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HOW EARLY CHILDHOOD HAS CHANGED
"Early Childhood Education (ECE) is the term frequently applied to the education of young children from birth through age 8. Although early childhood education has existed since the creation of kindergarten in the 1800s, the last decade has seen a tremendous amount of attention devoted to the subject of early education for young children." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012) As a result of this attention many changes have taken place in the standards of professionalism, personal characteristics, responsibilities, expectations, and roles of early childhood professionals.
Professionalism has been changed in the role of the early care professional in the regards that they are no longer considered a babysitter or a daycare provider. The very fact that we are considered a professional is speaking volumes to the credibility in the field. Depending on where you work, child care home, child care center or in a school you must show that you are knowledgeable, competent, and be able to conduct yourself in such away to credit your profession.
Some personal characteristics that are needed are flexibility and creativity, These characteristics have evolved over the years where teachers were not given any room to stray from the curriculum. The teaching method was the same for everyone and every child. Until recently all children were lumped into one learning style and no thought given of how each child learns. Teachers were not allowed any flexibility or creativity in their own teaching style. Many teachers did not consider their role in the lives of children and teaching was just a job.
Responsibilities of a childcare professional are no longer just to ensure that children didn't injure themselves or just let the children play. "All child care providers have a responsibility to provide safe, clean and nurturing environment for children in their care and to support the children's healthy growth and development". (Karageorge, 2008)
Many expectations have changed and those come from both parents and those in the early care profession. Many parents expect that they are enrolling their child in a "quality" program. With a quality program comes the requirement from the early childhood profession, that teachers will have some sort of higher education.
Williams, Leslie R. and Doris Pronin Fromberg, ed. Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Education. New York: Garland Publishing, 1992.
There is a problem in Texas impacting children’s futures; many childcare centers and homes are not providing children with quality care. In an article about cost and quality in Texas childcare, child development experts Susan Eitel and Joyce Nuner quote a study stating “that [nationally] only 10% of infants and toddlers are in high quality [childcare] programs” (34). The term ratio describes the number of children one caregiver is watching. This number is one of the major factors in the quality of a childcare program. Organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children know as NAEYC release recommendations regarding ratios and accredit programs based on their compliance. Childcare centers and homes must comply with certain minimum standards enforced by Texas regarding ratios; however, these standards often set the bar lower than recommendations made by these early childhood experts. The current standards in Texas do not ensure that all young children receive quality care; for this reason, the Texas Department of Family Protective Services should strengthen the minimum standards regarding ratios to better regulate the quality of care children receive.
Elliott, A. (2004). Where to Now for Early Childhood Education and Care? Early Childhood Education Research Program (ACER), 12(2).
Dr. Seuss wrote, “You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So get on your Way”. The role of the early childhood educator, while rewarding, can sometimes feel as is you are climbing a mountain. Educators have to consider how to implement curriculum, instruction, management, and technology in the classroom. Educators also have to provide an environment where all children feel safe and nurtured. When creating a course of action, educators have to consider their role as well as the role of the student, parent, and community.
Child care is a rewarding and yet demanding career. These demands come from an abundance of sources: consistent changes to rules and regulations, requests from parents, and the forever evolving needs of a child in your care. Not only should these demands help solidify you as a growing early childhood professional, there are also plenty of other demands that can significantly affect your career choice. These include educational levels, levels of hands-on training, personal interests, family obligations, values, abilities, and your individual professional priorities.
Driscoll, Amy; Nagel, Nancy G. (2008). Early Childhood Education, Birth -8: The World of Children, Families, and Educators. Pearson education Inc.
To add on, families will have a better understanding of the programmes and will be able to differentiate and choose the best quality education and care services for their children.... ... middle of paper ... ... Early childhood professionals leading today and tomorrow. Marrickville, NSW: MacLennan & Petty.
This case study will examine Klara’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development. The Desired Results Development Profile (DRDP) was utilized to observe Klara’s development. A DRDP is an established tool used to advance the quality of early care and educational programs in California (DRDP). Each domain of the DRDP is analyzed by the measures of, “exploring,” “developing,” “building,” and, “integrating.”
Various advocates have made changes towards Special Education over the past hundred years. These changes have made substantial improvements in Special Education, but could also be seen as challenges. As a preschool teacher in an inclusive classroom, I have personally seen the improvements and setbacks these changes have made for my students with disabilities and their families. In this essay, I will be discussing specifically the changes made in Early Childhood Special Education. There are three changes that I will discuss; changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Least Restrictive Environments (LRE) in an early childhood setting, and Early Intervention Programs (EIP).
Early childhood education, although constantly evolving, was actually established and practiced as early on as the times of Ancient Greece and Rome. The foundation that early childhood education is based upon is to instill in children the skills needed to succeed later on in life, while making sure young children enjoy their time in schooling. Throughout chapter 3 in the textbook Who Am I in the Lives of Children, the reader is capable of evaluating just how greatly the methods for teaching today’s youth have evolved and changed for the better.
...onomy. Day care can be a positive option for parents seeking help with child care. It is self-assuring for many parents that are struggling to raise a family while balancing job security, to know that there are a variety of options out there for the watching of children. As with any difficult task, the monitoring of child safety concerns should stay primarily as a parent’s number one responsibility and concern. Today there is government help and assistance by providing mandatory safety and ethics requirements that are enforced through safety-regulatory agencies and through inspections for compliance for the purpose of licensing approval. It is a welcome thought for parents to know that they may be doing their children a favor in using a day care, by helping their young ones become better prepared for kindergarten and giving them an opportunity to learn new skills.
Children who participate in quality early learning programs tend to be more successful later in school. They are also most socially and emotionally competent. In addition those children show higher verbal and intellectual development during early childhood than children who do not participate in early learning programs (A Parent’s Guide to Choosing Quality Child Care). In order for a child care center to be a quality center they must have an educated staff, a program accreditation, and good health and safety practices. Parents choose high quality child care for many reasons. These programs prepare children for school in which they gain intellectual and social skills. Also the programs are a good opportunity for children because they receive age-appropriate learning materials and activities to let the children learn and grow.
How one plans to tackle all of the challenges will help them when making decisions in the future. To many people, early childhood education is unnecessary. I realize that going into this teaching field, I will most likely have to interact with adults who will argue that it is useless. There are a lot of thorny issues surrounding the professionalization of early childhood education (“The Challenges of Professionalizing ECE Workforce”). I am prepared to talk to adults about my beliefs and the importance of the program. As I go into this career with the knowledge of this, I will be more prepared on how to handle those who have a different opinion than I
Dever, M. & Falconer, R. (2008). Foundations and Change In Early Childhood Education. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (p. 3-4, 12). 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ
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).