Children Learning Resource - Term Paper Example

Children Learning Resource (Name) (University) 1.0 Introduction Early stages of the children life are characterized by belonging, being, and becoming (Lorina, 2010). Belonging, being and becoming simply involves how child lives are interlinked to family, society, culture, and location. Based on these interlinks, a child learning and development process begins during their exploration, development of interests, identify their own interests and make their meaning as per the teachings presented by their parents, educators, and the caregivers. Under the principles of the EYL framework, reciprocal relationship between parents, children and educators is attained by understanding the needs of the children by positively interacting with the children. Additionally, parents and educators will be expected to create a warm and welcoming environment for all children. Parents and educator’s partnership will ensure learning experiences are meaningless to the children (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009). Based on the partnership, it is expected that all children will experience a learning environment that is engaging and builds success for life. Cultural Background Since children live based on their culture each day, sometimes the unique feature of the varied cultures may not be invisible to the public and private facilities such as school and may not be apparent to the tutors teaching the children. It worth noting that when children leave home to attend to either school, sports, or church services, they do not leave their culture at home, but adhere to all cultural practices taught at home by their parents (Tonia, 2014). This is to note that parental and caregiver engagement has been renowned to improve the behavior, attendance, and attainment of the child (Pruett, 2014). Parents using the social inclusion approach through an inclusive approach with between the child and the educator will enable children to understand that irrespective of different cultural backgrounds either in different languages or varied racial community, they still have similar feelings and tend to do similar things (Freud, 2014). In a recent study conducted by United States Department of Education reveals that parent’s engagement play pivotal role towards child learning and development (United States Department of Education, 2014). A further study informs that parents inclusive partnership with their children at home tend to improve the literacy and language development of the child (Shannon 2014). In this case, parents can foster inclusive partnership by informing their children of different cultures across the world that entail same things such as reading, writing, speaking, eating, playing, learning, and sleeping. Essentially, they need to inform their children that other children still undergo the same society normal routine, hence it is not a strange thing. Research informs that children who adhere strongly to their own culture tend to have an easier time in appreciating the culture of other children and their families (Nobel Learning Communities, 2015). Essentially, the educator aims at showcasing the differences and similarities between the children in divergent areas in the globe. PW presupposes that the original portrays a world with divergence of cultures; race and geography with are attuned to the global community where laughter, tears and smiles are universally understood. The educator will further lead the children through a discussion that will showcase how different humans are, regardless of the locations and race. Contrary to Piagety’s idea of the children’s development , Vygotsky argues that learning is an imperative aspect and process of creating culturally organized , notably human psychological function (1978 p. 90). Simply put social learning tends to precede development. The essence of leading the discussion is because the children cannot write yet, as such it is imperative that an inclusive discussion is made. The educator will then ask the students to make a circle where each of them will get an opportunity to tell the others about themselves. After completion of the task the educator will request the children to list some aspects they admire about the other child. Essentially, showcasing how they can learn about themselves and discuss it together, that way they can feel welcomed. It is through this platform that the educator will explain the importance of relationships and it will be discussed in the classroom setting on how they all come together. Evidently, this approach is in line with Vygosky assertion s where he believed that the children’s thinking is influenced by their knowledge on the social community (which can be understood from either a psychological or technical cultural tool) (Reggio Emilia, 2017). Vygostsky further asserts that the language is a significant tool for gaining such social knowledge skills; the child can learn this through other people through language (Reggio Emilia, 2017). He describes intelligence as the “the capacity to learn things from instruction, which insists the fact that there is a necessity for a more knowledgeable other person or educator; otherwise known as More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). Essentially, MKOs could be an educator, parent, coaches, experts, just to name a few, but also aspects that one cannot expect such as children, computers and friends (Reggio Emilia, 2017). Vygotsky’s literature furthers ion describing the zone of proximal development (ZPD) which is a key aspects of his theory that attains a two levels: 1st Level- The ‘present level of development. This showcases what the child’s potential of doing something without help from others 2nd Level- The potential level of development. This implies that the child could potentially be capable of learning with the help of other people such as teachers or people. The gap existing through these levels is what is called the ZPD. He asserts that the through the help from others, more knowledgeable people, the child could significantly gain knowledge already held by them. Nevertheless, the knowledge needs to be appropriate to the children level of understanding. Anything that is complicated to the child’s learning is not in their ZPD cannot be understood all time until the ZPD is shifted (Reggio Emilia, 2017). An imperative feature in the theory is scaffolding. When an adult offers support to a child, they will adjust to the amount of help they give with respect to their progress. For instance, a child’s learning to walk might at first have both of her hands supported loosely.; thereafter she might just hold one hand and eventually have nothing as support. These showcases a progression of different levels, an experienced showcased through the educators approach. When the educator educates the children on the importance of relationship, he simply imparts the knowledge on the children, as he allows them to practice it amongst each other. Scaffolding draws parallels from the real scaffolding of building construction (Reggio Emilia, 2017). Evidently, scaffolding thus offers an effective approach to reach levels of developments, but only when different assistance levels are given where necessary. It is through such an approach that the social and cultural tools are imperative in gaining intelligence, where a close linkage exists between language acquisition and developments of thinking. The resource teaching will strongly spearhead cognitive development of the child in acceptance of existing cultural differences in society. Children are known to undergo very important stages in their lives between birth to eight years old. The important stages include social-emotional, physiological, and cognitive (Menzer, 2015). Such stages play pivotal role in rapid and important transformations in their lives (Adela, 2015). MeThe approach used is strongly alluded to the Social and Emotional Learning of the child, which includes children considerations and caring for others, promotes prosociality, and well-being of the kindergarten and elementary learners (Adela, 2015). Critically, imperative cognitive development at the early stages of the child life development is attribute to perception development, metacognition, and social cognition (Sabbagh 2014). Conclusion Conclusively, and the approach will foster inclusive relationships with their families at home and partnership relationship with other children. In this case the resource will be designed to be effectively applicable for children and their families, builds on the children strengths in understanding cultural backgrounds, and adheres to the needs of each individual. Inclusivity of the relationship will be attained by promoting the participation of everyone. It is worth noting that an inclusive service, diversity, and differences are highly valued simply because every participant has a feeling of belonging (Commonwealth of Australia, 2014). 2.0 Reflection Focus Group The resource entirely focuses on young children, preferable between the age of one years to about 5 years old. Evidently, the resource brings children together while they are young. Show them about the similarities between diverse people on earth and not the differences. In a classroom setting the educator’s appraoch showcases the different ethnic and racial integration amongst children from different origins. Arguably, the resource highlights the various people on earth their practices and what essentially, could be somewhat different.. Nevertheless, whereas there is such difference in livelihood, the children are able to understand that they are all humans. Lev Vygoky argues the importance of the interactions and relationships between children and increased knowledge among peers and adults. Through the various learning outcomes form the resource, their cognitive understanding is enhanced when they are taught by the teachers/parents (Burk, 1996). The resource promotes a sense of partnerships that showcases a diverse sense of diverse learning given that it highlights how different children all over the world interact at the different levels. It shows what different things each children undertakes all over the world and highlights that as they grow older they will be different, career wise among others. This was showcased where the educators asks the children to list all the ingredient necessary in making the community, which will be highlighted on the class room board. Thereafter the educator, families and careers and the children will participate in an experiment where they will be compelled to create a jigsaw puzzle of all ingredient learnt in class. Families and careers will be included in drawing a a picture of their child on the puzzle, when the puzzle is completed the puzzle will allude to the coming together of the community. Gandini argues that education has to focus on the child and the, not to be considered as an isolation, with the teacher, other children, within the community and the wider community (Gandini, 2003). The resource effectively focuses on enhancing the children’s relationship amongst themselves; it shows that regardless of the divergence in relationships and locations they have the same hearts. The resource helps the educator in creating a preferred learning content for the child’s development in the early learning. Whereas understanding the child’s environment at the young age is paramount, it is worth to note that the teachers play an imperative role in the child’s growth, notably in creating relationships with the world around the child. Reggio Emilia suggests an inter relationship between families, children, education and educators. The description of each aspect in the resource indicates the impact of Reggio Emilia Approach in putting these aspects together in a context that has a visual connection for the children (Reggio Emilia, 2017). Expected Learning Outcomes i. To understand how different people in the world live ii. To enhance the child’s awareness of his/her immediate environment iii. To understand how the people on earth live and interact iv. To create awareness on career and work development v. To foster partnership and relationship among children References List Adela, D. (2015). Enhancing Cognitive and Social–Emotional Development through a Simple-to-Administer Mindfulness-Based School Program for Elementary School Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Dev Psychol, vol. 51, vol. 1, pp. 52–66. Burk, D. I. (1996). Understanding Friendship and Social Interaction. Childhood Education, Vol. 72, No. 5, pp. 282–85. Commonwealth of Australia. (2014). Developing Children’s Social and Emotional Skills. 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Research, Evaluation, and Impact. pp. 6. Available at https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/sites/default/files/TF_Teachers_and_Parents_ASharedGoal_Thought_Paper.pdf. [Retrieved on 27th/August/2017). Menzer, M. (2015). The Arts in Early Childhood: Social and Emotional Benefits of Arts Participation. A Literature Review and Gap-Analysis, pp. 5-7. National Endowment for the Arts, 400 7th Street, Washington Dc, Arts.gov. Nobel Learning Communities. (2015). Embracing Diversity and the Tradition of Others. Available athttp://www.discoveryisle.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2014/12/January-2015-Diversity-Ed-Dept-Article.pdf. [Retrieved on 26th/August/2017]. Pruett, C. (2014). Practitioner Review: Engaging Fathers – Recommendations for a Game Change in Parenting Interventions based on a Systematic Review of the Global Evidence. The Journal of Child, Psychology, and Psychiatry, vol. 55, no. 11, p. 1187. Reggio, M. (2017). The Pedagogy of Relationships: How Learning Happens. Retrieved from https://tecribresearch.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/the-pedagogy-of-relationships-how-learning-happens/ Sabbage, M. (2014). Cognitive Development. Journal of Cognitive Development. Available at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cognitive-development. [Retrieved on 26th/August/2017]. Shanoon, M. (2014). Culture Counts: Engaging Black and Latino Parents of Young Children in Family Support Program. Child Trends, p.4. Available at https://www.childtrends.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/10/201444BCultureCountsFullReport.pdf. [Retrieved on 26th/August/2017]. Sparks, L. (2014). Learning about Culture, Language, and Fairness, pp. 55-56. Available at https://www.gordonschool.org/Customized/Uploads/ByDate/2014/December_2014/December_31st_2014/antibias97594.pdf. [Retrieved on 26th/August/2017]. Tonia, R. (2014). Culture Matters-Strategies to Support Your Young Child’s Social and Cultural Development. G2242. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. United States Department of Education (2014). The dual-capacity building framework for family-school partnerships. Washington, DC: author. Read More