Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to nurture creativity in children.
The unit applies to educators who work with children in a variety of education and care services.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Foster creativity through the physical environment | 1.1 Select and promote the use of a range of open-ended, natural and found materials and make them available to children 1.2 Choose and promote the use of a range of materials to encourage creative expression and make them accessible to children 1.3 Introduce children to a range of examples of creative expression in art, architecture, inventions, music and dance, and promote the use of creative expression |
2. Foster creativity through the human environment | 2.1 Support children to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for equipment and materials 2.2 Role-model creativity by improvising with equipment and materials 2.3 Encourage children to pursue their own original ideas, interpretations and expressions 2.4 Invite children to ask questions and assist them to find their own answers 2.5 Engage children in talking about their creations and ask them open-ended questions 2.6 Share enthusiasm for creative work with children 2.7 Encourage children to respect and appreciate the creative effort of their peers |
3. Foster creativity through a learning framework | 3.1 Allow time for children to be creative and encourage efforts to extend over days or weeks 3.2 Teach children techniques when using materials and equipment 3.3 Plan and create opportunities for children to collaborate creatively with each other 3.4 Involve children in critical reflection and solving real problems 3.5 Display children’s work in meaningful ways 3.6 Design a flexible framework that can respond to children’s interests as they arise |
4. Provide experiences | 4.1 Identify and provide a range of experiences used to nurture creativity 4.2 Provide opportunities for children to practise developing skills in music, movement, construction, visual art and dramatic play in both indoor and outdoor environments |
5. Evaluate experiences | 5.1 Use a range of methods to evaluate children’s learning from the implemented creative experiences 5.2 Reflect on the evaluations and make ongoing modifications to the curriculum to stimulate interest and involvement in creative activities |
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance. |
Oral Communication – in order to facilitate creative discussions and play with children aged birth to 6 years. Reading – in order to access and apply relevant pedagogical principles from an approved learning framework. The remaining foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit. |
Range Statement
Specifies different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
The range of experiences used to nurture creatively must include: | music movement construction visual art dramatic play |