Reflective practice Education Term Paper Research Paper (Term Paper Sample)

What are The Advantages for Young Children When There Is a Strong Culture of Critical Reflection in Early Childhood Settings?
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Introduction
The quality of early childhood education is important for children’s development and learning. It is not surprising that in the recent years there has been greater attention on the value of the early childhood years for children’s learning (Lemon &Garvis, 2014). Nowhere has this been witnessed more than in Australia; this has been evident by the current proliferation of policies focused on supporting children’s learning and wellbeing (Lemon &Garvis, 2014). In 2009, the Council of Australian Governments endorsed the National Early Childhood Development Strategy – Investing in the Early Years. This initiative included the creation of a learning framework called the Early Years Learning framework for Australia (EYLF).In early childhood environments, reflective practice and evaluation is the aim of the National Quality Standard (NQS) (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, 2013). The aim is to guarantee that all children “experience learning that is engaging and building success for life” (Department of Education, Employment and Work Relations (DEEWR, 2009: p.7).
This paper explores the benefits of a strong culture of critical reflection to children who attend early childhood settings.
Reflective Practice
In the context of early childhood development, the EYLFdefines reflective practice as a “continuous process that involve engaging with questions, gathering information, critically examining what is happening and reflecting what might be changed” (Connor, 2012. p.9). Professional learning is said to occur when practitioners continually probe new understandings, practice and theory to improve children’s learning and wellbeing (Connor, 2012). Professional educators, providing early childhood education and care, consider reflective practice a crucial element for improving not only child outcomes but also the outcomes of the child’s family. Research indicates that a reflective practice brings about a positive impact on children and families by improving the quality of practitioners’ work (Marbina, Church, & Tayler, 2012).