Reflection Of A Practicum Placement

This is my first practicum placement in the Lethbridge community and in a daycare centre. It has given me a different, but good experience from working in a Parent Pre-School Program (PPP). This placement is different from my last two placements, because it has allowed me to gain more experience with younger age group of children. The placement still gives the children the opportunity to learn through their play in play areas of language, art, water, sand, blocks, and kitchen (dramatic play). They also, have the ability to provide additional play areas, such as infant play, play dough, train set play, and outdoor/gym time to exercise their gross motor skills. The placement is a bit more structured by offering a time schedule of outdoor play,

nap, snack/meal time, and possible gym time for the children who don’t take naps. With outdoor play I was given the opportunity to interact with the children in a different atmosphere and see how they use their imagination to create their own play outside.
I am learning about how to interact with children that are throwing tantrums or how to encourage the children to come when needed. The daycare has recently received two newcomers. One of the children is learning English as her second language, and there is another child who is younger and hasn’t developed in his language yet. I am learning how to communicate more with descriptive responses, pointing, and non-verbal communication gestures.
I was able to create and set up different play areas, and more individual activities based on my observations of the children’s play and conversations they had with their peers or other educators.

I am still learning the creative process of planning play areas and how to be resourceful with gathering my materials. I just planned a play area in the water play area for the first time on infants’ washing/hygiene. I was able to borrow materials from my practicum placement, in the ECE lab beautiful junk containers, and with the help of my sister who works in a dentist office that was able to give me free children toothbrushes. The children appeared to enjoy using the toothbrushes, washing and rinsing the baby dolls, and pouring water into the bottles using the cups that were

provided.
I feel that my new experience in a daycare centre has given me a variety of different opportunities to interact with different age groups of children, who are at different stages in their development. Even though I have had previous experience with toddlers, I am still learning on how to handle situation with children that are throwing tantrums. I was able to receive feed back from my practicum supervisor, placement supervisor, and the other educators that work in the placement.
There was a moment that I was surprised to see happen between the two newcomers.

The Child S that has little English who is older was standing at the water table first and the other Child A, who is younger came over looking at what was in the water. Child S quickly grabbed a baby doll, a scrubby, a small yogurt cup, and placed the items in front of Child A. Child S picked up the scrubby and the baby doll and began scrubbing the doll in the air showing him. Child S picked up the small yogurt cup and filled it with water, and then poured the water over the baby doll. She placed all of the materials in front of the baby doll. Even though I didn’t understand what she was saying, she used her actions to explain to the younger child of what he could do with the materials that were offered to them to play with. I told her, “Thank you for giving Child A space and some toys to play with and showing him how to play with toys.” Instead of giving praise response I thanked her, and described to her of her actions in a positive voice to show her that she did something that was good. I was surprised, but in a good way that as a newcomer Child S was able to feel comfortable and have confidence to speak to the other children with her not being able to speak the same language. Child S has found ways to still communicate using non-verbal communications, and

gestures.
In the Alberta Curriculum Framework Child S is demonstrating a learning disposition in Caring and Participating as she tries to engages in conversation with Child A to help him by giving and showing how to use the materials that are in the water table. (Makovichuk, Hewes, Lirette, & Thomas, 2014, p. 63)
I will continue to learn different techniques based on the Early Childhood Education curriculum of guiding children’s behaviours. I believe that as educators with young children there is going to be always room for learning on how to handle certain situations that will appear with all children of different ages. Each child is different and will respond differently in how you handle it. I know from observing how my practicum placement supervisors are also still learning different techniques to help each child each day.