Essay on The NYS Early Learning Guidelines

Christina J. Groark, Stephanie K. McCarthy, Afton R. Kirk. (2014). Early Child Development: From Theory to Practice. Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Bruno (2009) notes “when adults take responsibility for healthy and safe environments, children are free to discover their world without barriers to impede them” (p. 180). As early childhood professionals, we have a tremendous duty of ensuring that all children, their families, and staff members engage in a safe and healthy learning environment. Ensuring health and safety determines the quality standards of an early childhood education and care program. The NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards (Health Standards 5 A-C) and the NACCP’s Components of NAC Accreditation Standards Health and Safety Standards (F1-8) provides guidelines that ensure consistent health and safety practices within early childhood programs. This short composition will compare and contrast the NAEYC and NACCP standards, discuss how the standards impact children’s social/emotional and academic development, and discuss the most important components of the standards.

Within this standard, an infant/toddler uses their all five senses to explore and experience routines and materials within the environment, chooses and participates in a variety of play experiences, imitates behaviors in play, and repeats experiences with materials, adults, and peers to build knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Adults can support the standard by providing various appropriate materials in an adequate environment that supports children’s play, interacting often with children, adapting materials as needed to accommodate each child, engaging in turn-taking games, matching activities to the interests and abilities of each infant/toddler, ensuring the health and safety of each child through non-toxic, appropriate

The program’s philosophy is based on the NAEYC’s guidelines on developmentally appropriate practices and Froebel, Piaget, and Gardner’s early learning theories. We believe that every child can learn and grow with the proper care and instruction. The NAEYC defines practices as developmentally appropriate when they consider age and stage related differences, individual differences in learning style and preferences, and social and cultural differences among children (Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren, 2011). For this reason we believe that the best way to ensure positive development is to adapt the materials, activities, and the mode of demonstrating learning to meet the varied needs of our students.

Theories of development and frameworks to support development are incredibly important to us working with children and young people. They help us to understand children, how they react to things/situations, their behaviour and the ways they learn. Different theories and ways of working with children have come together to provide frameworks for children’s care, such as Early year’s foundation stage (EYFS) which is used within all child care settings. This encourages us to work together, help and check the development of babies, children and young people, to keep them healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to

The early years framework emphasises a personal and individual approach to learning and development because valuing a child’s individuality, ideas and feelings is an important part of developing an individual approach to the learning and development. A child has universal physical needs such as food, drink and shelter and psychological needs such as love, affection, security, friendship which are essential to maintaining their quality of life. In recognising and trying to meet an individual child’s needs each child’s age, physical maturity, intellectual abilities, emotional development, social skills and past experiences and relationships need to be considered.

A holistic approach to learning and development implies that one must look at the child as a whole, as well as the way in which they interact with their surroundings. It recognises that children develop in their own time and are creative, competent and independent thinkers. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Development Matters government document provides statutory requirements that early years practitioners must implement (Early Education, 2001, p.1). The document states that there are 4 themes of the EYFS which reinforce the guidance given. These include: the unique child, positive relationships and enabling environments. See Appendix 1. If each theme is successfully practiced, then there will be effective learning and

The National Quality Standard includes standard 1.1 states that ‘An approved framework informs the development of a curriculum that enhances each child’s learning and development’. This is where the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is introduced. This framework is included in the National Quality Standard to help ensure the consistency in the delivery of learning programs within Australia. Within the EYLF is the Early Childhood curriculum framework which guides early childhood educators to develop quality early childhood education programs. This framework describes the principles, practice and learning outcomes which support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years old, and then their transition to school.

Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants, Children, and Adolescents (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Throughout the ECCE 1101 Introduction to Early Childhood course at Savannah Technical College there were several theorists introduced in the course that had a major impact on molding the foundation for an understanding of early childhood as a whole. Although the scope covered a broad spectrum of early childhood, majority of the main focus was on early education. The work of Lev Vygotsky greatly influenced the field of early education. This paper will include a brief summary of Vygotsky’s life, a description of his major ideas, and how those ideas impact early education today.

As the standards of education change a consistent factor remains the focus on reading. Early childhood educators must provide an atmosphere that is both developmentally stimulating to the student while also meeting the standards of education. The methods used to help recognize phonics and begin the transition into emergent readers vary from student to student. Without the foundation of phonics research shows that a child will not learn to read. All children must know the alphabet in order to communicate effectively. Phonics cannot be drilled into the child. This will only produce memorization. Instead, educators must understand a child’s individual needs as well as balance. There is no true need to teach phonics as a separate subject. Most children will develop a sense of curiosity from their own knowledge, ideas, and interest. There will of course be a select few that may benefit from a more formal instruction. When children

On behalf of the early childhood initiative to provide early intervention for those infants and toddlers experiencing difficulty, I thank you for your engagement and cooperation. This system is designed to “[help] eligible babies and toddlers learn the basic and brand-new skills that typically develop during the first three years of life, such as: physical (reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking) and self-help (eating, dressing) skills (Center for Parent Information and Resources, 2014). We are dedicated to working with your family and your individual needs. This system is not meant to bog you down with out-of-town appointments from professionals, but instead provide you with support and suggestions for the healthy development of your child.

Edwards, C. P. (2002). Three Approaches from Europe: Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 4(1), 2-14. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/edwards.html

The education of the young mind is an important step in preparing the child for future learning experiences. The evolution of early childhood education has changed how adults and parents view the importance of offering stimulating and exciting opportunities to the very young. Early childhood Education offers the young child learning experiences that benefit them throughout their educational career. They soon embark on a whole new world of learning. These children are not only experiencing standard brain growth, but verbal and physical skills as well. Early childhood education teachers use a variation of techniques for instructing. They use lesson plans, worksheets, and even teacher resources for these young minds.

Child development is the foundation upon which early childhood practice is based. Because the psychomotor, socioemotional, cognitive, and linguistic developmental domains are inter-related, early childhood professionals in all types of programs (e.g., family child care homes, early childhood education centers) must comprehend both the processes of development and the adult’s role in supporting each child’s growth, development, and learning. (p. 1)