Mat Times In Early Childhood Education

In the morning before lunch and before going outside in the afternoon.

Mat times in early childhood education.

In my kindergarten classroom we usually have three group times a day. Avonside early learning centre is a community based education and care centre situated on the boundary of avonside girls high school in christchurch. Group time is a time we come together to learn discuss teach and share. In order to help students afford their education campbellsville university s staff is available to work with students to discover available financial aid options.

Friendship and mat time the shadowyunderground of popularity in children speer culture anitamortlock. As an early childhood teacher herself with ten years experience victoria university of wellington school of education lecturer anita mortlock decided to focus her doctor of philosophy in education on children s peer culture during mat time to uncover the effects it has on a child s ability to learn. Teachers should work harder to engage children making mat time fun meaningful and relevant. Learning as part of a group on the mat is a common experience in children s early education and socialisation.

Teaching a class of children on the mat is a common practice in our schools. Approximately 16 percent of the children at the centre identify as māori. As mat time is an effective event to promote learning i believe it is important that teachers focus on children s interests rather than what the teacher wants to teach during mat time. The mat in early childhood is a 48 credit hour program designed for students interested in working with children in pre kindergarten through third grade.

The early childhood education pre k 4 graduate teacher education certification program is a 46 credit program designed to prepare students for preschool and elementary classrooms in pennsylvania and in many other states. However despite it taking up a significant percentage of a child s day we know very little about its use. At group time we gather on our chindi rug and engage in group learning together. Our curriculum meets all the requirements for national approvals set by the council for accreditation for educator preparation caep approved by the south carolina department of education.

Avonside early childhood centre what kind of service is this. In fact a survey issued to teachers in year 2 classrooms as part of my doctoral study showed that many children spend approximately a quarter of classroom time sitting on the mat. As the australian early childhood educators say play is learning.