Teaching requires a lot of dedication as it is influenced by the personal experiences of the individual involved. The childhood practices and cultures of a person greatly influences their way of teaching and influencing the development of their students. Childhood learning and development requires guidance from the teachers to give the child a platform to grow and learn. Creativity is an important part of learning which can be developed by getting inspirations from personal experiences and the environment around the children.
Reflect personal values to teaching practice
Children have different abilities of learning languages and other aspects of early cognitive skills depending on their ages, social exposure and support from their parents and teachers. My childhood experience was quite tough when it came to the learning of languages as compared to that of my age mates. The main reason as to why I was slow on developing my cognitive skills is because I had some health complications as a child and I could therefore not interact well with other children on the playground and other outdoor activities. The first year of school was therefore difficult as my classmates already understood languages while I was still lagging behind. However as I began interacting with people, frequent use of learning materials like story books and paying attention to the teachers, I then began to develop my skills (Podmore, 2006).
Today as a teacher, I can use my story and childhood experiences to ensure that I give excellent services to my children in school. I usually deal with each student independently as I understand that they all have different abilities in developing their learning and language skills. Thanks to my early values and experiences, I can help other children develop their cognitive skills and manage to succeed in their studies just like I did. A teacher’s main function is to attain balance in a classroom and I always find it easy to do that since I look at the strengths and weaknesses of each student and help them get out of their shell and excel (Claiborne, 2015). I find my teaching practice closely related to my early experiences with teacher and I can admit that those are my main inspirations to the teacher I am today.
Culture and identity influence to practice
While growing up, there are some activities that I considered to be part of my culture as a child and they up to date affect my personality as a teacher. When I was in elementary school, my teachers were very strict in the aspects of classroom behavior and outdoor activities. My teacher used to punish us when we misbehaved in class or went outside to play without permission (Vandell, 2010). I grew up knowing that a teacher should be respected and even to some extent feared because failure to which there were consequences that one would face. I was usually very observant of the instructions that teachers gave in class to ensure that I followed all the rules and avoided punishments.
Somehow from all these believes and identities that I posses from my childhood still follow me through my career practice. I always want my class to be organized and well behaved just as I saw back in the day. I believe that a teacher should take control of his or her class and I therefore enforce rules that each students should follow regardless of their age or social status. The first step to learning is organization and adherence to instructions (Nuttall, 2003). Although I am usually easy on the laws, I make sure that every student knows their purpose in class and respect those in authority.
Curriculum approaches (include Te Wh?riki)
The curriculum for children differs from the other subject schedules and it is called Te Whariki. This kind of program has been endorsed by the ministry of education in Newzealand to help children grow better. As a teacher, I use the Te Whaniki to connect a child’s learning procedure with what they experience at home and in the community. Some experiences especially at family level might have a great influence in the learning process of a child (Te One, 2003). I therefore learn more about the background of my children and treat them in accordance to their experiences. I had a perfect relationship with my family members and that positively influenced my ability to learn faster. The same experience is also helping me support the children in class despite of their relationships with the community.
Theoretical perspectives
As a teacher I have to apply the different perspectives of learning to ensure that all the aspects of a child are all taken into consideration. Cognitivism is a main aspect in learning as it involves the building of the mind and knowledge acquisition skills. A child starts to shoe behavioral changes in the way they conduct their usual activities and a teacher should therefore do a follow up to ensure that the students are changing towards the positive direction. Constructivism theory looks at learning in such a perspective that an individual should take their cultural experiences as stepping stones to development (Korthagen, 2004). I find it easier to reflect back to my life and make certain hard decisions in my profession as a teacher. I can now be able to involve my students in the development process by encouraging them to be proud of their experiences as they teach important lessons.
Pedagogies that support your practice
As a teacher, an individual should be able to apply different methods if teaching to make their practice better. I personally believe in disparities when it comes to the abilities of learning for different people. I therefore use differentiation and experimental approaches of teaching to promote learning and understanding. I try as much as possible to ensure that the different children in a class get specialized attention so that it can be easy to identify their strengths and use them to promote learning (Jeffrey, 2006). Experiments make learning entertaining and involving for both the students and teachers and hence promote comprehension.
Experiences and resources you will offer young children
I find it easier as a teacher to use my experiences or those of others and resources like books and videos to teach as it reduces the effort of teaching and also enhance comprehending on the part of the child. Children understand and remember better if they are taught using real life experiences. Leaning is a continuous process that should continue making progress on a day to day basis. The resources provided to children include books with exiting stories which attracts their attention and hence making them read more which in the long run develops their language learning. Continuous reading makes the children become more conversant with a particular language.
The Creative world is of importance when an individual is growing up as it promotes their physical abilities to face the later part of their lives with confidence. Since I was not medically allowed to engage in most outdoor activities like running around and getting my hands dirty, I found myself more interested in imaginative activities like the arts. It was a good exposure for my personality because some of those activities place a great role in my life today (Borko, 2004). I was good at dressing up the playing dolls and I would find myself designing some dresses for them to look better than they were bought. I also grew interest in the performing arts whereby I would copy the singers on TV, dress like them and hold spoon as a microphone against a mirror. I was also good at coordinating my friends into conducting our activities and that gave me the team leading spirit. Thanks to all that, my teaching experience is much more natural as there are skills I acquired from an early age. I am able to help students make their art crafts as I have the passion to see something creative and different (McArdle, 2012). I also have built in confidence to stand in front of students and teach them on how to develop their learning abilities. Finally my organizational skills are helpful in such a way that I can ensure for harmony in the class which ensures for effective learning.
How children make meaning of their world through visual and performing arts (consider the background and culture of children).
The world is full of new things each day which are covered in the context of performing and visual arts. Children involve themselves in imagination activities which change their view about the environment around them as they begin seeing their imaginations around them (In Clark, 2013). If for example kids are involved in drawing and watercolor painting, they can now see the beauty of colors around them and appreciate nature more than ever before. The backgrounds of children determine the things that they are likely to create as part of their creative projects whether in school or at home (Wright, 2015). Those from violent homes might be seen drawing scary or ugly images unlike those who have good experiences as they might draw big smiles or a happy. It is therefore up to the teacher to help the children use creative arts to express their feelings instead of letting issues affecting them to have a negative impact.
Maori perspectives
The environment is a great inspiration when it comes to gathering of ideas for creativity development. Following the Maori perspectives, the school environment should be a step that helps students develop their ideas for their creative and performance arts (Wright S. S., 2007). It is the greatest thing that a teacher can do by encouraging students to get inspiration from the environment around them. I always take my children outside and ask them to look around then think of something that that inspires them to be creative. I tell them that everything even the most usual activities around the school environment can create an idea of the arts.
Pacific Nations’ perspectives
The theory emphasizes on the development of social and emotional status of students during learning. Each student’s emotional and social backgrounds affects their ability to learn and be creative at the same time. I therefore give my input as a teacher to encourage the children to accept their backgrounds and use them for the benefit of learning (Blaiklock, 2010). The extra experience whether good or bad give a child a platform to rise up and work even harder to overcome their past. I encourage children to use all their life experiences as inspirations to their visual and performance arts as it gives a personalized view of their work.
Theoretical perspectives
A creative mind should be natured to always grow towards the positive direction and the best way to help children develop their creativity is by differentiation. Every child is different in their way of thinking and exploring activities. It is therefore important as a teacher to watch them closely and encourage each one of them to be creative in their own way (Littlefield-Cook, 2005). I usually meet so many crazy ideas in the art classes and try my best to understand the intention of the child from a different perspective then encourage them to keep on exploring that subject.
Experiences and resources you will offer young children
Learning of visual and performing arts requires some inspirations and specific resources to help children express their thoughts in a more creative and physical method. It is important to consider that the subjects of creative arts are around us in every day to day activity we conduct (Davies, 2013). As a teacher, I ensure that children can relate their personal activities and experiences in their creative ideas. It is good to encourage kids to draw their ideas from the close world other than a world that does not exist. I also organize so as to help children create more arts by providing them with the required materials like pencil, paper, mirrors, colors and many others.
The teacher’s role (including pedagogies and teaching strategies) in supporting children’s creativity
Creativity is an important tool in learning and should always be encouraged in all situations to ensure that they learn to take different approaches to life. It is the teacher’s role to ensure that children discover their creative world and use it to the benefit of their learning. The best thing a for a teacher is to create an emotional connection in class as it gives the students a chance to think deeper. I therefore try to give the children topics like domestic violence or love as they already experience these feeling and are more likely to think more and be creative. I also create a conducive, safe classroom whereby students can take risks with their creativity and explore different mentalities.
In conclusion, learning is a continuous process but the start is the most important as it ensures that the future can also be bright. It is therefore important to ensure that individuals are passionate and experienced enough to become teachers as they play a great role in childhood development and learning of their students (Hattie, 2003).
References
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Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. . Educational researcher, , 33(8), 3-15.
Claiborne, L. B. (2015). Shaking up human development: A reflection from Aotearoa New Zealand on Erica’s Burman’s contribution. . Feminism & Psychology, , 25(3), 381-387.
Davies, D. J.-S. (2013). Creative learning environments in education—A systematic literature review. . Thinking Skills and Creativity , 8, 80-91.
Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers Make a Difference, What is the research evidence?.
In Clark, B. I. (2013). Arts in early childhood education: Kia tipu te wairua toi : fostering the creative spirit.
Jeffrey, B. (2006). Creative teaching and learning: towards a common discourse and practice. Cambridge Journal of Education , 36(3), 399-414.
Korthagen, F. A. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards a more holistic approach in teacher education. . Teaching and teacher education, , 20(1), 77-97.
Littlefield-Cook, J. C. (2005). Child development: Principles and perspectives . (Vol. 55, pp. 23-38).
McArdle, F. (2012). The visual arts: Ways of seeing. Children, meaning-making and the art , 30-56.
Nuttall, J. G. (2003). Weaving Te Wh?riki: Aotearoa New Zealand's early childhood curriculum document in theory and practice. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Podmore, V. N. (2006). Observation: Origins and approaches to early childhood research and practice. . Wellington: N.Z: NZCER Press.
Te One, S. (2003). The context for Te Whariki. Weaving Te Whariki: Aotearoa New Zealand's early childhood curriculum document in themes and practice. 17-49.
Vandell, D. L. (2010). Do effects of early child care extend to age 15 years? Results from the NICHD study of early child care and youth development. . Child development , 81(3), 737-756.
Wright, S. (2015). Children, meaning-making and the arts. . Pearson Higher Education AU.
Wright, S. S. (2007). Young children’s meaning-making through drawing and ‘telling’: Analogies to filmic textual features
