What are the roles and responsibilities of an early childhood teacher? What makes an early childhood teacher effective if they use developmentally appropriate practices (DAP)? According to DAP, there are five main facets that make up the role of an early childhood educator. Each facet makes up what needs to be done by an educator to encourage the children’s development and learning and by using DAP it gives the children support.
Community of learners The educator must build a community inside their classrooms. According to the NAEYC position statement on DAP; “The role of the community is to provide a physical, emotional, and cognitive environment conducive to that development and learning” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, pg. 16). To build a community is the foundation on how the children build relationships outside of their own homes and families. Every person in the child care and/or classroom community needs to know that they are appreciated, respected, that they are safe, and feel part of that community. As educators we need to model these types of interactions, whether it be to other children and/or to adults. To help build that community educators need to get to know every child and their families, observe and learn about each child’s personality, understand their abilities, know what they are interested in, and in what ways they learn. The most important are that the educator makes a point to grow a positive relationship with every child in its care.
This essay will discuss communication as being a fundamental part of the early childhood teacher’s role. Educators will communicate with many people during the course of their day. Developing positive relationships through open communication is a strategy that will benefit teachers, parents and most importantly, their students. Teachers must establish limits and expectations for students, not only in the classroom, but within individual lessons. Behaviour management is an essential skill that will be utilised regularly and will require a teacher to develop strategies for dealing with a variety of behaviours. Teachers are role models to their students, and this includes role modelling verbal and written communication methods. The teacher’s
All members of the staff must act as professionals while at work, especially with young children. The administrative and teaching staff must work together to ensure their practices are developmentally appropriate, and share new and/or creative ideas with one another. It is also the responsibility of a teacher to establish an open, trusting relationship with the parents of each children in their care. Thus, parents can freely communicate their thoughts, concerns, and/or suggestions about their child or the program. Parent satisfaction is something that every child care or development center should strive for.
I thrive on core knowledge base from within our field and evaluate our effectiveness. It gives us a framework within which to work and serves as springboard for improvement. I believe that as Early Childhood Educators we must be able to understand child development and demonstrate the implication of this knowledge in practice; provide an environment that is safe, healthy and nurturing and is trustworthy, consistent and secure for all. We must also plan, implement and evaluate developmentally appropriate curriculum to enhance all areas of children’s learning and development including physical, intellectual, creative, and language, emotional and social. As a Teacher Educator, we are guides for student-teachers , who in turn guides our children and should model and facilitate supportive relationships by utilizing developmentally appropriate techniques. As early childhood educators it is indicative that we support the development of individual children, recognizing that children are best understood in the context of family, culture and
The scope of this paper will be to compare the different roles that early childhood educators have in supporting the artistic development of children. The theorists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky and their respective beliefs regarding the instructional practice of early childhood educators will be examined and critiqued. Additionally, this paper will explore what these theorists believe to be the most effective way to teach the visual arts to young children and what role the early childhood educator plays in supporting their development. In a discussion of Piaget, the constructivist theory will be explained and connected to the visual arts education. The socio-cultural theory and social development theory will be closely examined when
I believe that as an early childhood educator my goal will be to promote the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child. I also believe that play should be the base of learning since children learn best by doing. I believe that a balance between teacher-directed and child-initiated activities is essential balance can be developed by using the developmentally appropriate practice approach, which means that activities should be “appropriate for each child and relevant to the child’s ability, needs and interests, also including the child’s family and being respectful to the child’s culture.
- Firstly, as an educator, it is my duty to know the families of the children I care for and develop a positive relationship with them. I will talk and chat with them to be familiar with their cultural background. I will build a connection with them and earn their trust. I will respect them and acknowledge their beliefs. This will help me to figure out how their child is brought up and what philosophies they instilled to their child. Also, it will help me to communicate better and gain the trust of their child.
built on trust, understanding, and caring will foster childrenâ€TMs cooperation and motivation and increase their positive outcomes at
Early education for children is very crucial as it helps shape up the foundation of their knowledge and behavior development process. Children begin to develop the sense of curiosity from the age of two. And from age 2-8, children go through a very crucial period of mental development, which shapes up their future mindset (Grayson, 2016). Early children education (ECE) has been listed as the number one priority of the National Association of Education. The teachers or educators at nursery and primary level are responsible to for developing young children’s sense of knowledge and education. In this paper, we will assess the roles and skills that are vital for an early childhood educator. Moreover, the paper will also present a
As early educators and advocates for young children, we need to be available to families in our area and play integral roles that can make a difference in their lives. Some ways that I could do that in a student’s life would be to assure that the family’s basic needs are met by striving to make a deeper connection, provide outside
Busch Middle School of Character had a wonderful sense of community, each student, instructor, and family, made sure they were doing their part. I believe it’s important for educators to understand the needs of the families and community of their students because the more resources the better. When schools actively involve parents
The NAEYC Initial Standard #4: using developmentally effective approaches focuses on using positive interactions to develop trusting relationships with all children and their families. Efficient early childhood education (ECE) professionals must use a broad range of approaches to create developmentally and age appropriate pedagogy that supports student’s needs, interest, readiness levels, abilities, disabilities, and overall cultural identities. ECE professionals must also reflect upon their practice to ensure
They need to be willing to work with the families in order to find the most advantageous programs and supports for their child. As mentioned in P-2.4 of the Code, these teachers are also responsible for “involv[ing] the family in significant decisions affecting their child” (NAEYC, 2005). Families need to be made aware of their child’s needs and the ways that the educator plans to meet those needs in the classroom. When these conversations happen, the parents typically become interested in learning about different ways that they can help their child at home. Collaboration and teamwork are vital amongst parents and educators, and creates a sense of trust that both parties are truly working in the best interest of the
As an early childhood educator, my mission is to encourage, inspire, support and motivate students while providing a fun, safe, and affectionate environment which builds friendships and lays the foundation for students to become life-long learners.
The first principle of D.A.P. is “creating a caring community of learners” (Bredekamp, 2014, p. 85). There are two aspects of creating a caring community of learners, which includes relationships and one’s learning environment. Because children learn and develop by having positive relationships with others, there needs to be a positive relationship between teachers, families, and children as well as between children and adults (Bredekamp, 2014, p. 85 & “Developmentally Appropriate
DAP stands for developmentally appropriate practices (Kostelnik). This means that the activities exposed to the children in the classroom are not overwhelming, or too difficult, for their skill level, but they are achievable, interesting, meaningful, and worth knowing for each individual child (Olsen). The resources I will use will be relevant to the children and appropriate according to the different families they come from and the community they live in (Olsen). My future DAP classroom will be safe for all children, look desirable, and have a stimulating atmosphere (Kostelnik). I seek to build wholesome relationships with the children and their families, so they are able to feel cared for and comfortable in the classroom, helping them progress as best they can (Olsen). The children will learn through self-directed play, centers, hands-on involvement, large/small groups, and routine (Olsen). Different activities are provided for the children on a daily basis where they can make choices, use their creativity, and have opportunities that help them understand the world around them (Olsen). It is my job as the teacher to provide diverse activities, strategies and teaching layouts that focus on the development of the whole child to help each individual learn in a plethora of ways (Olsen).