E.B.

Prof. Westfall

ECE 232

6 May 2018

Philosophy

First and foremost, the top priority for teachers and caregivers should be to create a safe

environment for the children in their care – safe physically and emotionally. Children need that

comfort, protection, and understanding as a foundation for their education; they must feel safe in

their world before they begin to explore it.

Once this caring foundation is established, it is the role of teachers and caregivers to give

children the necessary and appropriate aid to help them develop into mature and capable adults

when they’re older. Teachers or caregivers should primarily be observing and, when necessary,

providing assistance that builds on the child’s prior skills and equips them with the tools to learn

more in the future.

For infants and toddlers, it is crucial that they be given time and space to learn on their

own. The cognitive, physical, and emotional bounds they make at this early age can shape who

they are as a person and can either limit or aid their future success. Thus, it is a caregiver’s duty

to aid a child in becoming capable and self-sufficient – to help them help themselves.