Early Childhood Special Education Philosophy

The amount of people who live with disabilities is a controversial number. Depending on what law and diagnostic tools used, a person may have a visible disability, or one that may lie beneath the surface of his or her appearance. Some people believe that the term “disability” is merely a label use to hold back, or prescribe helplessness. Meanwhile, individuals who have been properly diagnosed with disabilities struggle to maintain respect and acceptance every day. In plain language, there is a lot of misunderstanding between people with disabilities and those without. It is firstly important to get everyone on the same page regarding the definition of disability.

Being an early childhood/special education major, I decided to observe during my field experience hours in a preschool class at Prairie Children Preschool, in Aurora. In this classroom, I observed a blended classroom, with ten out of fifteen children having IEPs. Thus far, I have visited three times and have completed a total of nine hours in the classroom. One opportunity I have in my placement is to be able to observe in the classroom on Fridays, during which only students enrolled in the Preschool for all program. Through my field experience I was able to observe Ms. Vanessa Seppa in the blended classroom. I have observed her work with children towards goals that have been set. Only having experience in early education made me curious as to the difference from preschool to the upper grades. One of my relatives was a substitute in a special education class and connected me to Vanessa Villalobos, who is a special education teacher in middle school.

Chapter two discusses various theorists that helped to mold and shape early childhood education to where it is today. There are several different theorists that contributed to the development of early childhood education. Some of these theorists include Alfred Adler, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and John Dewey. Each theorist developed a unique theory that has caused early childhood guidance and education to flourish like it has today. Without learning and building on these theories, early childhood guidance and education would never develop or change. The chapter explains how some theories may seem strange to the contemporary families, but these theories are the foundation of how early childhood education got to where it is today. The book goes

Early childhood is a time of curiosity, a time for play, and a time of rapid development. Every child is unique and deserving of an early childhood education that facilitates academic, social, and developmental growth through a variety of enjoyable experiences. Differentiated instruction adapts content, products and processes to meet the diverse learning needs and preferences of students (Thousand, Villa, & Nevin, 2007). Friedrich Froebel, the creator of Kindergarten, believed that children grow and learn as they play (Bruno, 2009). Play-based instruction not only enables young learners to have fun, but it also encourages interactive and cooperative learning, passion for discovery, and a foundation for later learning experiences

My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process

In England, it is a legal requirement under the EYFS for all early years settings to work with parents and other professionals to support children’s care, learning and development. Certain policies and procedures must be in place to protect children and for guidance.

I feel children need guidance and support from the world around them.  That is why they have parents, family and teachers.  I believe, like Barbara Coloroso and others, that children are worth all the work teachers put into their job.  Children are not only worth it, but they deserve our very best.  Even the "troublesome" kid in the class, deserves to get an education and learn how to read so he/she can fill out a job application when he/she is eighteen.  As adults, who have gone through most of our schooling, we owe

I am a student at Florida Atlantic University studying early childhood education. I am enrolled in EEC 3214 class this semester; the class is called designing and implementing a blending curriculum: birth to age eight. I am required to complete a field experience assignment at a preschool. I will observe young children ranging from three to five years old. I assure you that I will keep all information confidential. In addition, I reassure you that I will not share the information collected outside of my course and that no identifying information will be shared. I will respect and follow all the school’s policies and procedures in a professional manner.

This research report presents an analysis of and conclusions drawn from the experiences and perspectives of two educators that work in the early childhood setting. The main objective is to identify key elements and issues in relation to the families, diversity and difference. In particular how an early childhood educator implements, different approaches to honour culture and diversity, and to advocate for social justice in an early childhood settings. As such, it allows an insight into the important role that families and their background plays in the everyday lives of the children and educators within early childhood settings. In today’s ever-changing growing society it is essential for educators to be flexible to the

I want to become someone who teaches, an educator, a role model, a teacher. I want to help children in their early childhood education. I want to become a teacher because teachers play a very big role in children’s lives. Not only do they serve as educators, but for many kids, the classroom is where they feel the safest. They feel welcomed and at home. For these certain kids it is their one place of stability where they are always guaranteed to be loved and get fed and to have fun. I enjoy watching kids grow and helping them develop their learning skills. Every kid needs a good education and I want to be the one giving them that good education. I want to make a difference in their lives and prepare them for the road ahead.

Suspense, excitement, and nervousness are all emotions that I have once embarked on as a student at some point in my academic career. This seems a bit ironic, that I am now experiencing the same emotions as I am now venturing on my path to becoming a special education teacher. My journey will include challenging students to critically think, while establishing positive teaching strategies with open communication, adhering to various creative projects to retain class concepts, and collaborating with other seasoned teachers to gain helpful information to improving my class.

This essay is my personal philosophy statement on early childhood education which represent my views on what should be done in the early childhood sector these include ;to impart fine morals and ideals in the children that I come into contact with, esteem each child and the families culture, beliefs, and race, make sure that the treatment I give to each child is fair to ensure that in each child the feeling of equality is developed, I will also have the community work with the families of the children and the educationists as a team, be a constant advocator of the kids, maintain an environment full of fun, interesting and still

Chapter four in our text Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, stresses the positive effects early intervention has on children with disabilities. IDEA requires all children with disabilities to receive a free appropriate education. Though this law is in place it did not always encompass children below school age. “Since 1974, Congress has enacted five bills reauthorizing amending the original IDEA. The second of those bills, PL 99-457, has been called the most important legislation ever enacted for young children with developmental delays (Shonkoff & Meisels, 2000)(p. 499).”. Preschool services are now required to provide schooling for children age’s three to five. Additionally a grant program has been put in place to provide early intervention services for infants, toddler and their families.

If I have not made a difference, then what have I made in a child’s life? Daily I found myself pondering this question in my career, but most importantly in my pursuit of life. In my personal experience, I have found that during the infant and toddler stage, they are not challenged enough to investigate or think on their own. Once the child has reached school age he/she is looking to be told the answer then regurgitate it from memorization instead of comprehending and analyzing the concept on their own. Is this truly the goal we would like to have for our children future? I certainly hope not. My philosophy is that education is a tool used to help children think, create ideas, and become a unique individual. I feel that teacher should represent more questions in order to yield greater

In my freshman year of college at Parkland College I wasn’t positive about my major. Then, I took Introduction to Education class. This class gave me the idea of what I could really study as a major in my higher education career. From this I decided to major in early childhood special education. As a requirement of this major I had to do at least 15 hours of observation in a public school. One memorable experience I had was to work and help students that had speech disability. I felt great helping them because I strongly believe that “no child is left behind” and I want to help as much as I can for all students. Also, as a bilingual person, I think I can be a great help in early childhood even when English is not their first language, which