Republic of the Philippines

DR. EMILIO B. ESPINOSA, SR. MEMORIAL STATE COLLEGE

OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
(Masbate State College)
http://www.debesmscat.edu.ph
Mandaon, Masbate
GRADUATE SCHOOL

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION major in EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Midyear 2021

CROSS-CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL

DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL EDUCATION
(EL 333)

Reflection No. 1

The main focus of Japanese early childhood education is to guide children to develop basic
human attributes. Teachers in Japan provide with age-appropriate technology in order to enhance
play, rather than focus on academic skills (Izumi-Taylor, 2008).

In Finland, the mission of early childhood education and care (ECEC) is to promote children’s
holistic growth, development and learning in collaboration with their guardians. Learning
through play is essential (Finnish National Agency for Education). Moreover, the Finnish
education system supports children’s learning and development without toxic stress that can
come from pushing children too much, too early (heischool.com).

France, on the other hand, follow the same national curriculum for preschools, which structures
children’s learning around five domains of activities: (1) developing oral language and an
introduction; (2) learning how to work together; (3) acting and expressing emotions and thoughts
with one’s body; (4) discovering the world; (5) imagining, feeling, and creating (OECD, 2004).

The mentioned countries are among the schools with known early childhood education and care
programs. Discuss the role of the early childhood education and care programs in global
education. How these countries succeeded in implementing ECEC?
Given the chance to craft ECEC programs in the Philippines, what will be your focus? Justify.

Early Childhood Education is considered as one of the most important years in a learner’s
education journey. It is the period when they first learn how to interact with others, including
peers, teachers, and parents, and begin to develop interests that will stay with them throughout
their lives. it’s a common misperception that early childhood education is only about learning
basic skills. Because it’s so much more than that. It’s a time when children learn critical social
and emotional skills and a partnership is formed between the child, their parents, and the teacher.
When this is done successfully, it lays the groundwork for it to continue throughout the child’s
education. According to UNESCO, “Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than
preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional,
cognitive, and physical needs to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and
wellbeing. ECCE has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsible future citizens.”
Early Childhood Care and Education serves as the seeds meant for nurturing, since the learners
were educated and capacitated, and introduced to the necessary skills for Global Education, It’ll
be much easier for them to adapt and understand the concepts. Reinforcement to what they
have previously learned is recommended. Countries such as Japan, Finland and France
succeeded in implementing the ECEC for the very reason that they allowed the children to be
children. They maximize play as a medium of learning, they hone the character of learners
without bombarding them with schoolworks and stress from school. Unfortunately, very different
from what our country offers. Filipino children are stressed and pressured in their studies at an
early age which greatly affects their enthusiasm in attending classes and later affects his/her
performance. Being bombarded with activities, exams and loads of task, learners’ view
education differently as if it is a form of punishment. Unlike other children in other countries who
enjoys while learning. If I were to craft a ECEC programs, I would focus on the morals and
developing the enthusiasm towards learning among the learners. At an early age, we should
prioritize the morals of our learners specially the Filipino learners. The absence of GMRC
subject in the curriculum resulted to unwanted attitudes and behaviors among learners. Also, I
would like to develop enthusiasm towards learning among the children, if at an early age they
would see education and learning as an opportunity to enjoy and be better individuals, they will
be motivated to study and they will find education rewarding. Children learns best when they
enjoy it.