Early Childhood Philosophy

This document discusses the philosophy of early childhood education, including the activities, experiences, and learning modes used to assist children in their social and cognitive development. It also explores how young children learn through active learning and the use of their senses. The document further examines effective pedagogies for the early years, including the frameworks defined by educational authorities. Additionally, it discusses the professional roles and responsibilities of early childhood teachers.

Running Head: EARLY CHILDHOOD
Early Childhood Philosophy
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Young Children and How They Learn........................................................................................3
3. Effective Pedagogies for the Early Years....................................................................................4
4. Professional Roles and Responsibilities of the Early Childhood Teacher..................................5
5. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................7

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1. Introduction
Early childhood education is a commonly used term which encompasses the educational
programs which are meant for children in their preschool durations, which is the time before they
are old enough to get admitted to kindergarten schools. A number of activities, experiences, and
learning modes are used to assist the children through their social and cognitive development
before they enter elementary school (Wall, Litjens, & Taguma, 2015).
2. Young Children and How They Learn
Young children have a holistic way of learning. This means that they learn from many
things at the same time. An experience might teach them something and they might connect it
with something that seems unrelated. These connections form the foundation for context and
meaning (Drummond, 2017).
Young children also learn through active learning which are activities that allow the
children to learn through doing. Hands-on experience can be offered to children by constructing
real-time situations and presenting imaginary worlds, allowing the children to develop
imagination, speaking, language, thinking, and listening skills through creative play (Drummond,
2017).
In addition to this, young children use their senses to learn from their environment. Long
before the children develop their reasoning or speaking skills, their senses have become finely
tuned, allowing them to construct theories about their environment. In addition to creating
theories, they tend to test their theories, overcome challenges, make decisions, foster empathy,
solve problems, and build resilience based on their senses (Drummond, 2017).

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During the early years, a child's brain develops in a rapid way, while reinforcing the connections
among neurons. Therefore, early childhood presents a time of great risk of vulnerability to
disruption as well as a great benefit for adopting positive developmental influences too (The
National Academies Press, 2016).
3. Effective Pedagogies for the Early Years
Pedagogical approaches are essential for children’s development in their early years. In
order to promote pedagogy, a childhood education practitioner must have good knowledge as
well as a good understanding of the aims, principles, and contents of the framework defined by
the local government. For instance, in the UK, the pedagogical approach is based on the EYFS
(Early Years Foundation Stage). In the case of Australia, AITSL and ACECQA provide the
necessary framework for founding pedagogical approaches for the children (Wall, Litjens, &
Taguma, 2015). Observations, planning, evaluations, and assessments, all are influenced by the
framework defined by the educational authorities.
Generally, ACECQA has set standards for the education, care and development of
children from birth to age five. All the schools and early years education providers are bound to
follow the regulations and standards set by ACECQA. Through its goals, the ACECQA ensures
that young children learn and develop educational concepts. In addition to this, the goals also
include ensuring children's health and safety. The physical environment and relationships with
children are of no less importance as well (Australian Children's Education & Care Quality
Authority, 2018).
Pedagogical practices have been found to be associated with the positive simulation of
children's development. For instance, generally, play-based learning environments have been

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found very effective for enhancing children's academic and socio-emotional development (Wall,
Litjens, & Taguma, 2015).
4. Professional Roles and Responsibilities of the Early Childhood Teacher
Generally, early childhood teachers, engage in a variety of activities that are appropriate
for children. There are several roles and duties that the early childhood teacher must fulfil to be
successful as a teacher.
According to the AITSL standards, the first and most important responsibility of a
childhood teacher is to know students and how they learn. This knowledge about students is
usually in terms of physical, intellectual, and social development of students. The teacher must
have knowledge of teaching strategies that can be used for children that belong to diverse
linguistic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. The second most important role of the
teacher is to know the content and the right method to deliver the content. In addition to this, it is
the responsibility of the teacher to establish challenging learning goals and plan learning
programs to enhance the children’s development during their early years (American Institute for
Teaching and School Leadership, n.d.).
Using the right resources to teach the students is also an important responsibility of early
childhood teachers. For instance, the teacher must understand which tool or resource might be
most engaging for students. In addition to this, the teacher must use effective classroom
communication, both verbal and non-verbal.
5. Conclusion
Early childhood education is a commonly used term which describes the educational
courses and programs for children up to 5 years of age from their births. This education is before

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the children have joined their kindergarten schools. During this period, the children’s
development is rapid, which is why it is important to use the right teaching strategies and
methods to ensure positive development.

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References
American Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (n.d.). Introducing the Standards.
Retrieved from American Institute for Teaching and School Leadership:
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/understand-the-teacher-standards/how-the-standards-are-
organised
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority. (2018). National Quality Standard.
Retrieved from Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard
Drummond, M. J. (2017, March 15). How Young Children Learn. Retrieved from Early Arts:
https://earlyarts.co.uk/blog/how-young-children-learn
Measom, C. (2018, June 29). What Are the Duties of an Early-Childhood Teacher? Retrieved
from Chron: https://work.chron.com/duties-earlychildhood-teacher-14811.html
The National Academies Press. (2016). Child Development and Early Learning: A Foundation
for Professional Knowledge and Competencies. Washington, DC, US: The National
Academies Press. Retrieved from
https://www.nap.edu/resource/19401/ProfKnowCompFINAL.pdf
Wall, S., Litjens, I., & Taguma, M. (2015). Pedagogy In Early Childhood Education And Care
(Ecec): An International Comparative Study Of Approaches And Policies. UK:
Department of Education. Retrieved from
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/445817/RB400_-
_Early_years_pedagogy_and_policy_an_international_study.pdf