Four ways to maintain a high quality early childhood curriculum
From the very early age of their children, parents tend to focus on the quality education for their children so that a strong educational base for future studies and learning. Children are mainly impacted by positive experiences and stable environments during the first three years. In regard to this it needs to be mentioned that these initial three years are considered as the most crucial period for brain development of a child (Van Hoorn et al., 2014). In this age, children generally possess more learning capacity and a tendency to make social progress than the other stages of life. Hence, there is strong demand of high quality childhood program has always been seen high. The whole idea of high quality childhood program is to increase the learning capacity of children keeping the higher studies in view. There are number of standards as well as regulations according to which the early childhood programs should be conducted. Hence, before discussing the ways of quality maintenance in the early childhood programs the parameter of quality must be understood. The quality of early childhood learning program can be defined in terms of healthy environment, a proper guidance, advanced learning modules and so on. Hence, the discussion below discusses the major ways through which the quality at a higher rate can be maintained in childhood.
Creative teaching strategy: As per McLachlan, Fleer & Edwards, (2018), unlike the traditional classroom teaching strategy, in order to maintain high quality childhood curriculum, the teaching staffs or the mentors need to be creative in the way of teaching. Through a creative curriculum as well as teaching strategy, teachers can make the children confident in thinking critically. Thus teachers must use advanced teaching strategies with different toys, play games, visuals, etc. Generally, the initial three years are considered as the most critical timeline of life in which children learn most of the things in a rapid manner. However, due to age and less understanding capacity children do not understand critical subjects. Thus, the teaching method for them needs to be attractive so that it catches their attention easily (Wortham, 2014). The teaching or learning material needs to be innovative so that when children learn through those materials, an urge to innovate ore create grows 2ithin them. For example, clay can be one of the most useful materials while teaching children of 1-3 years. The most effective way of teaching with clay will be leaving a children with the clay and let him or her to develop anything out of it that he or she wants to. This method will effective as without any external forces, children themselves will able to develop an urge to gain knowledge which is the foundation of learning.
Creative teaching strategy
Efficient teaching stuff: Efficient teaching stuff is the key factor of quality early childhood program as they remain responsible for the maintenance of quality. Hence, while recruiting, it must be ensured the teaching stuffs have proper knowledge of dealing with children of 1-3 years (Roskos, 2017). If necessary training program can be arranged in order to train the stuffs regarding childcare and teaching. While training them it needs to be assured that persons responsible for teaching the children have certain qualities within them such as patience, humanity, sense of responsibility and so on. These factors are essentially important since in the stage of 1-3, children remain in a vulnerable condition. Instead of low educational background, the persons responsible for care giving must be ensured have proper training. Professional development needs be on the highest priority so that they gain the knowledge regarding how to behave properly with the children (Bers et al., 2014). From administrators to teaching stuffs to caregivers, each individual involbed in the early childhood program must be assured that they maintain a healthy behavioral attitudes as children learn what they see. Certain rules and regulations can be imposed on the teaching stuffs, in case of breach of behavioral norms penalization can also be imposed in them in order to refrain them from performing any unpleasant acitivities.
Evaluation and observation: The other major useful way of maintaining quality in childhood program can be observation and evaluation. In this regard it needs to be mentioned that children of 1-3 years do not have ability of understand what is meant by assessment or evaluation (de Freitas & Palmer, 2016). Thus, the teaching members will be required monitor on them regarding their activities, behavior and nature. Through a close observation the teaching members needs to undestand the mental capacity, tendency, likings or disliking and then undertake the process towards further improvement (Bredekamp, 2014). For example, if children are observed with lack of communication ability, the educational program needs to be modified with communication lessons. Apart from observation or monitoring other method to maintain quality in childhood program will be assessment or evaluation. The teaching stuffs must conduct evaluation regarding the cultural and linguistic characteristics so that their development can be understood. For instance, it is not possible that every child will experience equal development; it is highly possible that while some children will be developed in a rapid manner, others might develop in a slow manner (Weldemariam et al., 2017). Hence assessment will be useful for them in order to understand in what areas children need improvement and then can be planned accordingly.
Efficient teaching stuff
Safety and wellbeing: Safety is the foremost thing that itself defines quality in early childhood program. Since the children have less understanding capacity and are depended on others, safety must be given highest priority (Li & Chen, 2017). Hence, the teaching stuffs are needed to remain always alert about the whereabouts and activities of the children so that any unpleasant incident does not occur. On the other in order to maintain quality, it must be assured that children are not behaved harshly and do not gather bad experience when they come to gather knowledge. For example, it is often seen that children are beaten in case of misconduct in preschool centers which results in developing of unwillingness of the children to go learning centers. Such behaviors must be refrained from occurred In view of maintaining quality in early childhood program (Krogh & Morehouse, 2014). On the other hand, the well-being needs to be given attention with the aim of increasing quality so that the children are encouraged to attend the learning centers. It needs to be assured that the children enjoy while learning. Hence happiness of the children must be focused on a priority basis.
Teachers: Teaching stuff is the key factor of value early childhood program as they stay in charge of the support of quality. Consequently, while selecting, it must be guaranteed the teaching stuffs have legitimate information of managing children of 1-3 years (Bloch, Swadener & Cannella, 2014). The essential learning system can be orchestrated with a specific end result to prepare the stuffs in regards to childcare and educating. While preparing them it should be guaranteed that people in charge of encouraging the children possess certain characteristics inside them, for example, tolerance, mankind, awareness of other’s expectations etc. These variables are basically vital since in the phase of 1-3, children remain in sensitive condition. Rather than low instructive foundation, the people in charge of consideration giving must have appropriate training (Brodin & Renblad, 2015). Proficient improvement needs be on the most elevated need so that they gain the information in terms of appropriate behavior with children. From managers to instructing stuffs to parental figures, every individual engaged with the early childhood program must be assured that they keep up sound conduct demeanors as children follow their falls. Certain standards and directions can be forced on the training stuffs.
Environment: Environment is the first thing that characterizes quality in early youth program. Since the children have less understanding limit and are relied upon others, wellbeing must be given highest attention (Van Hoorn eta l., 2014). Thus, the training stuffs are expected to remain constantly cautious about the movements and exercises of the children with the assuring non occurrence of unpleasant situation. On the other hand, along with a specific end goal to look after quality, it must be guaranteed that children do not demonstrate violence against each other and do no gain terrible experience when they come to learn and gain knowledge. The practices like beating must be abstained from happened in perspective of maintaining quality in early childhood program (McLachlan, Fleer & Edwards, 2018). Then again, the prosperity should be given consideration with the point of expanding quality so that the children themselves enthusiastically go to the learning centers. An healthy environment must be given priority so that children enjoy while learning.
Evaluation and observation
Observation: The other major valuable feature for maintaining quality in early childhood program is observation. In such manner it needs to b stated that children of 1-3 years do not possess the capacity of comprehend what is implied by appraisal or evaluation (Wortham, 2014). Consequently, the teaching individuals will be required screen on them with respect to their exercises, conduct and nature. Through close observation teaching individuals needs to understand the psychological limit, propensity, likings or disliking and afterward attempt the procedure towards further change. The teaching members must lead assessment with respect to the social and linguistics qualities so that their improvement can be comprehended (Roskos, 2017). Consequently observation will be helpful for them so as to comprehend in what territories children will require change and afterward can be arranged appropriately.
Curriculum: Dissimilar to the conventional classroom training procedure, the teaching staffs or the guides should be innovative in the method for educating (Bers et al., 2014). Through an inventive educational program and also showing procedure, instructors can make the children positive about reasoning fundamentally. Subsequently, instructors must utilize propelled encouraging systems with various toys, play recreations, visuals, etc. For the most part, the early years are considered as the most basic time period of life in which kids learn the vast majority of the things in a quick way. However, because of age and less understanding limit children cannot comprehend basic subjects. In this manner, the training strategy for them should be alluring with the goal that it grabs their attraction effortlessly. The educating or learning material should be inventive so when children learn through those materials and an urge to gain knowledge is grown within them. This strategy will viable as without any outside influence, children themselves will be ready to build up an inclination to gain knowledge which is the establishment of learning.
Introduction about ONE quality early childhood curriculum or program
In respect to discussion with the quality early childhood curriculum program, an early childhood curriculum will be discussed below. For the purpose of that, the curriculum of language and literacy has been chosen.
Language and literacy
Children must be given multiple exposures to words so that they will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the meaning of the words and the proper usage of them. The teaching strategy will be including the program in which students will be introduced a large number of new words. Gradually, the students will be learnt about the words in each classroom activity.
- The vocabulary program will be conducted under several themes so that the children will be assisted while understanding the association between words and their proper application.
- The program will also include the reading aloud activity of the learnt words so that they will be able to make the pronunciation of the words correctly.
Safety and wellbeing
The students will be given the opportunity of more speaking activity so that the language fluency between the children will be increased. The whole idea of the program will be making the children self confident while communicating verbally. The opportunity of speaking activity will not only make the students capable of speaking fluently but also increases the ability of social interactions between the children. The following programs will be undertaken in order to maintain quality in the childhood learning program.
- The program will include group activities in which children with less ability of communication and the children with fair ability of communication comparatively will be encouraged to perform tasks in a combined manner.
- The children will be given scopes to take initiatives enthusiastically for making conversation between each other.
- The program will use prompts while teaching so that learning becomes attractive to the children and they make self attempts to express their emotion in the form of conversation more clearly.
- The program or curriculum will be using the question and answer format with an aim of creating curiosity within the children in order to gain knowledge. The questions must be open so that the more scope of conversation or utterance of words will be created.
While conducting the language program, the level must be gradually increased from easy towards difficult. More emphasis will be given towards the practical based learning instead of theory based. The whole idea of the learning program will be encouraging the children’s participation in an active manner. Instead of classroom activities, the learning program will be more effective if it is done with modern prompts and within natural environment.
The three major elements of curriculum approach are objectives, learning experience and content. Before developing a curriculum, the very first step needs to be setting up of objectives. Providing quality education opportunity should be the main objective of early childhood curriculum (Wortham, 2014). The whole idea of an early childhood curriculum must be enhancing the urge within children in order to obtain knowledge. In order to maintain quality, it must be assured that children are not behaved harshly and do not gather bad experience when they come to gather knowledge. For example, it is often seen that children are beaten in case of misconduct in preschool centers which results in developing of unwillingness of the children to go learning centers (de Freitas & Palmer, 2016). Through a creative curriculum as well as teaching strategy, teachers can make the children confident in thinking critically. Thus teachers must use advanced teaching strategies with different toys, play games, visuals, etc. Generally, the initial three years are considered as the most critical timeline of life in which children learn most of the things in a rapid manner (Roskos, 2017). However, due to age and less understanding capacity children do not understand critical subjects. Thus, the teaching method for them needs to be attractive so that it catches their attention easily.
Conclusion
Thus, in order to conclude it is apt to assert quality education has been centered on with the aim that a string instructive base for children’s future studies and learning. Children are primary impacted by positive encounters and stable situations in the initial years. With respect to this it should be said that these initial stages are considered as the most critical period for mental development of a child. In this age group, children generally can learn the most than other phases of life. The entire concept of quality childhood program is to enhance the learning capacity of children keeping their retention on the quality parameter in view. There are number of principles and controls as indicated, by which the early childhood projects ought to be led. Subsequently, before examining the methods for quality support in the early childhood programs the parameter of value must be comprehended. The nature of early youth learning system can be characterized as far as solid condition, a proper direction, propelled learning module, etc. Thus, the discussion above examined the real courses through which the quality at a higher rate can be maintained in adolescence learning program.
References
Bers, M. U., Flannery, L., Kazakoff, E. R., & Sullivan, A. (2014). Computational thinking and tinkering: Exploration of an early childhood robotics curriculum. Computers & Education, 72, 145-157.
Bloch, M. N., Swadener, B. B., & Cannella, G. S. (2014). Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Care and Education. A Reader. New York: Peter Lang.
Bredekamp, S. (2014). Effective practices in early childhood education: Building a foundation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Brodin, J., & Renblad, K. (2015). Early childhood educators’ perspectives of the Swedish national curriculum for preschool and quality work. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43(5), 347-355.
de Freitas, E., & Palmer, A. (2016). How scientific concepts come to matter in early childhood curriculum: rethinking the concept of force. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 11(4), 1201-1222.
Krogh, S. L., & Morehouse, P. (2014). The early childhood curriculum: Inquiry learning through integration. Routledge.
Li, H., & Chen, J. J. (2017). Evolution of the early childhood curriculum in China: The impact of social and cultural factors on revolution and innovation. Early Child Development and Care, 187(10), 1471-1483.
McLachlan, C., Fleer, M., & Edwards, S. (2018). Early childhood curriculum: Planning, assessment and implementation. Cambridge University Press.
Roskos, K. A. (Ed.). (2017). Play and literacy in early childhood: Research from multiple perspectives. Routledge.
Van Hoorn, J. L., Monighan-Nourot, P., Scales, B., & Alward, K. R. (2014). Play at the center of the curriculum. Pearson.
Weldemariam, K., Boyd, D., Hirst, N., Sageidet, B. M., Browder, J. K., Grogan, L., & Hughes, F. (2017). A critical analysis of concepts associated with sustainability in early childhood curriculum frameworks across five national contexts. International Journal of Early Childhood, 49(3), 333-351.
Wortham, S. C. (2014). Early childhood curriculum. Pearson Education Asia Limited.
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