To help teacher education students build pedagogical practice to be able to support ECE students to develop critical insights into how children make sense of their worlds. Children's engagement with various learning domains will be explored, and the role of the teacher examined.

The objectives of this paper are to help students to:

(a) recognise children's understandings about the physical and natural world, and how children construct their ideas as they make sense of this world through the lens of play;

(b) critically reflect on the role of the teacher when working with children with diverse learning needs.

This paper provides further opportunities for students to develop the skills, attributes and knowledge of the University of Waikato, Division of Education Graduate Profile, particularly those that relate to: building positive relationships and working collaboratively with children, families/whanau and colleagues; performing confidently in early childhood education settings; and systematically and critically engaging with evidence to reflect on and refine their professional practice of teaching. Students completing this paper also develop:

• Standards for the Teaching Profession: 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5.
• Cultural competencies of wananga, whanaungatanga, tangata whenuatanga, manaakitanga and ako as outlined in Tataiako: Cultural coompetencies for teachers of Maori learners. Specific competencies addressed in this paper are: W1, W3, W4, WH1, WH2, WH3, WH4, WH5, M2, M3, TW4, A1, A2, A3, A4.

This paper is taught in weeks 9 to 41 of the University of Waikato calendar, between weeks 25th February and 7th October. The paper is a blended delivery and is taught face to face and online for Hamilton and Tauranga students.

This is a 15 credit paper and therefore involves 150 hours of workload in total.

This paper is supported by an online Moodle site. Notices will be distributed through this site, and all assignments (except in-class presentations) must be submitted through the site.

Each week the site will be updated with information about the week’s tutorial and any relevant information. You should check the class Moodle site on a regular basis.

Online web address: http://elearn.waikato.ac.nz/ or you can click on the Moodle link on the university home page.

You can use the online web site for general questions, for giving feedback on how things are going, and for contacting your tutor. Any issues can be discussed with your tutor or the paper convenor through the Private Conversation forum on the Moodle site.