Assignment 2

EDN470 PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

Student Name: Stacey Talbot
Tutors Name: Lesley Payne
Your email address (please type): staceytalbot2@gmail.com
Google Docs/Weebly Address/ Other (please type):
http://staceytalbotedn470.weebly.com
1000 words-20 marks

Due: Wednesday 18th May

TheProjectProgressReportmustbesubmittedelectronicallyviaLMS.Ensureprivacy
settingsarefixed.
TheProjectProgressReportmarksareallocatedontheextenttowhichthestudentdoesnot
meet,meetsorexceedsthefollowingcriteria:

1)

Overview of the teaching context and the action research aim/s

01
12

2)

Identification of the strategiesundertakentoachievetheaim/s

01
12

3)

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

Discussion of the data collection and data analysis processes

02
34

4)

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

Discussion of the preliminary findings

02
34

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

Make sure you relate back to your research aims and focus questions.
5)
Critical Reflections on future strategies/actiontobeundertakento achieve
aim/s
02

Doesnotmeetrequirements

34

Meetsrequirements

Page1
6)

Google Doc inclusion of appendices:

Hyperlink to your Marked Assignment 1 ( Your Rationale and Plan)

Hyperlink to one item of evidence (transcript, student work sample etc.)

These appendices are not included in your word count

01
12

7)

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

Professional Presentation
WorkispresentedinascholarlyfashionusingAPAreferencing,correctpunctuation,spelling&
grammar,clearheadings.Assignmentadherestowordlimit/andincludesawordcount.
01
12

Doesnotmeetrequirements
Meetsrequirements

General Comments:

Mark:

15.5/20

Generally a good report, well structured with headings. It was good to see some intext references in the last section but you need it in other areas as well.

EDN470
Professional & Action Learning Project
Stacey Talbot
32189595

Tutor: Lesley Payne

Words: 1058

1) Overview of the teaching context and the action research aim/s

Through my action research, I aim to work with a kindergarten class and look at ways
to make their transition time a more positive experience. I am specifically focusing on
the transition from an energetic and less structured environment into a more focused
and guided environment. To complete this I have listed four aims which include being
honest and reflective, giving children appropriate support, working closely with my
mentor teacher and discovering ways to become more grounded myself a more
detailed outline of this overview can be found in my first assignment by clicking here
Need more on the context of the children and are you working with all, or a
group?- found it further down.
2) Identification of the strategies undertaken to achieve the aim/s
When observing the children in my first two hours I noticed that my mentor teacher
had brought them in from free play outside, and had them sit down on the mat to read
them a story, then went on to singing nursery rhymes. As stated in my journal, the
children were distracting one another and not engaged with the activities. This
observation confirmed for me what first led me to develop this project through my
experience, which is namely the importance of supporting children to transition more
easily into a calmer environment by scaffolding their activities. So as to do that, I
planned on singing nursery rhymes before reading a story in order to have the children
wind down gradually. However, when I arrived at the kindergarten there was a
Mothers Day brunch on, which left them all very excited, even after their mothers
had left. Because of this I decided that instead of trying to get them all to sit down
during transition time, we would first play some games. We started with a game of
Shake the sillies out which allowed the children one-by-one to choose what to do to
get rid of their sillies and then the whole class would do it (See journal for
examples). This game was able to engage all of the children, including a boy who has
been diagnosed with autism. He was crouched down on the mat and was not
interested in the game, that is, until all of the children crouched down with him and
sang a lay our sillies out version of the song. After that he joined in and did a few of
the other childrens chosen movements. (see photos here)
3) Discussion of the data collection and data analysis processes
Initially I was planning on taking four to six children out of the kindergarten group to

just work with them, however I decided to change this as I reflected that by separating
them from the rest of the class this could alter my results. That is, the children would
not know why this was happening, and might think that they had done something
wrong and feel that they were in trouble. For this reason I decided to take the whole
kindergarten class (as it happened for my session there were only ten children
anyway), while still focusing on specifically observing only four children, whom I
chose based on their different needs and behaviour during group time. For my first
visit I wrote my observations as journal entries, focusing on the four chosen children.
For my second visit, to prevent bias towards my own teaching practice and planned
strategies, I also had my mentor teacher watch the transition period and provide me
with written feedback, along with taking some photos.
4) Discussion of the preliminary findings
Although not every child was involved for the entire transition, they all participated
and became engaged at different times. Even the one child who at first refused to be
involved at transition time (the boy with autism) became involved when I put my
strategies into practice by altering the game to match what he was doing (see journal
and description above). As a result of engaging the children so fully, no undesired
behaviours seemed to be present. I think that by minimising distractions for the
children and providing them with activities that allowed them to wind down at a
slower pace, I was able to create a learning environment that was more enjoyable and
supportive of their individual needs. This is a desired outcome as it is of benefit to the
children - they are able to form more secure relationships and develop a sense of
security and self-confidence (Australian Primary Schools Mental Health Initiative ,
2013). But what have you found in relation to your research aims and focus
questions?
5) Critical Reflections on future strategies/action to be undertaken to achieve
aim/s
As this assignment is based on action research and self-learning, I did not expect to be
able to achieve all of my aims during this first cycle. I mainly used this as a trial run
to help me reflect on things that I still need to work on in order to accomplish my
aims. Grundy states we plan what we are going to do, carry out our plans, collect
evidence along the way about what happened and reflect upon our evidence in order

to make judgements about the improvement that occurred (Grundy, 1995, p. 12). On
reflection I feel that I have followed the process stated by Grundy: after planning what
I would do I implemented this, while still remaining flexible as was needed due to
unforeseen circumstances, and then collected evidence by having my mentor teacher
take photos of the experience. After completing my time at the kindergarten I
reviewed my journal entries, along with my mentors feedback. This has enabled me
to reflect thoroughly so as to build on what I will do to further improve in the second
and third cycles. A very useful lesson I have learnt so far is that even when activities
have been planned it is still important to remain flexible and open to childrens ideas
and feedback, in the form of how they are behaving and responding, as this ensures
that they are enjoying themselves and therefore gain a strong sense of wellbeing from
the activities. Although through this first cycle it was easy to remain grounded within
myself because things went well, even though they did not go according to what I has
first planned, I think that it is also important for me to research and trial selfgrounding techniques so as to be able to utilise them if things were to become
overwhelming or difficult.
Good to see some in-text references in this last section but you need it in other areas
as well.

Reference list :
Australian Primary Schools Mental Health Initiative . (2013). Helping Children Cool
Down and Stay Calm. Retrieved 2016 from Kids Matter :
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/families/about-behaviour/anger/helping-children-cooldown-and-stay-calm
Grundy, S. (1995). Action Research as Professional Development. . West Perth ,
Western Australia : Arts Accord.

Appendices

Hyperlink to your Marked Assignment 1 ( Your Rationale and Plan)

Hyperlink to one item of evidence (transcript, student work sample etc.)

Appendix 1- Hyperlink to assignment one (click here)

Appendix 2 Evidence for assignment two (click here)
Appendix 3- Updated timeline (see below)
Appendix 4 Letter to parents to cover ethics (see below)
Appendix 3.
Changed timeline for cycle one overview First visit - two hours (Wednesday 4th), spend time in observation
Second visit - three hours (Friday 6th), put strategies into practice during transition
time
Appendix 4.
Dear parents,
As a part of my studies as an Early childcare educator, I am undertaking a project
where I will be looking at ways of helping to make transition time in the kindergarten
room more positive for children, specifically focusing on the transition from an
energetic and less structured environment into a more focused and guided
environment.
This will take place as a part of the normal day routine and will involve activities such
as listening to music and playing games to support transitions The only difference
being that I will be observing the effect that these changes have on the children.

If you have any concerns about this, or if you would like any further information
please feel free to contact me.
Kind regards,
Stacey Talbot