Bryce Baucum

Summary #3
Erika Lanning
HDF 258
10-30-16

Outline
Knowledge and Skills
A. Historical influences on programs for young children
1. Friedrich Frobel
2. John Dewey
3. Margaret and Rachel McMillan
4. Dr. Maria Montessori
5. Loris Malaguzzi
B. What should early childhood educators know and be able to do?
1. Child development
2. Observation, assessment, and documentation
3. Health, safety, and nutrition
4. Relationship and guidance
5. Learning environment
6. Curriculum and teaching strategies
7. Diversity
8. Partnership and families
9. Professionalism
C. How do knowledge and skills come together in practice?
1. Responsiveness to children, families, and community
2. Intentionality
3. Reflective practices
4. Putting it all together
In chapter three it talks about how knowledge and skill is important when working with
children and how it is part of being a professional worker. The three topic I will be talking about
are historical influences on programs for young children, what should early childhood educators
know and be able to do, and how do knowledge and skills come together in practice.

The first topic in chapter three I will be talking about is historical influences on programs
for young children. Some of the educational practices found in early childhood programs today
are shaped by some of the founders of early childhood education in Europe and the United
States. The five founders are Friedrich Froebel for kindergarten, john Dewey for progressive
education, Margaret and Rachel McMillan for nursery school, Dr. Maria Montessori for
Montessori Method, and Loris Malaguzzi for the Reggio Emilia Approach.
These programs that the founder have made are not all from the same place or the same
method but these programs are very important to the first six years of life. Social, emotional,
physical, and intellectual are interconnected and all should be addressed to promote
development. Curriculum should be meaningful and relevant to the lives of children, play is
important tool for children to learn, the role of teacher is to nurture and guide children, respectful
relationships are essential to children healthy development, and families play a major role in
childrens lives.
The second topic is what should early childhood educators know and be able to do. Those
who work with children should know and be able to do things that they have learned from
school, work, or maybe even from home. Jean Piaget has wrote, The younger the child the more
difficult it is to teach him, and the more pregnant that teaching is with future consequences.
Piaget believes that the study of philosophy, psychology, and much more was necessary
preparation for working with young children, and that teacher need to have the ability to think
analytically to work with young children.
These are the list of knowledge and skills to see what is important and to show what a
demanding task it is to be a skilled teacher of young children. Child development, observation,

assessment, and documentation, health, safety, and nutrition, guidance and relationships, learning
environment, curriculum and teaching strategies, diversity, partnership and families, and
professionalism. These nine categories are a variety of sources and include references related to
child development, early childhood curriculum and pedagogy, and current national and state
standard.
The last topic of chapter three is how do knowledge and skills come together in practice.
There are three additional proficiencies characterize skilled teachers of young children. They are
responsiveness to children, families, and community, intentionally, and reflective practice. Then
put them all together to help teacher become good teachers to young children and families. All
kind of knowledge and skills that have been discussed in chapter three need to be sensitively
implemented in daily practice. There are more things to do to be an accomplished teacher of
young children and that is learning the basic skills and knowledge of young children.
I cant really connect to chapter three. The reason is I have only worked with a few
children and dont really have all the knowledge or skills to working with children. I have only
worked with two children and they are family for babysitting. But I can see the connection when
I watch others teacher work with young children and see how they use the different practice
when working with them. I know that when I start to work with younger children I can get more
skills and knowledge practice in and be able to become a good teacher for the young children.
There are some things I can connect from chapter three into my babysitting but wouldnt be
useful if I did it when they have already went to school and are already have been working with
the teacher who has that teaching method down and practice good.

I would use the method that the founder have found and use to make sure I am a good
teacher for the young children and that I am professional when using the method that they talked
about in chapter 3. Even when I am not working at a school with young children I can use these
practice with families children or even families friends children to help me become a better
teacher for the younger children and to have a better knowledge and skills when working with
the children. I can also practice to help myself become better at taking care of children that are
different and special to show the parents that I have the skills and knowledge to help their
children become better in school and to show them new learning from me practicing with other
children beside the one from work. I can also show the parents the professionalism I am when
working with their children to help make myself more presentable and to also let the parents
know that I know that I have the skills and knowledge to help their children with learning.