Understand the founding principles, philosophy and methodology of the Montessori Method. Through investigation and research, you'll take the journey of Montessori from its roots to the modern day. You’ll be encouraged to explore the significance of ‘Cosmic Education’ and see babies, toddlers, and young children as change agents. During the process you will make the links between Montessori’s vision of the Cosmic Plan and the requirement to acknowledge and reflect the 17 SDG’s in Early Childhood practice. You'll examine the pedagogical approach through the lens of the ‘Dynamic Triangle’; the Child, the Environment and the Teacher. Montessori advocated that the psychological characteristics of development, when nurtured, enable the child to reach their full potential. We'll encourage you to begin to inform your own personal pedagogy, supported by opportunity for self-expression and collaboration.
To help you meet the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies, you’ll study this module across all years of your degree. You’ll take part in 80 days of placement and reflect on your experiences. The Graduate Practitioner is an advocate for young children’s rights and participation and recognise that young children are active co-constructors of their own learning. As a Graduate Practitioner you’ll apply high-level academic knowledge of pedagogy and research evidence, of the holistic development of babies, toddlers and young children (0-8), in a practice context that is respectful of the child, their family and community. This qualification will make you workplace ready with knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework, upon graduation. Using the formatting of a child profile, you'll explore and analyse the development of one child (aged 0-8) through multiple observational techniques. This analysis will be underpinned be the respective statutory guidance and will consider Physical, Intellectual, Language, Emotional, and Social (PILES) factors.
This is the first of two modules that focus on the Montessori curriculum materials. You’ll engage in activities and curriculum design in the areas of Practical Life; Sensorial; and Cultural (Knowledge and Understanding of the world) from babies to toddlers. You’ll practice with the unique Montessori materials and their presentations while in your placement setting. Through exploration you’ll become confident in using the Montessori materials and understanding the importance of further Montessori activities that support the learning environment. The Montessori curriculum was developed to support children's understanding of their development, to guide them to reach their full potential and to harness a love of learning. You’ll develop a confidence in supporting children through the carefully prepared Montessori learning environment, embedded with the integration of the SDGs that support Montessori’s theory behind Cosmic Education. You’ll consider the factors influencing holistic child development, alongside planning, observation and reflection.
In this module, you'll develop an essential understanding of the concept of safeguarding and wellbeing, which is crucial for working with infants, toddlers and young children. You'll gain an appreciation of the contemporary factors and challenges involved in safeguarding children, including considerations such as children’s rights, digital literacy and multi-agency working to support both families, children and young people. The module will enable you to develop a rigorous understanding of the UK legislation and government policy guiding safeguarding provision and practices relevant to your role as a practitioner. Additionally, you'll provide evidence of your engagement with supplementary training specific to UK safeguarding standards. This training will give you practical insights into current safeguarding protocols, ensuring that you can apply these standards to protect and support children effectively within professional settings.
View the full module definitionIn this module you'll delve into the concept of global citizenship and its significance in the context of early childhood education. Global citizenship involves helping babies, toddlers and young children to understand their place in the world and fostering positive attitudes towards diversity, empathy, and social responsibility. In this module you'll also explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the early childhood workforce. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, practical applications, and case studies, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of how global citizenship principles can be integrated into early childhood education and how AI can support educators and caregivers in fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment.
You’ll now be fairly familiar with the Montessori materials and specific presentations, so you’ll continue to build on this knowledge in this module with a particular focus on literacy, maths and creative areas. We’ll support you in developing your knowledge of curriculum design and you’ll put this into practice in a Montessori early childhood environment. Observing and learning on placement, you’ll analyse the learning journey of babies, toddlers and young children as well as reflect on your own development needs. You’ll develop more in-depth exploration of the philosophy behind the presentations, the mathematical mind and the theory of abstraction. Montessori advocated the importance of the learning materials and on completion of this module you will have a firm foundation of knowledge of the materials and the presentations that interlink across the learning curriculum in a Montessori classroom.
In this module, you'll demonstrate an informed understanding of child development from birth to eight years, considering key milestones and transition points and how these should guide your practice as a professional working with children. Additionally, you'll explore how children (0-8) with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) may exhibit developmental pathways that differ from the prescriptive expectations outlined in UK education statutory guidance. Through critical analysis, you'll reflect on appropriate methods of support in practice, as well as the effective use of multi-agency working and services to promote inclusive development for babies, toddlers and young children. Throughout the module, you'll take on responsibilities that foster the development of transferable skills, equipping you with the professional capabilities needed for employment as a highly qualified professional in any field you choose to enter. To help you meet the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies, you’ll study this module across all years of your degree. The Graduate Practitioner is an advocate for young children’s rights and participation and recognise that young children are active co-constructors of their own learning. As a Graduate Practitioner you’ll apply high-level academic knowledge of pedagogy and research evidence, of the holistic development of infants, toddlers and young children (0-8), in a practice context that is respectful of the child, their family and community. This qualification will make you workplace ready with a depth of knowledge regarding the Early Years Foundation Stage, upon graduation.
Entering higher education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all our students to make the most of the opportunities higher education provides, reach your potential, become lifelong learners and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is, in itself, quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you'll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and complete mini tasks. You'll proceed at your own pace, though we you to have completed your Into ARU exploration by week 6. If for any reason you're unable to complete by that date, we'll signpost to existing services so that we can be confident that you are supported.
View the full module definitionIn this module you'll delve into the principles and practices of sustainability within early childhood education looking at secondary literature and policies which are in place with the aims to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to foster environmental awareness and sustainable habits in Early Childhood. You'll look at different areas of sustainability and consider the role of the professional for supporting babies, toddlers and young children through play, whilst identifying and apply pedagogical knowledge of how to develop enabling environments both inside and out.
Building on the principle that quality in early childhood provision requires creative, innovative and effective leaders who can reflect on practice, manage resources, foster effective team development and lead as agents of change, you'll examine the context in which education and care is provided, to review issues of how we can work better to meet the needs of babies, toddlers and young children. The issues concerning provision in terms of quality and providing equality of opportunity for all children will be explored from philosophical and theoretical leadership perspectives in early childhood. Montessori was an envisioned leader who argued that adults, as leaders, should take direction from children as agents for change. You'll reflect on the position of self in how change can evolve and will reflect on styles of leadership that will support leadership concepts from the literature, including transformation, adaptation, service, humility and contextual elements. As Montessori advocated that it is responsibility that a leader should feel, not the authority of their position we’ll analyse partnerships and interdisciplinary working reflecting on leadership styles such as transformation, adaptation, collaboration, and humility to further enhance the quality and effectiveness of early childhood education, contributing to the broader objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. We'll provide an opportunity to critically review the application of theory to practice to further your understanding of leadership in an early childhood context.
The Undergraduate Major Project enables you to demonstrate your ability to raise and address significant questions related to your chosen topic or issue. This may involve reviewing, commenting, analysing, or critiquing existing ideas or significant theoretical or conceptual developments at local, national, or international levels. You'll be expected to select and apply appropriate research strategies which are relevant to your chosen topic/issue and the question(s) you are looking to address. You will be able to draw meaningful and justifiable conclusions from information which may be complex or contradictory and be capable of expanding or redefining your existing knowledge of a subject or area of practice. You'll be able to communicate in an articulate appropriately clear and academic fashion and will be able to demonstrate a critically reflective approach to your work. You'll need to negotiate, through the proposal, the nature and form of the final assessed work, which will take the form of a written dissertation. If you work, you may choose to link the written dissertation with everyday practice from your workplace. This may include anonymised curriculum planning, policy documents or brief vignettes of practice, as negotiated with the supervisor and permitted by the gatekeeper, for example, the nursery manager and head teacher. This mode of assessment can be chosen if it provides you with an opportunity to produce an assignment that links literature with the professional context in which you work. Throughout the two trimesters, lectures will focus on contemporary issues in education, ethical research, gaining ethical approval, and narrowing research focus and questions. This will support you in developing your specialist focus and preparing for progression beyond Level 6. The work undertaken for the major project will likely build on previous modules, requiring you to work autonomously with minimal guidance from a supervisor.
The Graduate Practitioner is an advocate for young children’s rights and participation and recognise that young children are active co-constructors of their own learning. As a Graduate Practitioner you’ll apply high-level academic knowledge of pedagogy and research evidence, of the holistic development of babies, toddlers and young children (0-8), in a practice context that is respectful of the child, their family and community. In this module you'll exhibit a well-informed appreciation of the complex concepts which are relevant to working with families. You'll also develop the essential skills for change management and problem solving within the context of a professional environment. Through the module you'll take on responsibilities that foster the development of transferable skills, equipping you with the professional capabilities needed for employment as a highly qualified professional in this field. You'll create a setting development plan for your setting to emphasise the quality of your provision and consider the sustainability of professional practice, education and business elements of your setting. All public and private settings require the development of business skills and through exploring this module, in line with your leadership and management modules, you'll find yourself better equipped to take a management position or even open a practice of your own. In whatever direction you wish to develop your career, these skills can be added to your CV to ensure you are able to differentiate your profile from your competitors, along with a reflective statement of your professional development over the course of your degree.
In this module you'll delve into a comprehensive examination of children’s rights, emphasising their rights to education, protection, human rights, and participation. The legal standing of children has been significantly bolstered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989, which enshrines principles of protection, provision of services, and participation. Recognising the diverse experiences of babies, toddlers and young children globally, you'll broaden your perspectives by analysing evidence from both international and national contexts. This approach ensures a holistic understanding of the varied realities children face. Upon successful completion, you'll find this module highly pertinent to your future career in both voluntary and statutory organisations dedicated to working with young children. You'll gain the essential knowledge and skills to actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to quality education, reduced inequalities, and strong institutions.
Ruskin Modules are a great opportunity to explore challenges and ideas outside your area of study. Working with students from a range of courses, you'll be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines, and apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, realise your potential and help you prepare for the world of work.