Overview
As a first-year early childhood teacher, you will quickly realise that to be a teacher is to spend each day within a web of relationships. Relationships are at the heart of what we do, and it is within relationships and by positioning ourselves alongside children and families that learning happens. Key to your success is your ability to build meaningful relationships that nurture and support children and families to feel known and be heard. As you become more confident as a teacher you will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of relationships and the attributes that support relationships to grow – listening, respect, having courage (which can also mean being vulnerable), empathy, heart, recognising differing perspectives, interconnectedness, valuing our many ways of knowing and learning, and ongoing reflection. In this webinar we will explore these attributes and consider the characteristics of relationships, how they can, intentionally or unintentionally, be powerful enablers or hindrances to learning. How they can strongly impact our sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Having experienced the COVID restrictions, you may have had the unprecedented challenges of having to study remotely and not being able to attend your work placements. This session will teach you about the importance of building meaningful relationships offering strategies and using practical examples.
Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
This presentation links to the following Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) principles:
- Practice Principle 1 – Reflective practice
- Practice Principle 2 – Partnerships with families
- Practice Principle 4 – Respectful relationships and responsive engagement
Learning outcomes
After this session, you will be able to:
- articulate your understanding of the importance of relationships in your daily work as a teacher and the impact of relationships on teaching and learning.
- make connections between theory, curriculum frameworks and practice.
- apply some practical skills and strategies, particularly in relation to the importance of listening and being. open to other perspectives, as well as tackling challenges.
- discuss with peers and colleagues the need for ongoing reflection and dialogue.