You and Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Today 11th Edition

By George Morrison

What Does It Mean to Be a Professional? What is a professional? The Five Goals of Professionalism Developing a Philosophy of Education Roles for Early Childhood Professionals

Today

Journal

Recall your favorite teacher and list the characteristics that made that person your favorite teacher.

We will compile a list of everyone’s characteristics.

How do you measure up to this list? Do you think that you would make a good

teacher?

What Is A Professional?

Early Childhood is the period from birth to age 8.

Early Childhood Professional is an educator who… Successfully teaches children Promotes high personal standards Continues to expand his/her knowledge and skills

What other qualities do you think characterize a professional?

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Being a professional means far more than

having an academic degree. There are 5 goals that are integrated into

becoming an Early Childhood Professional. Each goal is designed to play a role in

determining who and what a professional is and how they implement practices into the classroom.

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Goal 1: Child Development and Learning

It is essential that you know how to promote child development and learning.

Knowledge of young children’s characteristics, needs, and multiple intelligences.

The ability to use this knowledge to create a healthy, respectful, supportive, and safe learning environment.

Ability to conduct Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP).

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Goal 2: Building Family and Community

Relationships You will have to work with, involve, and advocate

for parents and families. You will need to understand the characteristics of

children’s families and the community in which they live.

Your collaboration with families should be supportive and empowering.

Remember that all families are different and be respectful of each child and family.

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Goal 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Children & Families You will be responsible for assessing and collecting

information about each child’s learning, behavior, academic progress, needs, and achievement.

This information is used to make decisions about the child’s education and future.

There are 3 parts to assessing children: You (the professional) gather information and data. This data is used to make instructional decisions. Data is shared with parents to gain feedback and advice.

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Goal 4: Teaching and Learning

Use developmentally effective and appropriate approaches.

Content Areas: language arts, math, arts, science, physical activity, and social studies.

Building meaningful curriculum. Collaborative Planning Reflective Practices

The 5 Goals of Professionalism Goal 5: Becoming a Professional

You know and engage in ethical practices. Engage in continuous lifelong learning and

professional development. Collaborate with colleagues, parents, families,

and community partners. Reflect and evaluate practices. Advocate on behalf of children, parents, and

families.

The Cycle of Reflective PracticesBefore

•What will I teach?•How will I teach it?•What resources will I need?•What background knowledge do my students have?•What interests do my students have?

After•Have I been self reflective and thoughtful about my teaching?•Did I assess the success of my students?•How will I report student success to parents?•How will I provide feedback to students?•What will I do differently the next time I teach a similar lesson?

During•Have I used students prior knowledge to gain their interest and focus?•Am I presenting the lesson well?•Am I constantly evaluating my students?•Am I responding to the needs of my students?•Am I introducing new concepts and ideas?•Am I motivating and challenging my

students?

The Role of Advocacy Advocacy- is the act of pleading the cases of

children and families to improve their circumstances.

It involves more than day-to-day responsibilities and collaboration.

There is no shortage of issues to advocate for in the lives of children and families. Ex: abuse, neglect prevention, poverty, health, good

housing. What is an issue related to early childhood

education that you feel passionately about and would be willing to advocate for?

The Role of Advocacy- Ways you can get involved… Join an early childhood professional organization. Become familiar with organizations that advocate for

children and families. Participate in community activities that support

children and families. Investigate the issues that face children and families

today. Talk to others about the issues that face children

and families. Seek opportunities to share your knowledge.

Professional Disposition

Professional Disposition are the values, commitments, and professional ethics that that you have.

These will influence students, families, colleagues, and communities.

They will affect student learning, motivation, and development.

What values, commitments, and ethics to do you have that will contribute to your professional disposition?

Diversity Your classroom will be a diverse environment full of

students from different backgrounds and cultures. It is important that you teach with respect and show

students the value of all cultures. Strategies to help:

Look at your own views attitudes- they may need an adjustment.

Make every child feel welcome. Make every parent feel welcome. Collaborate with your colleagues to learn how to meet the

various cultural needs of students. Become active in your community.

Philosophy of Education A philosophy of education is a set of beliefs

about how children develop. It includes what and how you believe children

should be taught. It is based on what you believe about

yourself, others, and about life. Everyone has a different philosophy of

education. It will be what guides and directs your daily

teachings.

How do I develop a Philosophy of Education? READ!

Read everything- textbooks, journals, professional literature.

Subscribe to blogs and newsletters from organizations that coincide with your beliefs and interests about teaching.

Explore historical and contemporary ideas and theories.

How do I develop a Philosophy of Education? REFLECT!

I believe the purposes of education are… I believe that children learn best when they are taught

under certain conditions and in certain ways. Some of these are…

The basics of my curriculum include… Features of a good learning environment are… Every child has basic needs that must be met, these

include… I would meet these needs by… A teacher should have certain qualities and conduct

him/herself in a certain way. Qualities that I think are important to teaching are…

How do I develop a Philosophy of Education? DISCUSS!

Talk with successful teachers and other educators about their philosophies and practices.

This will help you gain ideas and thoughts about your own philosophy.

It will also help you understand how theory translates into practice.

How do I develop a Philosophy of Education? WRITE!

Once you have thought about your own philosophy, write a rough draft.

Have another professional that you trust read it and provide feedback.

Make sure that others can understand your philosophy- they do not have to agree with it.

How do I develop a Philosophy of Education? EVALUATE!

Does my philosophy accurately relate my beliefs about teaching? Have I been honest with myself?

Is it understandable to me and others? Does it provide practical guidance for my

teaching? Are my ideas consistent with one another?

Now finalize your draft into a polished copy. Your philosophy will be your compass

throughout your career.

Jobs in Early Childhood Education & Education Levels Pass out Figure 1.4 from the textbook pg. 20.

Read and discuss as a class. Are there any careers on this diagram that

you are interested in? Highlight it- you will be conducting a child development career research later on in the semester!

Roles for Early Childhood Professionals Teacher as an instructional leader- Planning what children will learn Guiding and teaching Assessing what children have learned Arranging the classroom environment

Teaching state, district, and program goals and standards. Lessons and curriculum are rooted in standards,

objectives, and goals. What is the intention or purpose of the lesson?

Roles for Early Childhood Professionals Performance-based accountability for learning. In the past- “I taught Mario how to…” Today- “What did Mario learn? Can Mario perform at

or above grade level?” Teaching of literacy and reading.

Reading is a main component in all early childhood curriculum.

Increased emphasis on what children learn. Strong relationship between assessment and

planning.

Roles for Early Childhood Professionals

New meaning of child-centered education. Children are the center of the teaching and learning

process. This must be a priority. Ideas that children can achievement, they are eager

to learn, and they are capable of learning.

Preparing for the Future in the Early Childhood Profession

Rapid Change. Old ideas will be challenged by new ideas and

methods. You may have to adapt as the field changes.

Increased Use of Technology. Technology will have an affect on how you teach,

what you teach, and how children learn.

Preparing for the Future in the Early Childhood Profession

Relationship with Politics. Politics has always influenced education. Advocacy for early childhood becomes

increasingly important. Acceleration of early childhood teacher

education and training. Constant and continuous education for teachers is

necessary to keep up with changes.

Philosophy of Education Outline I believe the purpose of education is…. The children in my classroom will learn… Features of a good learning environment are… Every child has basic needs that must be met,

these include… I would meet these needs by… A teacher should have certain qualities and

conduct themselves in a certain way. Qualities that I think are important to teaching are…