Fostering Good Behavior: a Philosophy of Early Childhood Education

Introduction: Being an Early Childhood Educator, I realize and understand that I will face many different obstacles over the years during in this field. Background: Especially with the ongoing research that is continuously being done in terms of the behavior and development of children. There are going to be times where those around me, including parents, do not agree with the methods that are being taught/enforced. Thesis statement: When speaking to the parent I would try to say the following things to a kind and polite way that does not make me look as though I am superior to them or know more about their child than they do. Topic sentence: I would do my best to explain my philosophy of early childhood education and the values of the program in a way that is simple and based on research. I would say something like, in our centre we feel that these methods work best for the children in the program and why and then I would discuss some of the research that has been done. Evidence & citing: I would mention that “we know that discipline in all forms can have negative and damaging effects on children. What we do know now, is that children respond best and learn best from more guidance to the desired outcome through educated, supportive and respectful interactions with adults.” And the capacities to form strong social relationships and exhibit typical responses to stress require early positive interactions with a primary caregiver. Commentary: I would also be sure to include the parent in every way that I could to ensure they felt included and respected in how their child is being taught. I would take into consideration that some things may be different at home and do my best to incorporate their method into their routine here, if possible.

Topic sentence: I would do my best to establish a relationship with them that allows them to feel comfortable speaking with me. I would make sure to keep them as involved as possible and ask them what they would like to do moving forward. Evidence & citing: It would go something along the lines of “Hi Mrs. So and So, I really appreciate you coming forward to me with your concerns. I think your son/daughter is very lucky to have a parent who is so involved. I would like to continue working with you to establish what works best for you and your family. Please feel free to discuss any concerns you may have, and if you would like I would can keep you updated in whatever way you seem appropriate in regards to Johnny. If there is anything you would like done differently, please let us know and we are more than willing to work with you to find what works best for your family”

Topic sentence: I would keep in mind while working with the parents, that our main goal is supporting the children and in order for us to do that, we must first understand the child as best we can. This happens in many different ways. For starters, we observe, we listen and we act accordingly and I would discuss this with the parent as well. Evidence & citing: I would talk about my philosophy of children. I would mention that they are smart and far more capable and competent then many give them credit for. They really are like sponges, always so curious and constantly learning something new. However, like adults, children can also be sensitive. I would ensure the parent know that I have their childs best interest in mind. Commentary: We need to nurture children, but we also need to respect them as individuals and to communicate with them as if they are not just children. We need to take into consideration that they are learning things so quickly each day, and simply just don’t understand things or see things the way that we do. They are not just in our life, but we are also in theirs. We need to respect that, and we need to respect them.

Topic sentence: Positive interactions with primary caregivers in their life from an early age is critical for the healthy development of a child. Evidence & citing: If a child behaves in a way that is not acceptable, it is up to us to guide them in a positive way and to re-direct them in a way that allows them to understand what they are doing. Commentary: I would discuss this research with the parents and explain that we want children to understand why certain behavior is not accepted and why we re-directed them.

For example: saying something like “I see that you are upset right now Johnny, and that’s okay. But it is not okay to hit your friends. We don’t want to hurt our friends” - I feel that is a way we could explain to the child why their behavior was not acceptable. We also want them to feel safe and understood, and that it’s okay to have big feelings. We also want them to learn and develop self-regulation and self-control. Commentary: By gradually giving children developmentally appropriate opportunities to regulate their own behavior and see the consequences of their choices, parents foster self-control in their children.

Conclusion paragraph: In sum, I have discussed my philosophy of early childhood education in this essay. Every child is different and learns differently but they all have the potential to be the best they can be - with love, support and guidance. We need to give them the chance to learn from their mistakes rather than being punished for something they most likely do not understand is ‘wrong’ anyway. “It is important to know what is appropriate to expect from children and to look into why they are behaving those ways. Teachers should consider the developmental level of children and to think as they think.” (Soderberg, Kasey (n.d)). We want children to learn and realize what behaviors are acceptable and what behaviors are not. If they are only being punished instead of re-directed or spoken to in a way that makes sense to them as to why that behavior is not accepted, we cannot expect the child to stop behaving in a way that is frowned upon. We just need to slow down and allow them to reach their full potential at a time that makes sense to them. It is a process that will take time to understand.

References

• Derberg, K. (n.d). Guiding children’s behavior. The Early Childhood Education Philosophy of Guiding Behaviors. Retrieved from https://guidingchildrensbehaviorkaceys.weebly.com/guidance-philosophy.html
• Kail, R. V., & Zolner, T. (2018). Children: A chronological approach. Vancouver, B.C: Langara College
• Teed, A., On-Line Communication, January 30th, 2019