Category: early childhood education

I strongly believe that the role of an early childhood teacher is to encourage children to be prepared for the real world and help develop the key skills that are required for their future learning.

During these six weeks on the topic, I have learned that educators aim to help build a strong foundation for children to be able to succeed in life. Teachers accept and work within a learning framework that is built on activities that promote a certain view of children view promote children’s view (Irving, p.4). Irving’s reading highlights how ideas of children and childhood have changed over time. As Irving proposed, there are debates on the influence of nature and nurture on children’s development. Nature is what we believe to be essential, innate qualities. Nurture has correlations between environmental factors and psychological outcomes. This means teachers can support the physical, social, and cultural environment of the children (p.7, 2018). These are incredibly old but still effective in children’s learning in the 21st century. As a teacher, I need to be aware of where these came from and operate in a way that finds new methods to support children’s success.

This page of the book talks about learning about the framework of children in the introduction but I am not sure if I should add it ( I may have misunderstood it) As a teacher should It is my duty to find various ways to make their children be successful and learn. McDevitt (2019) discusses how biological theories about children can help support their growth and learning. Biological norms provide a guide on what may be expected at different ages. Variations from these norms are to be expected. According to my understanding of social learning theories, children can learn by observing others’ actions. For example, a teacher demonstrates the use of solving children’s learning by observing and trying themselves. As a teacher, it is important to provide positive models such as good teamwork and a positive manner. Understanding children, biological normal will assist me with my teaching because I can grasp their thinking ability at a certain age.

Children have their way of learning when they first start to learn. This might involve, children first learning how to count to ten by using their fingers to count numbers (p.13).

Children have their own way of learning as they develop. This might involve using their fingers to count to ten (p.13). The interesting part I found in Irving’s reading was that teachers and parents must teach children about how learning is fun and encourage them to be engaged in learning. This is important for children who are starting school. Irving also considered that play gives joy, freedom, contentment, inner and outer rest, and peace with the world of children as opposed to being lectured to. When children are being lectured, they tend to lose interest quickly. In early childhood, it is critical for children to view who and what they become of themselves.

I was astonished by how cognitive development theories emphasize qualitative changes in thinking when children play an active role in their development. Children gain new and exciting experiences and try to grasp the concepts of what they see and hear (p.13). I was fascinated by how teachers can use sociocultural theories in practice. For instance, educators should be engaged in a range of cultures such as encouraging children to play games, songs, and customs for celebrating birthdays. McDevitt et al. 2019 indicated another interesting point which is that children learn a lot more and faster by being engaged in authentic adults task by receiving assistance from the teachers and their peers (P.14). The point McDevitt made was interesting, McDevitt et al. said how Early Childhood teachers are inspired approach the children curiously and see how children desire to try new things.

From Ormrod’s (2011) reading, I have understood that there are four principles to characterize children; physical, cognitive, personal, and social development which change at different ages (2014, P. 20). The Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework (2018) lists the milestones within each of these four developmental areas. Teachers can use this to support children’s development in play and learning with a purpose (2018).

I now realize that it is important for teachers to be positive towards children and not overload them with lots of work. The reason is that they can only process so much information. It was new and illuminating to learn how each part of the brain helps to teach play in different ways. As a teacher, I am obligated to try various teaching techniques to support children’s learning at different stages of development (McDevitt et al., 2019).

Cognitive changes over time constructivism Furthermore, I have realized that developmentalism comprises development theories that involve a clear stage associated with maturation ( p.60). Piaget (2018) described the stages of development. First is the sensorimotor stage from the age of birth to 2 years. At this stage, children will experience the world through knowledge through sensorimotor movements. Second is the preoperational stage which starts from age 2-7. At this stage, children extend the language, have a lack of rational thinking, the inability to reverse operations and have a limited understanding of concepts. As children grow, they develop concrete operations from 7-11 years old. During this stage, children have a better grasp of mental operations. They start to think of situations realistically, but will still have issues with understanding the abstract (Carter,2019, p.61). This will help me understand children’s thinking development.

Montessori (2019) stated that a teacher’s job is to guide children’s independent learning and provide materials and activities that guide their natural development. Montessori’s method of educating is to have faith that children can be self-taught. The purpose of education is to gain knowledge and skills required for the real world. Constructivism is a theory of knowledge that argues that people construct bodies of meaning and knowledge out of experiences (Von Glasersfeld,1991 as cited in Carte, 2018) p.64.Extra reading: Reading knowledge is a process of discovery: How constructivism changes education wk 3 https://theconversation.com/knowledge-is-a-process-of-discovery-how-constructivism-changed-education-126585 Zaphir (2019) defines constructivism as being an educational philosophy which considers experiences an effective way to obtain knowledge. He analyzed the way children deal with the world and the sense of self that corresponds to certain ages. I believe this theory is essential because it gives children the chance to learn and have the freedom and opportunity to develop their own understanding of the environment (Cater,2019, p.63).

Gandini (2011) indicated that space is considered to be important in schools. It is essential to make children feel welcome in class and set out the type of activities. It is crucial that space in learning should be adaptable in a flexible way and it allows for exchange and experiences to co-construct knowledge. Classrooms should be engaging, such as using attractive materials and structured in a way for children to explore and communicate (p.319). I believe that children need “me time” and therefore space to play individually.

This week we start to explore play and observing children. Colville (2018) defines play as universal in the sense that all children are engaged in it no matter their culture. Play is motivational and powerful for all children in various cultural contexts (Colville, 2018, p.93). Play-based learning is a context of learning through which children organized and make sense of the engagement activities with people, objects, and representation (p.92). It is learning through discovery and exportation (p.93). Piaget’s thought play illustrates children’s cognitive development through self-directed problem solving which means children already know about (p.95). I think it is crucial for teachers to observe children play because it helps them understand their thinking ability. It also provides information on children’s learning. These begin at birth and interact with babies and toddlers providing a foundation for children’s learning (p.114). Children’s literacy begins to slowly develop in their home environment and is influenced by their native language and culture. Van Hoorn (2015) stated that children’s literacy develops by context. It is interesting how writing needs to happen as part of a social context and play-based curriculum. Babies learn numeracy through movement, listening to playful songs, and when teachers count. Sciences gives children an awareness of how the world works and it can be used to support technology. Children learn sciences through exploration, observation, and questioning. Teachers need to be confident, comfortable, and knowledgeable to teach basic science to children (p.116). I believe it is essential for teachers to encourage children to familiarise themselves with science vocabulary and to help them have a basic grasp of how the world works.

References

1. Carter, C, (2018). Theorists and Theoretical Perspective: Early Childhood Development and Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 56-87). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
2. Colville, M. (2018 A). Play and play-based Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 91-125). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
3. Colville, M. (2018 B). Play and play-based Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 113-123). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
4. Irving. E. (2018 ). What is a child? Concepts and images of childhood. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 3-29). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
5. Mcdevitt , T.( 2019).Child Development and Education ( 2nd ed).
6. Ormrod, J.,(2011).Educational Psychology: Development learners. Ch.2. pp.19-25.
7. Zaphir, L; (2019) Knowledge is the process of discovery: How constructivism changes education.
8. Mcleod, S. (2020). Nature Nurture in Psychology | Simply Psychology. Retrieved 9 August 2020, from < https://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html >.

Physical education is a general education course of study from kindergarten through grade 12 in which students participate in physical activities. The purpose of physical education is to introduce children to the basic elements of exercise and to help them develop a healthy lifestyle. Children can exercise their bodies and improve their mental sports ability by playing basketball, football and other traditional sports, and taking part in weight-lifting, calisthenics and other physical exercise activities. Physical education is the teaching and guidance of physical activities in a school gymnasium or other school environment. The goal is to improve and maintain the current health status of children and put them on the path of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for life.

According to Harry Crowe Buck, “Physical education is a part of general education programme, which is considered with growth, development and education of children through the medium of big muscle activities. It is the education of whole child by means of physical activities. Physical activities are the tools. They are so selected and conducted as to influence every child’s life physically, mentally, emotionally and morally”.

There are two major of physical fitness that must co-exists in physical education, which are health-related and skill-related.

For health related, there are 5 components of fitness. First, cardiovascular endurance is the ability of the heart and lungs to work together to provide the oxygen and fuel the body needs during a continuous working load. For example, jogging, cycling and swimming. Second, muscular strength is the power that a muscle can produce. For example, climbing stairs, bench press and crab walks. Third, muscular endurance is the ability of muscles to work continuously without fatigue. For example, cycling, step machines and plank hold. Fourth, flexibility is the ability of each joint to move within the range of motion of a particular joint. For example, yoga, gymnastics and dance or martial arts. Fifth, body composition refers to the ratio of fat to muscles, bones, and organs.

For skill related, there are 6 components of fitness. First, agility refers to a person’s ability to move his or her body quickly and easily. Such as a boxer dodging a punch, or a basketball player changing direction in a split second. Second, balance refers to a person’s ability to maintain balance while moving or standing still. For example, kneeling or walk on balancing beam. Third, coordination refers to the ability of a person to use your senses and different parts of your body to perform motor tasks accurately and smoothly. For example, catching a ball in a lacrosse scoop while running. Fourth, power refers to a person’s ability to quickly convert energy into power. For example, baseball or volleyball. Fifth, speed is the ability to move quickly from one point to another. For example, sprinting or swimming. Lastly, reaction time is a skill-related component of physical health that relates to the time between one of your sensory recognition stimuli and your body’s response. For example, martial arts or racquet sports.

In today’s society, many kindergartens and day care centers more emphasis on intellectual activities than physical activities, resulting in a decrease in children’s physical and physical activities. Physical education can teach children to improve their quality of life. Focusing only on their studies will make their lives boring and stagnant, which in turn will lead to depression and failure. Physical activity and exercise can enhance their endurance, which can make them fall in love with their intelligence and ability. By participating in sports, children can develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. The following are some important of teaching physical education in preschools.

Physical education is important for healthy growth and development. Nowadays, many children eat unhealthy food. These may include soft drinks, burgers, French fries, and pizza. Taking these regularly can lead to childhood obesity. Physical education in schools can help prevent obesity and high blood pressure. Physical exercise and activity will help them burn off excess calories. If these calories are not burned off, they are stored as fat. Through physical exercise, people can make use of extra calories to gain energy. In addition, physical education can also enhance bone movement, such as jumping, which is especially important for school children because the strength generated by these activities contributes to bone strength and growth. While muscle-strengthening exercises can make muscles bigger and stronger, they can also help children carry loads and protect their joints from injury. Physical activities make students energetic and strong, and stimulate their interest in classroom activities. It helps with muscle movement. Physical education improves an individual’s ability to concentrate and maintain attention. Physical activity helps enlarge the basal ganglia of the brain. The basal ganglia are a part of the brain responsible for maintaining a person’s ability to pay attention. In this day and age, when children have so many forms of technological entertainment (TV, phones, tablets), it’s hard to stay focused. By promoting physical education, school teachers can help them improve their concentration. Schools often arrange sports games and exercises, which require concentration.

Physical education helps individuals to be flexible and happy, and helps relieve stress and anxiety. School life is busy and stressful for everyone. The pressure may come from poor grades that prevent children from concentrating on their studies. Taking part in sports activities and education can help children relieve their academic pressure and anxiety. Many schools now make physical education an important part of the school curriculum and encourage children to maintain a healthy balance between education and exercise. That’s because school sports help improve connections between neurons in the brain. Healthy and well-connected neurons help improve a children’s overall thinking ability. Scientific research reveals the fact that children who participate in physical activities are happier and healthier than those who spend all their time in school. Physical education helps to promote the circulation of blood in the body. Provides more oxygen to the heart and brain, and keeps the body in balance with physical and mental health.

There are many benefits of physical education for young children. First, children need strong bones. Children need exercise to avoid losing bone density due to lack of exercise. Childhood is the best time for bone development. Weak bones can lead to osteoporosis. Second, physical education can reduce a child’s risk of being overweight or obese. When a child does not exercise, unused calories are stored as fat. Physical activity will burn off these calories, so the fat will be reduced, so that the fat distribution in the children’s body is reasonable. Third, a healthier heart. Lack of exercise can put pressure on the heart, putting children at greater risk of cardiovascular disease in the future. Physical activity allowed their hearts to pump blood more efficiently. Fourth, children have stronger muscles. Jumping rope, martial arts and yoga all require muscle work, which means kids are building up their muscles. Increasing muscle strength can also prevent injuries. Fifth, children have stronger lungs. Exercise means that children breathe in more oxygen, emit more carbon dioxide and have more lung capacity. The increased oxygen also helps their heart and brain.

In conclusion, physical education plays an important role in childhood. However, the intellectual education in kindergartens also plays an important role in this competitive society. But excessive intellectual activity training may lead to children’s disinterest in sports activities and may also lead to the formation of unhealthy living habits. Kindergartens and child care should not only focus on performing intellectual education, but also physical activities.

Early youth offers instructors a one-of-a-kind arrangement of chances and difficulties. Little youngsters experience momentous development in psychological, physical, social, and passionate improvement. In any case, getting ready little youngsters for future achievement isn’t just an issue of acquainting testing scholastic work with early youth study halls. Guidance, just as appraisal, must think about the unique difficulties of early adolescence. Most youthful students advantage most when rich proficiency and numeracy guidance are joined with music, workmanship, physical, and well-being training, with time to play and develop socially and inwardly. Their future achievement is based on this thorough establishment. I believe that early education is very important for every child, and in this essay, I want to argue why I think so.

Firstly, early childhood education is important as it helps develop good habits. Day-by-day schedules assist kids with having a sense of security and secure. They’re likewise an incredible method to show youngsters solid propensities, such as brushing their teeth or washing their hands. At the point when youngsters recognize what’s in store every day, they’re bound to be quiet, settled, and get into great resting propensities. After some time, they’ll start assuming responsibility for everyday exercises, such as getting dressed and pressing their sack.

Secondly, early childhood education develops language and numeracy skills. Proficiency and numeracy aptitudes structure an establishment for training, however, it’s something other than perusing, composing, and tallying. Kids learn education abilities by tuning in to stories, discussing pictures, and drawing shapes on paper. They learn numeracy abilities by singing and playing music, or emptying sand into compartments of various sizes. The proficiency and numeracy aptitudes kids learn before they start school dramatically affect their scholastic achievement sometime down the road. Research shows that kids who go to childcare for a long time or more perform much better on year 4 proficiency and numeracy tests, while a year and a half of preschool greater affects education and numeracy levels at age 11, than every one of the six years of essential school.

Early childhood education also teaches kids to be independent. Childcare offers children a chance to create social abilities, which causes them to structure solid associations with other individuals. They’ll figure out how to coexist with other kids, share and alternate, tune in to other people, convey their thoughts, and become autonomous. As kids get more established, they’ll utilize these aptitudes to create companionships that will shape their feeling of personality and their future.

Childcare additionally enables a youngster to create enthusiastic versatility. Research shows that youngsters who go to childcare at age 2-3 are bound to be mindful and better ready to manage their feelings when they start school. Studies have even discovered that guardians profit by sending their youngsters to childcare, harvesting social, enthusiastic, and even monetary prizes from the connections they create with different families in the middle.

And my final argument for why early childhood education is important is that it develops future goals. The aptitudes of youngsters to learn in the early long stretches of their life are significant for their social, enthusiastic, and scholastic achievement. Truth be told, examination shows that kids who don’t go to preschool are half bound to begin school with a formative vulnerability.

To sum up, it should be said that the early years are an urgent time, and the experiences a youth has in these formative years expect a basic activity in setting up the child for future accomplishment. Early childhood education is definitely the most ideal path for youngsters to begin their learning for their future.

Summary

The teaching philosophy of Agape Little Uni. is to prepare children for success in life in a loving and nurturing school environment where emphasis is placed on character development through instilling strong values. The school aims to evolve the children into an AGAPE Learner who exemplifies the five distinctive core values and the five principles of teaching and learning through play-based learning, character building, and values-infused learning. Because of their firm belief in character development, they implement the Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) Curriculum for pre-schoolers, where children’s learning is guided by their learning needs, concepts, and learning experiences that are relevant to the current trends in the world. The depth of content broadens as children become older. Children receive a well-rounded education as they are introduced to the S.T.R.E.A.M approach as part of the center’s pedagogy, where they can apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations. Teachers are also the learning facilitators who enable children to identify their unique learning styles through quality interactions and holistic learning experiences. The center also establishes firm partnerships with parents through catering to the child’s needs providing for them in the best way possible, and reinforcing parental involvement.

My PCF practicum center adopts the play-based Sparkletots Curriculum, which focuses solely on the six learning domains from the Nurturing Early Learners (2013) framework, as well as the Thematic approach where different themes are assigned to them each term by the headquarters. However, I strongly favor the Agape Little Unis. Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) curriculum, as it not only covers the six learning domains but also places emphasis on shaping the child’s character. Through formulated questions, educators stimulate the children’s interest and projects are curated based on the selected ones. Children acquire resilience as they receive feedback and guidance from their teachers. Their learning gets intensified when they inquire and explore more. Lastly, as children mature, the content they learn gets more advanced. I also feel that Agape Little Uni. integrating the S.T.R.E.A.M approach to their curriculum, is vital as it will help children acquire the essential 21st-century skills and develop holistically in all disciplines. One instance would be the S.T.R.E.A.M Tinkerlab camp, held on 12th – 14th June 2019, where children were equipped with skills in both experimental and engineering as they explored their creativity in many fun activities, developed their innovation and outshined what they knew to prepare for the skills of the 21st century. According to the Nurturing Early Learners (2013) framework, teachers play a vital role as facilitators in stimulating children’s thinking and extending their learning by offering opportunities for purposeful play and authentic learning through quality interactions. At Agape Little Uni., teachers as facilitators allow children to discover their learning styles through quality interactions and integrated learning experiences. Teachers at my practicum center made a conscious effort to expand on children’s learning and provide opportunities for them to initiate self-directed learning during their free play. However, since the center gets its lesson plans from the headquarters, children’s learning is teacher-driven in that sense as the themes are already pre-fixed and may not be of the child’s interest. Both centers value the partnership of parents by keeping them aware of the center’s happenings and catering to children’s specialized needs. In my practicum center, educators kept parents in the loop via the Little Lives Portal and the communication book. At Agape Little Uni., parents are updated daily about their child’s day and are informed about all school activities. Both centers create a supportive environment whereby educators and parents work together to promote the child’s development.

Analysis

By incorporating the S.T.R.E.A.M. approach to their curriculum, children are provided with opportunities to achieve indispensable 21st-century skills and holistically develop in all disciplines. According to Nurturing Early Learners (2013), providing children with the necessary 21st-century skills is vital to be prepared to meet future challenges and succeed in a rapidly changing world. The center also follows the Ministry of Education’s framework for 21st-century competencies and student outcomes (2018). The student outcomes are integrated with the center’s goal of children becoming AGAPE Learners which includes being self-directed learners taking ownership of their learning, active contributors exploring different ways of problem-solving and seeking new information, concerned citizens displaying empathy and respect towards others in the society, a confident person taking responsibility of their actions and the consequences that come with it and an effective communicator listening effectively and expressing their ideas. Through getting children to collaborate and communicate, the curriculum promotes the development of 21st-century skills and knowledge. (Owen et al., 2002). The center also incorporates the iTeach principles into its curriculum. Through stimulating and relevant learning experiences, they adopt an integrated approach to learning as skills and knowledge from the different domains are integrated into children’s work. Secondly, teachers as facilitators take into account the child’s innate abilities while children as constructors of knowledge are encouraged to take ownership of what and how they want to learn with the teacher’s guidance and feedback. Through this, children acquire critical thinking skills, and the ability to evaluate their work and learn from their mistakes as they build resilience. This aligns with Bruner’s Constructivist Theory (1990), where children are creating knowledge instead of it being directly fed to them. The preschool curriculum is also designed in such a way that it helps children learn best through purposeful play and imaginative exploration. Authentic learning through quality interactions is evident as teachers and children work together to discover, collate information, and share and present to parents and the community about their learning. Lastly, since different learning areas are integrated within the planned and supervised environments, children will be able to develop holistically through exploration. The center also places great emphasis on school-home partnerships. According to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory (1979), the mesosystem is where the child’s growth is supported by cross-relationships between the closest socializing contexts (home and school) of the child.

Application

I feel that preschool educators need to shift away from the conventional way of teaching, where information is dispensed to the children and they are required to memorize it. Inquiry-based approach is good and educators need to use it as the child is actively involved in the process and it helps them to acquire skills to process information and solve problems. I will integrate this into my teaching next time by tapping into children’s interests and letting them lead their learning through co-construction. I will also actively take on the role of a facilitator by scaffolding children’s learning based on their abilities and interests. I have understood the importance of equipping children with the necessary 21st-century skills to succeed in a rapidly changing world. I will implement it next time in my teaching by creating avenues for children to investigate, experiment, and ask questions to feed their sense of wonder. Also having understood the importance of home-school partnership, I will implement it in my classroom next time by establishing a good relationship with parents from the time their children join the school and strengthening it through regular conversations about the best interests of the child.

My teaching philosophy statement is based on the concepts of love, affection, care, guidance and trust in young children. As an early childhood professional I believe that each child is an individual and learns according to his own pace. As an educator, it is my duty to value and develop each child’s skills, interests, capabilities, and knowledge to enhance their learning. It is my responsibility to provide a stimulating educational environment that helps children to develop socially, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

My philosophy statement is based on theorists, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and the early childhood movement from Reggio Emilia, Italy. I will follow the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86) by providing activities to the children that are based on their past learning and support new learning at a slightly more difficult level.

Vygotsky believed that children’s cognitive understandings were enriched and deepened when they were ‘scaffolded’ by parents, teachers, or peers (Berk 1996).

I consider that playing the method of learning for children at an early stage is the appropriate way of teaching. Through play young children learn to analyze, discover and imagine. They are little investigators who use their senses to examine everything. According to Piaget (1973), “A student who achieves a certain knowledge through free investigation and spontaneous effort will later be able to retain it” (p. 93). Piaget says that only providing information to the children is not the correct way of teaching. I support Piaget’s concrete learning where the children should be able to see, taste, feel, smell, and touch the objects they are learning about. Learning is not something that is done to the child, but rather something she does (Firlik, 1994).

Family and community involvement are integral components of my philosophy because they are partners, and advocates for their children. I believe that developing the best interaction with the families has a positive effect on children’s development. As a teacher, I must respect parents because they are the children’s first teachers. I believe in involving parents and the community in curriculum planning.

I believe in enhancing children’s learning by planning activities according to their interests and taking part in those activities with them, rather than just passively watching their learning.

‘As a partner to the child, the teacher is inside the learning situation’ (Hewett, 2001).

So for me, teaching is not only giving knowledge to children but is a way to learn new ideas, philosophies, and techniques from children, parents, colleagues, and the community. Learning is a lifelong process so my philosophy may change with time which is an indication that I have experienced new things.

“Children are like blossoming buds, waiting for nourishment to bloom and display glory and pride, their colorful petals. “

To achieve a garden of blooms the early childhood educator must be an honest reflector and a facilitator.

I believe the role of the Early Childhood Educator is to provide a rich environment and guide children so they can develop their confidence and build their resilience to become successful learners. As an Early Childhood Educator, it’s my responsibility to promote quality experiences and environments for young children while supporting children’s learning and development through interactions, communication, and providing a range of provocations and stimulating, problem-solving activities. This is supported by Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which states ‘the best interests of the child must be the primary concern in making decisions that may affect them….’. I believe that children show uniqueness and interests at an early age, therefore Educators should plan a child-centered curriculum that offers children the opportunity to make choices about what, how, and whom they want to play. This approach enables children to initiate and direct their own play with the support of interested and responsive adults. Educators foster children’s growth and development by building on children’s interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. This reflects Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that states ‘children’s education should develop each child’s personality, talents and abilities to the fullest….’ And Outcome 4 of the Early Years Learning Framework that states children are confident and involved learners.

I believe every child is a capable and competent learner, they are unique individuals who develop at their own rate. Children are full of imagination, curious, connected with the environment from birth, and start to learn soon after they are born. Children are born with possibilities. The importance in early years is to shape up and stimulate these possibilities for them to grow up in all the developmental domains and become competent and responsible individuals in the future as global citizens. First, five years are very important for a child for their brain development. The more they are exposed to their environment and experience free play and exposed to different activities and materials the brain neurons will light up and connect new paths in the brain to make new connections. Good nutrition in the early years is important for this matter and for healthy lifestyles. Environment as the third teacher will be the main factor for the children to be competent learners. As educators, it is our responsibility to set up an environment stimulating, inviting, and connecting to the real world and includes children’s interests as well. The relationships with adults will give them the opportunity to build trust and the children will become more comfortable to explore, communicate, and further enhance their learning to become competent learners. As a service and as educators it’s our responsibility to provide the above environment for the children to become competent in their life.

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood, paying a great deal of attention to the look and feel of the classroom, ensuring that its aesthetic beauty is a part of the learning environment. An environment where children spend long periods of time needs to reflect an atmosphere of lasting friendships, a feeling of family, and strong relationships with teachers. I believe that my values affect the decisions I make about the arrangement of space, equipment, and materials in the classroom. Therefore, they need to be Inviting, natural, open-ended, creative, and multi-sensory experiences that reflect aspects of nature throughout them. The importance of the environment lies in the belief that children can best create meaning and make sense of their world through environments that support ‘complex, varied, sustained, and changing relationships between people, the world of experience, ideas and the many ways of expressing ideas’.

I believe parent involvement is important so that learning can become reciprocal when parents and educators work together in supporting the child’s development and learning. My views come from Bruner who believed that interactions between children and an adult act as scaffolding to help the children go beyond what they can achieve on their own. They now enter what Vygotsky termed the zone of proximal development, that is, the area in which a child is able to perform with assistance at a higher level of mental functioning. I believe that children co-construct their knowledge with others and that with the right kind of assistance, they can reach beyond their present level of ability and move forward in their development. With strong communication between educators and families, this development can continue between the center and home.

I believe families should be provided with information about their children in the program. Documentation of the children’s experiences should be visible to parents and families. Portfolios are an essential tool for communicating with parents about their children in the program. These portfolios should be accessible to the children so they can reflect on and show their families what they have been up to at the center. Portfolios also give children a sense of belonging as each child has their own.

I believe there is great potential when educators build relationships with other educators and with others in the community beyond the center. Educators who familiarise themselves with the customs and lifestyles of the people in the community surrounding their center may find richness and diversity to share with the children. Parents themselves may be the link to assist educators in learning the community’s people resources, as they disclose aspects of their home lives. Such as, educators could find neighbors experienced in traditional music who could share their interests with the children.

I believe businesses, shopping areas, transportation systems, construction sites, police and fire stations, parks and recreation areas, churches, zoos, museums, and residential streets offer numerous learning experiences. I believe teachers should use natural community resources to design a curriculum outside and inside the classroom. This could be done through excursions and incursions. My views come from Reggio Emilia’s Approach that an ‘education based on relationships’ focuses on each child in relation to others and seeks to support children’s relationships with other children, family, teachers, society, and the environment.

The Reggio Emilia Approach believes that children, teachers, parents, and the community interact and work together while building a community of inquiry between adults and children. I believe a file of pamphlets and referral information should be accumulated and kept at the center for reference by all staff. Frequently parents learn of sources of help through the information given to them from centres.

I always try to update myself with knowledge regarding children’s development to create a caring and nurturing environment that enhances each child’s individuality, creativity, and self-image. I always try together with staff to reflect the needs and goals of children and families. I always work together for an integrated, comprehensive approach to a caring, cooperative workplace that respects cultural values and supports positive relationships and respectful interaction.

Children are our future CITIZENS. Proud to be an early childhood educator and I always try to build up GLOBAL MINDED CHILDREN WITH CULTURAL HEARTS. “I strongly believe that every child has a right to learn and there is a community for every single child. “

Developing and progressing in the arts requires a lot of practice and commitment. Even if not pursued professionally, it may be used as an outlet to cope with a variety of pressures presented in society. Therefore, educating young children between birth and the age of five about art presents an opportunity for self-expression and self-actualization. Thus, a foundation in art may serve to stimulate creativity in thought patterns that can be applied to a variety of problem-solving practices. Some may go as far as to argue that art and existence are fundamentally connected when using broader definitions. Thus, it may prove worthwhile to analyze the connection between art and development. This information may then be used to create systems and programs that communicate to children in a way that they can internalize and comprehend effectively. Thus, analyzing the utilization of the art of early life for learning and monitoring progression may highlight important details about how young children perceive. Therefore, art education at an early age may contribute to forming an identity in a healthy way, as well as laying the foundation for creative thinking that can expand into other fields outside of the arts.

Art in the Daily Lives of Young Children

In order to observe how art education can be applied to benefit young children, it would be necessary to first analyze how the arts are utilized by these individuals in daily life. Activities like singing, dancing, and drawing are all often used as indicators of development in children. These kinds of activities can be facilitated at very young ages. Research has shown that infants who actively participated in a music group had improved emotion regulation skills (Menzer, 2015). This is because music allows for expressive emotions to be used (Menzer, 2015). Thus, nursery rhymes are often one of the first things that children are taught. Children can react to music from a very young age. Many children have been recorded rhythmically wobbling to dance before the ability to talk, or walk is gained. This shows that the arts are influential from very early on in the life of a child. Furthermore, it highlights the primal link between creative expression and human perception due to the early development of being able to consciously acknowledge art in the form of music.

This early integration of art into the daily life of young children under the age of six is not limited strictly to music. Visual art also plays a big role in the daily lives of children. In these early ages from birth to six, children are learning shapes and colors, the basic fundamentals of visual art. A young child who is stacking blocks or annoyingly scribbling on the walls of a house may be exhibiting the initial phase in the perception of art at this early age. This combination of playing, as well as constructing a sculpture out of the blocks. is one of the ways that art can be seen to be present in the development of human creativity. Thus, a child who is not yet able to articulate what art is can still be found creating visual art. Therefore, it is clear that art is an intrinsic part of being human, meaning that art education is concerned with stimulating this innate desire to be creative and expressive through these mediums.

Another art medium that can be explored is drama. One of the ways that the development of a child can be traced is through the child’s ability to tell lies. Hiding the truth is a testament to a child’s development of moral evaluation, insofar that a child can determine whether there was an infringement of particular rules, thus the child will attempt to cover up the act (Talwar & Lee, 2008). This ability can essentially be related to drama, as it is a composition of a story from the imagination. The section of the arts allows children to explore many characters. Thus, the active imagination of four to six-year-olds is an early indication of acting. A young child may role-play as a superhero or a dinosaur, thus exploring a range of dramatic characters, and adapting behavior accordingly. Therefore, imagination and the early lies a child tells can also be listed as an early inclination towards the arts. Therefore, finding ways to positively channel this creativity across multiple disciplines that naturally develop in children may help in guiding children towards holistic character formation.

Developing Art Literacy and Appreciation

Considering that an innate attraction to art can be identified early in the development of children, it would be logical to attempt to instill art literacy within the child. This would be the process of moving away from automatic artistic expressions to acknowledging that one is participating in the arts. This basic art literacy is the first step towards eventually instituting formal education concerning the arts. There have been multiple examples as to why actively engaging in the arts is beneficial to young children. These benefits extend to the appreciation of aesthetic beauty, the expansion of tools to communicate, as well as the creation of positive attitudes while stimulating creativity (Lindsey, 2017). Thus, including art in the world of young children may assist in facilitating healthy development.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy to highlight that different aspects of art present different benefits to children. For example, children who express themselves through dance experience more physical benefits in terms of exercise than children who are finger painting. In this way, there are differences between various arts that may help a child explore the multitude of complexities of existence and navigate the world. This exploration of the different arts may serve to open a child up to a wide scope of perspectives that may aid in socializing. Thus, incorporating arts into the curriculum may serve to stimulate the thinking skills that are useful in other fields as well. Therefore, diversifying the arts to a young child is exposed to contribute towards ensuring that the child is well adjusted. Research has shown that it may even promote cooperation once children enter school. Toddlers who participated in a classroom-based music program for eight months reported increased social cooperation and independence (Menzer, 2015). This extends to drama where children who participated in a formal drama program for one year showed increased social skills development (Menzer, 2015). This shows how the advantage of the development can be attributed to arts programs.

However, it is not only formal programs that show these benefits. Parents simply singing to a child three times per week was positively related to strong social skills (Menzer, 2015). This is further built upon by the findings that children who played with building blocks are more well-adjusted socially than the children who did not play with blocks as much (Menzer, 2015). Therefore, the research is clear as to the positive effect of art education, whether it is formal or informal, on the social and emotional states of children. Allowing for this space of expression within young children builds communication and an environment that stimulates self-actualization. Therefore, the responses children have towards art are a testament to the positive effects art has on creating an identity, socializing, and gaining communication skills. Furthermore, the experiences gained in connection with formal art programs tend to be beneficial in the long term, extending to a vast array of factors within a child’s life. Constructing programs like these is essential to the fundamental education of a child who will inevitably gravitate towards such creative activities, in one form or another, early on.

Approaches to Early Art Education

Since pedagogy in and of itself is considered by some to be an art form, constructing appropriate teaching techniques can enhance the benefits that creative expression creates (Pearse, 2011). Various approaches can be taken toward art education. Considerations would need to be made about what an education in arts aims to stimulate. Much of the research points to self-expression, better communication, and creativity as the positive outcomes of art education. Therefore, any teaching method that is applied should aim to maximize these aspects. Although constraints are necessary, an environment that is free enough for the child to create engaging art is an advisable approach to facilitating education in the arts.

It is possible to teach art while neglecting self-expression. For example, art plays a big role in preschool education in Singapore (Bautista et al., 2017). However, there is a great deal of teacher involvement, resulting in a product-orientated pedagogy that imposes strict time constraints and limitations on expression (Bautista et al., 2017). Considering that one of the primary benefits of formalized art education is the promotion of creativity and communication through self-expression, such a limited approach to art education may not provide the ideal environment to maximize the benefits of education in the arts. Thus, a technique that still exercises a level of control in a formal environment yet allows for freedom of expression to be encouraged would be the best approach to providing art education in the various disciplines available. Constructing an environment with too many constraints and limitations in the context of art education may not be advisable, because of the hindering effect it may have on positive outcomes stimulated by this learning process.

Thus, a teaching method that provides a structured environment in which expression is encouraged presents the best approach to teaching the arts. An example can be made of educating a child in drawing at a preschool level. Techniques that can be applied are avoiding having the child copy artwork, allowing the child to use as much or as little of the page as the individual wants, as well as not forcing the child to provide explanations (McArdle & Piscitelli, 2002). In this way, the task of drawing is clearly defined, however, the environment of free creation has been stimulated due to the broad way the task has been presented, which is open to possibilities. This open-ended approach to visual arts allows for child-orientated learning with minimal interference from the teacher (Lindsay, 2017). This is suited for art education because it stimulates identity formation, meaning that learning is an internalized process. Furthermore, an open-ended approach to art education will allow for an increased level of creativity that cannot be achieved through the push for uniform artistic productions. The room for variation that is allowed in teaching the arts is what would maximize the benefits of this sector of education.

Despite the freedom that should be encouraged in art education, the teacher needs to be proactive (Cutcher & Boyd, 2016). Getting actively involved in co-creating with young learners and promoting group work is what allows for communication skills to develop due to creative ideas having to be shared (Cutcher & Boyd, 2016). Therefore, a collective approach should be utilized to teach art. This can extend to all the arts beyond only the visual. Group or class projects using drama, dance, or other forms of art would all serve to facilitate the development of this creative communication. Thus, the approach that should be utilized when teaching is a pedagogy that allows for creative freedom, within a context of working together in order to build self-expression, as well as communication skills in young children.

Conclusion

Art and appreciation for what is beautiful is innate in human beings. Developing this trait is the purpose of education in the arts. The benefits of this education that extend to other disciplines that are outside the scope of art as well is a testament to the importance of this education. These positive outcomes can be listed as the development of self-expression and social skills in young children, which are essential to effectively functioning in a collective. Therefore, constructing curriculums that include room for creative freedom with minimal teacher interference and constraints would be the approach best suited to maximizing the benefits of art education. Appreciation of the arts is a large contributor to forming a well-rounded individual who is capable of producing unique ideas in the context of collective society.

References

1. Bautista, A., et al. (2017). Arts-Related Pedagogies in Preschool Education: An Asian Perspective. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 45(4), 277-288.
2. Cutcher, A., Boyd, W. (2016). Preschool Children, Painting and Palimpsest: Collaboration as Pedagogy, Practice and Learning. The International Journal of Art and Design Education.
3. Lindsay, G. M. (2017). Art Is Experience: An Exploration of Visual Arts Beliefs and Pedagogy of Australian Early Childhood Educators. University of Wolfgang.
4. Menzer, M. (2015). The Arts in Early Childhood: Social and Emotional Benefits of Arts Participation. National Endowment for the Arts.
5. McArdle, F., Piscitelli, B. (2002). Early Childhood Art Education: A Palimpsest. Australian Art Education, 25(1), 11-15.
6. Pearse, H. (2011). The Lost Art of Pedagogy: An Exploration in Three Parts. The Canadian Review of Art Education, 38.
7. Talwar, V., Lee, K. (2008). Social and Cognitive Correlates of Children’s Lying Behavior. Child Development, 79(4), 886-881.

As part of this assignment, I am going to reflect on the extent to which engaging in philosophy has led me to ‘rethink’ my understanding of the nature and purpose of early childhood education and my role as a childcare practitioner in it.

Early Childhood Education has a huge role to play in the life of children and society, it is an ongoing journey to obtain knowledge, skills, and the ability to be social and be part of society. Because children turn into adults over some time. Children are the beginning of our future society; they are our future politicians, educators, doctors, and other professions that contribute to sustaining society and the world around us. Education is therefore a big part of life to create a society of democracy where all views are respected. Early Childhood Education serves a great purpose in educating children. Kilderry (2004) stresses the importance of Early Childhood Education in building a future society. There is a need for guidance from the Government which could be established by putting appropriate policies in place. Childcare professionals must be able to think critically and able to evaluate their teaching and the child’s learning.

Having completed the module ‘Philosophy in Early Childhood Education’ my knowledge and understanding have changed. I have learned that modern society is changing and steering towards listening to different points of view, learning how to do critically thinking and evaluate, and improving all the time, aiming to do things better. The global society recognizes the importance of lifelong learning. UNESCO (1996) states that life-long education is contrasted on four components, ‘Learning to Know’, learning to do, ‘learning to be’, and ‘Learning to live together’. Learning to know is where the child develops an interest and a taste for learning. ‘Learning to do’ is where what is learned is applied and practiced. Learning to be is where the child learns to embrace who they are and develop the ability to communicate. Developing an understanding of how to live with others is learning about diversity and respect for others even though they may be different within your social sphere. Irish society places great value on children and gives them due respect, they see them as active citizens and acknowledge that children have a voice and their opinions matter. Siolta, The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education CECDE (2006) Recognises and promotes that children have the right to have choices and make their own decisions, and their decisions need to be respected. However, with all the progress in society sometimes things are moving at a slower pace than desired. Sometimes it is hard to make the changes that are needed. The evidence shows that children are still taught about philosophy rather than actively doing it, one reason for this is the size of classes where numbers are too large. Another reason is a lack of training in philosophy. Kilderry (2004) states that within the western society education system, it can sometimes just be about learning to read, write and live in the contemporary world The Education system can be lacking connectivity and respect. Everyone within society both children and adults will always have questions and need help to understand life and make sense of the environment that they are in. From the times of Plato, the Greek philosopher who discussed and explored political philosophy and the philosophy of language philosophy has existed. According to The School of Life Press, the word ‘philosophy’ when translated from Greek means ‘the love of wisdom’. Philosophy is often overlooked and seen as being difficult to tackle and this is due to a lack of knowledge and experience.

Before I started this module, I thought that philosophy was a complicated subject and that it was only suitable for older children and adults. I have learned that young children can also do philosophy. It is simply about doing philosophy with children rather than teaching them about philosophy. Doing philosophy with children could consist of introducing a stimulus to the children in the form of a book, picture, or video, followed by a critical inquiry based on what they have seen using an open-ended question which would lead to discussion or dialogue. Fisher (2007) suggests that philosophy is the exploration and discovery of day-to-day truths the exploration and discovery of the environment they are part of. This builds curiosity within children and teaches them to be analytical and critical thinkers through questioning and exploration. This links in with Aistear the Irish national framework. Aistear has been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Aistear has four themes well-being, communicating, identity & belonging, and exploring and thinking. The 4 themes of Aistear provide guidelines and encourage early years childcare settings to facilitate children’s learning about the world around them (NCCA, 2009). Dialogue is a big part of doing philosophy with children as it forms a platform for children to express their views and concepts. They share their concepts and ideas from their mind. NCCA (2009) states that children process their concepts by investigating and analyzing their environment and socializing and exchanging ideas with their peers and adults around them. Another point that I learned from starting to do philosophy with children is the importance of answering with a question rather than just giving an answer as this sparks philosophical inquiry and can lead to different types of discussions that I wasn’t even expecting. Lipman (1988) suggests that the teacher can’t know beforehand how children will respond.

There are a lot of benefits for children from doing philosophy. Children learn to think logically as they are involved in discussions and they share their opinions out loud which also promotes their language skills. MacNaughton and Williams (2009) discuss that philosophy promotes problem-solving skills and gives children opportunities to think for themselves and builds on their language skills. Children learn about the differences of others; the different cultures, traditions, and other ways of thinking, this is sparked through group discussions and done from philosophical inquiry in the group. Lipman (2003) suggests that a community of inquiry enables children to think about and consider the thoughts and opinions of others, there can be an expansion of one another’s thoughts which serves to bring a challenge to one another.

My role as a childcare practitioner is very important to teach children how to promote and facilitate philosophical thinking within my setting. One of the things would be to prepare stimulus material that is age appropriate for reflection before a dialogue or critical inquiry occurs. It is vital that children’s views are listened to and they feel they are respected and not judged. The evaluation process after doing philosophy with the children is very important as I can reflect on what aspects of the philosophical inquiry worked and what didn’t. From personal experience, sometimes you have to try different types of stimulus before it works to extent that is desired. Fisher (2007) argues that good philosophy times need the right environment where children feel comfortable and stimulated to share their thoughts and ideas about the world with those around them. This involves a careful selection of stimulus materials and asking appropriate questions.

I have found that gaining new knowledge in how to do philosophy with children and encouraging the children to explore their concepts and theories in different ways has developed new individual learning and children were also able to learn from each other. It has also helped them to respect each other’s points of view. I found that the children gained more confidence and it helped them with their self-esteem. It is also developing their thinking skills as we continue to do more philosophy with children CEDCE (2006) in standard 7 encourages the importance of quality of adult-child interactions which is based on listening and respect. I feel that the children are our future generation and it is important that we help and support them in their learning. I think that I and other childcare professionals need to be constantly aware that we need to give children opportunities to express their views and beliefs and provide learning opportunities for philosophical thinking. By encouraging children in this way, we can help them become independent and confident thinkers and make the world a better place. This links to UNESCO (1996) one out of the four pillars of education is about learning to live together; this process involves exploration and discovering new cultures and ideas from other people, building respect for their differences, and communicating with one another at the heart of his journey of learning to live together. The knock-on effects are that children learn to live respectfully of each other and also the environment and learn the beauty of diversity. Farquhar & White (2016) advocates that it is important for children to learn philosophy from an early age and that philosophy and pedagogy should go hand in hand. They also promote involving and engaging a wider community in teaching children the philosophies of life and the world around them. It is a very fundamental aspect to involve parents, guardians, and the wider community in the children’s learning journey. The promotion of children’s critical thinking occurs through influential figures in their lives rather than childcare professionals and teachers. Parents and Guardians have a greater knowledge of the child and can promote philosophical thinking within them. It is part of the responsibility of childcare professionals to involve parents and the wider community in children’s learning. Delors (2013) stresses promotion of philosophical thinking is not just the role of teachers such as childcare professionals and those in formal education but rather the larger community of which they are part.

This module of philosophy has opened my mind to the whole area of philosophy. My thinking has been challenged which has resulted in starting to think more critically and analytically. I have also begun to use my reasoning when in discussion with others on different topics and I am more respectful of the views of others as they matter just as much as my views. I think it is vital to learn how to think critically and use dialogue as it creates democracy and helps to facilitate reasoning, especially in the present world where there is so much aggression and differences of opinions that are forced rather than dialogued.

I strongly believe that early childhood education is more than preparing young children for primary school. Early childhood education targets the holistic child’s development of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs for building a reliable and comprehensive foundation for lifetime learning and well-being. It has the potential to raise caring, proficient, and liable future citizens. The majority of children start receiving formal education at the kindergarten through the latest scientific research that proves that learning and psychological development begin after birth. The brain and the nerves of a child develop during the first three years. Therefore, the child widely benefits by gaining education before joining kindergarten.

Children who are taught at an early age have the following benefits: developed social skills, better school grades, special education instructions are less necessary in later years of school, and advanced attention spans. Some scholars have concluded that young kids who undergo early childhood education graduate from high school, join college, have fewer behavior problems, and are less involved in crimes in their teenage and young adult years.

As a teacher to young kids, embracing certain qualities that aid kids in working and finding happiness and joy in everyday life is essential in early childhood education. My main philosophies that support learners include the following:

1. Enthusiasm for children. The two most essential characteristics of early childhood education are interest and passion for kids, which goes beyond loving being with kids. It entails wanting to make a change in children. A teacher should be passionate about opening every child’s entry to learning while overcoming any difficulty a child could be having.
2. Creativity and flexibility. Planning for learning lessons, engaging children, and educating them requires a lot of creativity. Adjusting lessons to an individual learning style needs flexibility. A teacher has to stay flexible to tackle the hitches that might occur during the day in school. A teacher must be in a position to change strategies and ideas as required.
3. Communication skills. Effective skills are necessary for dealing with young kids and for communication purposes. A teacher should communicate effectively to a child’s parent concerning his achievements, necessities, problems, and skills for both parties to help a kid with no immoderate emotion.
4. Respect for differences. Every kid enrolls in a learning center with a distinctive personality and style of learning. To teach each child effectively, teachers are required to respect each kid’s dissimilarities and work with the style of each kid independently, rather than forcing a child to adjust to another method. In the worldwide society, teachers should be ready for multiethnic classrooms with different cultures, ethnicity, and customs represented. A class that welcomes differences and embraces them establishes an open and exciting atmosphere for learning.
5. Patience and humor. A high level of patience is required to work with children. Naturally, young children have short spans of attention and slight self-control. Every kid is different hence making the job more demanding. After a long tiresome day filled with challenges, teachers must come back again the following day to deal with the same challenges. Patience and humor enable a teacher to take challenges of the day at pace while concentrating on the end targets.

Developing children’s intellectual and social skills required for future achievement in school is best supported by parenting. Parents have to provide a solid foundation for the ideal development of their kids. Providing high verbal input, and maintaining and growing the child’s interests provide the necessary support for a child’s learning.

In many cases, the early childhood teacher plays the same role as a guide. The role of a guide is to lead others through the pathways. A guide is supposed to walk beside, not in front, and also ensure others are safe and free from harm. As an early childhood education teacher, you guide children and travel in a direction exciting to children.

As a teacher, allow children to decide on their learning and play style while ensuring the safety of your primary concern. Do away with the idea that possibly a teacher knows everything. Be a companion in learning and motivate children to get their answers, rather than issuing answers to them. Being a companion to kids, you get to learn with kids and share in their understanding.

Early childhood education teachers support the learning process by engaging kids in activities and providing materials that kids find pleasing. Through facilitating learning, providing a developmentally suitable environment, and enough time to explore, intermingle, and play, kids find learning to be cool and fun. Nurturing a child involves all development aspects, i.e., social, physical, emotional, and cognitive. A teacher is required to cultivate proper growth and development. Keenly listening to a child and interpreting their actions and words is essential for teachers in determining the needs and further development of a child.

In my view, early childhood education is significant in improving society socially and economically. It is essential, therefore, that children should receive quality pre-kindergarten education since they experience significant brain development during these early years.

I strongly believe that the role of an early childhood teacher is to encourage children to be prepared for the real world and help develop the key skills that are required for their future learning.

During these six weeks on the topic, I have learned that educators aim to help build a strong foundation for children to be able to succeed in life. Teachers accept and work within a learning framework that is built on activities that promote a certain view of children view promote children’s view (Irving, p.4). Irving’s reading highlights how ideas of children and childhood have changed over time. As Irving proposed, there are debates on the influence of nature and nurture on children’s development. Nature is what we believe to be essential, innate qualities. Nurture has correlations between environmental factors and psychological outcomes. This means teachers can support the physical, social, and cultural environment of the children (p.7, 2018). These are incredibly old but still effective in children’s learning in the 21st century. As a teacher, I need to be aware of where these came from and operate in a way that finds new methods to support children’s success.

This page of the book talks about learning about the framework of children in the introduction but I am not sure if I should add it ( I may have misunderstood it) As a teacher should It is my duty to find various ways to make their children be successful and learn. McDevitt (2019) discusses how biological theories about children can help support their growth and learning. Biological norms provide a guide on what may be expected at different ages. Variations from these norms are to be expected. According to my understanding of social learning theories, children can learn by observing others’ actions. For example, a teacher demonstrates the use of solving children’s learning by observing and trying themselves. As a teacher, it is important to provide positive models such as good teamwork and a positive manner. Understanding children, biological normal will assist me with my teaching because I can grasp their thinking ability at a certain age.

Children have their way of learning when they first start to learn. This might involve, children first learning how to count to ten by using their fingers to count numbers (p.13).

Children have their own way of learning as they develop. This might involve using their fingers to count to ten (p.13). The interesting part I found in Irving’s reading was that teachers and parents must teach children about how learning is fun and encourage them to be engaged in learning. This is important for children who are starting school. Irving also considered that play gives joy, freedom, contentment, inner and outer rest, and peace with the world of children as opposed to being lectured to. When children are being lectured, they tend to lose interest quickly. In early childhood, it is critical for children to view who and what they become of themselves.

I was astonished by how cognitive development theories emphasize qualitative changes in thinking when children play an active role in their development. Children gain new and exciting experiences and try to grasp the concepts of what they see and hear (p.13). I was fascinated by how teachers can use sociocultural theories in practice. For instance, educators should be engaged in a range of cultures such as encouraging children to play games, songs, and customs for celebrating birthdays. McDevitt et al. 2019 indicated another interesting point which is that children learn a lot more and faster by being engaged in authentic adults task by receiving assistance from the teachers and their peers (P.14). The point McDevitt made was interesting, McDevitt et al. said how Early Childhood teachers are inspired approach the children curiously and see how children desire to try new things.

From Ormrod’s (2011) reading, I have understood that there are four principles to characterize children; physical, cognitive, personal, and social development which change at different ages (2014, P. 20). The Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework (2018) lists the milestones within each of these four developmental areas. Teachers can use this to support children’s development in play and learning with a purpose (2018).

I now realize that it is important for teachers to be positive towards children and not overload them with lots of work. The reason is that they can only process so much information. It was new and illuminating to learn how each part of the brain helps to teach play in different ways. As a teacher, I am obligated to try various teaching techniques to support children’s learning at different stages of development (McDevitt et al., 2019).

Cognitive changes over time constructivism Furthermore, I have realized that developmentalism comprises development theories that involve a clear stage associated with maturation ( p.60). Piaget (2018) described the stages of development. First is the sensorimotor stage from the age of birth to 2 years. At this stage, children will experience the world through knowledge through sensorimotor movements. Second is the preoperational stage which starts from age 2-7. At this stage, children extend the language, have a lack of rational thinking, the inability to reverse operations and have a limited understanding of concepts. As children grow, they develop concrete operations from 7-11 years old. During this stage, children have a better grasp of mental operations. They start to think of situations realistically, but will still have issues with understanding the abstract (Carter,2019, p.61). This will help me understand children’s thinking development.

Montessori (2019) stated that a teacher’s job is to guide children’s independent learning and provide materials and activities that guide their natural development. Montessori’s method of educating is to have faith that children can be self-taught. The purpose of education is to gain knowledge and skills required for the real world. Constructivism is a theory of knowledge that argues that people construct bodies of meaning and knowledge out of experiences (Von Glasersfeld,1991 as cited in Carte, 2018) p.64.Extra reading: Reading knowledge is a process of discovery: How constructivism changes education wk 3 https://theconversation.com/knowledge-is-a-process-of-discovery-how-constructivism-changed-education-126585 Zaphir (2019) defines constructivism as being an educational philosophy which considers experiences an effective way to obtain knowledge. He analyzed the way children deal with the world and the sense of self that corresponds to certain ages. I believe this theory is essential because it gives children the chance to learn and have the freedom and opportunity to develop their own understanding of the environment (Cater,2019, p.63).

Gandini (2011) indicated that space is considered to be important in schools. It is essential to make children feel welcome in class and set out the type of activities. It is crucial that space in learning should be adaptable in a flexible way and it allows for exchange and experiences to co-construct knowledge. Classrooms should be engaging, such as using attractive materials and structured in a way for children to explore and communicate (p.319). I believe that children need “me time” and therefore space to play individually.

This week we start to explore play and observing children. Colville (2018) defines play as universal in the sense that all children are engaged in it no matter their culture. Play is motivational and powerful for all children in various cultural contexts (Colville, 2018, p.93). Play-based learning is a context of learning through which children organized and make sense of the engagement activities with people, objects, and representation (p.92). It is learning through discovery and exportation (p.93). Piaget’s thought play illustrates children’s cognitive development through self-directed problem solving which means children already know about (p.95). I think it is crucial for teachers to observe children play because it helps them understand their thinking ability. It also provides information on children’s learning. These begin at birth and interact with babies and toddlers providing a foundation for children’s learning (p.114). Children’s literacy begins to slowly develop in their home environment and is influenced by their native language and culture. Van Hoorn (2015) stated that children’s literacy develops by context. It is interesting how writing needs to happen as part of a social context and play-based curriculum. Babies learn numeracy through movement, listening to playful songs, and when teachers count. Sciences gives children an awareness of how the world works and it can be used to support technology. Children learn sciences through exploration, observation, and questioning. Teachers need to be confident, comfortable, and knowledgeable to teach basic science to children (p.116). I believe it is essential for teachers to encourage children to familiarise themselves with science vocabulary and to help them have a basic grasp of how the world works.

References

1. Carter, C, (2018). Theorists and Theoretical Perspective: Early Childhood Development and Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 56-87). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
2. Colville, M. (2018 A). Play and play-based Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 91-125). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
3. Colville, M. (2018 B). Play and play-based Learning. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 113-123). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
4. Irving. E. (2018 ). What is a child? Concepts and images of childhood. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 3-29). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
5. Mcdevitt , T.( 2019).Child Development and Education ( 2nd ed).
6. Ormrod, J.,(2011).Educational Psychology: Development learners. Ch.2. pp.19-25.
7. Zaphir, L; (2019) Knowledge is the process of discovery: How constructivism changes education.
8. Mcleod, S. (2020). Nature Nurture in Psychology | Simply Psychology. Retrieved 9 August 2020, from < https://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html >.