Malaysia: Early Childhood Teacher Training Programs (May 2008)

To the Reader: Please note that the author is only providing the information as given by the educational provider on their website. Prospective students are encouraged to make their own informed research and decision before proceeding to enrol for any teacher training courses available.

Information provided is deemed to correct as published on May 11th 2008.

SEGI COLLEGE (Subang Jaya, Malaysia).
Program: Basic Childcare Short Courses (Dept. Social Welfare, Malaysia).
Duration: Part time.
- Creative Arts for Young Children
- Child Psychology & Development
- Music & Movement for Young Children
- Nursery & Pre-School Management
- Special Educational Needs

Program: Diploma in Early Childhood Education
Description: teacher training program that provides the basic understanding of becoming a pre-school teacher.
Duration: Approx. 28 months.
Requirements include:
- 24 units of study
- 3 compulsory subjects.
- 1 practicum.

Program: Stage II- Montessori Theory & Methodology (MCI, UK).
Duration: Approx. 14 months.
Requirements include:

• Registration with MCI UK.
• 210 Workshop & Seminar Hours
• 420 Hours Home Study

Program: International Diploma. Montessori Pedagogy (MCI, UK).
Requirements include:

• 420 hours supervised teaching practicum
• A teaching practice portfolio
• A child profile.

The completion of either study programs with SEGI COLLEGE enables students to receive exemptions & unit transfer into the Bachelor of Early Childhood (BECH) with University of Southern Queensland. (USQ). Exemptions granted is at the discretion of the university, and also based on the student's previous other studies/work experience as well.

MODERN MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL GROUP (MMI):
Diploma in Montessori Method of Education (Certificate Level)
Requirements:
-11 day practical training workshop
- Complete & pass written assignments
- Pass written & practical examinations

International Diploma (Diploma level)
Requirements:
- 420 hours supervised teaching practicum

ALL studies at private colleges now require the study of:
* Bahasa Malaysia A/ or B
* Malaysian Studies
* Islamic/or Moral Studies

INSTITUT CECE:
History- An overview.
Address: Off Jalan Malinja, Taman Bunga Raya, 53000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
(O) +603-4142 6362 (F)+603-4142 5402 email: cece@tm.net.my
Program Coordinator: Dr. Frances Lee.

Courses available: more information here.
Institut CECE provides a localised teaching training curriculum program in context of the Thematic Integrated Curriculum as set out under the Malaysian National Preschool Curriculum.
*Basic Course
*Intermediate Course
*Advance Course
The completion of the Advance Course allows a credit transfer of 9 units of study into the Bachelor of Arts (Early Childhood Studies) out of 25 units with Edith Cowan University (ECU).

INSTITUT MAYANG
Address: 29, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur
Courses available: more information here.
A recently established teacher training institute that provides workshops, seminars & studies for aspiring teachers as well as parents.

Part 2: Important things a casual relief childcare worker should know.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT:
Consult the centre's permanent staff about what they use. Each centre has DIFFERENT practices on this.
I-messages "I don't like it when you do that. It makes me sad. Tell the children why it is not acceptable behaviour.

- The way to handle a distressed child is that firstly, try not to let the crying or the emotions of the child to affect you, or the way you respond to them. It is important that as the adult, you do not panic as you are the person who will "contain" the child's emotions. If you can't handle your own emotions, it will interfere in the way you will settle the distressed child. I know it is easier said than done, but this will come with LOTS OF practice. The more, the better.

Preschoolers:
- A warning for the first incident.
- A warning & consequence for the third incident.
- Implement the consequence for the third incident. set a limitation, or re-direct the behaviour.

It's not the casual's roles/responsibility to communicate with parent about the children's developmental. Communication with parents in regard to any behaviour management concerns should be dealt with by permanent staff ONLY.

Start off with a question. Put it back to them. Broaden the horizon & reduce & eliminate discrimination.
Centres comment a lot on casuals not having the confidence on stepping in during a conflict where/when it happens.

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) procedures.
- Protect your back by bending your knee.
- Sharing physcial tasks.
- Get another staff to help you, especially when lifting heavy playground equipment. Don't try to be a hero, and end up breaking your back!
- Put your weight on your leg when bending.
- Centre of gravity- where your baby will be if you (the mother) are pregnant.
- One person SHOULD NOT change the nappies all day. The tasks should be SHARED. That's what teamwork should be all about.

Duty of Care:
Mandatory Reporting- to the agency you are recruited to, not to the centre.
Let the agent handle it. Anything in writing will under a reputable & responsible childcare staffing agent "duty of care". The issues could fall under the category of Child Protection, Accidents/ Injuries (OHS concerns), Incidents, and Duty of Care & Quality. This can be made in email form, and does not necessarily need to be in a specific forms.

Other reminders for the casual staff:
-As a staff, and casual, you may disagree with the family's behaviour management strategies or their childrearing practices, but IT IS the family's practice.

-Try not to eavesdrop on a conversation between parent & permanent staff. It really is none of your business.

-You job/responsibility as a casual is to follow the routines & program the centre follows.

-Should an incident/arguments between children happen, report it to the permanent staff. Let the staff know how you have handled an incident that has happened. This is to PROTECT YOURSELF as an employee and casual,
and also for the permanent staff's knowledge.

- Although by law there is supposed to be an ECT in a centre with more than 39 children, the Dept. of Community Services is also aware of that (I can't remember what she said to that though).

- Finally, the agent also explained that it is common for qualified staff with a degree (from Australia) to not have experience with babies/nursery, as there has not been much focus by the universities on children from this age group. What is required to work in the nursery age group was mostly a qualification/credential in mothercraft, nursing. (or something similar).

- A quality childcare recruitment agency on receipt of negative feedback of a candidate's performance, should call the particular candidate to tell them. This is to help the candidate improve their performance at the next centre that they go to.

Ok, hope that you guys learnt something from here... If it was of any use, do pass this around to your other friends who are working as casuals in the childcare industry.

Part 1: Important things a casual relief childcare worker should know.

Maybe I was a bit too quick to judge when I wrote this initially. In retrospect, somehow I had a more different impression of Agent E after attending their staff childcare refresher workshop last week. The interactions during the workshop gave me the impression that Agent E has a really good quality support system for its employees, both casual & permanent candidates, as compared to Agent C.

Its really important that as employees, whether casual or permanent, and especially casuals, that they find an agent that has a quality support system that takes into account performance review & feedback. It is essential for an employee who is starting out on a new job to know how they have performed throughout the assignments as without knowing their weaknesses and strengths as a casual, one may lose future work opportunities due to bad feedbacks. This in return will affect the number of assignments the casual candidate could get. In other words, you get less income.

Below is listed some of the questions that one as a candidate would be asked during an interview with a casual relief childcare agency.. it may seem unfair for an unqualified staff, but if you read up on it, you might be able to answer them, even if you didn't have any experience. I applied for work with another agent recently, and was able to answer the questions posed due to my past experience and also because I had revised them recently.

The NSW Community Services states that all staff in childcare have to attend at least two refresher workshops per year. During the workshop some of these issues were covered..
* Quality Care
* Interactions
* Roles and Responsibilities (for the 0-2's, 2-3's and 3-5's age groups)
* Behaviour Management
* Child Protection
* NSW Childcare Regulations

QUALITY CARE
Based on Centre feedback, among some of the Unsatisfactory Practices include that the casual candidate:
- did not attend to the children's needs (nappy change, crying, alone, wanted something).
- did not interact with the children
- returning late from breaks (breaks start the moment you leave the room. Staff are on a TIGHT schedule to meet things, so do your part to help relieve the burden).

- LACK of initiative, i.e if you see children alone, go to the children and observe what they are doing. Think about what you want to say & see how you could lead or encourage the direction of the play the child is involved with (not just simply muttering the first thing that comes into your mind though!)

- answering mobile phones whilst working. (a big NO-NO).
- not helping with tasks & routines. (you are being paid to go there to help out to relieve the staff's, NOT to add to their work).

MILESTONES
Infants:
Bottle Feeding: Children under 12 months should not have cow's milk. Infants 12 months and younger are not ready for it. When heating milk bottles, do not put in together with the bottle plastic teat as it will expand when heated. Some younger children may choke on it, and the staff may not realise it.

Burping: Babies 6 months and younger need to be after/during a bottle feed, as their bodies are not able to do that independently yet.

Read to an infant. Even if they may not answer you back (they are just not capable of!), they are still picking up language. When you read/talk to the infant, you may have to give an answer to it. It doesn't matter, as it is a time of bonding between the adult & infant, and the infant responds.

Toddlers:
Learning to get their balance.
Lots of falls & bruises
Use 2-step instructions.
Use "dramatic tones" chance your voice and tone to convey your message across, or whisper.
Toddlers still understand what the adults say even though they may not yet have the language to speak yet. So the adult can still talk to the toddler, and the child will respond accordingly, especially when the adult wants the child TO NOT do something which might disturb the peace of the room.

TANTRUMS- Why? Children to no have the language to communicate.
Set up equipment according to number of the children as children of this age group are still "egocentric" & do not know how to share yet.

'Stranger fear' should develop around the time an infant is about 7-9 months. This is common for children of this age, so it is common that infants are afraid of new casuals that they meet for the first time. So it should be that when there is a new casual in the room, there should be a permanent caretaker too that the infant is familiar with.

Preschoolers:
Begining of fantasy play.
Shows a preference for 'handedness", or maybe ambidextrous.
Use 'dramatic tones" too.
Learning to share & turntaking.
Learning letters & numbers.
Starting of "separation anxiety" (14-18 months).
Toilet training- accidents & emotional period of time. It is important for the adult to not get frustrated with them.
Transitions- setting boundaries and preparing primary school readiness.
Children are responsive to a new song, even in a different language.

Behaviour Management: Guidance language in Preschool Room

I was going through some of my old reports and thought this might be beneficial to those who are working in a preschool room. The age group is 4-5 year olds, so they are capable of communicating fairly well & express their feelings.

1) New Migrant Child: G
G is a new child in the classroom. G was seen with a tear stricken face. She did not speak, but the adult, J came in and spoke on her behalf. J told one of the other girls, SC that G wanted to join in the game. G sits on the chair without saying a word and looked at the other children. The adult, J explained to the children (SC, KL, GR and A) that G is a new child in the country, and did not know the language (English) much, so they have to be friendly and understanding of her situation.

I was observing all this when it happened, so later as we were doing activites on the table I told SC that she would feel the same if she went to a place where everyone spoke Cantonese. SC asks me to speak someCantonese, so I said “do you want to eat?” in Cantonese. Then I asked SC “do you understand what I just said?”. SC does not say a reply to that.

SC then is later seen inviting G to play in their dramatic play.

2) Learning to Access play with other children:
Alex had some problems accessing the Earth Tub play. She came to me and told me that the other children won’t let her play with them. I told her “why don’t you go and get a cup from the sandpit and fill it up with sand, and just play along with them without asking them”.

Alex took a cup and went to the Earth Tub and filled it with sand and then played alongside the group.

3) Initiating play with others:

I have noticed and observed that Raj has had difficulty in initiating play with the other children. Today he poured out the entire contents of the goop tray into the blue saucer. Later, he interrupted the play between Y & Rhys. The boys had arranged their cars in a line, and Raj took his car and crashed into their line, which made Y & Rhys. really angry! So I had to quickly intervene, and re-directed the attention of the 3 boys to something else so that the flow of play could continue.

The game was then interrupted again by this new African boy (who could not speak any English) from the kindy group. So the boys left with the cars.

I spoke to Raj, and told him that he can’t do that if he wants to play with other children. Then I re-directed the attention to him by asking him, whether if he likes it others did the same to him as well, continuing to add that I would get angry if someone did the same to me when I was playing as well. At this point, Welly spoke up and said that “it is very true”!

In Raj’s case, I think, and feel that he would benefit more from direct intervention and require social coaching skills in order that other children will let him participate in their play.