Building relationships as a new year priority

Why not start the year more like we finished?

The start of each new year presents us with endless opportunities for fresh new approaches and to consider doing things differently. Particularly as we reflect on how we end the year (or hope to) with children in our groups and classrooms, often in a really nice groove, knowing their preferences, feeling comfortable with each other and really knowing how best to support each child’s learning, development and wellbeing.

It can be daunting to resist the pressure (real or imagined) to start formal learning and deliver programs that others see as fuller or with a lot more activities. This blog poses the question ‘Do we need to be brave and challenge that pressure and offer children a slow start to the year, building in time in our routines and timetables for open ended play and relationship building opportunities. Where we can just spend time with children finding out about them and what they know, are interested in and most importantly are thinking and feeling about this transition into a new year/ class/ group/ with new teachers and educators.

Prioritising relationships embedded in effective pedagogy

The learning frameworks in the early childhood sector provide pedagogical guidance for teachers and educators that is applicable across the education continuum on exactly how to do just that. Start with a teaching philosophy that values and emphasises the importance of relationships as a core component of effective pedagogy. The frameworks in fact define pedagogy as:

‘(T)he art, science or craft of educating. It describes the professional knowledge, practices and creativity that educators use to intentionally foster and nurture children’s learning, development and wellbeing. When educators establish respectful relationships with children and their families, they are able to work together to use relational and place-based pedagogies that assist in developing curriculum relevant to children in their local context.’ (Early Years Learning Framework: 2022, 12)

The framework also provides guidance as to how teachers, educators and leaders do this in the guiding principle ‘Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships’. This principle speaks to the importance of creating an emotionally safe space for children by getting to know them well and being attuned to their thoughts and feelings and available for coregulation.

Emphasising the importance of honouring and valuing children and families as partners who each have rights and responsibilities in the relationship. Investing time at the start of the year building these types of relationships allows us to build awareness of when and how children might need support whether it be to reduce, eliminate or manage triggers for children or how best to support them to allow them to stay on track with their learning.

Building a picture of children and creating an assessment baseline

Building strong relationships also provides a great start for assessing children’s learning and allows us to create a baseline to measure and track children’s progress throughout the year. The Early Years Learning Hub course- Child-centred teaching and learning sets teachers and educators up for success with a ‘Learning and development child profile’ template that scaffolds them in building a strong body of knowledge about what children can do, know and understand. It provides an ideal space for capturing funds of knowledge, culture, abilities and interests to then be used as the basis for the program. Prompt questions include gathering information about:

• Identity, family and cultural background
• Current interest, strengths and funds of knowledge
• Current challenges or emerging development
• Wellbeing and regulation
• General information about what and who do they like playing with? What happens when that/ they are not available? What is their best time of day? When do you notice them really engaged? What is their favourite food/ thing to do with their family/ outdoor/ indoor activity? What is something they know a lot about?

It also provides an opportunity to involve children in setting their own learning and development goals.

Tailoring teaching for a differentiated approach

for individual children’s diverse needs, abilities and cultural backgrounds. Effectively and efficiently allowing teachers and educators to plan individual experiences or modifications and adjustments so that all children:

• can access a range of resources to achieve the same learning outcomes
• experience routines that support their needs
• engage in environments that allow them to learn, grow and be challenged but not frustrated or excluded
• see their culture and family identity represented and valued
• experience tailored, responsive interactions based on individual children’s needs.

Critical reflection on practice

elow a few critical reflection provocations for ensuring relationships are key focus:

1. What processes do you have in place to build a picture of every child in your group or class?
2. How
3. How do you create a sense of trust, safety and security?
4. What information do you share and how do you create reciprocity?
5. What other methods do you have of collecting baseline assessment data for children bring with them in terms of what they know, can do and understand?
6. Is this information recorded anywhere? Is this current process efficient and effective in terms of contributing to your assessment and planning?

Support to improve

We hope you found this article of interest and maybe have a fresh new perspective on the start of the year and helped you to prioritise what is important. If you would like to know more check out our resources to support you to build strong relationships and implement child-centred programs.