EARLY LEARNING CENTRE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Student Name: Jill Elliott Date: Sept. 28th, 17 Age Group: 4 to 6

Purpose: Purpose:

Reason for developing The reason for developing this learning activity is to keep in
learning experience. This consistency with the program structure, as mentioned in the
could be in response to an last activity sheet the program is designed beginning with
observation, discussion circle time and a story and leading into a craft. As my
with the site supervisor, placement progresses I hope to have an opportunity to
Ontario Curriculum introduce all these elements. For this week however, I will be
Objective, etc. focusing on circle time and reading the story. One goal I have
going into this is to make my voice more engaging as I read.
Observation This is something that my supervisor and I discussed last week.
- Document what you saw
and heard
- Document non-verbal
communication (i.e.,
body language, facial
expressions and voice
tone)
- Document in detail: who,
what, where, and when
- Documentation should
be written in past tense,
objective, and in
anecdotal format
OR

Discussion

Document the discussion

between you and your site
supervisor that led to the
planning
OR
Curriculum Objective
Describe the curriculum
objective youre aiming to
meet/enhance through this
experience
Learning Experience
What are you planning in
response to your purpose?
- Label your experience
(e.g. Painting with cars).
- What are your 3
objectives for this
experience? (i.e. What
interests are you
extending? What
strengths and
opportunities for growth
are you
enhancing/supporting?)
Please Note: You should
refer to appropriate
pedagogy to support your
discussion around
strengths and
opportunities for growth
(e.g. ELECT, How Does
Learning Happen, Ontario
FDK Curriculum, etc).
Learning Experience:
The experience is reading an interactive story about colours
and leading circle time.
Objectives:
To have all children fully engaged in the story being
read to them.
Have them participating and singing along as abled in
the circles songs.
Support the craft which is based on colours.
E.L.E.C.T:
This is supported by 1.9 of the E.L.E.C.T document
Interacting with adults by:
1. approaching adults as sources of security and
support
2. engaging adults in activities in positive ways
3. seeing adults as resources in exploration and
problem solving
This is supported by 1.3 of the E.L.E.C.T document
Peer group entry skills by:
1. observing before entering play
2. offering objects or ideas that are relevant to play
3. entering play by assuming available roles
Describe the experience: This is supported by 1.4 of the E.L.E.C.T document
Helping skills by:
- Who will be involved in
1. offering assistance
the experience?
- Where will the 2. identifying the emotions of others
experience take place? 3. regulating their own behavior in the face of the
(e.g. Indoors or needs of others
outdoors? In the 4. offering comfort
dramatic centre, the 5. being generous
creative table, etc).
- List the materials and Describe the Experience:
resources you will use
- Describe the The supervisor will be nearby to offer assistance as needed. I
implementation of the will be leading the circle and reading the story to the group.
experience, with a step
by step description The experience will take place at the Toronto Public Library. In
- List and describe 2 the childrens centre.
teaching strategies. How
will you use them? Why The materials used will be mac tac and cellophane paper to
have you chosen these make the craft as well as a book called Mix it Up.
strategies?
The steps to implementing the experience are:

1. collect the families and have them sitting in front of

you
2. welcome them into the circle
3. sing a few opening songs to warm up
4. read the story for the day
5. introduce the craft

The first teaching strategy used will be Environmental Cues,

using non-verbal signals such as sitting in the chair and looking
ready to begin the circle as a cue for the families. This can be
used to encourage the children, especially those about to
enter or are just entering school, to notice when to take a seat
beside their friends without being told.

That being said Invitations can still be used especially when

beginning the craft. Using terms such as here is a place for
you encourages the children to come try the activity. Some
children may be shy and prefer to stay close to their parents
 however, Invitations may help get them to try activities
independently.

Reflection:

Overall, I believe that the activity went well. I was able to

accomplish my goal in getting the children to be more engaged
in the story. As the book I read was an interactive book, I was
pleased to hear the children asking what will happen next,
gasping when I turned the page and making predictions on
what colour will be created next.
Reflection:
What did not go as well was the circle time, I did not get the
- What went well? Provide
reaction from the parents and children that I was hoping for.
examples for how you
None of them joined along in the songs. As I was singing by
know it went well.
- What didnt go well? myself I began to get more nervous because of the lack of
Provide examples for engagement. I think this began to show and my supervisor,
how you know it didnt while being very encouraging, did note this in her feedback.
go well.
- What did you learn? I learned that the reaction of the audience, be it parents or
- What might you do children or both, is quite important in keeping the circle
differently next time you exciting.
implement this same
experience and why? Upon reflection I would use the Invitations teaching strategy to
- Did you have to make get the parents and children involved in the song by asking
any adaptations or them to sing along. I might also break down the songs so that
modifications? If so,
they have a chance to learn the words and hopefully feel more
what were they?
- What type of experience comfortable singing along.
might you plan to extend
That being said I would plan to extend on the circle time. I
on this one?
hope that in the next circle despite the involvement of the
parents and children, I will be more confident and maybe plan
additional songs instead of going right into the book.

The adaptation I had made to the activity was cutting a few of

the songs I had planned and I went right into the story. At the
time I believed this to be the right decision and on some level I
still believe that because the group did become more engaged.
However I believe I could have sang one or two more songs.