Early Childhood Education
The National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) defines "early childhood" as something that occurs
before the age of eight, and it is during this period that a child goes through
the fastest phase of growth and development. Their brains develop faster than
at any other time in their lives, making these years critical. The foundations
of their social skills, self-esteem, world perception and moral perspective are
established during these years, as well as the development of cognitive skills.
Early childhood education for healthy development and
nutrition is encouraged in all of these important foundations, and trends show
that parents increasingly recognize this. In fact, according to the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), enrollment in education at the
prekindergarten level has increased from 96,000 to more than 1 million in the
past 30 years.
Early childhood education is not a mandate from the United
States Department of Education. Primary and secondary education is all that is
legally required for students, although early childhood education is certainly
an important and fundamental stage of learning.
Working with young children
When deciding if early childhood education is the right
career option for you, the first and most important question is: Do I like
working with children? If you can't answer yes, then this career may not be the
best for you. Working with children requires patience, dedication, and
sensitivity. Trying to keep up with them can be exhausting, but if you're up
for the challenge, it can also be extremely rewarding.
Young children are not like other students. Their needs are
unique and you should be aware of this. It is important to understand that you
may be one of the first adults a young child has interacted with outside of his
or her own family. Separation from your parents can be difficult at first, and
a teacher should help you through this transition. A child may become very
attached to you as a "substitute" for his parents, or may reject you
entirely. Great teachers adapt to the emotional reactions of their students.
And when it comes to your students' interactions with other children, this may
be one of the first times they interact with children their age. The role of a
teacher often becomes a mediator when children have trouble sharing or learning
to get along.
Furthermore, early childhood educators must be creative and
adaptable. They must think outside their own mature perspective and be able to
put themselves in their students' place. What motivates a very young child? How
do you maintain the interest of a young child? How do you make learning fun?
These are all the questions you will have to ask yourself. Lessons in early
childhood classrooms are very practical. They involve arts and crafts, storytelling,
exercise, educational games, and more. It must be fast and highly adaptable to
continually find new ways to guide children through their early learning
stages.
How can I become an early childhood educator?
As an aspiring early childhood teacher, you must have the
right temperament. Patience, creativity, sensitivity, communication skills, and
the ability to connect with children are some of the most important
qualifications. However, you are also expected to have the proper education and
credentials, and each state sets its own standards for what they expect from
certified teachers. Before you begin your journey to becoming an early
childhood educator, you need to find out what the requirements are for your state
or school where you want to teach.
Because teaching young children is such a highly specialized
field, some schools require a degree in early childhood education or child
development. Many preschoolers set their minimum requirements for an associate degree,
and most Montessori schools require a bachelor's degree. Having a bachelor's
degree in early childhood education will generally qualify you to teach up to
the third grade. Of course, having an advanced degree, such as a master's
degree in education or teaching in this field, only improves your skills, job
prospects, and career advancement opportunities.
Once you have earned your degree, you must examine your
state's requirements to obtain your official teaching credential. The Council
for Professional Recognition External Liaison offers the Childhood Development
Associate (CDA) External Liaison Credential in different areas of early
childhood education. The of the National Accreditation Council for Teacher
Education also offers national certification. Furthermore, it is important to
note that to teach at a Montessori school you must complete a special
Montessori teacher education program External link. Once you are certified, the
most important way to develop your career is through experience. Many preschool
and Montessori teachers begin as instructional materials to gain hands-on
classroom experience before becoming teachers.
Where Can I Teach?
Preschools
Preschool is not daily care, contrary to some general
misconceptions. While daycare is usually childcare without emphasis on
learning, it is the first formal learning environment for preschool children.
It focuses on cognitive and social development by stimulating the curiosity and
imagination of a preschool child. Children learn by sharing toys, taking turns
and interacting with their teachers and each other. The classes themselves are
very lively, brightly decorated with alphabet posters, maps, number tables and
student artwork. Classes should be interactive and stimulating to develop an
exciting learning environment. Teacher-student ratios are also closely
monitored to ensure close interactions and class sizes are kept relatively
small.
Despite the growing public interest in early childhood
education, kindergartens are still generally accepted as private schools. Many
are funded by education and donations and are considered an option for
families, as the government does not require preschool education. However,
evidence of the permanent effects of pre-school external affiliation has caused
some government actions. The Ministry of Health and Human Services launched the
Head Start Program to provide early childhood education to children from
low-income families and to support their healthy development.
Montessori Schools
Montessori schools are institutions centered on Montessori
learning methods. This method, established by Dr. Maria Montessori over one
hundred years ago emphasized the child's curiosity, mindfulness and self-esteem
and promoted independence. This "child-centered" approach to
education differs from traditional methods in many ways. Perhaps the most
notable feature of Montessori schools is the class itself, where many age
groups study within an environment. Children in Montessori classrooms are from
the age of two and above, with no difference in education level. Thus, an
eight-year-old studies side by side with a three-year-old to demonstrate a
real-life social environment and enhance peer learning. Younger children learn
from older ones, while older children are able to practice teaching things they
already know.
Montessori classrooms are also designed to promote
independence and learning to explore. In these classrooms, students are given
the freedom to choose what to know and to set their own pace. Classrooms have a
wide range of interactive spaces, each dedicated to a variety of academic
areas, such as speech arts, math and science. Children are encouraged to
explore these areas in the best interest of them, and they often end up working
with other students to explore these areas. Despite the autonomy, the teachers
of Montessori schools are never passive or immovable. Instead, teachers work
with students, guiding them through their exploration of the classroom,
answering questions and facilitating group work. You are very much involved in
this self-motivated learning process. The link to the American Montessori
External Society provides a very detailed Introduction to the schools at the
Montessori describing the methods and pedagogy of this innovative approach.
Montessori institutions are private schools, and therefore
not government funded. Their teachers are not subject to national teacher
certification and licensing standards, even if they are required to have at
least a Bachelor's (best in child development or early childhood education) and
complete a special education program in the teacher
Kindergartens
Kindergarten is often seen as the beginning of formal
education, and it is fully integrated with the elementary school system.
Kindergarten is a public education and is subject to state law (therefore,
kindergarten teachers must be licensed and certified), even if it is not
mandatory in every state. Children enter kindergarten between the ages of five
and six, and many states do not begin the education mandate until the age of
seven. However, whether it is mandatory or not, it is still encouraged. Even if
kindergarten is more formal, it is still eligible for early childhood education
because students are under the age of eight. They are still developing at a
fast pace, and kindergarten is important to ease their transition into
elementary school.
Kindergarten is very much focused on social development and
peer-to-peer relationships, even when there is more emphasis on academic
achievement than preschool. In preschool children learn how to count, but in
kindergarten they start learning about addition and subtraction. They learned
colors, and are now learning how to mix colors to create new ones. And even in
preschool they learned the alphabet, the kindergarten taught them how to spell
and tie basic words in simple sentences. Usually, kindergarten sets the
groundwork for their formal education by introducing new concepts developed
into the various academic topics that they will discover in all areas of their
educational career.
Early Learning
During the first few years of life, a child learns much
about themselves and the world around them, and parents are their first
teachers. Parents teach them how to talk, how to walk, how to feed themselves.
They teach them alphabet, shapes and colors, and even how to count and spell in
very simple words. But for healthy development, children need active
stimulation and communication with others. This is where early childhood
education is most valuable. It is in these classrooms where children apply what
their parents teach in a practical setting and have their first interaction
with people outside their family. Beginning with children as young as two,
teachers guide them through a pivotal shift and keep an eye on their
adjustment. Early childhood education focuses on "learning by
playing" by providing a hands-on, interactive environment in which
children learn about themselves by playing with other children. As a children's
teacher, you become a single parent, their first source of guidance in playing
with others and making friends. You teach them how to share, how to take turns,
how to behave - lessons to stay with them and develop at every important stage
of their life.
Children of this age have more physical needs than older
students. Many preschoolers join their bedtime routine or are on a half-day
schedule to provide child satisfaction after a long morning of play and
learning. Snack time is also built into these schedules, which serves as an
excellent opportunity to teach students table manners. Teaching young children
is nothing short of complete devotion and consistency. This can be a daunting
task, but to a truly dedicated teacher, it is worth the effort.
There is a lot of debate about what constitutes an ideal
preschool curriculum, but really, early childhood is a time of such growth and
curiosity that it is difficult to decide what, and when, should a child can
learn. Many preschool curricula have built the teacher as a guide, allowing
children to see for themselves as the teacher guides them through the process.
A lot of research is entering preschool curricula, and organizations such as
the National Institute for Early Education Research and the National
Association for the Education of Young Children are working to preserve and
improve the education of some young students in our country, as well. increase
awareness of the importance of early childhood education.
Post a Comment