Introduction to Early Childhood Education †Assessment Essay

Identify THREE quality indicators relevant to early childhood education and discuss why they are important for children, parents, and/or society. 300 words. The first quality indicator relevant to early childhood education would be ‘people’. Letting your child learn in an environment where the teachers and assistants are expert, well-trained and the majority of them hold qualifications in the area. They should be able to fully understand your child’s needs, communicate well with them ensuring they make your child feel safe and comfortable being around them. They should also be trusted and respected by staff, parents and children. The ‘place or environment’ would be the second indicator. The learning environment should make all children feel welcome regardless of the cultural, ethnic or language background. They should be able to provide a variety of, materials, equipment and play activity arranged to encourage children to learn. A stimulating outdoor environment that challenges and motivates children to explore, run and play is also important. An environment where they feel safe, and where parents can see their child, and feel comfortable knowing they are there. They should be able to feel secure in the environment they are in and to know their children can only benefit from being there. ‘Programme’ the third indicator. A quality learning programme should provide lots of learning opportunities in a wide range of different areas (reading, water play, sand play, dress-up, science, social play). A variety of activities either working in small groups or individual interactions with teachers. Parents should be able to BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 2 to understand themselves about what their child is learning, having good communication with the centre employees, knowing what is going on and understanding their ways etc. an eye out being a parent and understanding the centres way. Teachers should always build trusting relationships with parents while always respecting and supporting different families cultures and languages. Reference List (ASPECTS OF QUALITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Valerie N. Podmore and Anne Meade With Anne Kerslake Hendricks, 2000) (Collins Concise Dictionary, 2001, p. 1224). (Gibbs, C. (2006). To be a teacher: Journeys towards authenticity. Auckland: Pearson Education. ) BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 3 Identify TWO early childhood services in your community. Briefly explain their history and then compare and contrast their philosophies, educational goals and the strategies employed to achieve these goals. 450 words. Montessori is a philosophy and method of education pioneered by the Italian educationalist Dr Maria Montessori (The first Montessori school opened in 1909, the first Waldorf school in 1919 and the first Playcentre in the 1930s) Montessori ‘casa dei bambini’ or ‘children’s house’ was first opened in San Lorenzo, Rome, Italy. Dr Maria Montessori recognised that the first six years of a child’s life are the most important. Dr Montessori, trialled many materials and activities, but kept only those to which the children were spontaneously and repeatedly drawn. Playcentre began in 1941 primarily as a support service to women left raising children alone due to partners being away with the Second World War. Lack of transport and low family incomes were the reality for many women. Playcentre’s original aims were â€Å"to provide leisure for mothers and opportunities for the social development of the pre-school child† (Stover, 1998, p. 3). Playcentre is a stimulating environment, they provide a diverse and rich range of experiences, unlimited free play across all 16 areas of play, and a child initiated curriculum. Montessori has a certain structure and is based on their own philosophy unlike playcentre. Playcentre is a parent run co-operative it relies heavily on parental input, participation and support. Montessori aim is to provide an environment with structure and activities that meet the needs of the children and by giving them freedom to move and act within it, it was said that Dr Montessori had revealed the â€Å"true nature† of the child. Their philosophy is aimed for Children to be encouraged to be firmly grounded in reality before being exposed to fantasy. Montessori classrooms are very BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 4 quiet, as children are deeply absorbed in their work. They input this by managing the classroom materials into six areas (Practical Life Exercises, Sensorial Material, Art, Mathemartics, language, cultural subjects, and also physical is brought into their daily routine). Playcentre however is marked by a stimulating environment, providing a diverse and rich range of experiences, unlimited free play across all 16 areas of play, and a child initiated curriculum. Their views and goals are to promote children’s learning through play, Family involvement ( based on the importance of parents as educators of their own children) They like to View children as people who are strong and capable and can make their own choices about how and where to play (childinitiated play). Playcentre teachers are trained parents who take quite a hands on approach and implement learning, using a lot of open ended questions to extend children’s thinking. Montessori and playcentre have different methods. Both focus on the wellbeing of children, and help promote them to learn and grow through many different approaches. The key difference between Playschool and Montessori is that at playschool the whole family joins, rather than it just being a provider of education for the child. Reference List (Pre-schoolers: Preschool Education: Types of Early Childhood Care KYLIE VALENTINE 2010) (Stover, 1998, p. 3). May, H. (2002, Winter). Early childhood care and education in Aotearoa – New Zealand: An overview of history, policy and curriculum. McGill Journal of Education BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 5. Discuss THREE of the following significant factors which were covered in this course and that promote health and safety in early childhood centres and explain the role of the early childhood practitioner in promoting and implementing these factors: 1. Providing a safe environment 2. Providing a hygienic and clean environment 3. Identifying and responding to childhood illness ‘Providing a safe environment’ Being a teacher, means constantly observing children and setting safety rules for them to create a safe centre. This is only part of the process. Teachers must always watch for hazardous situations. Toys, equipment, electrical appliances, hot water, and cleaning supplies can pose danger to children. Centre vehicles and the building itself can also be hazardous to children. As well as outdoor activities, certain heights and lengths of equipment need to be suitable for the environment as these pose a danger to children also. â€Å"Exploration is an important part of a child’s growth and development, and increased independence. However, that exploration should take place in an environment that is as free of hazards as possible† (MoH, 1997, p.71). ). The teacher’s role in identifying and removing or minimising potential hazards is vital. (See Moe, 2008, HS12-16, p. 19) A teacher’s first job should be to look at the environment where the children are going to play first thing in the morning, if there is anything unusual, broken or out of place that could be risk. Toy safety is another, choosing the items correctly the item itself, size, if it is appropriate for their age, etc. Picking safe toys and materials greatly reduces the risk of serious injury. Small things can cause serious harm, e. g. choking. However as a teacher, you must supervise children at all times when using BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 6 the toys/playing. Creating rules for the children helps implement the importance of safety to them as well. ‘Providing a hygienic and clean environment ‘ In an Early childhood centre it is essential that all equipment is cleaned daily/weekly/monthly everything is to be sanitised/disinfected especially With children having access to all sorts of equipment daily (putting toys in their mouths, several hands touching the toys etc. ) It is very important for learning environments to be clean and safe as Germs can easily spread fast among children who play together. (Air, coughing, sneezing, Body waste and fluids, faeces, urine, saliva, mucus, skin, wounds, parasite, Blood, viruses and bacteria). Teachers should encourage children to also get involved with personal hygiene, getting them to blow their noses on tissues, washing hands before and after eating, or using the bathroom, this shows them how to help stay clean. â€Å"The importance of effective hand-washing for educators and children cannot be over-emphasised. Hand-washing is essential following animal handling, rubbish removal, outdoor activities, nose blowing, toileting and preceding food handling and consumption (MoH, 1997)† There are more strategies teachers influence to keep a safe healthy environment such as when a new child starts they talk about immunisation (immunisation charts) and excursion if a child is ill. These hygiene practices can likely reduce the spread of germs or uncleanliness in learning settings and it is essential to have a cleaning schedule. ‘†Identifying and responding to childhood illness† Early childhood teachers should be able to tell the signs and symptoms of an ill child . They should provide appropriate care for a child who is unwell. Sick children are usually have no interest in play, have BEd111: Introduction to Early Childhood Education – Assessment 20120778 Tourmaline Munday- Cooper 7 little energy, short tempered and upset, may want to be held and comforted, fever, vomiting or diarrhoea. Parents should be notified, so they can come and collect their child. It is important to isolate the child from the group to prevent infecting others. A staff member must supervise the child closely, as a young child’s condition can change rapidly and they may need urgent attention. Children should always be reminded to also help stop spreading illness, they need to be given an idea, they may not understand the detail but as simple as reminding them to put their hand over their mouth when they sneeze or cough, grabbing a tissue when needed etc. Staff must always enforce hygienic care. Staff with Appropriate first aid should be administered to help with a situation where a child needs tending too e. g. If they are hurt, and need wounds cleaned and banded. The Ministry of Health (1997) advises that children should stay away from early childhood services when they are ill. Depending on your childcare provider they to have their own policy towards the issue. Teachers are not expected to diagnose conditions, that is what the doctors are for. However, having knowledge of how certain illnesses manifest, spread, and incubate is very important. Having a first aid certificate is a positive in the childcare industry having the knowledge of what to do in certain situations, it benefits the children and the centre. Reference List Auckland Regional Public Health Service. (May 2010). Health & safety guidelines for early childhood centres. Retrieved 19th September, 2011, fromhttp://www. arphs. govt. nz/Portals/0/Health%20Information/PDFs/ECC_HealthSafet yGuidelines. pdf Childcare illness from http://www. careforkids. com. au/articlesv2/article. asp? ID=71 (Ministry of Health, 1997).