How to best use Centre Support

Getting prepared on Friday Morning

Room Leader and educators set and monitor goals

‘Educators’ include all staff at the service who work with children: trainees, Certificate III educators, Diploma qualified educators and early childhood teachers.

The NQS is based on the philosophy of continuous improvement. It’s important that Room Leaders identify and then monitor weekly goals based on issues that are affectingchildren or educators in the room and then monitor progress in achieving those goals.

• • What is the problem?
  • What are the excuses?
  • How can you improve?
  • What is stopping you?

We recommend Room Leaders hold short, sharp, daily meetings with their educators to ensure everyone meets their room goals.

We all know it’s easy to read and tick new information, but there’s a difference between understanding something and being able to do it consistently in practice. That’s why we are focusing on one of the Room Leader’s job requirements – coaching, training and assessing their educators. When
educators are trained to complete practices and procedures to a required standard, most of the problems in your rooms will disappear. The standards can be used to manage the performance of staff, and those who can’t or won’t perform at the expected level may need to look at alternative careers.

Critical reflection involves considering and sharing alternative points of view. When you reflect as a team, some educators will learn, some will be reminded of practice, some will see ways to improve and some will see what we should be doing and need to change. Some educators will celebrate what they are doing well! Reflective practice is a crucial part of the NQS and the EYLF / MTOP. Our Learning Activities invite educators to reflect under the ‘reflect’ headings. Make sure all educators complete these, not just the Room Leader.

Evaluation is part of all teaching practices. On Fridays Room Leaders and educators evaluate whether they achieved their goals and why or why not.

They decide whether to carry one or both over to the next week’s learning activities.
Room Leaders and educators also participate in what’s known as giving 360 degree feedback – each educator evaluates how well the Room Leader has coached them to implement the week’s focus skills and procedures, and the Room Leader evaluates how well each educator has implemented these skills and procedures.
Room Leaders and educators can use this information to refine and improve their practice.

Nominated Supervisor collects completed activities (Room Leaders and Educators, and Educational Leader) on Friday afternoon, collates the information from all rooms and then updates the QIP.

Use the activities to identify service strengths (things you know you’re doing well after completing the activities) and identified issues (things you could improve) and note these in the identified strengths or identified issues section on the Centre Support QIP Template.

Any identified issues that have not been finalised need to be regularly reviewed and progress notes made.

The QIP is a living document. As steps of the plan are completed, note them on your QIP to show your hard work and celebrate your achievements. Don’t forget to celebrate these on the day of your assessment. Remember: it’s your QIP, and YOUR site visit, not the assessor’s.
Week after week reflect on the improvement in your service practices. After 3, 6 and 12 months look back at the distance travelled!

Be proud to be moving towards exceeding for the NQS.

Remember to start slowly and support your educators each week. Gradually they will become more confident. Slow and steady wins the race!

Centre Support is here to support you, your educators and your entire service

1. 1. If you’re still unsure, after reading thoroughly and viewing all associated videos, email or contact your Nominated Supervisor.
   2. If the Nominated Supervisor is unsure please contact the Centre Support office via email – admin@centresupport.com.au or by phone on 1800 440 102.

Nominated Supervisor
Every weekly learning activity has a page or pages dedicated to Nominated Supervisors. We understand the special difficulties you face as you try to manage your staff and service operations, commit to high quality outcomes and develop strong relationships with families. That’s why the Nominated Supervisor activities have practice tips, suggestions and information which will help you improve your practice and do your job effectively. Just as for educators and Room Leaders, you can use these activities to identify strengths and issues, and add them to your QIP.

Educational Leader
The weekly learning activities also include a page or pages for the Educational Leader. These pages will help Educational Leaders meet their obligations under the NQS and Regulations ie to:

• • LEAD the team in curriculum development
  • regularly work with ALL educators to improve teaching practice consistent with the EYLF/MTOP

Educational Leaders should use the activities in their DAILY CONVERSATIONS with educators in each room.