EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE.

Running Head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE 1
Early Childhood Education and Care
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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE 2
Table of content
1. Executive summary…………………………………………………………….3
2. Introduction………………………………………………………………........4
3. Body part which contains part A and part B…………………………………
4. Articulation on the sense of agency, self-identity, social responsibility and being,
belonging and becoming for children birth to 5 years……………………….4-5
5. Importance of the aspects mentioned above……………………………….5-6
6. Teaching strategies early childhood teachers need………………………7-8
7. Linkage with a theory…………………………………………………8-9
8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………9
9. References………………………………………………………………10

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE 3
Executive summary
From the time when children are born, the information and the environment they are
exposed to teach them about who they are. This can be reflected by them performing some
activities which include touching their own body, kicking objects like balls and grabbing things
teach them on the influence of their action in the world. This aspect defines self-identity. As
most of the children are growing, they develop the sense of agency and dependence and this
means that they are able to do most of the activities on their own. In addition to these, it is also
evident that they can explore and express themselves on various aspects happening in the world
(Højholt and Kousholt, 2018). For the children to develop a sense of agency, the teachers and
parents are supposed to allow children to be children so that they can be moulded to be different
people like leaders when they grow up. By allowing children to express their own needs and
power that is what is referred to as self-agency. This means it is the duty of early childhood
teachers and parents to express and also promote a sense of being, agency and offer collaborative
learning so that the children can identify their roles respectively.

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Introduction
Developing self-agency and self-identity in children is very important. This is because
they are able to make decision when they are young and grow with skills. Developing self-
agency on the children at birth to five years it means that they are able to make their choices and
decisions to many events that take place across the world or the environment they are living. By
allowing children to express their own needs and power that is what is referred to as self-agency.
This means it is the duty of early childhood teachers and parents to express and also promote a
sense of being, agency and offer collaborative learning so that the children can identify their
roles respectively.
Part A:
Understanding of self-agency, self-identity, social responsibility and being,
belonging and becoming in early childhood settings
Developing self-agency on the children at birth to five years it means that they are able to make
their choices and decisions to many events that take place across the world or the environment
they are living. When the sense of agency is developed into them they develop interdependence,
they are confident and also increase the chances of being responsible in their own health and also
in the physical wellbeing (Blaustein and Kinniburgh, 2018). For them to develop self-agency the
people living around them should create opportunities so that they can develop the confidence to
explore many concepts in the world. In these, they are curious in many aspects and hence they
ask questions concerning many concepts and strive towards doing most of their things right.
Moreover, they also get to understand that in some instances one can be right or wrong.

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Sense of identity to toddlers is a concept that can be identified. In these, the child
understands the instances when he or she has done something wrong. That’s why in most
instances most of them cry because they understand there is a consequence of not doing things
right. Moreover, they are able to identify their properties and that why in many instances they cry
claiming for their property. Social responsibility and being is the aspect where children are
cautious in everything they are taught by their teachers and also parents. It is the duty of every
parent to teach his children to be responsible for all that she does. This helps the children to grow
well and knowing the good morals and hence being a responsible citizen. In this children should
be taught on how to develop a good character in the society (Willis, 2017).
Belonging and becoming is an aspect that every child should possess. In this in the
concept of belonging the children understand where they belong. This means that they
understand that they belong to a specific family, know their culture, know their neighbours and
the wider community. These shapes children in who they become in the future. On being it’s the
time that a child seeks the meaning of the world. This is all about building a relationship with
others. Moreover, becoming means the instances where a child is shaped by different events and
circumstances in the world. This reflects the process that occurs in childhood age to when the
child grows to learn. This concept emphasizes on how the child learns to participate fully in
social activities (Olsen, 2016).
Importance of developing children sense of agency, self-identity, social responsibility
and being, belonging and becoming in early childhood settings.
Sense of agency its importance as the children develop their emerging autonomy,
children learn to increase their sense of being responsible. Being responsible means that children
at this age can take care of themselves, have their own control of physical being and avoid

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instances where they can be harmed by the objects of the physical environment. This aspect is
also important because children become confident in everything that they do and hence they are
always curious and this helps them to develop a sense of learning. Self-identity is important to
children because it helps them realize their goals in life and also it also helps them identify their
talents. For example, a talented child in playing footballs feels distressed when her leg is hurt
because he or she knows that his mission will not be achieved. Hence this means that it helps
children have the self-realization and also help them to distinguish the wrong and the right
aspects of life (McLean, 2016).
Developing children social responsibility and being is important in early childhood
settings as it helps them develop social skills and how they can have healthy interactions with
others in the community. This helps them to be responsible by learning good manners, being able
to express his or personal feeling and need to the parents, being responsible on how he or she
handles other children and hence they are able to make the meaningful bond with other children.
Developing a sense of belonging to children in their childhood setting is also important because
the sense of belonging makes children feel confident that they belong to a certain family (Weare,
2015). Moreover, this also makes a child feel happy and also confident in all that he or she does
because they know they have caring people on their back. How they are accepted and loved in
their family makes them feel proud and hence this can enable them to learn so many things
comfortably in their society. This also makes them create healthy relationships with the people
around them. For the children who don’t have a sense of belonging they are always stressed and
depressed in everything they do.it is important for the parents to make their children to know that
they belong somewhere so that they can be comfortable in everything they do in the community
(Sanford, 2017).

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Part B:
Teaching strategies and skills early childhood teachers require to promote children
sense of agency and self-identity in early childhood settings.
For the children to develop self-agency teachers require some teaching strategies and
skills so that they can promote that in children. The first strategy is that teachers should provide
them with opportunities where they can develop confidence by giving chance to ask questions,
also express their ideas and give them the opportunity to understand that some perspectives are
wrong and others are right (Hsieh, 2015). Another strategy is enabling children to develop
creativity and imagination on various perspectives being learned in class. Another strategy that
teachers should develop is allowing the children to make choices for themselves. This is a great
step so that a child can develop a sense of self-agency and also be able to be independent.
Moreover, another strategy is making the resources of learning easily accessible to the children
so that they can learn without the need of the teacher or any other adult assistance. This aspect
enables the children to use the resources on their own learning independently without depending
on the teacher’s assistance (Young, 2017).
Moreover, teachers should create open environments that allow children to choose where
they should stay outside or inside. These enable children to make their own decisions
independently. Another strategy is that teachers should encourage children to take responsibility
for their own preferences these make them grow knowing what they are supposed to do and what

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they are not supposed to do. Moreover, another strategy is encouraging children to be responsible
of their own needs and wellbeing in this they encourage children to know how to eat when to
sleep, how to go to the toilet and identify sleeping times. Moreover, another teaching strategy is
allowing children to solve challenging work. The essence of this is to show the children that life
experiences are not simple and they require hard work and perseverance (Vincent, 2017).
The teaching strategies that early childhood teachers require to promote children self-
identity includes; thinking of brain development; this involves understanding the environment
which children are being nurtured to and hence this affects the way the child's brain is developed.
In this, they should take time to learn more about children stress, how the young child brain
works and its development. Another strategy is teaching children acceptance and respect. This is
relevant because the teacher is a great contributor to good morals reflected by children (Miller,
Morgan and Medina, 2017). Accepting oneself and respecting others as a child is very essential.
Another strategy is teaching them on how to associate with positive models in this the child will
grow following the footstep of his or her role model. Moreover, teaching them on how to cope
with defeat is very essential as the child will grow knowing how to cope with the challenges of
life. They also support children developing sense by teaching new skills like doing creative
works. These enable’s children to know their talents and hence develop them for future use.
Another strategy is allowing them to things on their own so that they can develop a sense of
confidence in them (Kayi-Aydar, 2015).
Linkage of the teaching strategies with contemporary theory and principles,
practices and outcomes of the early years learning framework.
One of the contemporary theory that can be linked with the teaching strategies and skills
of early childhood teachers is the self –cognitive theory. This can be linked with the learning

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process that is being conducted between the teacher and the child. The theory suggests that
ineffective learning communication is essential so that the learning process can be influenced.
This means all that the teacher communicates are very essential to the development of the child
(Ng and Lucianetti, 2016). Hence this enables the child to acquire self-agency and self-identity.
Most of the teachers use practical work which enables the children to understand the concept
being learned. This can be linked with the theory because it uses performing behavior so that the
individuals can understand the subsequent behaviors. Understanding behaviors means that they
are able to distinguish what is good and what is bad. This means children growing up
distinguishing good behaviors and bad behaviors is very essential.
The early years learning framework is set to enrich the children from birth to five years.
This has been developed so that teachers can learn how to provide children with potential and
hence developing their foundation for the future. This framework form especially in Australia it
forms a foundation which ensures that children receive quality learning for their development. It
has its principle that all children must acquire quality education, be successful learners in society,
be confident individuals and active and informed citizens. In this, it is formed in Australia to
close the educational gap which is experienced in the area. Hence this framework is set to deliver
a positive outcome in the society (Gregory, 2017).
Conclusion
It is important for children to develop a sense of self-agency and self-identity. In this, the
children will understand many perspectives on the surrounding and also realize many things
which can help him or her in the future. It is important for the teachers to formulate teaching
strategies so that the children can develop a sense of agency and self-identity in childhood

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
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settings. These children are able to realize their talents, understand the challenges experienced in
life and know how to solve problems in the future.
References
Blaustein, M. E., & Kinniburgh, K. M. (2018). Treating traumatic stress in children and
adolescents: How to foster resilience through attachment, self-regulation, and
competency. Guilford Publications.
Gregory, E. (2017). One child, many worlds: Early learning in multicultural communities.
Routledge.
Højholt, C., & Kousholt, D. (2018). Children participating and developing agency in and across
various social practices. In International Handbook of Early Childhood Education (pp.
1581-1597). Springer, Dordrecht.
Hsieh, B. (2015). The importance of orientation: Implications of professional identity on
classroom practice and for professional learning. Teachers and Teaching, 21(2), 178-190.
Kayi-Aydar, H. (2015). Teacher agency, positioning, and English language learners: Voices of
pre-service classroom teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 45, 94-103.
McLean, K. C. (2016). The co-authored self: Family stories and the construction of personal
identity. Oxford University Press, USA.
Miller, E. R., Morgan, B., & Medina, A. L. (2017). Exploring language teacher identity work as
ethical self‐formation. The Modern Language Journal, 101(S1), 91-105.

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Ng, T. W., & Lucianetti, L. (2016). Within-individual increases in innovative behavior and
creative, persuasion, and change self-efficacy over time: A social–cognitive theory
perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(1), 14.
Olsen, B. (2016). Teaching for success: Developing your teacher identity in today's classroom.
Routledge.
Sanford, N. (2017). Self and society: Social change and individual development. Routledge.
Vincent, C. (2017). ‘The children have only got one education and you have to make sure it's a
good one’: parenting and parent–school relations in a neoliberal age. Gender and
Education, 29(5), 541-557.
Weare, K. (2015). What works in promoting social and emotional well-being and responding to
mental health problems in schools. London: National Children’s Bureau.
Willis, P. (2017). Learning to labour: How working class kids get working class jobs. Routledge.
Young, R. (2017). Personal autonomy: Beyond negative and positive liberty. Routledge.