EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Early childhood education and childcare are not synonymous. As national and local awareness grows about the importance of the earliest years of a child's life in creating a strong foundation for future success (www.naeyc.org) it is important that we understand the difference between early childhood education and childcare.
Early childhood education is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of young children. There is a need for young children to have high quality environments that support and promote their individual development. This requires much more than being watched, fed and kept safe. It includes caring and nurturing, understanding child development and what young children are learning, and how they are learning it. This means intentional teaching and not just planning activities to keep children busy all day.
Why does circle time happen in preschool? Why is it important to develop and follow a routine?
What is the purpose of the sensory table? Why is the climate of the classroom such a key element to quality?
There is a lot of work that has gone into defining high quality early education, including defining Early Learning Standards in North Carolina (www.ncchildcare.org).
Early childhood programs are one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our children and in the future of our community. Children with a strong foundation are better prepared for school, more productive workers, and healthier adults. These are children who have had the benefit of early education no matter where they got it -- from parents, other family members or in a formal program. Early education is not a replica of elementary school for the birth to 5 set, and having toddlers or preschoolers start to do rote memorization of letters and numbers does not lead to optimal development.
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Our teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend all their time with the whole group. Each teacher has their own unique teaching strategies that they have gained through their own education and experience. They realize that knowledge is an ongoing process and they continue setting individual goals for their own professional development to ensure they are providing rich learning opportunities for the children in their care.
