Early Childhood Learning Guidelines - Essay Example

Sur Early Childhood Learning Guidelines The United s is looking to streamline the different concepts in the learning environment with different States being encouraged to adopt practices that are in line with other states provided they are adoptable. The State of Minnesota is no different as it is looking to adopt the Division of Early Childhood methods in their curriculum and ensure that children are able to learn in a good environment and develop their skills. Division of Early childhood (DEC) was initially conceptualized in in 1991 to provide guidance to the intervention methods and measures in early childhood and special education for children. These methods that were meant to develop the skills and capabilities of children from an early age have been in use in different States as they try and structure their practices around these concepts stated in the DEC. There are changes that have been implemented from the original document of recommendations and since growth is a process and the changes that are implemented are on a developmental process this is deemed to continue as states look to equip themselves with the best intervention practices and measures. One of the programs that has been very effective and can be contrasted against the State of Minnesota program is the State of Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines. The Guidelines were drafted by a task force that was selected from different sectors and representative of the interests of the people that are affected drawing from the professionals and expertise from other states. The program was instituted to give guidelines and the governing principles to the early care and educational practitioners’ effort to improve early childhood education practice for young children. The Task Force was formed in 2002 and was mainly aimed at developing the best practices for early learning practices. The program was mainly conceptualized to be in line with the National Legislation and initiatives that were looking to ensure that every child had the best development structure and did not suffer due to having the wrong development structure in place (National Research Council). The framework that was instituted looked to enhance the development of the children from 3 to five years and was looking to strengthen school readiness efforts across local, state and federal early care education systems. The program targeted different domains in child development and was looking to improve not only the academic part of the children but also the developmental and analysis of different aspects in their lives. This therefore necessitated the use of different methods and distinctive division of roles within the program to ensure that children could get the best out of their overall set up of the program. One of the major aspects that were in the program is the personal and social development. The children are taken through different programs and monitored to ensure that they grow personally and also socially in order to interact with others freely and with confidence (Beaty 33). Under personal and social development the program instructs the practitioners the different signs and stages that are evident when the child is developing these characteristics. Understanding the children is one of the most important aspects since the practitioners are able to understand different characteristics that are seen in the children. The basic concepts under this domain are self-concept, self- control and social competence. These are the characteristics that are measured in order to evaluate the ability of the child to relate with others and also mark their own territorial boundaries. Approach to learning is also another aspect that is important in the program and ensures that practitioners can understand the different methods that are important in the learning process. Understanding the learning characteristics of the children is essential in ensuring that the children are properly groomed and developed (Council for Exceptional Children). Children are inquisitive and curious which are the attributes that are expected from all children. The urge to learn more and be the best is one of the most valuable tools that can be harnessed and used by the practitioner in ensuring that they can instil the best practices in the children. Understanding the approach of children to learning also helps in identifying odd behaviour and tackling the problem at an early stage through implementing the best methods. Under this domain, there are two concepts, persistence and reflection and initiative and curiosity. The domain highlights some of the indicators of these aspects being present in the children and influencing their overall behaviour. Creative arts is also one of the domains in the program whereby the children are engaged in different activities that help the children develop problem solving and verbal and non-verbal skills. It is important to emphasize the importance of creative work among the children as it helps in forming patterns and in understanding the world around them thereby acquiring important skills that help them in tackling different problems that they may face. There are other domains within the same program including language and literacy development, mathematics, science and social studies. These are concepts and learning modules that the children should learn at an early age to ensure that they can constructively develop their skills and increase their capabilities in the different systems that are implemented (National Research Council). Linguistic and cultural skills are also important in the development of the children as it ensures that the children’s skills are harnessed at an early age and they are prepared for the tests that lay ahead. The program has been tested and since it draws from the federal measures and initiatives it is within the federal and therefore has been properly assessed. The information has been taken through testing within the state where before it was implemented it had to be first tested as a pilot project and was seen as an aid for the practitioners and parents while also improving the development and learning experience of the child (New and Cochran 11). There are other states including the State of Minnesota that has implemented similar program to ensure that early childhood education is maintained. In the different tests and drawing from the fact that the program is still in use today the tests revealed that the system was successful and essential in giving the children quality education. The studies that have been conducted have been quantitative and have taken many months or even years to analyse and come up with the data that shows the use and its advantages. It is a conceptualized method and incorporates all children and the results for those children with disabilities are similar to the others. After talking with an early childhood education teacher he asserted that the program was an important part of the study objectives and gave the teachers a lot of insight on what they were expected to do. It also ensured that the teachers could objectively discern the behaviour of the children and help them accordingly. The program has been enrolled to different institutions and has shown tremendous results since the practitioner is able to connect and understand the child. Although they may be teaching a group of students, looking at the different characteristics of individual children within the group one can be able to know the children that have acquired the necessary skills. The method is used in many places and is very effective in instilling the best practices into the children and developing their skill set (Council for Exceptional Children). The program is highly recommended and based on the different facts that have been collected it is clear that it is changing and developing the children skills accordingly. It is one of the best systems in developing the children and is looking at improving specific aspects of their skills that essentially lead to the children having all the required information and developmental aspects that are important for the children and in helping them in future. The program needs to concentrate more on giving and developing the children’s abilities in the creative arts and the learning environment as opposed to specific subjects. Works Cited Beatty, A. S., National Research Council (U.S.), and National Research Council (U.S.).Mathematical and scientific development in early childhood: A workshop summary. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2005. Print. Council for Exceptional Children. Journal of early intervention. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2009. Print. Maine.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. National Research Council (U.S.). Early childhood development and learning: New knowledge for policy. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2011. Print. New, R. S., and M. Cochran. Early childhood education: An international encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2007. Print. Read More