Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 101105

Coordinator Yvette Barton Opens in new window

Description Educators have a key responsibility in guiding children’s development of self-discipline, moral autonomy, sense of social belonging, and wellbeing, whilst acknowledging the plurality of family and community values and expectations surrounding children’s socio-emotional development and conduct. Students will build an in-depth knowledge of a range of theories and practical approaches to proactively guide children’s learning of positive behaviours and minimise and manage instances of challenging behaviours. The subject focuses on the design of safe, structured, and positive learning environments that promote a positive socio-emotional climate utilising whole early childhood and primary school policies and frameworks. The subject assists students to critically evaluate the implementation of various guidance approaches and reflect on their personal and professional dispositions regarding behaviour and guidance in early childhood and primary school settings. This subject is included in the Development Phase of the Master of Teaching program.

School Education

Discipline Teacher Education: Early Childhood

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Postgraduate Coursework Level 7 subject

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 1783 Master of Teaching (Birth-5 Years/Birth-12 Years), 1784 Master of Teaching (Birth – 5 years), 1773 Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) or 1774 Master of Teaching (Early Childhood).

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this subject, students will be able to: 

1. Explain the factors that influence prosocial behaviour in the context of children’s development of self-regulation, moral autonomy and sense of social belonging and wellbeing.
2. Justify the importance of working in partnerships with families and colleagues to support children’s positive behaviour in early childhood and primary school settings. 
3. Incorporate diverse socio-cultural perspectives when designing contextually, linguistically and culturally appropriate approaches to guide children’s prosocial learning in educational settings. 
4. Critically analyse theories, approaches, models and practices for learning prosocial behaviours.
5. Identify methods to plan and monitor children’s behaviour in collaboration with families and colleagues.
6. Design safe, equitable and stable learning environments that promote relationships with others, connectedness and belonging, play and interactions to enhance positive childhood experiences.
7. Critique the efficacy of pedagogical approaches to identify strategies that promote secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships and children’s prosocial behaviour.
8. Analyse the role of behaviour guidance policies, frameworks, and documents that seek to strengthen teachers’ practices and educational settings’ responses to children’s engagement in learning and wellbeing.   
9. Critically reflect on personal assumptions about children’s behaviours to develop a cohesive and ethically sound professional approach to guiding children’s positive behaviours.

Subject Content

• Developmental factors associated with the neurodiversity and behaviour, positive and challenging behaviours of children, e.g. social cognition; social skills and social competence; temperament; moral development; autonomy; self-concept; self-discipline and self-regulation
• Working collaboratively with families and colleagues to gather information and communicate interventions that support children’s positive behaviour, relationships, interactions, and ways of belonging, being and becoming; providing feedback
• Socio-Cultural perspectives – the influence of communities, adverse and positive childhood experiences, and families on children’s learning, behaviour and development; diversity in children’s family and community contexts, attitudes and values, learning and behavioural styles and the need for contextually, linguistically and culturally appropriate guidance and individualised approaches, including for children with developmental and learning disabilities
• Theoretical models of managing children’s difficult behaviours, e.g. control (Dobson, Canter, Jones); management (Rogers, Dreikurs, Glasser); influence (Gordon); analysis of related assumptions, approaches and strategies; implications for teacher practices. 
• Assessment and Planning - Observations, gathering contextual information and documentation to inform planning, implementation and monitoring of child behaviour and social interactions.
• Designing environments that promote a positive physical and socio-emotional climate in early childhood and school setting including outdoor areas and playgrounds; the role of safe, equitable and stable environments, relationships with others, connectedness and belonging, play and interactions for emotional growth with others to create opportunities for positive childhood experiences and help children grow into healthy, resilient adults.
• Pro-active and responsive pedagogical approaches that set high expectations and guide children positively, including promoting children’s engagement, setting rules, routines, expectations, providing quality teaching, building relationships and friendships, setting clear and achievable learning goals and their efficacy for promoting positive adult-child relationships, children’s self-concept, and self-esteem; responsible decision-making; conflict resolution; problem-solving, emotional regulation.
• Constructive guidance and behaviour management policies and frameworks aligned with Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, Australian Curriculum, NESA and Department of Education policies, multi-tiered and whole school guidance approaches with consideration of individual, group, educational and community responses; strengths and barriers to participation, engagement in learning and well-being.
• Acting professionally making decisions that are ethically sound, philosophically aligned and cohesive; preparedness to justify approaches and practices to guiding children’s positive behaviours; ongoing critical reflection of one’s own personal and individual assumptions relating to children’s behaviours.