Think about your early childhood education (or your child’s early education), was it flexible to suit individual learning experiences or were children required to conform to the teacher’s methods of teaching? If you answered the latter, do you think the former would improve the quality of education? The initial years of education are crucial to learning, development and growth, during these first years children’s experiences shape their learning methods and they are able to learn rapidly, for this, early childhood educators must use teaching methods that are suitable for each child. Teachers must consider the attitude they bring to the classroom; how it affects children’s learning and the value, of the information and knowledge that parents possess, about their children, so they can work together for the best interest of the child. Effective communication creates a learning environment where students can learn according to their individual needs in a safe and accommodating environment, with support from a strong teacher-parent relationship.
Teachers and parents must be able to communicate and cooperate to build a strong relationship for the best interests of the child. Do parents have an innate trust in teachers? (For them to leave their children in the teachers care, in some cases, almost a stranger) Whether or not this is accurate, teachers must build on this trust to create a supportive parent-teacher relationship. Each situation is different and teachers should be aware of their body language and use of language, so when speaking with parents their communication should be different when talking to parents than when they are chatting with friends. The first step is establishing a dialogue by approaching the parent first and ...
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In conclusion, effective communication is essential to all learning environments and without it, teachers will struggle to teach and students will face learning difficulties, resulting in a decline in the quality of education and deficiencies in child learning. In early childhood education, it is up to the teachers to ensure that each child’s education environment is safe and comfortable for the child, by showing flexibility in teaching to meet individual requirements and showing care and understanding to assist children with concerns. A strong parent-teacher relationship creates a support network where information is exchanged and issues are solved, to allow the child to concentrate on his or her learning and development. Early childhood educators are there to help shape children’s learning and development by providing guidance and support.
Parents and families are children’s first educator as they play an important role into young children’s education and development. The term “partnership with parents” has been outlined as a “working relationship that is characterised by shared interest of purpose, mutual respect and the willingness to negotiate” (Pugh & De’ath, 1989, p. 34). This includes parents and educators coming together; sharing the process of decision making; outlining individual information and skills; sharing of feelings and recognition of individuality of families (O’Hogan & Curtis, 2003). However, OECD (2001) emphasized that partnership is not about being involved but instead it’s more about the educator sharing the responsibility for young children with their parents and taking the opportunity of learning from all the unique knowledge that different countries bring on board. According to Pugh & Duffy (2010) partnership can be identified by having parents involved in the planning of next steps for their child’s learning or being involved in the recruitment of staffs. As Lindon (1997) stated that partnership with parents is the fundamental part of enriching good practice in the early years. In relation to Aistear (NCCA, 2009) the responsibilities from parents and educators value each other’s opinions in order to benefit children. Síolta (CEDE, 2006) highlight partnership with parents takes a child’s best interest into account by being opened, honest and respectful.
Graham-Clay, S. (2005). Communicating with parents: Strategies for teachers. School Community Journal, 15(1), 117-129. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195462342?accountid=34899
A requirement in being an early childhood teacher, is to fulfill the needs, of the children and families I will work for. In chapter one, you have the Lawrence and Ashley Family. In the Lawrence family, they are a married couple, which means more income for the family. Whereas the Ashley family has one income. In addition, to the Ashley family, having one income and dealing with the state can bring heartache and struggles to buy food, clothes, housing, school supplies and other day to day activities. Therefore, I need to comprehend the lives of the families I work for and to be aware of the circumstances of the individual families. To the same degree. I need to respect the boundaries; of the families I work for. Trust is a must. With no trust, there is no communication and things get can get
Effective partnerships between families and school emerge from a mutual trust, respect and understanding of each other’s values and goals. By maintaining such partnerships, we create a healthy environment for children to develop. All families have something unique to offer and educators need to recognize this and make the most of it by incorporating all families into the school community.
We should also be sensitive when talking and communicating to them and also listen to their opinions. Adults should also remain professional and talk in a formal language to each other and respect their opinions. For example at my setting we hold regular parents evening, where parents can talk about their child’s progress and ask questions, as the teacher we should listen give them our full attention and give them time to express their thoughts, wishes and issues they have. If we need to communicate with parents that don’t speak English as language, we tend to get a translator in so that they can understand fully. At my setting we also send home letters in different languages so that the parents understand what’s happening at the school. Another important factor to consider when communicating with adults is to understand that may come from a different cultural background and we should always consider the body language and physical contact used for example a hand shake which some cultures may accept but others may find
From the perspective I have at this stage in my journey in the early childhood education field, I would like to share what I have come to value and believe in regards to early learning and care by looking at my philosophy statement. To begin we will look at the statement and highlight three key features and find out why they are important to me, then we will see what they will look like in my practice, and lastly we will examine these ideas closely by looking at where they originated. By taking an in-depth look at my philosophy statement we will better understand the motivation behind my practice which I hope to continue to refine and refresh as I gain more knowledge and experience.
As a teacher in early childhood development, I believe that the teacher skills and personality influence how children understand, observe and react to the classroom environment and the world around them. Even though part of teacher responsibilities are academic, daily interactions that encourage social, emotional and physical development are important. One of a quality effective early childhood educators’ characteristic is that they should have patience.
(Wesley, 1998; Wood, 2008). More specifically, effective early childhood educators should be empathetic to the children in their care, the child's family and other co-workers. This reflects that the educator is willing to listen, relate to others and therefore be integrated as a respected and trusted member of the school and wider community. As an effective early childhood educator, create strong partnerships with children and their parents, as explained by Shonkoff et al. (2000; as cited in Wood 2008) has shown that to provide a productive learning environment a teacher must have a positive relationship with children and their families....
Good communication skills form a critical element of early childhood education. Communication consists of two main styles: Verbal and non-verbal. These styles of communication form the foundation of effective teaching and learning within the early childhood forum. A good early childhood educator will enhance learning and development with an extensive knowledge of both the verbal and non-verbal elements of communication. An early childhood educator will understand what constitutes good communication and the positive impact this can have on effectiveness of a successful learning environment. This impact extends to personal affective traits such as self esteem, self belief, desire and motivation. Relationships between the educator and child, child and parent, educator and parent, form an important part of early childhood education. The practice of using high quality communication skills are essential to the development of trust, respect and facilitating a unified learning approach where all parties are active and engaged participants. Through the use of these skills which are essential, the early childhood educator possesses the necessary tools to influence elements such as the learning quality, affective attributes and positive relationship development.
Early Childhood Education teachers know that our children deserve to learn the important lessons from us and to acquire important habits with our help. Teachers and future teachers want our children to grow up to be responsible adults. Also, teachers are trying to find the perfect way to deal with children with different type of behavior. Teachers have to deal with parents, giving them a satisfactory result of their child developmental progress and security. My philosophy of guiding young children behavior is to use the combination of collaboration, positive attitude, and patience.
Teachers have a significant role with the children; they are their leader in learning and development. Teachers have to plan effectively so the students will be able to learn and grow from the different activity’s this it why it is important that teacher take the responsibility and know the goals of the programs and their curriculum so they can plan accordingly. Establishing reciprocal relations with the parents of a child are important. Teacher should seek to know more about the families and their culture. With this information’s teachers are able to enhance the curriculum. Communication is the key when it comes to relationships with
Those who support children in starting school at an early age, claim early childhood education is of critical importance during a child’s early developmental period. They believe it is important for early social interactions, play, and learning among peers to be best ingrained early on in a child’s youth. Gunilla Dahlberg, a psychologist specializing in childhood education, wrote a book on the success and factors that play into success a child will have in their education. In Dahlberg’s chapter, “Constructing Early Childhood”, he talks about factors
As an early childhood educator my job is not to simple play with children. I must plan, provide and supervise all while “playing” with my students. The classroom serves as the physical environment for the children for most of their waking hours. These classrooms need to be attractive and function effectively. Concerns for any early childhood educator should always include space, equipment and materials used, outdoor space and the daily schedule to ensure that all students are provided ample opportunities to learn and grow within a safe and secure environment.
Early childhood education plays a key role in a child’s academic development because he or she learns soft skills, job skills, and develop positive traits. Preschool is not like kindergarten, but instead a stepping-stone that prepares young students for the years of schooling they will have later in life. As more schools began to open families wanted to be able to verify that programs would benefit and protect their children. In response, the National Association for the Education of Young Children was made to help families find the best care for their children, by providing the early childhood educators with training and ensuring the quality of children’s daily experiences. (“NAEYC”5).
The purpose of early childhood education is to firstly learn about one’s self and agency, how one’s actions can affect and impact others; to develop a sense of identity; who you are and how you fit into this world. Experience a sense of belonging through interactions with peers and teachers whilst celebrating and sharing diverse cultures whilst embracing others. Children need to have opportunities to explore, experiment, to gain insight and knowledge in numeracy, literacy, science and social structure through innovative and richly supported curriculums (DEEWR, 2009). I have very high expectations of all children as I believe that this assists in building self-confidence and