Early Childhood Education

1. Early Childhood Education Lauren Fahey

2. The Curriculum Framework • These are some of the broad developmental goals that are hope to be achieved • 1. wellness • 2. communication • 3. valuing culture • 4.Intellectual empowerment • 5. respect for selves, others and the environment • 6. resilience

3. The Thematic Integrated Curriculum • The integrated curriculum places equal emphasis on advancing children’s skills in all the domains of development, viz: personal, social- emotional skills and spirituality (affective domain), aesthetic or expressive skills (creative domain ), intellectual and language skills (cognitive domain) and fine and gross motor skills (psychomotor domain).

4. Cont. • The domains of development are constantly interacting with and affecting each other. For example, a child who is unhappy and has low self-esteem (affective domain) is less likely to perform well academically (cognitive domain) than a child who is happy and satisfied with self. Similarly a child who is physically undernourished or sick (psychomotor domain) is less likely to cope academically (cognitive domain) than one who is well developed and healthy.

5. Model of a typical schedule • 1. arrival • 2. free play • 3. devotion: this is a brief exercise that places a large emphasis on character building and development of positive values and attitudes, like kindness and honesty • 4. circle time • 5. guided learning: this is when individuals or small groups engage in skill building activities that will usually reinforce a previous lesson

6. Cont. • 6. transition periods: the shifting period between activities • 7. meal time • 8. outside play • 9. rest time • 10. creative activities: experience the creative arts like painting, dancing or singing

7. Examples of different learning activities • 1. vocabulary: children should be encouraged to learn to use in conversation. Practitioners should make an effort to continue to reinforce the use of newly learned words in daily verbal interactions. • 2. sight words: These are high frequency words which children will encounter. Recognition of these words will enhance the children’s reading fluency. It is recommended that practitioners reinforce these words using flash cards, word walls and memory games. Children can be encouraged to learn to spell the words in these lists.

8. Literacy skills for early childhood developement • The early childhood period is characterized by tremendous growth. Language development occurs at a pace which is not replicated at any other time in the lifespan. The skills learnt at this stage will form the foundation for literacy development, a critical skill needed for survival and the efficient functioning as an adult. Early childhood practitioners have the enormous task of ensuring the development and nurture of these skills.

9. Why Math skills are important in early childhood • 1.Mathematics is a life skill • 2.We need to lay the foundation for future learning of mathematics and logical skills • 3.Everything around us can be better understood with mathematics • 4.When children are young it is a good time for them to become interested in counting, sorting, building shapes, measuring and estimating • 5. Children should be given the opportunity to experience mathematics as they play and explore their world • 6. Linking mathematics with the other disciplines such as music, science, nature and art can better help the child learn the subject.

10. Math process strands that are emphasized • 1.Communication – Children must be given the opportunity to talk about what they are learning. This means that they can express themselves through words, drawings and pictures. When children are given the opportunity to talk, it helps them to think about what they are doing and make their own thoughts clearer. It also improves their vocabulary. • 2.Connection – Mathematics must be connected to real world situations, since connections make mathematics easier to understand. The use of stories, poems, finger plays, jingles and nursery rhymes is employed to help make mathematics meaningful to the child. Mathematics relates to many subjects such as science, art and music.

11. Cont. • 3.Problem solving – Mathematics is all about problem solving. Young children are eager to solve problems if given the time and the opportunity to do so. They also learn when they are given concrete objects to use, as well as when they are encouraged to tell how they worked out the answer to a given problem. Through problem solving children learn many different ways to find solutions to given scenarios. Problem solving involves the ability to explore, think and reason and helps to build language and social skills. • 4.Representation – The use of manipulatives, especially counters, and drawings must be a part of the mathematics lesson. These are children at the concrete operation level, while some may be at the semi-concrete level. Care must be exercised when using semi- concrete ideas because not all children are able to operate at this level. Encourage children to use drawings to express their understanding of a given problem • 5.Reasoning and proof – Children love to express themselves. They must be encouraged to talk about their thinking. They should be given the time and opportunity to say how they arrived at their answer. To promote reasoning, ask the child relevant questions and give them the opportunity to answer.

12. Examples of some developmental objectives (wellness) Wellness: ›Demonstrate greater coordination, self-control, balance, speed and agility in carrying out movements of the upper and lower limbs and for locomotor activity; begin to jump rope, hop on alternating foot, turn somersault. Show increasing confidence and skill in using play equipment; kick, catch/throw with increasing sense of aim and direction ›Follow instructions requiring quick reaction; judge well in physical placement, direction and timing ›Continue to engage in imaginative and creative play indoors and outdoors ›Demonstrate greater coordination and control in fine motor skills

13. communication • Communication: ›Enjoy the use of “big” words and “trying out” language with nonsense and silly phrases; make longer sentences ›Enjoy telling jokes, initiating and participating in conversations; speak audibly to a varied audience ›Listen attentively, respond to and evaluate what was heard; express positive and negative feelings verbally ›Describe events and situations, share personal and meaningful experiences and relate events in stories to own personal experiences

14. Valuing cultures • Valuing culture: ›Recognize and participate in a variety of national, and ethnic traditions and cultural practices, e.g. Festival, Carnival, Food Festivals ›Participate in cultural activities of school, church and community ›Demonstrate socially acceptable behaviours, e.g. stand at attention when singing the National Anthem and saying the National Pledge ›Discuss food associated with different ethnic Jamaican communities or groups ›Recognize and name some of the national emblems/symbols/traditions, e.g. National Flower, Tree, Dish

15. Intellectual empowerment • Intellectual empowerment: ›Grasp concepts of past, present and future, but not duration of time ›Begin to express information in various ways, e.g. models, drawings, paintings and text ›Participate in activities to develop pre-numeracy skills in sorting, classifying, ordering, sequencing and patterning ›Sort objects into groups and sets according to shape, size and number of sides ›Sort, identify, name and describe simple geometric shapes, e.g. circle, square, triangle, rectangle

16. Intellectual empowerment cont. • Pick up a beat in song, rhyme, poem for a number of locomotor activities, e.g. walking, sliding, tip-toeing ›Distinguish between high and low sounds (pitch) ›Recognize and respond to slow and fast rhythms and tempo ›Paint on a variety of surfaces ›Show awareness of straight and curved lines ›Complete lacing cards on own

17. Respect for self, others and the environment • ›Continue to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence; take pride in own work and effort; feel good about self; feel that they can succeed and experience success • ›Continue to demonstrate more independence and sense of responsibility • ›Continue to express a strong need for love, attention, affirmation from parents, teachers and all practitioners

18. Cont. • ›Function appropriately as a member of a group, sharing, listening, taking turns, cooperating, negotiating disputes, being considerate and helpful • ›Participate in group games and cooperative play ›Show curiosity about how and why things happen; how they work and suggest explanations • ›Continue to use courtesies and polite expressions, e.g. “Excuse me,” “Thank you,” “You are welcome” and “Please”

19. Cont. • ›Display appropriate and responsible social behaviours in relation to the environment • ›Give basic care under supervision to pets and plants in their environment • ›Investigate and discuss similarities and differences in their environment

20. resilience • Resilience: ›Recognize the dangers of playing in the street or places frequented by vehicular traffic ›Demonstrate knowledge of road safety rules ›Make decisions and solve problems in a group setting ›Continue to develop a sense of responsibility for own actions ›Make decisions based on an understanding of right from wrong; express positive and negative feelings ›Show increasing ability to adapt to different situations ›Develop awareness of the consequences of playing with potentially dangerous objects such as matches, electrical outlets, knives, plastic bags, etc ›In an emergency, know who to call ›Show understanding of safe and unsafe practices ›Persevere in completing tasks

21. bibliography • http://www.ecc.gov.jm/Downloads/Curriculum/JECCG_[Four-to-Five-Year-Old]__(final)_intrnt.pdf