Program Templates

[smile]

Hi I am new to the Early Years Learning Framework
Are there any templates available to use for documentation?
I have tried to look on the internet but can't find any templates
that will help with how to document appropriatly etc... and cover all areas etc...
anyone who can help in this area would be greatly appreciated

[Anne Kennedy]

Re the good question about templates for documenting and the EYLF----There are no 'official' templates for documenting that have been produced by DEEWR. I think there maybe some commercial type products available. If you read through the Posts on this Forum, you will see lots of discussion about the best ways to document when using the EYLF and I think the answer is clear....there is no one best way and templates may prevent educators from finding their own 'best way' to document children's learning. Suggest you might find the ECA RIPS booklet "Getting Started" by Joy Goodfellow (available from ECA via their website) helpful. DEEWR have also published a Guide to the EYLF which can be downloaded from their website (google DEEWR).
Keep in mind these questions when you are thinking about documenting:
What is the purpose for documenting children's learning? or Why do we document?
Who is the documentation for?
Who could be involved in documenting?
What ways do I currently use for documenting?
How could I adapt my current methods or add to them to make links with the EYLF?

Let the Forum know how you are going with this big question and keep asking questions...there are lots of educators reading and posting who can help!
Anne K

[Neville Dwyer]

I agree Anne, take your time, read through the forum and check out others thoughts on this. Be mindful of "off the shelf" templates and systems - they may suit the thinking of the person who designed them - but do they fit yours and more importantly do you understand why they were designed that way.

There is no rush to have a system that is perfect, nor is there one model that fits all settings. How can there be.

Cheers

Neville

[Catharine Hydon]

A good way to process is to find a service locally that have been using the EYLF and talk to them about what they have been trying. Its often good to find people who have already done some investigation and get thier thoughts and suggestions. Ask around people will know who might be good to talk to. This is where a strong network is great!!

Also try talking to your local professional support agency - heres the link to the list http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildho...Framework.aspx

Ask them if they can suggest a way forward for you... they might even run some professaionl learning sessions you can attend! There is also good libraries attached to these services that you shoul ask about.

Cheers
Catharine

[smile]

Hi everyone thankyou all for your comments and suggestions,
I am just having a bit of trouble of where to start, basically I am in Family Day Care so mostly I am on my own and all of the carers where I am are in the same boat, have been told we are supposed to be implementing EYLF but just don't know where to start and all this info is really getting to me, nothing seems to be straight forward saying this is what we need or this is what you will need to document
so if anyone has any suggestions let me know.....
in the mean time will check out other threads
thanks everyone

[Anne Kennedy]

Family Day Care settings are such a great place for working with the EYLF as the EYLF respects every place where children, educators and families share an interest in children as learners. Suggest that you follow up on Catharine's ideas. There are other FDC educators reading and posting on this Forum who will make practical suggestions to help you I'm sure. I know it is easy for us to keep saying this, but it is true, the best way to start is to begin with reading the EYLF and finding one section which you think..."yes I get that or yes, I think I do that in my FDC work" and then read this section carefully and think about what you do well, what would you like to do better and look for help in the EYLF and in the Educator's Guide. Thinking about one small section or principle or practice is enough to say that you are beginning to engage with the EYLF and what it means for you as a FDC educator. For example, one of the principles is about children's holisitc development. What does that mean to you? How do you plan for or help children to develop and learn holisitically (all areas of development and learning)? What are the experiences you provide every day that support holisitic development and learning? Is it easy to do this for older or younger children? What areas of development and learning do you think you could plan more for? Would the learning outcomes in the EYLF have some ideas for that planning?

ECA has 'Master Classes' (the title sounds a bit difficult, but they are very practical) on the EYLF and some of the video filming for these classes were made in a FDC setting. I think the classes are being revamped for technical reasons but they will be available soon...free and easy to use. Maybe Neville could tell us when they will be available as he was involved in their preparation.
Keep reading and posting...lots of people who want to help.
Anne K

[Catharine Hydon]

I agree Anne - its one step at a time. Maybe Smile you could read the EYLF with a view to finding something that makes sense to you. I have disucssed this appraoch with a numbner of educators and it seems to be less duanting! Those question that Anne has listed are great.. and write them down in a note book - it will help you rermember how far you have come!

Catharine

[smile]

Hi thanks so much for the suggestions much appreciated, have just got hold of EYLF book so now at least I have a place to start
and have ordered an education guide so that should be on the way soon,
anyone needing one email the Dept of Education: dest.orders@bspg.com.au
thanks again to everyone

[Anne Kennedy]

Good luck with getting started---anyone who shows the level of interest that you do will be fine! As Catharine suggested, keep notes on what happens...your thinking and what you do as you become more familiar with the documents. Then keep us all posted via the Forum.
Cheers
Anne

[LaurenGrenda]

I also did FDC and the way I adapted the framework was quite simple. Each child had a folder with the framework principles, and codes that relate to each point. Each day (you could to it weekly) I wrote a few paragraphs about the day, learning that occurred, etc, as well as any photos that support what I was writing, then linked these to the framework (or codes I had established). The book getting started was a great help to me as well as the gov booklet, both mentioned earlier. I feel the more you read them, the more you 'get it'. Good Luck!