the record and are given a say in what work samples can be taken (Arthur et al, 2007).

Time samples can include documentation of a day or part of a day and gathers information regarding an individual child’s or a group of children’s experiences and social interactions during that time. Time samples can also include photos or video footage (Arthur et al, 2007).

Event samples usually involve recording information on an individual child but can also be used in a group situation. This method can be used to analyse certain behaviors of children including challenging behaviours. This information can then be used to make changes to future planning to cater for the behaviors observed (Arthur et al, 2007).

Language Transcripts

Language transcripts focus on interactions children make and record what children say and how they use language to express themselves and their knowledge of the world in which they live. Different types of language transcripts can include word lists, webs, transcripts of conversations, interviews, transcripts of reading and retelling texts and jointly constructed texts (Arthur et al, 2007).

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Visual Representations

Visual representations are records such as photographs, video footage, diagrams and visual diaries. This method of documentation is not as time consuming as other methods and still provide teachers with invaluable information. These observations are particularly useful when discussing a child’s learning with families (Arthur et al, 2007). Check Lists and Rating Scales

Check lists are a simple method of observation where the observer marks off a list what items are present. They can provide a teacher with a summary of a child’s development, however, they don’t provide much information relevant to future learning (Arthur et al, 2007).

Rating scales are a similar form of documentation to check lists, however, rather than simply checking an item off a list the child is given a rating to their competence in an activity. Again this method of documentation can provide a teacher with information on a child’s development but little information on how to build future learning (Arthur et al, 2007).

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Draft Rubric for Year 3 Science (Vegetable Garden Unit - Science Report)

A B C D E

Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)

Report provides excellent evidence of always being able to group vegetables based on observable features and always is able to distinguish plants from non-living things.

Report provides good evidence of mostly being able to group vegetables based on observable features and mostly is able to distinguish plants from non-living things.

Report provides sound evidence of sometimes being able to group vegetables based on observable features and sometimes is able to distinguish plants from non-living things.

Report provides some evidence of rarely being able to group vegetable based on observable features and rarely is able to distinguish plants from non-living things.

Report provides no evidence of being able to group vegetables based on observable features and no evidence of being able to distinguish plants from non-living things.

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior knowledge (ACSIS053)

Report provides excellent evidence of always being able to form questions about vegetable growth that can be scientifically investigated and always is able to make predictions on what might happen based on prior knowledge of vegetable growth.

Report provides good evidence of mostly being able to form questions about vegetable growth that can be scientifically investigated and mostly is able to make predictions on what might happen based on prior knowledge of vegetable growth.

Report provides sound evidence of sometimes being able to form questions about vegetable growth that can be scientifically investigated and sometimes is able to make predictions on what might happen based on prior knowledge of vegetable growth.

Report provides some evidence of rarely being able to form questions about vegetable growth that can be scientifically investigated and rarely is able to make predictions on what might happen based on prior knowledge of vegetable growth.

Report provides no evidence of being able to form questions about vegetable growth that can be scientifically investigated and no evidence of being able to make predictions on what might happen based on prior knowledge of vegetable growth.

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A B C D E

Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (ACSIS215)

Report provides excellent evidence of always being able to compare vegetable growth results with predictions and can always suggest possible reasons for findings.

Report provides good evidence of mostly being able to compare vegetable growth results with predictions and can suggest possible reasons for findings most of the time.

Report provides sound evidence of sometimes being able to compare vegetable growth results with predictions and can sometimes suggest possible reasons for findings.

Report provides some evidence of rarely being able to compare vegetable growth results with predictions and can rarely suggest possible reasons for findings.

Report provides no evidence of being able to compare vegetable growth results with predictions and no evidence of being able to suggest possible reasons for findings.

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References

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Dockett, S. & Perry, B. (2001). Starting School: Effective Transitions. Early Childhood Research & Practice 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED458041.pdf

Early Childhood Australia. (2006). Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics. Deakin West: Early Childhood Australia.

Hill, L., Stremmel, A. & Fu, V. (2005). Teaching as Inquiry: Rethinking Curriculum in Early Childhood Education. Sydney: Pearson.

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Klenowski, V. & Adie, L. (2009). Moderation as Judgement Practice: Reconciling System Level Accountability and Local Level Practice. Curriculum Perspectives 29(1) pp. 10-28. Retrieved from http://exproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/ documents/Klenowski10950.pdf

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Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/ National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

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Queensland Studies Authority. (2006). Early Years Curriculum Guidelines. Brisbane: Queensland Studies Authority.

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Queensland Studies Authority. (2009). Year 1 Learning Statements. Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/7447.html Queensland Studies Authority. (2009). Learning P-3. Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/approach/learning_p-3_overview.pdf

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