Improving the Quality and Continuity of Practice Across Early Childhood Eduction

Early childhood educators work with children who are 8 years old and younger or in preschool. Because this is such a crucial time for development, it's important that the education that young children receive is of the highest level. The first step toward a quality early childhood education is creating an effective and appropriate classroom and school environment. It's also necessary to employ educated teachers who genuinely care about their students. If you are a parent of a young child, get involved in the classroom and talk with your child daily about their activities.

1. 1

   Support and correct young students by providing positive guidance. If a child is repeatedly told "no!" or spoken to in an angry way, then they consider the classroom to be an unsafe space. They simply will not learn as well in a negative setting. Instead, young students should be gently corrected and redirected. They should also be praised when they are making good choices or exhibiting positive behaviors.^[1]

   • For example, if a young child is experiencing trouble sharing, then a teacher might say, "Way to go, that's great sharing," if they pass an object to a peer.
   • If the child is doing something inappropriate, suggest another productive activity instead of just telling them no. For example, if the child is banging their hands against the table or hitting other children, give them something to do with their hands, such as drawing or playing with play dough.

2. 2

   Develop parent-teacher connections through reports and conferences. When parents and teachers work together to teach a child, everyone wins. In the best scenarios, a teacher will have the time and resources to provide progress reports to parents on a weekly basis. Then, during monthly or bi-monthly formal conferences a teacher can expand on their reports via an in-person conversation with a child's parent(s).^[2]

   • For example, a weekly report might discuss how a child is performing on regular vocabulary exercises. In addition to academic areas, it's also important to monitor how a child's socialization and behaviors are progressing over time.
   • There should be an open door policy for teachers to talk to parents. Allow parents to discuss their concerns with teachers for the benefit of the child.

3. 3

   Identify and assist children with special needs. All early childhood educators should have basic training in various special needs signs and how to respond to them. If you are a parent of a special needs child, reach out to the school to see how they are complying with state and federal education regulations. This could encompass everything from how your child is able to access their classroom to what tools they are given for particular lessons.^[3]

   • You can also find out more information about special education regulations by visiting the website for the federal Office of Special Education Programs at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html.

4. 4

   Employ teachers who are well-qualified in early childhood education. Teachers who work with young children in school settings should, ideally, have a bachelor's degree with an emphasis on childhood education. This level of schooling ensures that a teacher will be well-versed in childhood development as well as strategies to improve learning.^[4]

   • Research shows that it's very worthwhile to support and offer financial incentives to those early childhood teachers who wish to go back and advance their education.
   • To attract the best teacher candidates, school districts should also offer competitive pay for early childhood positions.

5. 5

   Stick to low student-teacher ratios. Young children benefit a great deal from cultivating a one-on-one relationship with their educators. Depending on the range of the child, a ratio somewhere around 7 (students) to 1 (teacher) is ideal. However, it's also important that the teachers are full-time and work with the same group of students over time.^[5]

   • The general rule is that the younger the child, the lower the student-teacher ratio should be.
   • Most areas have mandatory regulations for what the student-teacher ratio must be. Check with your local school board or municipality to learn what the regulations are for your area.

1. 1

   Create real-life scenarios for children to learn from. To work on vocabulary and item identification, ask that they label a series of items that they'd encounter every day, such as a table or chairs. To teach the basics of currency, pass out play money and let them purchase items from a classroom store. Emphasizing real experiences allows young children to continue learning outside of the classroom, too.^[6]

2. 2

   Teach children about other cultures using multi-sensory methods. Let each child bring in a food dish representing some part of their family or cultural background. Listen to music from around the world to open or close class sessions. Watch snippets of global dancing videos and encourage your students to mimic the moves.

   • Classroom materials should also reflect diversity. Choose books, posters, toys, and other materials that show a wide range of experiences, cultures, beliefs, and practices.
   • This approach extends to teaching students a new language as well. For example, to teach vocabulary, set up a station with foreign language labels and basic objects. Then, ask students to inspect the object and correctly label it.

3. 3

   Provide ample time for free, unstructured play. These are play moments when a teacher supervises the child for safety, but only at a distance. The student is allowed to interact with their surroundings and their peers as they choose. This type of play not only encourages physical activity, it also fosters independence and confidence.^[7]

   • For example, when children are playing imaginary games with their friends they are developing the ability to adapt quickly and think creatively.
   • There is no set amount of free play time that is suggested for each age group. However, almost any time used for play appears to be a sound investment from a development standpoint.

1. 1

   Read to your child at least 20 minutes each day. Get a selection of age-appropriate books for your child and set aside at least 1 time each day for reading. This reading time could be before bed or perhaps first thing in the morning. Go slowly through the book and encourage your child to read along with you.^[8]

   • Be prepared to possibly read the same book multiple times. Young children often learn the best through repetition.
   • Some books are labeled according to reading level. Otherwise, use your knowledge about your child's reading skills to determine what books they are ready for. For example, most toddlers need picture books with a few basic sentences.
   • Audiobooks are a good substitution if your child is a resistant reader.^[9]

2. 2

   Take your child to educational sites. Go to the library, explore the stacks, and let your child pick out a few books to read. Spend some time at a local art or history museum. Buy tickets to a kid-friendly play or musical. All of these activities extend your child's education into the real world.^[10]

   • Stay involved with what your child is learning in school. Plan outings that correspond with their current unit or lesson. For example, if they're learning about dinosaurs, take them to a local museum to see fossils.
   • You don't have to spend money to extend the classroom. For example, you can take your child to a park and identify the different types of leaves or trees.

3. 3

   Talk with your child about their education. At the end of each school day, give your child a bit of time to decompress. Then, ask them a few specific questions about their day. Stick to fun topics, such as friends or activities. Giving them an opportunity to explain their day actually lets them become the teacher for a bit.^[11]

   • For example, you might ask, "What was the coolest part of your day?" Or, "Who did you play with at recess today?"
   • Creating an open dialogue with your child about education as makes it more likely that they will come to you if they experience any problems or need help.

Add New Question

• Question

  What are best practices in early childhood education?

  

  Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

  

  Educational Consultant

  Expert Answer

  There is no one way to successfully educate a young child. What works for one child may not help another. If you are a parent, spend time talking with your child's teachers to figure out how to bring out the best in them.

• Question

  How can I get my child to read more if they really hate reading?

  

  Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

  

  Educational Consultant

  Expert Answer

  First, I'd recommend figuring out what your child enjoys talking about or doing in their spare time. Finding books on those subjects may motivate them. So if they're a huge fan of basketball, maybe they'll enjoy a novel about a high school basketball star, or a biography of Michael Jordan. Second, you can have them listen to audiobooks! Audiobooks are a great substitution for regular books.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

• If you want to make a change in early childhood education at the systemic level, reach out to your government representatives. Tell them about your concerns and ask what they are doing to improve education.

  <b>Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.</b><br />Looking for more fun ways to learn on wikiHow?<br />Learn about yourself with <a href='/Quizzes'><b>Quizzes</b></a> or try our brand new <a href='/Games/Train-Your-Brain'><b>Train Your Brain</b></a> word game.

About this article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,931 times.

Did this article help you?

spellmanwime1996.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.wikihow.mom/Improve-Early-Childhood-Education

Share this post