Contemporary Early Childhood Issues - Essay Example

Running Head: CONTEMPORARY EARLY CHILDHOOD ISSUES Contemporary early childhood issues Name Course Institution Date Contemporary early childhood issues Introduction The effectiveness of early childhood education in nurturing and positively impacting on the learning experience and the life of a child, is largely dependent on exogenous factors to which children are exposed to, such as the nature of educational environment and the principles and practices employed (Bowman, Donovan and Burns, 2001). There are various issues that shape early childhood education and its outcomes. For example, in education there has been much talk about the effects of postmodernism on views, principles and practices in particular fields. Evidently, postmodernist thinking has impacted on early childhood education and as a result various contemporary issues in early childhood have emerged (Alloway, 1997). Some of the contemporary issues in early childhood education include; constructions of childhood, wellbeing movement in early childhood and ethics in early childhood. These issues impact on early childhood practice and play a great role in influencing quality education and care for young children. This essay seeks to examine contemporary issues in early childhood education. It will analyse three issues and depict their significance and how these issues impact on early childhood professionals and their practice. Wellbeing Movement in Early Childhood Wellbeing in care and education is one of the contemporary issues in early childhood education that shape early childhood education and its outcomes. Issues revolving around well being and early intervention are pertinent to care and education. Considerations of these emerging issues recognise that it is in the early years that the foundation of a child’s future development is set. Therefore, children require a good start in life. Furthermore, it is also recognised that care and education cannot be separated from the broader issues in the society. According to the findings of a 40 year longitudinal study conducted in Michigan, the provision of quality learning experiences for children in early years sets children for tremendous achievements in education, work and life in future. In addition, healthy emotional and cognitive development during early years contributes to concrete economical benefits. Early interventions in form of preventative measures contribute to higher returns as compared to remedial services implemented in later years (Thompson, 2007). Interventions such as those instituted by the Australian Government Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004-2009 seek to advocate for the well being of children in early years. The movement recognises that poor outcomes such as poor mental and physical health, school difficulties and welfare dependency are grounded on early childhood experiences. These outcomes are also linked to several risk factors which impact on the overall outcomes of the child. Some of these risk factors include behaviours such as poor social skills, poor parenting styles and attachment to family and community factors like lack of support services and socioeconomic disadvantages (DECS, 2007). Similarly, the State, Territory and Local Governments is another form of intervention which provide support programs that aim at integrating various care and education services for children from 0-8 years. Some of these programs and services include; day cares services and play groups which also take place during out of school hours. Other programs and services extend beyond the classroom in order to give health, social and educational services to not only children but also the families that succumb to social and economic disadvantages. It is worth noting that most of these interventions extend beyond the education and child care sphere and largely focus on providing services that are related to community health and family. For instance, a program in Mildura Victoria focuses on advocating for breast feeding and physical activity so as to not only improve the health and well-being of children but also the entire community (DECS, 2007). It is therefore evident that well-being issues in early childhood education mainly revolve around the nature of the surrounding the community. This is mainly because, providing a good start to children in early years also entails their cognitive and emotional welfare besides care and educational services. In order for children to realise positive education outcomes and healthy cognitive and emotional development, the roles of the family unit and community are paramount. Factors such as poor health, family breakdown, poor parenting and poverty contribute to school difficulties, welfare dependency and unemployment among many other factors. For example, Calma et al (2008) observes that indigenous students experience poorer education outcomes as compared to non-indigenous students. He attributes these poor outcomes to factors such as economic disadvantages poor parenting and family functioning. It thus apparent that the well being in early childhood encompasses the well-being of the community and the family unit since these factors influences the education and care outcomes of children in early years (DECS, 2007). These issues affect practises in early childhood, in that they have led to the institution of interventions that extend beyond the classroom and touch on the well being of the community. Constructions of childhood Constructions of childhood are also contemporary issues in early childhood education. These constructions incorporate the beliefs and images that are held about children and childhood in general. These representations of childhood affect the understanding and practice of early childhood educators in various ways. For instance, they determine the way in which educators interact with children and they also influence the decisions that educators make with regards to curriculum and pedagogy (Woodrow, 1997). The concept of “childhood” is one of the key areas that largely determine the principles and practices employed in early childhood education. One view about “childhood” is that it is a period in an individual’s life. When used in research, the word is considered as a variable to social analysis and thus it is often not exempted from research variable such as culture, gender and class. Comparative analysis of the “childhood” by considering these variables shows that, it is not a single universal phenomenon rather there exists a variety of childhoods (Alloway, 1997). Over the years, the idea that children’s development is natural has been deeply entrenched and as a result, models of natural development have been the dominant constructions. However, it is worth noting that most of these models were developed based on western perspectives. These models are based on the notion that all children go through a set of stages in the same way thus if a child does not follow this pattern, then they are considered to be “different” or “awkward.”Most of these theories and cross-cultural studies were developed based on the findings of class populations that involved well –nourished children from upper and middle classes and well-structured education settings. Consequently, some researchers argue that the findings from such studies are not valid when it comes to evaluating children from different socio-economic contexts (Downey, 2011). Conversely, recent studies on children’s development suggest that the way in which children develop is dependent on their culture. From a postmodern point of view “childhood” or “child” are not definite factors instead there are many childhoods and children. The effects of culture are pervasive when it comes to child development. Culture sets rules for customary response to various habits of children, discipline and expectations. Basically, culture provides a manual that can be referred to when dealing with children. As for childhood practitioners culture determines the way in which they address early childhood issues (Downey, 2011). Other constructions that influence the practices and principles employed by early childhood educators include; childhood innocence, child as threat or monster and child as embryo adult. Lately, there have been requests to re-examine dominant understandings and constructions in early childhood education. Several researchers have proposed that multiples perspective on understanding children and childhood should be adopted so as to promote equality and equity (Woodrow, 1996; Canella, 1997). Some of these dominant constructions on childhood have been faulted. For instance, the notion of childhood innocence has been disregarded by some researchers on grounds that it is based on a child-centred pedagogy which prevents the active examination of diversity and as a result it functions so as to maintain certain stereotypes (Canella, 1997). Constructions of childhood greatly influence the understanding, principles and practices of early childhood educators. These constructions determine the way in which educators interact with children and they also influence the decisions that educators make with regards to curriculum and pedagogy (Woodrow, 1997). Following the advent of postmodernist views in early childhood education, the validity of some of the dominant constructions has been put to question. It has altered the views of educators and caused the accepted and definite universal principles and practices in early childhood education to be contextually determined by educators. A number of practitioners have adopted postmodernist views and they believe that there are no standard or universal principles of practice in early childhood education since different cultural and social groups have their own view and values when it comes to dealing with children (Alloway, 1997). Ethics in Early Childhood Ethics in early childhood education is an imperative issue that influences early childhood professionals and their practice. Issues regarding care and ethics as part of early childhood education may imply that principle approach be that of a project. Scholars suggest this to be understood as pedagogy originating from an ethical dimension that advocates for responsiveness to other people (Moss, 2001). This is achieved through taking a deeper thought viewed from the fact of each other as well as individuals. This is driven by the objective of developing links of obligation that enlightens on the questions of being able to perceive that which has not been uttered. This translates to keeping an open door to discussion on debating the issues at hand (Early Childhood Australia, 2008). Some scholar quarters consider teaching and learning as founded on the obligation centred on ethical practices other than on the approach of transmitting knowledge or as a condition of pedagogical practice of endless attention to fellow persons. This view is close to that of care, which is based on having an open cross subject space with which the existing differences can unfold in its individuality or in the hesitancy to locate the rest of peers quickly as well as strongly within the tendency of habitual interpretive moulds (Moss, 2001). Some publications based on university related studies show that early childhood services with pedagogy of listening that advocate for openness to the differences between persons while listening as well as the making of interpretation process that listening involves. One way that ethics may have a link with early childhood experiences is by the application of a particular ethical perspective to the projects, practices and relationships with an institution offering early childhood. In another approach to perceiving ethics from the dimension of projects of an institution is taking the perspectives of early childhood institutions as centres of ethical practices. This translates to adopting a fresh relationship to works of early childhood (Early Childhood Australia, 2008). The works on early childhood are exposed to the strong forces of normalisation (Moss, 2001). This involves totalising theories as well as human technologies. The high instrumental orientation is anchored on the firm foundations as well as for a legitimacy related to technology other than ethics. Aspects of an ethical as well as political nature have been rediscovered as issues that require management. The applications of principles of efficiency, quality, efficacy as well as performance lower the atmosphere of politics in some of the social issues. This result to shifting the very political and policy options as series of management imperatives. Basically, ethics in early childhood education influences early childhood professionals and their practice. Conclusion Basically, the contemporary early childhood issues discussed in this essay, in various ways influence the outcomes of children and the principles and practices employed by early childhood professions. Well-being issues in early childhood education have led to the institution of interventions that extend beyond the classroom and touch on the well being of the community. Constructions of childhood determine the way in which educators interact with children and they also influence the decisions that educators make with regards to curriculum and pedagogy (Woodrow, 1997). Ethics in early childhood also determine the approaches, practices and pedagogy employed by early childhood educators and practitioners in not only dealing with children but also the surrounding community. References Alloway, N. (1997). Early childhood education encounters the postmodern: What do we know? What can we count as ‘true’? Australian Journal of Early Childhood. Vol 2, No. 2, pp.1- 5. Bowman, B., Donovan, M. & Burns, M. (2001). Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy. Commission on Behavioural and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council .Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Calma, T. et al (2008). Achieving improved primary and secondary education outcomes for indigenous students. Sydney: AMP foundation, Canella, G. (1997). Deconstructing Early Childhood Education: Social Justice and Revolution. Rethinking Childhood Series. New York: Moss Lang Publications. Downey, B. (2011). Critical Reflection on Early Childhood Theory and Practice. NSW: Charles Sturt University. Government of South Australia. Department of education and children's services. (2007).DECS learner wellbeing framework for birth to year 12 / South Australia. Department of education and children's services. Government of South Australia. Moss, P. (2001). Makes space for ethics. Australian journal of early childhood. Vol 26, No.4,pp. 1-6 Thompson, S. (2007). A vision for schooling of the future: where are we now and where are we going. Retrieved on August 14, 2011 from Woodrow, C. (1996). Images of Childhood: Some Ethical Issues. Keynote address to North Queensland Early Childhood Conference Rights, Ethics and Curriculum--Their Place in Early Education. Townsville/Cairns, May Woodrow, C. (1999). "Revisiting images of the child in early childhood education: Reflections and considerations." Australian Journal of Early Childhood 24(4 ), p.7 Read More

It is therefore evident that well-being issues in early childhood education mainly revolve around the nature of the surrounding the community. This is mainly because, providing a good start to children in early years also entails their cognitive and emotional welfare besides care and educational services. In order for children to realise positive education outcomes and healthy cognitive and emotional development, the roles of the family unit and community are paramount. Factors such as poor health, family breakdown, poor parenting and poverty contribute to school difficulties, welfare dependency and unemployment among many other factors.

For example, Calma et al (2008) observes that indigenous students experience poorer education outcomes as compared to non-indigenous students. He attributes these poor outcomes to factors such as economic disadvantages poor parenting and family functioning. It thus apparent that the well being in early childhood encompasses the well-being of the community and the family unit since these factors influences the education and care outcomes of children in early years (DECS, 2007). These issues affect practises in early childhood, in that they have led to the institution of interventions that extend beyond the classroom and touch on the well being of the community.

Constructions of childhood Constructions of childhood are also contemporary issues in early childhood education. These constructions incorporate the beliefs and images that are held about children and childhood in general. These representations of childhood affect the understanding and practice of early childhood educators in various ways. For instance, they determine the way in which educators interact with children and they also influence the decisions that educators make with regards to curriculum and pedagogy (Woodrow, 1997).

The concept of “childhood” is one of the key areas that largely determine the principles and practices employed in early childhood education. One view about “childhood” is that it is a period in an individual’s life. When used in research, the word is considered as a variable to social analysis and thus it is often not exempted from research variable such as culture, gender and class. Comparative analysis of the “childhood” by considering these variables shows that, it is not a single universal phenomenon rather there exists a variety of childhoods (Alloway, 1997).

Over the years, the idea that children’s development is natural has been deeply entrenched and as a result, models of natural development have been the dominant constructions. However, it is worth noting that most of these models were developed based on western perspectives. These models are based on the notion that all children go through a set of stages in the same way thus if a child does not follow this pattern, then they are considered to be “different” or “awkward.”Most of these theories and cross-cultural studies were developed based on the findings of class populations that involved well –nourished children from upper and middle classes and well-structured education settings.

Consequently, some researchers argue that the findings from such studies are not valid when it comes to evaluating children from different socio-economic contexts (Downey, 2011). Conversely, recent studies on children’s development suggest that the way in which children develop is dependent on their culture. From a postmodern point of view “childhood” or “child” are not definite factors instead there are many childhoods and children. The effects of culture are pervasive when it comes to child development.

Culture sets rules for customary response to various habits of children, discipline and expectations. Basically, culture provides a manual that can be referred to when dealing with children. As for childhood practitioners culture determines the way in which they address early childhood issues (Downey, 2011). Other constructions that influence the practices and principles employed by early childhood educators include; childhood innocence, child as threat or monster and child as embryo adult.

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