education.
1. demonstrate understandings of foundational philosophies and contemporary international approaches that have informed current local early years education practices
2. demonstrate understanding of policy, practice guidelines and principles in key early years education documents used in local contexts
3. prepare a well-informed personal learning and teaching philosophy that reflects foundational philosophy and contemporary models of early years education.
I want to become an early childhood teacher because it is my heart’s calling. I want to build my career in this profession not because I just love children. Instead, the driving force for this profession is that it entails more than spending days with little children. The profession involves intriguing study of child development, forming strong teaching teams, building rapport with colleagues as well as learning about family systems. People in this profession need to stretch themselves to create partnership with people from different background with varying beliefs and values.
My conversation with familiar early childhood teachers in my circle reminds me of their experience where they say that in this work they feel that the classroom becomes communities with their unique culture. It excites me when they narrate their experiences where children puzzle them, challenge or surprise them and then teach them more than they dreamed of.
Years ago my own moment of revelations has come. As a child I was attracted to teachers who always comforted me, helped me in zipping up jackets, hold my hand when I was scared. It was this tiny act of caring from which I learned to trust them. I have learned from my teachers how caring for each other makes us human. They taught me other fundamental values such as sharing, listening, and being honest. I wanted to become teacher ever since I was ten years old. From my personal experience of teaching preschoolers in neighborhood I realized I get strength when I explain them authentically from centre. This experience helped me recognize that teaching is an intimately personal profession. It is a natural antidote to burnout.
I believe that a good teacher is the one who tends to promote the personal, social and academics development of a child and stand as a role model to young children. The attributes of a good teacher according to my experience with them as a learner includes enthusiasm for children, patience and humor, communication skills, respect for difference in children, flexibility and creativity in working. I consider this attributes as necessary as these are the ones that helped me well connect to my teachers during my preschool and kindergarten. It has great impact on my ideas towards education.
I believe in fairness of children which have developed as I reflect on my time as a student where I have experienced discrimination based on culture. This experience dropped my self esteem and I always stayed away from such teachers. Therefore, I believe that teaching should involve “open mind attitude” to build a positive foundation to the children. I do not believe in favouritism. I believe in balancing between the good level of control and strictness and love, care, patience and attention. I believe and value the teaching environment that mirrors the culture, attitudes, values and teaching practice of culture within the teachers.
Discussion of early childhood education in Australia today
Early childhood education in Australia is delivered to children via a range of settings including preschools or kindergartens, and childcare centers. In Australia, accession to early childhood education is more than just participation in service. There is a significant reform in this sector in Australia with increasing attention and investment as its importance being recognized by all levels of government business and community. Children are paramount to the investment decision. Success with this investment ensures sustainable benefits to the broader community, business and individual families (Tayler et al., 2013).
In the early childhood sector “Early Childhood Australia or ECA” is the peak body established in 1938. It represents 2500 members comprising of local, private, community based service providers, individual schools, educators, universities and other organisations working passionately toward well being of the children in Australia. ECA provides quality education in early childhood (Tayler et al., 2013). According to the study of Harrison & Joerdens, 2017) across the Australia approximately 70% of the children education services have received the quality rating and is reported by the National quality framework.
These reports showed that at least 38% of the early child education services are meeting the national quality standards in five of the seven areas of quality. Page, (2016) highlighted that preschool is available to children in their first and the second year of their life. However, there is peak in the participation at 4 years with some participating at 5 years and 3 years age. The main provision of the formal early childhood education and care is the long day care where 30% of the children are of one and four years old and 40% of the children are of age 2-3 years.
According to Tayler et al. (2013) the Australian early child education services should also cover elements of quality and relevance to children. The literature review shows that there is less likely participation in this service by the Indigenous children. The National quality framework introduced by the Australian Federal government provides a formal base when compared with other educational sector. It includes improvement in the staff to child ratio, curriculum development; development of the personnel’s in the field, increased remuneration of the professionals and tax rebates for families, need of higher standard for tertiary qualification and improved financial support for the socially disadvantaged. The early childhood education and care sector in Australia strives to support the social, cognitive and heath development of the children.
Every early childhood education centre has a philosophy that guides the practice. It is developed over time considering the needs of the community accessing the setting. The Early Year learning Framework in Australia does not define its philosophy. It beliefs that there are 3 Bs in which the learning of young children are inherent including “being, belonging, and becoming”. Its values are embodied in 5 principles include respectful relationships, partnerships with families, respect to diversity, high expectation and equality and reflective practice.
There are six guiding principles in which the national quality standard covers its philosophy it is applied across all seven quality areas. Firstly, children rights are paramount, Secondly, equity, inclusion and diversity. Thirdly, the children are capable, competent and successful learners. Fourthly, value cultures of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Fifthly, respect and support the role of parents. Sixthly, high expectations for the service providers and children educators (Page, 2016).
Each child comes from different background with different set of values and beliefs. Therefore, every child is unique and grows at their own development level. I believe that it is the duty and responsibility of the early child educator to understand the “child as whole” and develop the curriculum according to the needs and the requirements of the child. A high quality of environment is required to be built in the classroom. The environment should facilitate the children to learn, grow, explore at his or her own developmental level. In the subsequent section the essay will discuss about my personal philosophy about the teaching style that I believe is best for early child education.
Philosophy of early childhood education
As an early childhood educator I believe in promoting the social, cognitive, emotional and physical development of the child. I believe and value the play based learning. It is an important aspect incorporated in the “Early Years Learning Framework” in Australia. This approach has been found effective by various researchers in developing brain, all types motor skills, facilitate adult child interactions, and enhance creative expression by child (Page, 2016). Play can be voluntary and may involve verbal, mental or physical engagements. An activity can be chosen for play that is pleasurable and enjoyable. Children love to play so this approach is the best method which I enjoyed as a child.
Finding balance between the child initiated and the teacher directed activities is essential. According to the physiologist Jean Piaget, efforts come from the student naturally and it is not required to be imposed on them. The efforts put by the learner are the outcome of the intelligence they have. According to Piaget intelligence undertakes authentic work. Intelligence cannot be cultivated by simply accepting the predigested knowledge (Tourmen, 2016). I believe that it can be done by using the practice approach that is developmentally appropriate. It means that the activities should be developed in a manner that is relevant to the needs, ability, and interests of the children. The same was highlighted in the study of Allen & Cowdery (2014). I believe in cooperating with the child’s family and respect their culture.
I believe that the art of teaching is the true meaning of pedagogical approach and is the best way an educator can teach a child. As per my experience using “positive manner” is the best way to teach or guide a child. The rationale behind this approach is the fact that a child spends most of the time in early child educators and is mostly surrounded by the peers. Therefore, it is the educator who guides the child in the right path. Book does not give guidance or knowledge of what is right or wrong. Books teach how a certain thing can be done but it is the guidance that facilitates decision making in child. I believe that a child should not be excluded from the curriculum based on the cultural background, financial condition and presence of power.
The same is supported by Gregoriadis et al. (2016) who stated that Education should be provided to all irrespective of rich or poor, gender, cost of living, noble or ignoble. I would use the same philosophy in my curriculum as an early child educator. People may perceive that those intelligent may need no guidance. There is no doubt that the stupid ones need instructions to shove off their natural dullness. However, intelligent children without guidance may occupy their mind with what is pernicious, curious, and useless. Therefore, I would avoid discrimination or favoritism towards children and create a positive environment to provide an opportunity for each learner them to grow and learn. For this purpose I would ensure provision of all the necessary equipment and sort of the conflicts in professional manner.
I believe in the philosophy of having “trusting and open-minded relationship” with colleagues, parents, and administrators. I would apply this particularly while dealing with children with special needs. I would respect the demand of the parents irrespective of ethnicity, culture and respect their style of teaching. I would demonstrate sensitivity to wide areas of circumstances. If the administrators and the teachers too exemplify the same philosophy, the child is sure to develop positively.
In order to establish strong base for each child many different curriculums have been developed. Particular curriculum cannot be used for each child. Therefore, the best thing to do is to use a bit of each curriculum in teaching as each has its own strategy of educating a child. One such great teaching style is the “Waldorf Education”. According to Roberto Trostli, while teaching, an educator’s soul-spirit should be in harmony with the temporal body. This spiritual aspect of teaching is in alignment with the concept that a child when born do not completely fit into the physical world. Therefore, the child must be born into the harmony which is the role of the educator. Thus, I believe in this philosophy and would implement the same as an early child educator (Steiner, 2017).
My experience from the Montessori school makes me believe in the Maria Montessori method. She was the first woman doctor of Italy who created objects for physical activity in children such as opening, dusting, etc. This goal oriented activity emphasised by her coincides with my personal philosophy. In this method of teaching child sense of moral can be developed by small errands or work. For instance asking a child to wash hands if dirty is itself an example where the child grows up to excel in meeting society’s expectations and demands on how to behave in life. These ideas facilitate conducive learning (Cossentino, 2017).
There are Montessori curriculums where children are allowed to explore themselves by living and walking. It also based on the theory of Jean Piaget which emphasise on learning through independent exploration of world around them (Tourmen, 2016). For example the knock-knock game of teaching subtraction was very fun and enjoyable. According to Montessori Method there are three stages of learning. It includes introducing a concept by means of book or lecture followed by the processing of information by understanding it through experimentation or creation. Last stage of learning includes understanding the lesson, ability to pass the test followed by the gain of confidence to teach others. I would teach seldom through books and emphasise on environment by capitalizing on interests and excitement of the child about the subject.
The theories of Lev Vygotsky focus on the development of cognition by means of social interaction. According to his theory, in the process of “making meaning”, community plays a central role (Potrac et al. 2016). According to him a child may be more knowledgeable than other adult children or have more experience which must be respected. In such case the teacher must be programmed with more knowledge to meet the demands of the learner.
I believe in this philosophy and would programme myself with more knowledge than the learner does. It is an important concept to facilitate proximal development. This concept refers to difference between what can be achieved by the child through guidance and what a child can achieve independently without any skilled partner. My philosophy coincides with Lev Vygotsky method of developing skills in children by facilitating effective interaction with peers.
Conclusively, an educator is the curriculum because the better an educator envisions a child the better he or she focuses on the social, physical, cognitive, emotional development of the child. Being an early child teacher is to build a foundation for learning and a help a child learn right from wrong. A good teacher is the positive role model of the learner and resolves conflict in the work place in appropriate manner. A curriculum should always emerge from set of different curriculum found in literature as they have already proven to be effective and each has unique style of teaching. I appreciate all the brilliant teachers but I am grateful to those who touched my feelings. Warmth is raw material for any curriculum, soul of the child and for growing a plant.
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