ECE420 Journal Report - Essay Example

Unit 3 and Unit 4 have been very instrumental in my development as an early childhood teacher. These units, in essence, lay the foundation for an instrumental and effective teacher through a curriculum that is student-centered yet very convenient for the teacher. The unit reveals that the inception of mathematical paradigms is very important at a very young age. This is because it jostles the minds of the young children and introduces them to the phenomenon of reasoning quite early. Teaching mathematics is, however, very different when dealing with adults.

It is important to use simple functions and basic algebra to achieve this goal. The curriculum also reveals that it is important to intertwine mathematical concept with real life situations. This will act as an eye opener for the children into the actual applicability of mathematics in the tangible real world (Aiken, 2009). A good example is creating a real life simulation, for example, a pharmacy.The unit also taught me that an effective teacher is one who appeals to each student individually.

In essence, an effective teacher has to relate to each student on a personal level and in the process empower the child. This interaction will enable the teacher to pinpoint weaknesses relative to each child and formulate a mechanism to deal with these weaknesses at an early stage. The teacher should also engage the students in setting up class activities. These activities are primarily aimed at teaching students while at the same time keeping them entertained and excited, in the process streamlining early childhood development with the child’s development process (Aiken, 2009).

ReferencesAiken, L. (2009). Early childhood developments. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates