Sociology 3: Comparative Issues in Early Childhood Education

This essay, for a Sociology 3 course, undertakes a comparative analysis of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) systems across different countries, drawing on insights from various sources. The essay first contrasts curriculum approaches, highlighting the varying degrees of structure and educational opportunities provided for children of different ages in countries such as Singapore, Nordic countries, and Korea. The second point of focus is on the qualifications and minimum wages of childcare workers and their impact on the quality of care, referencing the situation in Canada. Finally, the essay discusses the conceptualization of ECEC within a global community, emphasizing the UN's goals for sustainable lifestyles, human rights, equality, cultural peace, and addressing the tension between academic readiness and overall child development, aiming to create a human well-prepared for all aspects of life.

Sociology 0
Title: comparative Issues and Contexts
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Sociology 1
21 early childhood education and care in the 21st Century
The idea of creating a separate kind of curriculum for the children of varying ages is a
very practical approach of ECEC. In Singapore, the children of 2 to 3 years have no
guidelines, they are free for thought and action, and require no particular lines on which they
need to be taught, thus keeping them free enough to enjoy their early childhood. In the Nordic
countries like Iceland, Finland, the childcare curriculum is the same till the age of 6,
simplifying it but not providing enough educational opportunities for elder children. The
same drawback also applies to Korea with their “Nuri Curriculum”. This is a holistic
approach that helps develop curiosity but wastes certain years of the child (Young, 2018).
The second idea, which is delineating the qualifications and minimum wages of
childcare workers is one that needs to be worked upon. The child’s early years are very
important for cognitive and physical development. They need full attention and clarity, thus
the worker who handles ten or more children together should be well equipped with thought
and knowledge (Semenec, 2017). In Canada, the Childcare workers are known to be mainly
female-driven, less qualified, and marginally underpaid. This is known to affect their interest
and quality of work towards the children.
Conceptualizing early childhood education and care for a global community.
The idea that the UN points out for a global system, that all the children must gain
knowledge for developing and leading sustainable lifestyles, human rights, equality, and
cultural peace, is the one on which every guideline for child development has been made.
This focuses on the overall development of any child.
The second food for thought that this book provides is the tension between academic
readiness and overall development. This tells the difference between developing a child into a

Sociology 2
bookworm or a person who can be street smart as well (Ailwood, 2017). The final approach
should be to create a human that is well versed and prepared for all aspects of life, and not
just focussing on one part of development.

Sociology 3
References
Ailwood, J. (2017). Exploring the care in early childhood education and care. Global Studies
Of Childhood, 7(4), 305-310.
Semenec, P. (2017). Book review: Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood
Education. Global Studies Of Childhood, 204361061773263.
Young, A. (2018). Changes in language education in the National kindergarten curriculum
and Nuri Curriculum. Journal Of Education & Culture, 24(4), 589-614.