Part Three Personal Reflection

Part Three     Personal Reflection

My journey while doing the blog was really amazing.  I was really fascinated when I learnt in depth about technology that is, finding out how things work.  I never realized that pen, puzzles, swing, and mosaic as a technological device.  I was really thrilled when I read Smorti (1999) where I learnt that technology is all about problem solving and helping people.  I knew that technology made work easier but I never realized that I could use any resource in early childhood setting and class it as technology.  I always believed that children learn through by doing things by themselves.  This is how the children are learning to do problem solving and have better understanding.

It is really interesting that technology helps build relationship.  Teachers can build relationships with parents by giving the parents information about their child through text message or send picture of the children.  This means of communication can really ease parents when their children are transitioning from home to centre.  This makes parents believe that their children are in safe hands and are settling well or how they are doing at the center when the teachers update the parents with the information about their child. Building effective partnerships involves trust, reciprocal respect, sensitivity to diverse perspectives, ongoing and open communication, empathy, and recognition of partner’s strengths, collaboration and shared decision making (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008). 

In today’s modern world technology seems to overtake everything.  It is really important that we have the knowledge of how the technological device operates.  Sometimes I as a teacher do not feel very confident when operating new machines or even when I was creating my blog.  I assume that I will not be able to do it.  As I was facing difficulty in creating my blog I managed to problem solve by discussing with other team members and also with my lecturer how we are going to create a blog.  I am also going to encourage and support children in using technology by supporting them.  However, I believe if I think this way as an educator who is going to protect our young generation and guide them or make them aware of the threats about technology that is, face books or just using internet.  I have seen my five year old nephew using internet to play games.  I believe if some parents at this young age allow the children to go on internet they are putting their children and their selves at risk.   Sometimes the children are not able to read at this young age and might go on some sites on internet which may not by appropriate for them.  However, I believe that we need to supervise the children and explain to them about the threats of online issues.  Not only to the young children but we also need to explain the teenage children about the power of technology that is, anything you put on the internet or send through technology can never be erased.  As a teacher, it is my responsibility to provide support, model positive technology use, and communicate about safe technology practices to the children at my centre.   

While writing the blog entries I have learnt that by reflecting I can make active decisions about how can I improve on what I am doing?  One of the comments in my first reflection was about how can I offer toddlers other musical instruments and let them explore by themselves other than just letting the toddlers watch musical video.  This comment has made me stop and think what I am doing and why I am doing, and can I improve on my practice.   This practice helped me to be open minded because I can get other team members opinions and make changes for example it encouraged me to really analyze what I am doing and ask is there any choice available.  This comment also made me more open to change and I have started to see things from different view. 

Reflection is one of the greatest tool which we can use to strength our knowledge and understandings of our practice and maintain our energy and enthusiasm towards our profession (Arthur, Beecher, Dockett, Farmer & Death, 2008).

Reference:

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S.,Farmer, S., & Death, E. (2008). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4^th ed.).  Melbourne: Thompson Learning.