How to set room goals based on the EYLF vision?

Easy – peasy!

Based on the vision of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and three overarching ideas: Belonging, Being, and Becoming, you can set up room goals for an early childhood education classroom or family day care.

These goals should reflect the principles of the EYLF and promote a holistic approach to children’s development and learning. Here are some room goals aligned with each of the EYLF principles:

Belonging:

  1. Foster a Sense of Community: Create an inclusive and welcoming environment where all children, families, and educators feel a strong sense of belonging and interconnectedness.
  2. Cultivate Relationships: Build strong and respectful relationships among children, families, and educators to support children’s social and emotional development and their understanding of their place within the community.
  3. Celebrate Diversity: Embrace and respect the diverse cultural, linguistic, and family backgrounds of children and families, promoting an atmosphere of acceptance and appreciation for differences.
  4. Document and Share Stories: Encourage families to share their stories, traditions, and cultural practices, and incorporate these into the learning experiences to promote a sense of identity and belonging.

Being:

  1. Embrace Curiosity: Create an environment that encourages children to explore, question, and make meaning of their world, fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity.
  2. Promote Self-Expression: Provide opportunities for children to express themselves through art, music, movement, and language, enabling them to develop their individual identities and voices.
  3. Support Playful Learning: Design learning spaces that encourage spontaneous and purposeful play, allowing children to engage in imaginative and self-directed activities that reflect their interests and passions.
  4. Live in the Present: Prioritize present experiences and joys, valuing children’s experiences as valuable in their own right rather than solely as preparation for the future.

Becoming:

  1. Facilitate Growth: Collaborate with families to support children’s growth, acknowledging that children’s identities, knowledge, and capabilities are constantly evolving.
  2. Encourage Exploration: Provide opportunities for children to explore various roles, careers, and life experiences, allowing them to envision themselves as active and capable contributors to society.
  3. Promote Active Citizenship: Engage children in age-appropriate activities that promote a sense of responsibility and participation in their community, helping them develop a sense of agency and connection to the world around them.
  4. Reflect and Collaborate: Regularly reflect on children’s progress, development, and interests with families and colleagues, adapting the learning environment to best meet the evolving needs of each child.

These room goals align with the principles of Belonging, Being, and Becoming from the EYLF.

Now consider how you can achieve the goals? Let’s discuss some strategies, curriculum experiences and resources…

EYLF outcomes and theories

Outcome 1- Children have a strong sense of identity, links to the work of Erikson, Bowlby and other theories on social, emotional development.
Outcome 2 – Children are connected with and contribute to their world, links to the theories of Bronfenbrenner who believed that children influence their context.
Outcome 3 – Children have a strong sense of wellbeing, links to the work of Gesell Froebel, Steiner, classical theories of play.  
Outcome 4 – Children are confident and involved learners, links to Piaget, Montessori, where they emphasised cognitive and fine motor development when children are independent and lead their own learning.
Outcome 5 – Children are effective communicators, links to Vygotsky, Rogoff where relationships were considered to be important for children to be connected with a more knowledgeable adult who can guide their learning, almost like an apprentice would be taught to gain new skills from a MKO.

Theories inform EYLF broad outcomes in many ways – this is only one interpretation. How do you understand the links between domains of development and theories?