WORKING IN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SETTING

Working in an Early Childhood Education setting

Working in an Early Childhood Education setting

Each one of the early years educators has played an important role in setting the foundations that is the basis of the main curriculum's and foundation frameworks in schools today. This paper will look at several of these educators' theories, philosophies, and concepts and how they relate to early childhood education setting today.

Terms & conditions

The professionalism of the childcare practitioner is strongly influenced by national policy and a legislation framework including Síolta, The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, the forthcoming Framework for Early Learning (NCCA, forthcoming), and by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006 (Department of Health and Children which clearly set out the recommended and regulatory principles and standards for best practice.

Since the introduction of the EOCP in 2000, a target of 17,000 trained personnel employed within the sector has been set for the period of the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010. Both private and community-based childcare service employers and employees are bound by employment and equality legislation and as indicated from the primary research findings, there are a number of issues for concern with regard to levels of pay and the terms and conditions of employment within the sector. The importance of good terms and conditions of employment and the need for a minimum standard of training and national pay scale to support professional practice have been highlighted previously.

Career paths

Students are rated academically by testing. Both the teacher and the administrators decide what is best for the student. This creates an atmosphere where students do not expand their minds creatively. (Maya, 2009)Perennialism philosophy is the belief was that you taught "everlasting" information to the students. The main idea was to stimulate thought provoking discussions from different topics presented to the student. The teacher is responsible for teaching principals not facts. Their goal was to open the students mind to scientific reasoning, and that factual information may be proven false. A major difference between the two philosophies is in Perennialism the student input is important. Using this approach helps the individual thinker in each student blossom. (Maya, 2009)Progressive philosophy is the first philosophical approach that takes into consideration the three learning types (auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners) of students. In a progressive approach classroom you will see thought provoking games, books, manipulative objects, experimentation and social interaction between the students. This approach also uses field trips for educational purposes. Progressive philosophy isn't center around the main goal of educating students for adulthood. Instead this approach was meant to enrich the educational growth process. (Maya, 2009)Existentialism philosophy doesn't enforce formal education. Instead it nurtures the creativity, and individuality of the student.

Effective communication

Lack of communication in the workplace is a problem for some workgroup teams in working with early chilhood setting today. Successful teams require effective communication in the workplace among the childrens themselves as well as between ...