WHAT IS EARLY

CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION?
Blessilda Grace C. Tigas, MAEDCE
What is early childhood education?
 Atits most basic level, early childhood education
(ECE) encompasses all forms of education, both
formal and informal, provided to young children
up to approximately 8 years of age. This
education is fundamental to the development of a
child and can significantly shape the later years
of an individual’s life.
 Digging deeper, there are several different facets that all combine
to contribute to a child’s early education. In terms of informal
education, the primary source of input when it comes to a child’s
development is, of course, its relationship with its parents or
primary caregivers. In essence, parents can be considered to be
a child’s first teacher. This relationship is especially critical
between 0-2 years of age as the child begins to develop its sense
of self and establishes an attachment with its parents. The quality
of the attachment formed at this stage of life can have a
significant impact on a child’s future education.
The elements of an
early childhood
education program
According to the National Education Association, a
high-quality ECE program consists of five important
components:
 It should provide a well-rounded curriculum that supports all areas of
development
 It should address child health, nutrition, and family needs as part of a
comprehensive service network
 It should assess children to enhance student learning and identify concerns
 It should employ well-educated, adequately paid teachers
 It should provide small class sizes and low teacher-child ratios
Preschool Teachers
Play Important Role
in Children’s Growth
 Preschool teachers play an important role in
building a child’s success in their first years of
school. Teachers do more than facilitate arts and
crafts projects throughout the day. They provide
structure and help children grow in their reading
and writing skills, teach science and help children
understand themselves.
 Preschool lays the foundation for kids to
understand what “school” actually is. Teachers
use a variety of methods to help children grow
cognitively, as well as conceptually. A positive
relationship with preschool teachers can make an
exponential difference in a child’s success as
they continue through elementary school.
Teachers Role
Planner
 Your first and most important job is to plan and prepare the
environment for learning. Because young children learn
through play, it is essential that you provide the materials
and equipment necessary for meaningful play activities that
support the development of multiple intelligences. The
classroom and the outdoor area must be set up with care so
that the children will find interesting, stimulating, meaningful,
and challenging things to do in an atmosphere that is orderly,
safe, and has a sense of purpose.
Facilitator

 When the planning and preparation are finished and

children arrive for the day, your role shifts to that of a
facilitator.
 Ask open-ended questions to help children extend their
thinking and stretch their vocabulary. Open-ended
questions are those with many possible answers
Observer
 The children’s playtime is also a time for you to observe each
child carefully. Through careful observation of children at work
and play you can begin to see which skills they have mastered
and which skills need additional reinforcement. Your observations
can give you insight into which intelligences are used more than
others by a particular child. They may also raise your awareness
of a child’s cultural, linguistic, or developmental needs. These
observations will help you plan for the next day or week.
Anecdotal Records
Itis helpful to keep anecdotal
records of observations
Portfolio

 Add these observations to a collection of children’s

work, developmental checklists, and parent
observations and you have a good overview of the
child’s strengths, needs, and interests. Many teachers
put such collections together into a box or set of folders
called a “portfolio.” Portfolios are used for assessment
and for planning, and they enable the teacher to provide
an individually appropriate experience for each child.
Model
 Social skills such as cooperating, getting along with others, and
communicating effectively to solve problems can be modeled through
actions and words. You will be teaching politeness and courtesy when
you say “please” and “thank you” to the children and to other adults in
the room.
 Modeling is a very powerful teaching technique. It’s amazing how quickly
you will begin hearing your own words and seeing your own actions
reflected in the children’s behavior.
Modeling During Play
 Another way to serve as a model for
children is by entering into their play. The
reasons for entering into their play are to
help them get started with new or unfamiliar
materials or to help them through difficult
social experiences
Support System
 Children need the safety and security of knowing that you will be there for them
when they need you. There will be times when an adult’s assistance is truly
needed—opening a sticky glue bottle, getting a drippy painting to the drying rack,
getting a CD or computer game started, unfastening tight buttons for a quick trip to
the toilet, or providing hugs and comfort for a child who has fallen down or bumped
an elbow.
 after trying alone, the child still needs help, suggest that he or she ask a friend for
help. This accomplishes several goals
1. It encourages children to be helpful and nurturing toward one another.
2. It frees you from the task of putting on and taking off smocks throughout the day.
.
3. Children learn a lot from each other, and oftentimes peer instruction is the most
effective form of teaching
Provide Scaffolding
 Another way early childhood teachers support
children is by providing “scaffolding” for learning.
Just as a new building under construction
requires scaffolding to support its progress,
young children benefit from having an adult or an
older, more experienced child support their
progress in making sense of the world around
them, helping them accomplish tasks that are too
difficult for them to do alone.
Team Player
 Whether your title is “teacher,” “assistant,” “aide,” or “caregiver,” there’s a good
chance that you will share your classroom with other staff members. Many
classrooms for young children have at least two adults and often more,
depending on the number of children. Each staff member is an important part
of the teaching team. In the early childhood classroom, team members should
work together very closely, joining forces to facilitate learning for the children.
As with any type of team, each member has specific responsibilities. It is
important that each team member’s responsibilities are clearly understood by
all so that the classroom can function smoothly and effectively.
Teachers
 Typically, the teacher is the staff member who has special training in Child
Development or Early Childhood Education and is held accountable for the
children’s educational experiences. Because of this special training and
accountability, it is the teacher’s job to plan and implement the curriculum,
implement classroom management techniques, assess children’s growth and
development, make referrals for special needs, and report progress to parents.
While most teachers welcome suggestions from other caregivers, the final
decision in all matters related to the children’s education lies in the teacher’s
hands.
Teaching Assistants
 Other caregivers, such as assistants or aides, are
typically responsible for helping the teacher manage the
classroom and implement the curriculum. Division of
specific duties will vary from classroom to classroom
and should be decided upon by each teaching team.
Team members should sit down together at the
beginning of the school year and talk about how they will
divide the responsibilities.
Effective Communication
 The adults in the classroom must communicate with each other daily,
especially before and after school. When the children are in the classroom,
there is no time to engage in lengthy discussions about teaching practices or
philosophies.
Handling Conflict
 In order to prevent little problems and
misunderstandings from getting out of control, each
team member must share his or her concerns clearly
and directly as soon as possible. Little things left
unspoken can become big problems! Talk things out,
face to face, with honesty and mutual respect. When all
team members work at establishing and maintaining a
healthy working relationship, their effectiveness in the
classroom is strengthened and the school days are
happy, productive times for everyone.
Questioner
 Asyou ask children open-ended questions to
extend their learning, ask questions from each
category. You might even find it helpful to post a
copy of the taxonomy at several of the learning
centers to serve as a reminder.
ACTIVITY
 IDENTIFY THE
ROLE OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD TEACHER AND
EXPLAIN EACH ROLE.
MORAL LESSON
 For those who usually pay the dinner bill, it is not because they are rich but
they treasure more than money.
 For your colleagues who take the initiative at work, do so not because they are
stupid but they understand the concept of responsibility.
 Those who apologizes first after a fight, do so not because they are wrong but
because they value the people around them.
 Those who are willing to help you, do so not because they owe you anything
but because they see you a true friend.
 Those who text you frequently does not mean he or she has nothing better to
do but because he or she was missing you terribly.
ASSIGNMENT
BE HAPPY AND ALWAYS PRAY
=)
4 Steps to Becoming
a Preschool Teacher
Step 1
Earn an undergraduate degree
Step 2
Get classroom experience
 Experiential learning is an important part of becoming an educator, so
preschool teachers are required to get experience in the classroom in order to
get a job. To obtain this experience, students participate in internships where
they work as assistant teachers under the supervision of a licensed educator.
The number of hours of classroom experience teachers need depends on the
state they work in.
Step 3
Earn a license
 Early childhood education graduates who want to work for public schools must
obtain a license in order to get a preschool teacher position. Each state has its
own specific requirements for licensure, however, preschool teachers are
typically required to complete a bachelor’s degree and a competency
examination.
Step 4
Earn a certification
5 Characteristics of a
Great Preschool
Teacher
1. Passion
 If you have a burning desire to make a real difference in the lives of young
children, you have one of the most important qualities of a great preschool
teacher. There will be many days when teaching feels extra difficult. Whether
the pay seems too low or the parents act ungrateful, getting through the low
points of teaching can be overwhelming. However, when you have a true
passion for educating young children, your positive drive will sustain you
through the hard times.
2. Patience
 Along with an undying passion for teaching, great preschool educators need
plenty of patience. Every class has students with different developmental skills.
Especially with young children, constant reminders about manners, hygiene
and classroom procedures are part of a typical school day. From slow learners
to behavioral challenges, it takes patience to keep the classroom environment
balanced and in order. On top of that, working with demanding administrators,
difficult parents or other teachers requires additional patience outside the
classroom. Great preschool teachers understand how to keep their cool under
many different kinds of pressure.
3. Creativity
 Creativity in the classroom is more than making fun art projects for your
students. For instance, you may be asked to teach with limited resources or in
a restricted environment. Your class may also require creativity on your part to
teach children from different cultures or backgrounds. You may also need to
draw from your creative side to take risks and make decisions outside the norm
in the best interest of your students. Of course, creativity is essential to make
learning fun and exciting for your preschool class.
4. Flexibility
 You can everything planned out for each lesson, but great preschool teachers
know that unexpected turns can happen at any time. When you remain flexible
to deal with change, you can handle almost anything. This could include
something as simple as having an alternative plan for rainy days or more
drastic like adjusting your entire curriculum to accommodate for a reduced
budget. Even the very nature of teaching young children requires constant fine
tuning and dealing with minor issues. By staying flexible, you can tackle every
kind of educational challenge with poise and grace.
5. Dedication
 Great preschool teachers are dedicated to their students and their career.
When you are determined to stand up for your beliefs on behalf of your
educational values or your students’ needs, you will gain respect from your
colleagues, parents and students. Moreover, excellent educators are dedicated
to the love of learning and inspire their students to learn more. At the preschool
level, making the classroom a place where learning is fun can resonate with
children for the rest of their lives. Most of all, truly successful teachers are
dedicated to bring out the best in their students.
What Is the Importance
of Early Childhood
Education?

AMY SUTTON
 Earlychildhood education is beneficial for
children ages 3, 4 and 5. It's also often referred
to as preschool, pre-kindergarten, day care,
nursery school or early education. No matter the
name, each serves the same purpose: to prepare
young children for their transition into elementary
school.
Learning and Development

 Attending an early childhood education program, your

child will improve her language and motor skills, while
developing the learning and cognitive skills necessary
to move on to primary school.
Health Benefits

 Attending a quality early childhood education program can benefit your child's health as well. Approximately 60
to 70 percent of preschool-age children attend an early childhood program or child care program out of the
home, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Studies show that being provided with quality care in
those programs can positively influence your child's learning and development. In addition, your child's socio-
emotional development is less likely to be adversely affected, with a decreased chance of needing behavioral
or mental health care once she enters primary school.
Importance of Screenings

 One of the many benefits of your child receiving an early childhood education is
the opportunity to participate in early childhood screening. This screening is
provided for 3- to 5-year-olds and tests things like health, cognitive
development, speech, vision, hearing, coordination, emotional skills and social
skills, notes Education.com. Screenings can identify any development or health
issues that need to be taken into consideration, to prevent learning delays.
Economic Benefits

 Children aren't the only ones that benefit from early childhood
education programs, states the National Institutes of Health. These
programs can have economic benefits as well. A study conducted by
the NIH tracked low-income families whose children received
intensive early childhood education, while their parents received
parenting skills training, social services and job skills training.
The Purpose Of
Early Childhood
Programs:
• Help Children Learn and Develop
• Stimulate The Brain
• Improve Social Skills
• Increase Health and Wellness- Physical and Emotional
• Support Parents, Family, and Community
• Help Children Live Their Best Lives!
Top Issues in of
Early Childhood
Education
Improvements in Funding
 Child care is a massive industry but the current system is broken.
 Preschool teachers suffer long hours, low pay and status.
 Pre-K teachers must be fit and be physically able to lift, bend, run and often sit
on the floor but health insurance and retirement accounts are almost
nonexistent. Children often have challenging needs and can be difficult to
manage.
New Trends and Strategies
 Preschool teachers must focus on providing stimulating learning activities,
basic concepts and socials skills.
New Curriculum – Scientific research suggests that experiences during the
first years of life have a lasting impact on how the brain develops. This
information promotes healthy learning and development. New curriculum is being
built around child development and stress child directed approaches.
Population Diversity – Programs must be culturally and linguistically
compatible with the children it serves. Various cultures must be represented and
accepted by educators by providing bilingual/multilingual opportunities through
books, tutors, and resources.
 Technology – Requiring students to understand the ins and outs of the digital
world at an earlier age brings more demands and pressure from parents,
administrators and policy makers. More creative and specific methods of using
computer centers need to adjust to student's learning style.
 Teacher training programs – Well-educated, trained teachers help protect
excellence in early education. Bachelor-level education may be required in
order to obtain restrictive allocated federal and state funds.
 Accountability Standards – Assessments of very young children has
experienced rapid growth & advancement.
Challenges Facing
Early Childhood
Education in Developing
Countries
 Despite the growing importance of Early
Childhood Education (ECE), there are a number
of challenges that have continued to pull down its
effective implementation.
Socio-economic factors
 These factors can significantly damage the cognitive
processing ability of children. Children whose
processing capacity is impacted by ill-health and
malnutrition may require more hours of instruction to
learn various skills.
 Children from the marginalized communities in rural and
marginalized in developing countries suffer from lack of
access to early childhood education.
Financial
 Itis reported that these debt-servicing programs
are partly responsible for significant reduction in
government funding for subsidized education,
health care and school related expenses. The
result has been that families bear more
responsibilities in the implementation of early
childhood education programs.
Inadequate teaching and learning resources
 Many ECE centers lack adequate teaching and learning resources and
facilities suitable for ECE in their learning environment. These include lack of
properly ventilated classrooms, furniture suitable for children, kitchen, safe
clean water, play ground, toilets and play material. This implies that teachers
do not have adequate teaching and learning resources to enable them to
implement effectively the ECE Curriculum.
High Teacher-Child Ratio with Poor
Remunerations
 Teacher-child ratio has been a
subject of much attention among
researchers in relation to the
factors facing teaching and learning
process.
Trends That are
Transforming Early
Childhood Education
 Inorder to combat some of the systemic
weaknesses of early childhood education, new
initiatives are being proposed and implemented.
The following five early childhood education
trends are addressing these issues with
innovative solutions:
Universal preK
 is an ongoing initiative that would make high-quality preschool programs
available to all families—regardless of income. Leading economists have found
that quality early childhood education is especially beneficial for children from
low-income families, as it helps them stay on track alongside their peers
throughout grade school. Such programs help improve students’ vocabularies,
as well as their social and emotional development.
Closing the achievement gap
 Requires focus on the significant difference in
school test scores between the various ethnic
and economic groups. There are various
initiatives—such as the universal preschool
movement and the Every Student Succeeds
Act—that specifically target the achievement gap
to further prevent children from falling behind in
school.
Early literacy
 involves helping 1- to 3-year-old children understand concepts such as letter
knowledge, word sounds, vocabulary development, and awareness of
storytelling. The earlier children experience reading, writing, and storytelling,
the more improved their vocabulary and reading comprehension will be. Early
literacy programs are being integrated into public libraries, schools, and other
educational settings across the to help parents better prepare their children for
literacy excellence.
The Reggio Emilia approach
 helps parents and children during the transition from home to school. The
Reggio Emilia concepts developed in the 1940s are also found in Montessori
and Waldorf schools around the world. This style of early childhood education
urges more parent and student involvement in the program, and the learning
environment is tailored to meet the child’s specific needs and is characterized
by an emphasis on independence.
Technology in the classroom
 Involves the intentional and proper use of technology for
learning. Not only is this movement cutting costs for
textbooks and other classroom materials, it also allows
for greater access to a wider range of online educational
tools for students. By allowing more access to early
childhood education through technology, we’re also
preparing our children for our technologically advanced
society. Additionally, certain programs and applications
can help teachers and administrators track which
resources are working best for their students.
HISTORY OF
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
September 14, 2019
 The education of the young mind is an important
step in readying the child for future learning
experiences. The evolution of early childhood
education has transformed how adults and
parents view the importance of offering
stimulating and exciting opportunities to the very
young. Early childhood education offers toddlers
learning experiences that benefit them
throughout their educational career.
HISTORY OF
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
 According to Pre-K Now, the concept of early childhood education
started with a European mother in the early 1800’s that educated
children outside of their homes. The idea came to America during
the Industrial Revolution with “infant schools” set up in churches,
factories, and private homes to care for the young while parents
were working. The state of Wisconsin created constitutional
amendments to include committees dedicated to free education of
children aged four to twenty in 1848 and then later, in 1873,
started the first four year old kindergarten program.
 As time progressed, other states began to follow
Wisconsin’s lead in the area of early childhood
education with preschools, day care centers, and
nursery programs starting across the country. In 1926,
the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) was established dedicated to
improving the well-being of all young children and
focusing on the quality of education and developmental
services offered to children from birth to the age of eight.
Head Start
 founded in 1965 as a program through the United
States Department of Health and Human
Services, was originally founded to ready low-
income children over the summer months for
upcoming kindergarten. Over the years, Head
Start has become a respected preschool aged
program found in many communities working with
children of all backgrounds and abilities.
EARLY EDUCATION
TEACHING
THEORIES
 The concept of educating young children within the family has been happening
for many, many years, but the evolution of early childhood education within an
outside setting has many different theories and facets.
Jean Piaget
 Thestudies conducted along with the work
he did with children, paved the way for
educators to create different styles of
teaching to use within programs. Many of
these theories of teaching are used in
preschools around the country.
The Montessori Method:
 Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to receive
a medical degree with areas of study in psychiatry,
education and anthropology. Her belief was that every
child was born with potential and that children should be
allowed to be free to explore and play within their
environment. In the early 1900’s, Montessori visited the
United States to share her unique style of teaching. The
main focus is to always be attentive to the child and
follow the child in the direction they chose to go when
learning. The Montessori Method is practiced within
many preschools around the country.
Reggio Emilia Approach:
 Begun in Italy after World War II in the city of Reggio Emilia, this preschool
teaching style is based on children’s symbolic language and the context of
project-oriented curriculum. With the Reggio Emilia approach, community is a
large part of the educational process and with opportunities for educational
experiences for teachers to maintain their abilities and to enhance and
dedicate themselves as educators to the development of the young child. The
environment of the educational setting is also considered to be an important
aspect of the child’s development and often considered as the “third teacher.”
Along with Piaget’s constructivist thought, the Reggio Emilia Approach, the
community as well as teachers believe the child to be interested in learning and
experimenting through inner motivation, promoting educated and productive
future adults.
Play-Based Learning:
 The concept of play-based learning is exactly what it
sounds like, playing to learn. Many educators have
helped pave the way to understanding the wonders of
allowing children to learn through their play. Bev Bos,
both an educator and writer, has been sharing her ideas
and concepts through books and lectures for over 40
years. Her suggestions of teaching with a hand’s off
style encourages teachers to let children lead
themselves through problem solving and discovery with
minimal intervention, and to learn through play.
Direct Instruction:
 Siegried Engelmann and Wesley Becker coined this
teaching concept in the 1960’s. The goal is for children
to be directed through their development with teachers
leading activities directed toward specific learning. Often
drilling methods are used as well as rote learning. Other
characteristics of direct instruction are fast-paced
learning activities, active involvement between teachers
and children, and positive reinforcement offered often
and mistakes corrected immediately.
The Impact of History
on Early Childhood
Education
Martin Luther
Martin Luther’s perspective on the role of education in children’s lives:
 • The primary role of education is to teach children
 to read.
 • The ability to read was considered essential in
 acquiring knowledge of the Bible.
 • The family plays the most important role in
 educating children.
 • Communities played a critical role in ensuring all
 children were educated, and therefore in providing
 parents with necessary supports.
Martin Luther