Options for Learning: YouTube Presentation & Report

By: Tish Amyotte, Melissa Dunne, Holly English, Kendra Hedley, and Courtney Wilson

Chapter 2: The Players

Play on Players
We focussed on the following themes that were outlined in Chapter 2:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Triad of Players (Tish)

Bronfenbrenners Ecological Framework (Holly)
Loose Parts (Kendra)
How Children Learn (Tish)
Types of Family Units (Courtney)
7 Essential Skills for Children (Courtney)
Family Engagement (Melissa)
Reflection (Holly)

The names in the brackets beside each theme, are those who were responsible for researching
each outlined theme. As a group, we collaborated, discussed, and reviewed all the information
we found. We created dialogue and discussion based on the research, and on Chapter 2 of the
textbook in general.
The following research was incorporated into our video for educational purposes, and to show
how easily it can be incorporated into our daily lives. Professional Practice is exemplifying a
healthy, positive, and functional early learning experience for all involved. This does not mean
that things are ever ideal, or perfect, but it is about your intentions and efforts, and good will
towards the healthy and strong development of the chid. They are our future, and their future
depends on it.
Part 1:
Description of why the topics covered in Chapter 2: The Players are Early Childhood Care
and Education Issues;
1. Triad of Players- Tish Amyotte
The Triad of Players refers to the relationship between the Child, Parents, and the Early
Learning Professional. They all work together, collaborate, and use their observational skills
to create a program design for the development and benefit of the child. This way education
is based on the childs interests, and will in turn further advance their learning scope,
allowing the parents to embrace their childs education. There are so many benefits to the
Triad of Players being active and present because it creates open communication, and leads
to customized care for the child as an individual. The parents and guardians typically want to

be involved in what their child is doing and learning at their care centre, or school, especially
when the parents or care takers do not get to witness what their child is doing all day. They
thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to speak to the professional about personal, and
educational concerns and feedback. The conversations can include updates on what they are
doing at home, health, developments, preferences, and interests. The main commitment of the
Triad of Players is to put the rights of the child first, enhancing the fact that children are
vulnerable citizens of society, and deserve to be treated with the utmost care, respect, and
dignity.
2. Bronfenbrenners Ecological Framework- Holly English
Urie Bronfenbrenner is the theorist behind the Ecological Framework that allows us to
visually and conceptually understand the impact of the environment and those that are in it
that surround every child in their life. The gender, age and health of the child is the centre of
the framework. The closest identified system of influence for the child is the Microsystem
that consists of the childs Family, health services, church group, neighbourhood play area,
school, and peers. The Mesosystem refers to the relationships within the Microsystem and the
next influential system Exosystem. If the relationships within the home are positive, the child
will more likely be happy, because the Family is happy, and vice versa. Exosystem is your
extension of influence such as friends of family, neighbours, legal and health services
available to the child, and their social welfare. Macrosystem is the attitudes and ideologies of
the childs culture, and the Chronosystem is referring to historical events, and circumstances
that arise over time in the childs cultural environment. This is all relative to our everyday
conscious decisions in the field of Early Learning Professionals. This is a great tool to use,
and a reference point to remind us that there are many influences and factors in every childs
life, whether they are ideal circumstances or not, they need to be accepted, and
acknowledged in our work.
3. Loose Parts- Kendra Hedley
Loose Parts are intelligent materials that are thoughtfully presented to children to spark
imaginative and creative play. Loose Parts are valuable materials with great potential to
enhance childrens learning and development, by encouraging their imagination, and use of
motor skills. Loose parts can include materials such as beads, glass, bottles, cardboard,
fabric, plastic, tubing, rocks, ribbon and metal. In early learning environments of the Reggio
Emilia learning approach, Loose Parts are a major part of their environment. By giving them
the freedom to create their own world, and by using objects that have open-ended play
possibilities, the children are able to use their imagination in ways that are not defined or
structured. The Early Learning Professional considers the arrangement very carefully, in
terms of the safety of the objects, and choose the objects according to their age group and
development level. The Early Learning Professional would then observe the childrens
interactions and record conversations and ideas sparked from the introduction of the Loose

Parts. The professional thinks about what they see and hear, to enhance their program
experience for the childs learning and development.
4. How Children Learn- Tish Amyotte
The way that children learn is key to determining what the learning outcome will be, and
should greatly influence the program design. Children learn best when they are in an
environment that encourages them to use all of their senses. For example, when they are
playing it is actually the childs work. When they are using all of their senses, and
cognition in activities such as being outdoors, and pretend play they develop problem-solving
skills, and gain a sense of self-regulation. Children learn best when they are in environments
that support them in play, because they are learning with their whole being. (Dietze, Kashin,
2015) Children will look at a task or problem and try to solve it in many different ways,
differing from a typical adult approach of seeing a problems possible solutions through a
narrowed scope. Children also learn vastly through their experiences and environments.
They require activities that actively guide their play, through engagement and interaction
with others.
5. Types of Family Units- Courtney Wilson
Family Units refer to the primary social circle surrounding the child, or children. There are
many types of Family Units living in Canada. Families are influenced by experience, culture,
and diversity. As an Early Learning Professional, one cannot assume anything about what the
structure that the childs family has, and what circumstances they are under. Every family has
different beliefs, and backgrounds; not every family is going to be the same. At one point in
time, there was an expectation that all children came from a traditional setting at home. This
is an outdated expectation, because there are many lifestyles, and family unit structures that
are present in the classroom. As an Early Learning Professional, you need to be open minded,
and educated in the different family units, and embrace diversity within the program, being
sensitive to language used during communication, freeing your dialogue of assumptions and
bias. The following are a few examples of Family Units in Canada;
Traditional/Nuclear Family: A man and a woman who are legally married, who have
biological or adopted children together.
Blended Family: A man and a woman who are legally married, or live common-law, where
both or one of the adults have children from previous relationships.
Single-Parent Family: A family with only one parent who has assumed the parenting of the
biological, or adopted children on his/her own. (Either through separation/divorce, or
adoption/artificial insemination)

Gay or Lesbian Families: Two gay or lesbian partners who parent their children from
previous relationships, adoption or arranged birth.
Cross-Cultural/Religious Families: A couple who bring different cultural or religious
background into the union.
When the Early Learning Professional focusses on the strengths of the childrens family
background, this helps them make connections between the childs characteristics, and their
environment. This furthers the understanding of the childs behaviour, developments, and
nature.
6. 7 Essential Skills for Children Courtney Wilson
According to the textbook Empowering Pedagogy for Early Childhood Education there are
Seven Essential skills for Children that need to be focussed on in the classroom, and early
learning environment. These skills are essential because they have everlasting effects on the
childrens lives, and those that surround them in their communities. The outlined skills are as
follows:
Focus on Self-Control- This is important for children to learn self-control so that they can
achieve goals and self-regulate their impulses and behaviours.
Perspective Taking- Necessary to develop so that the child can understand those around them
and how they affect others.
Communication- This skill helps children understand their language, and is important to be
developed so that they can effectively communicate with others, fostering relationships that
are based on their expression and communication of self and those around them.
Making Connections- Required to make connections with past learning and new learnings.
When a child can stretch connections and wonder about other possibilities, this demonstrates
flexible thinking.
Critical Thinking- This skill is necessary for problem solving and advancing knowledge.
Decision making, actions and beliefs of the child are affected by the ability to critically think,
and analyze.
Taking on Challenges- Curiosity, risk taking, and problems solving are all related to the
positive attitude towards challenging situations or activities. This creates a flexible thinking
child, advancing their knowledge development.
Self-Directed, Engaged Learning- this increases the childs ability to pursue their curiosities
and learn new things. To keep up with technology, the child needs the skills to seek out their
desired knowledge on their own because technology is self-based learning, and will help
them achieve their own goals.

7. Family Engagement- Melissa Dunne

Family Engagement is the active involvement of a family in their childs learning
environment. The concept of the Triad of Players involves the Child, the Family, and the
Early Learning Professional collaborating together in the efforts towards a fulfilling and
effective educational environment for the child. To encourage Family Engagement the
parents are invited by the Early Learning Professional to give input towards the curriculum,
which in turn allows the childs education to be mutually determined by educators and
parents. This also encourages a respectful relationship, building rapport. Family Engagement
requires communication, dialogue, and examination of practices to develop the
connectedness between the Family, Child, and Professional. Families are encouraged to
participate in conversation regarding their childs care and education, so that their voices and
their childs voice is heard. This leads to a greater understanding of children. It is the
professionals responsibility to put much effort towards maintaining and upholding these
relationships, and demonstrating an open environment so that family engagement can be
alive within the early learning environment.
8. Reflection- Holly English
Reflection is key for the Triad of Players to work well together in the early learning
profession. The Professional has a requirement to do many forms of reflection such as
documentation, abstractly and analytically thinking, and observing the child in the early
learning environment, and their community. The Early Learning Professional should
understand, acknowledge, and reflect on their biases, and influences, values, beliefs,
conflicts, and strengths and weaknesses as they will be influential in their Professional
Practice. The Parents, Caregivers and Families reflect on their childs well-being, health,
progress, and changes in their childs development. The child will reflect in ways that they
may not be conscious of, such as their learning from the day, relationships formed, and the
impact of their environment. Reflection is key to all parts of the Triad of Players.

PART 2: The Main Idea of the Video

The Main idea of our video is to show the Triad of Players at work, and illustrate all the steps it
takes to ensure that the three members are doing their part; engaging in the childs learning and
development. We are trying to show how simple it really can be to incorporate in the daily lives
of those involved, and how it can be an active and great influence on your childs learning
environment. We also wanted to highlight that as a Parent or Caregiver, your feedback,
intuitions, and instincts really do influence the child, and is valuable information for all involved.
We also emphasized the Reflection aspect of Professional Practice. Reflection makes it very
possible to work with, and consider factors of influence in the childs life. When all three
components work hand in hand, and are acknowledging that they all influence each other greatly,

whether it be consciously or unconsciously, the results are positive, and have a great impact on
the childs learning outcomes, results and developmental advances. The Early Learning
Professionals view point in the Board room and in the classroom, are highly integrated into our
video, showing a Professional approach to analyzing observations, discussing key findings, and
engaging with the Family and Child to influence program designs and approaches.

PART 3: Teamwork Responsibilities and Feedback

Tish Amyotte: Acted as the Mother in the video, influenced script, created the Loose Parts
sensory bin, attended all group meetings, set up group room, report research, and participated in
team work towards completing the project.
Overall, this Group Project went very well. Everyone did what they were supposed to
do, nobody slacked off. This was the best group project I have ever done. I was stressed about
coming into this, but I would work with you all again on another project because of how great
the experience was!
Melissa Dunne: Acted as the Child in the video, assisted in the editing of the video, attended
group meetings, report research, and participated in group discussions.
I believe that overall the group dynamic worked very well. We overcame our
differences, and encouraged each other to do our best and to believe in ourselves throughout the
project. I am very grateful that the group took into consideration of my social anxiety, and gave
me a small, but important role in the video.
Courtney Wilson: Acted as a member of the School Board in the video, influenced script and
editing, report research, input for group discussions, attended group meetings.
I struggled on finding ways how to word the research I found on my topics, and
elaborating on my thoughts as well. The video was not technically scripted, so I also had a hard
time with thinking on my feet, but overall I think the video went pretty well. I mean, were not
professionals!
Holly English: Acted as the Narrator, and School Board Member in the video, influenced, and
organized script beats, while directing actors and helping improvisational work. Research for
the report, typed and edited document, discussed group topics, and attended all group meetings.
I really enjoyed the creative aspect of this video. I loved seeing people thrive in the
acting department, and seeing how group member surprised themselves with their abilities. Also,
I found it challenging to schedule times where we could all meet, but was very happy with the
groups effort to attend meetings, and help each other out.

Kendra Hedley: Acted as the Early Learning Professional in the video, research topics for
report, attended group meetings, gave input for script wording and flow, and assisted with set
design.
I chose to be the Professional in the video because I felt really comfortable in this role,
and felt that I could relate as well. I had a great time with this group, and felt supported, and
happy with the productivity of our meetings!

References
Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2015). Empowering Pedagogy for Early Childhood Education.
Pearson.