The Core Values of Early Childhood Education

Many times, as parents, we wonder which teaching method is best for our child. We often exchange 'our' teaching methods with other parents and perhaps unconciously, we placed 'their' methods on our child; hoping or thinking that any ABC-methods works on 'ANY' child.

As Parents - when our child behaves incorrectly, have we consider what triggered them to behave in that particular way. Perhaps it was something they have seen and picked up (in their environment which they deemed 'correct'.

Have we really consider: 'How we should set good example ourselves' and the 'Do's and Dont's' in their presence.

Have we set restrictions solely for 'our convenience' or rather 'for safety reasons'.

How do we know if we are on the correct path (ourselves)?

A fundamental tenet of early childhood education is that we must treat children in an ethical fashion.

Ethical Principles >

1. Do what is right, just and good, rather than what is merely expedient, convenient or practical.

When trying to correct disruptive behaviour;
==> measures used must be effective
==> methods must effectively teach self-control to the children who are acting inconsiderately, so that they:

• can learn to cope with emotional setbacks without becoming over-whelmed;
• can develop pride in their ability to manage themselves; and
• do not become ostracised by others because of their inconsiderate actions.

2. Do no harm.

When wanting children to learn the correct behaviour or amend their wrongdoings, we do not;

• degrade them
• intimidate them
• humiliate them
• punish them with frightening disciplinary strategies
• place unnecessary restrictions on them - other than for safety reasons

3. Children deserves justice.

Give children equal and fair treatments; applied with reference to characteristics such as culture, gender, religion etc.

4. Any behavioral intervention to be delivered competently by someone with adequate training, eperience and supervision.

Education Tenets >

Children develop because of, rather than in, their environments. They construct their own unique perspectives of the world, shaped by both their makeup and their social settings. Hence it is important that the enviroment we provide for them must suit their present development needs and context. Children's behaviour is not determined by outside rewards nad punishments, but is driven by a whole constellation if internal and external factors, such as the child's home settings, their emotional needs, their problem-solving skills, the extent to which theyu feel accepted by peers and adults.

1. Focus on process rather than content

Knowing the facts (content) is less important than knowing how to acquire them (process). When it comes to learning self-discipline, we can highlight on the following:

• using language to negotiate with others and to direct one's own actions;
• understanding the relationships among objects, people and events and the effects of one's actions on others;
• practising problem-solving skills

2. Disposition

Key aim: to encourage in children positive attitudes to learning and to themselves as learners so that they remain willing to put in effort required to achieve.

Disposition includes: engagement, playfulness, motivation, persistence, independence, cooperativeness, curiosity, enthusiasm for learning, confidence, patience, exploration, adventurousness, intellectual rigour, creativity, open-mindedness, self-awareness and self-control.

We need to encourage children to be considerate of others, cooperate with others, exercise self-discipline and act morally. We must not only to make it easier for children to meet our expectations, but we must also make children more willing to do so. Only when they understand the reason behind their every act, in future they will treasure our good opinion of them and will seek to consider our needs as well as their own.

3. Emotional Support for Children

Children's self-esteem must remain intact throughout correction of their behaviour, hence we have to safeguard their emotional development by:

• establishing a safe and caring physical and emotional environment that supports and protects all their rights to learn and grow personally;
• helping them establish satisfying and successful social relationships;
• developing in each child a healthy self-esteem

Conclusion: Our children are learning, so are we. If we regard them as naughty each time their action is not on par to what we deem is right, den shouldn't we regard ourselves as the 'BIG naughty' for not guiding them the correct path in the first place.