Philosophy of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Research Paper Example

In the process of assuming the different foundations of Early Childhood Teacher Education, it is essential to note that the process of learning and mastering such a course of profession involves the capacity to have high concern about how children at a young age learn. Noting that the past of learning of each child differs from one towards another specifically insists on the fact that teachers ought to be able to define the most comprehensive manners to address such differences accordingly. Believably, with such consideration in focus, individuals hoping to gain expertise in teaching young children ought to be able to find ways to specifically mandate the learning process that they are going to adapt in relation to educating their target students. It could be understood that somehow, the worth of better foundation for educating young students shall provide a good foundation for young learners to take into consideration as they grow into better and higher levels of getting educated.

In relation to this, Krieg (2010) imposes that learning to teach through enquiry is a great source of good foundation in making a specific impact on the young children that the teachers are supposed to assist. Teaching through enquiry is basically a process of learning through what the children actually need and how they actually want such need to be addressed accordingly. Notably, it is through this approach that the teachers impose a procedure that would help them learn what the students need through direct observation accompanied by parental-direction. With the collaboration of these approaches, the children’s needs and make up of learning pattern becomes clear hence making it easier for teachers to help the young learners grasp the lessons that are to be presented to them in class.

Meanwhile, Brownlee and Berthelsen (2007) imposes that early childhood learning is a process that develops through time. The changing tide of the society specifically affects the young children as well and how they actually tend to accept intellectual learning procedures. This is the primary reason why it is important for individuals of teacher education to specifically find a way that will actually draw the line for them to address the needs of their young students. Brownlee, Thorpe and Stacey (2005) specifically impose that developments in teaching are essential. It could be understood that with this belief, educational theories applied in actual professional practices especially create an establishment of principles that would best instantiate the proper mandate of teaching.

With the changes occurring in the process of learning that young children respond to, it could be realized that the changes in the pattern of teaching becomes even more challenging and innovative in approach. Most often than not, the personal discretion of the teachers on how to redefine the way they teach their students affect the learners’ reaction to the subjects presented to them directly in class. Unlike that of the process of learning provided to young children in the past 10 years, curriculum defined learning procedures dedicated to assist young children today are more interactive and at times even defined through the involvement of modern technological approaches involving the utilization of computers and the internet.

Not only is the society changing, so as the way it affects the young minds. In the study of Newman and Ashton (2009), they insisted that addressing socio-cultural conditions in the community the young learners are involved in specifically creates a connection that defines the being of the people making up the whole community. In this case, the condition of thinking that the whole community recognizes also impact the manner of thinking that the children are being brought up with. Understandably, this is the reason why Hedges (2012) considers in his study that ECE practice should be more defined under the course of empirical studies which holistically addresses the changes in the society and how those elemental factors could be used to develop a great impact on how modern children could be assisted with their learning needs.

It could be realized though that there are instances when traditional approaches of teaching could actually help in establishing good resources of providing teaching inspirations for the modern instructors of young children. Believably, the need to collaboratively adapt the traditional with the modern ways of innovative and challenging teaching procedures is considered essential by many teachers. Early childhood education is something that is dedicated to addressing the young minds’ desire to specifically learn more from the society that they are living in (Taguchi, 2005). True to its sense, the adaptation of traditional teaching process insists that humans have a base source of understanding the value of knowledge; a matter that cannot be changed by time. Nevertheless, it is always a fact to be accepted that changes shall occur and adjustments should be made accordingly. This is where the adaptation of the new approaches to teaching comes into proper use. Closely related to this particular assumption of development is found in the study of Izumi-Taylor, Yu-Yuan and Franceschini (2011) where it has been insisted that cultural phenomenon in the society should be an element considered in the establishment of a better curriculum dedicated to developing early childhood curriculum.

Knowing this, Lee and Johnson (2007) addresses the fact that the cultural factions in the society affects the psychological upbringing of children hence directly creating an impact on how the youngsters think and develop a sense of understanding relating to their environment. Culture, is considered as a way of living. Aside from this, it is also assumed as a matter that sets a pattern for recognizing the proper ways of personal and social development. This way, the learning procedures also take a differential pattern of development to address the changing needs of the people. For instance, children who were born in the 70’s may not be able to respond to the new approaches of teaching that the 90’s children have been brought up into, the same is the case when the situation is considered vice versa. Reality insists that with the changes in community, learning patters progress hence teaching approaches should also follow the trend.

Sumsion (2000) creates an indicative point in his study as he shares the idea of gender defined teaching. It is a common knowledge that when it comes to teaching young children, women are most likely a better choice. Because of the notion that they have longer patience and better control of temper when it comes to the young ones because of their mother instincts, men are usually set aside when the said job is considered accordingly. Nevertheless, this profession is not to be stereotyped to be for the feminine members of the society only. In this case, it is then hoped that the male members of the society aiming to make a name in the industry should be properly helped and guided so as to make sure that they are able to put their best efforts upfront to serve their students with the learning that the youngsters need.

Overall, this review points out that the modern approaches to teaching cannot simply be based on innovation and modern challenges. Believably, it could be understood that it is with the assumption of the collaboration of the different approaches of teaching to be put together that the creation of a good sense of assisting the learning of young children becomes specifically well-defined. According to this review, the assumption of culture and the social distinction of the environment the children are involved in specifically mandate the adjustments and advancements that the field of ECE takes into serious concern. Relatively, this indicates that the modern world calls for a modern approach to teaching young learners. Considerably, the manners by which the field of early childhood education takes advancing procedures make a distinctive condition by which the modern society is likely to accept education as a source of modern competence in the society for young children hoping to instantiate a new future for the new generation.

References:

Sumsion, J. (2000). Rewards, Risks and Tensions: Perceptions of males enrolled in an early childhood teacher education programme. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education.

Lohmander, M.K. (2004). The fading of a teaching profession? reforms of early childhood teacher education in Sweden. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development.

Grieshaber, S and Ryan, S. (2005). Shifting from Developmental to Postmodern Practices in Early Childhood Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education.

Taguchi, H.L. (2007). Deconstructing and Transgressing the Theory—Practice dichotomy in early childhood education. Educational Philosophy and Theory.

Krieg, S. (2010). The Professional Knowledge that Counts in Australian Contemporary Early Childhood Teacher Education. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood.

Brown, C.P. (2009). Helping Preservice Teachers Learn to Teach for Understanding in this Era of High-stakes Early Education Reform. Early Childhood Education Journal.

Newman, L and Ashton, J. (2006). An unfinished symphony: 21^st century teacher education using knowledge creating heutagogies. British Journal of Educational Technology.