Early Childhood Education - Essay Example

Running Head: Early Childhood Education Critical evaluation of Countries early childhood education as an Analytical report : Date: Course: Critical evaluation of Countries early childhood education as an Analytical report. Introduction. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in England has evolved randomly and spasmodically since its inception. There have been times when the growth and development has been rapid and times when its growth and development has been hampered by external factors. This paper takes a look at this development from the beginning to the present day taking into account different aspects and the factors that helped shape this sector. This kind of evaluation cannot be complete if taken in isolation and select countries have been used as models for comparison purposes. The role of pioneers and other key players in this sector has been acknowledged as some of the issues they bought up are still subject of debate to this day. 1.0. Influences. 1.01. Historical and social Influences in England and Wales. An attempt to give a historical account of the development of early childhood education and care system is bound to raise the question of accuracy. Nevertheless this paper endevours to give a guideline in the discussion of issues from the early days that have a bearing on issues arising today. It is widely acknowledged that Robert Own a Welshman was the first to establish a nursery school in the UK in 1816. His outfit was called ‘The institution for the formation of character’. Owen was motivated by a desire to provide care and education to children whose parents were working in the cotton fields. He was one of the visionaries who appreciated that early childhood education and care was an integral element in developing a better society. Later in 1870 the education act was enacted into law and established compulsory elementary schools for children from age 5. In 1880 elementary education became compulsory for all children between 5 and 13 years. Board of Education, (1905). Owen’s ideas were obviously ahead of their time ad raised some themes that are extremely relevant in England today. According to Scarr (1998), early childhood education and care delves into 3 seemingly conflicting rationales. Firstly, it seeks to maintain maternal employment, assist in child development and lastly to bridge the social gap between the poor children and others from the mainstream society. One of the key historical themes of the Early childhood education and care in England is the question about the form that curriculum for the early years should take. Blenkin, Geva M., & Kelly, A. V. (1994). This has continually been a subject of debate and it prompted a report by Plowden in 1964 that called for child-centered system (CACE, 1967). When elementary education became compulsory, the schools also started receiving and admitting children less than five years for practical reasons and the figures kept rising by the year. In 1905, women inspectors were commissioned by the education board to examine the admission of babies in elementary schools. They disapproved the entire practice and suggested separate facilities for the younger children (Board of Education, 1905). This issue of age in relation to school admission is still debated today. Rousseaus theories on education have cast profound influences on modern educational ideals. He reduced the significance of book learning, and advocated that a childs emotions should be cultured before his reason. He stressed on learning by experience. Later in 1911, Margaret McMillan and her sister Rachel established a nursery to cater for children from economically disadvantaged families. Her nursery was based on her socialist ideals. She emphasized the importance of health care, proper nutrition, cleanliness and play. These are also themes that have endured to this day. The 1st and 2nd world wars gave momentum to the establishment of more nursery schools and day care centers. This was because more women were required to work in the fields and industries. After the 2nd world war, the government was encouraging women to go back home and take care of their families and nursery provision started shrinking. At this time the Plowden report (1964) suggested that nursery provision should be reserved for women who had no choice but to work. The report advised to guard against having children attend pre-school too early or stay there too long at day. Early childhood education and care schemes in Ireland and Scotland during this period were similar to the schemes in England. 1.011. Historical and Social Influences in Italy Elsewhere in Italy, ECEC began in the 19th Century as care centers catering for children from poor backgrounds. It was in the form of charitable welfare and training in religion that was sponsored by the Catholic Church. However home-based childcare was very common with the responsibility being mostly on women Putnam, G. (1993). At the beginning of the 20th century Italian communities and some entrepreneurs were beginning to see the need for childcare for pre-school children. Among them was Maria Montessori who established an outfit named casa dei bambini in 1907 in the region of Rome. Her approach became popular and extended to Milan. In 1925, a state-run system called the National Organization for Mothers and Infants was established. All these programmes were primarily an intervention strategy in response to the needs of working mothers. After 2nd world war interest in ECEC provision was again aroused and several local administrative organs like Reggio Emilia, established their own ECEC Programmes. In 1968 law 444 was enacted and gave a budgetary provision for pre-primary education. This also marked a major shift in the people’s attitude to the pre-school education as an essential tool in child development rather than just the social aspect of convenience for working mothers. Political Influence in Italy Law 444 marked the beginning of a state-run system called Scuola Materna and also led to the integration of the system that encompasses the state, the community and the private sector into the Early childhood education and care This is the scenario to this day. After this the government set out to improve and streamline these services and set out guidelines for educational activity in these institutions. There was strong emphasis on collaboration with religious education play and parents. The government was keen on providing direction through various pieces of legislation. Several municipal programs in Reggio Emilia, Milan and Pistoia were instrumental in the development of the early childhood education and care programs not only in their municipalities but also featured in national discussions about Scuola dei Infanzia. Presently pre-school education is considered an integral stage of the educational system.1 1.012. Social context in Italy Radical social policies in Italy were designed with the goal of improving living conditions for education families. Policies supporting maternal leave and also the development of pre-school centres changed the public opinion the early childhood education and care in Italy and there exists enthusiasm and hope for this sector. 1.013. Economic context Italy’s economy has experienced changes that were influenced by several factors. Some of these factors are: - World War 2 and the formation of the European Union. The northern side ahs prospered more than southern Italy. There exists disparities in the early childhood education and care provision between the north and south with the north being more organized but in the south, partly due to low participation of women in the labour force demand for out-of-home childcare has remained low OECD. (1999). However the state has taken an initiative aimed at improving early childhood education and care services in the south. 2.0. Status of Early Years. 2.01. Education According to Blackstone, Tessa. (1971). Provision of education in the early years can be grouped into provision for birth – 3 year olds and provision for 3-5 year olds. This is because the two groups have distinct and unique requirements. The early childhood education systems in England, Ireland and Wales are similar in a broader sense. Early childhood Education and care for under 3 year olds This is the fastest growing sector of the early childhood services because of the void that has existed over the year. There is no formal provision by the government for this age group. Need for provision of these services is prompted by the fact that 75% of mothers return to work after maternal leave. The home-based childcare is inadequate and unreliable and therefore out of home care is in high demand. Formal provision is expensive because of high staff requirements and other technicalities. There are different groups organized by some local authorities to provide an education for under 3 year olds. There are also pre-schools and play groups that admit 2-5 years olds. In England they are affiliated to the pre-school learning Alliance (PLA). Elsewhere in Scotland they may be affiliated to the Scottish pre-school play group Association (SPPA) and in N. Ireland, pre-school learning Alliance (NIPLA). Childcare is usually paid for by the parents and provided mostly by the private sector for profit. Other forms of provisions include child minders and nannies or Au pairs. 2.1.1. 3 – 5 Years Early education is significantly cheaper for parents of 4 and 5 year olds than for under 3 year olds. Before 1994 provision for education for 3-5 remained in the hands of Local Education Authorities (LEA) but it was unevenly distributed with some areas having better networks than others Drury, Rose; Miller, Linda; & Campbell, Robin, (2000). The government took it upon itself to provide public funded nursery school education for all pre-school children. In Scotland early education for all 4 year olds had been achieved by 1998 and between 1999 and 2000 a sizable percentage of 3 year olds were universally receiving early education. With the exception of Scotland in the UK, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have reception classes in primary schools that admit 5 year olds waiting to be admitted in the primary school. There are various places where education for 3-5 year olds can be provided. These include Local Education Authorities who through nursery schools provide 59% of all provision in England. Others include private centers and voluntary sector. Available types of early education provisions include: - State-founded nursery schools Nursery classes Early years unit Reception class Special school which caters for children with special needs Opportunity groups Pre-school / playgroups Private nursery schools Preparatory schools run privately by companies or trust and financed by fees or investments. The social service department monitors them. Private Day nurseries are basically workplace nurseries run by employers or companies. Elsewhere, in Canada, compulsory schooling begins at age 6 and children under this age are usually under care programs. Kindergarten is usually reserved for 5 year olds and it’s usually on a part-time basis. In Ontario Province kindergarten is provided for 4-5 year olds in public schools but mostly any early childhood provision for children under this age is only provided for children in special circumstances. (OECD Paris 2004) 4.0. Curriculum The early form of Early Childhood Education and Care in England was child centered as opposed to subject centered. Children’s interest, play and free learning atmosphere were put at the forefront of Early Childhood Education and Care. However in 1988 the government intervened an attempt to regulate and improve the quality of this experience and the education reforms act developed a Universal Curriculum for English and Wales. The curriculum’s objective was to improve the standards in schools (Moon, 1994). Even though the national curriculum applied only to school age children, its adoption had an effect on children under statutory school age (Belnkin and Kelley, 1994, Moss & Penn, 1996.) Later on the government established a framework to guide the early years by developing the desirable outcomes for children’s learning (SCAA, 1996). This was with the hope that children would reach certain expectations by the time they reach compulsory school age. Again in 1999 qualifications and curriculum authority (QCA, 1999) introduced early learning goals to replace the desirable outcome. Early learning goals set out what was expected to have been learnt by the end of reception year. The revised framework provides guidelines for the development of different faculties of the child. They also provide a basis for curriculum development. For further reading on early years curriculum in England see Anning, Angela. (1998). The foundation stage is organized into 6 areas of learning: - Personal, social and emotional development Language and literacy Mathematics Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development These are the 6 pillars that guide the development of the early childhood education in England. Table 1 Learning Areas of Desirable Outcomes and Early Learning Goals* Desirable Outcomes (1996) Early Learning Goals (1999) Age For 3- to 4-year-olds Foundation Stage: From 3 to the end of reception year (5- to 6-year-olds) Learning area 1. Personal and social development2. Language and literacy 3. Mathematics 4. Knowledge and understanding of the world5. Physical development 6. Creative development 1. Personal, social, and emotional development2. Communication, language, and literacy3. Mathematical development4. Knowledge and understanding of the world5. Physical development 6. Creative development Source: SCAA (1996) and QCA (1999). .In Norway In 1990 the ministry set down a committee to work but a proposal for a framework plan. Members of the committee to wore pre-school teachers, researchers and representatives from the local council. The committee delivered the proposal in 1992. In 1992 the ministry and the Sami council agreed that a Sami supplement to the proposal should be worked out. The Norwegian plan insisted that local cultural values and national values be embodied in the activity of the “barnehage”. The argument was that children need to have an understanding of their own identity. All aspects that form the national cultural heritage should be imparted on them (Circular Q-0917 E). The proposal sought to conserve shared values in the society and is rooted in a holistic view of the child. The child’s development is viewed as a dynamic and tightly meshed interplay between its physical and mental being. ‘Innst.nr 157 (1987-88) (Nov 1992:17 Rammeplan for barrelhagen) 3.1 Availability, funding and access In England, Wales, Nothern Ireland and Scotland the cost of baby care is increasing as more and more 3-4 year olds are admitted in free pre-school provision. The need to provide all children with quality early years service is influencing key themes in the policy-making organs. The government is working on making available all the information that parents need to make well-informed decisions in response to their specific childcare requirements Equality of Access for children in minority communities The government is also committed to ensure that ethnic minorities have access to education and childcare. It has formulated policies that deal with equality for race and gender. Equality of access for children with special needs. There is strong backing for inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream settings. However the green paper ‘Excellence for all children: meeting special needs’ pointed out the benefits of mapping out plans for raising the standards of achievement of all children, and that special school continue to offer a crucial service in the education system. Equality of access for the rural areas This is important in the development of the learning system and helps bridge the isolation that is as a result of geographical factors. [In Canada it has been noted that it is difficult to access the necessary childcare service for children with disabilities (Irwin, Lero and Brophy, 2000) There are also issues of access for aboriginal children. These children receive support from the government but since different regulatory authorities control this support, the services are not properly organized. Many aboriginal childcare needs are not well taken care of. In Norway the Sami people (the original settlers in the north) enjoy state support through Norwegian Early childhood Center (Barnehager) Act. The Act states that centers for Sami children in Sami districts be based on the Sami language. This is in recognition of the Sami culture as part of the Norwegian heritage. Funding. The government is committed to continue offering free early education to eligible children in England. Funding for the same has been increased significantly. The funding is done through two channels: Under Fives Standard Spending Assessment The Standard Spending Assessment and decision on how it is distributed is the prerogative of the local Authorities. They do this through their fair funding system. However 80% of the schools budget must be dispensed. For 3 year olds, the government endeavors to provide them with quality early education before they reach school age. Money is available through local authorities to fund free early education especially for children in great social need. This is the same as the system used in Norway where grants from the state and local authorities are channeled through general-purpose grants scheme. Barnehager are funded by the state in conjunction with the local authorities and the parents. In Canada, funding for early childhood system covers only children in the kindergarten (5 year olds). Unlike other countries like Italy, Spain, Norway, Belgium, England, Scotland and so forth where 4 year olds are provided for. 5.0. Status of professional qualifications In England, Early years teaching qualifications are nationally recognized thereby providing career advancement. The Qualification and Curriculum Authority as well as the NSTO are charged with the responsibility of training and the responsibilities for training and qualifications for early years. Prospective teachers are required to take a degree course of three to four years of professional training as well as subject study. Graduates of other disciplines must take a postgraduate certificate of education. This applies to Scotland teachers too. The teachers’ appraisal system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is similar and is done over a two-year cycle. However in Scotland, a formal appraisal system is lacking and in its place a system of staff development exists. In Norway one has to complete a 3-year study in Norwegian English language, Mathematics, History, Social studies and Natural science from an upper secondary level. Sami College in Finn mark is an example of a College where such training takes place. The study period is 3-4years. Italy like England offers university courses for teachers in scuola materna and scuola elementare. Multi-cultural education is offered on ad-hoc basis for the sake of non-italian speaking children in nee of early childhood services (an aspect not found in the English system). Brazil is not quite like England in that professional training for pre-school teachers is random and unevenly organized with some regions having considerable numbers of teachers with university degrees and others having unskilled teachers (Tomazzetti, 1997). Social welfare centers were not keen wit the level of training of teachers and care providers (Tavares, 1996) 6.0. Quality Indicators The quality factor in early childcare provision has been captioned in National reports as well as other government reports (DES, 1990; National Education Commission, 1993; Ball, 1994; DfEE, 1997; Pascal, Bertram et al, 1999). Concern about the qualifications of childcare workers is rife as this factor has a significant effect on the quality of services (HERA 2 Report, 1999; Pascal and Bertram, 1999, Daycare Trust, 1999). Workers are fewer than those needed for early years. Other factors are remuneration, poor career structures, lack consistency in training and low status of childcare workers including gender discrimination. In England the national training and qualifications network was to be formed for the purpose of streamlining the quality provision of these services. (DfEE 1998). The state has recognized the importance of inspecting and monitoring on the early years services to ensure quality. Conclusion. The development of the early childhood education in England has come a long way. Great progress has been achieved in terms of creating an affordable form of education and childcare to children and families. Much effort has gone into making these services accessible, and of high quality. Many years of dedication to research in this sector are now bearing fruit in terms of quality output. 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