Early childhood education
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Early childhood education (also early childhood learning and early education) refers to the formal
teaching of young children by people outside the family or in settings outside the home. "Early childhood" is
usually defined as before the age of normal schooling – five years in most nations, though the
U.S. National Association for the Education of Young Children defines "early childhood" as before the age
of eight.
Contents
[hide]

1 Background

2 Theory and practice

3 Developmental domains
o
3.1 Psychosocial developments

3.1.1 Cognitive Development

3.1.2 Emotional development

3.1.3 Social development

4 Benefits of early childhood education

5 Notable early childhood educators

6 See also

7 Notes

8 External links
[edit]Background
Childhood education often focuses on children learning through play, based on the research and
philosophy of Jean Piaget. This belief is centered on the "power of play". It has been thought that children
learn more efficiently and gain more knowledge through play-based activities such as dramatic play, art,
and social games. This theory plays stems children's natural curiosity and tendencies to "make believe",
mixing in educational lessons.[1]
Preschool education and kindergarten emphasize learning around the ages of 3–6 years. The terms "day
care" and "child care" do not convey the educational aspects, although many childcare centers are now
using more educational approaches.[citation needed] The distinction between childcare centers and
kindergartens has all but disappeared in countries that require staff in different early childhood facilities to
have a teaching qualification.
Researchers and early childhood educators both view the parents as an integral part of the early childhood
education process.[2] Often educators refer to parents as the child's "first and best teacher".
Much of the first two years of life are spent in the creation of a child's first "sense of self"; most children are
able to differentiate between themselves and others by their second year. This is a crucial part of the child's
ability to determine how they should function in relation to other people.[3] Early care must emphasize links
to family, home culture, and home language by uniquely caring for each child.[according to whom?]
Children who lack sufficient nurturing, nutrition, interaction with a parent or caregiver, and stimulus during
this crucial period may be left with developmental deficits, as has been reported in Russian and
Romanian orphanages.[4] Children must receive attention and affectionto develop in a healthy manner.
There is a false belief that more hours of formal education for a very young child confers greater benefits
than a balance between formal education and family time. A systematic, international review suggests that
the benefits of early childhood education come from the experience of participation; more than 2.5 hours a
day does not greatly add to child development outcomes, especially when it detracts from other
experiences and family contact.[5]
[edit]Theory
and practice
The Developmental Interaction Approach is based on the theories of Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, John
Dewey, and Lucy Sprague Mitchell. The approach aims to involve children in acquiring competence via
learning through discovery.[6][7][8]
[edit]Developmental
domains
Further information: Child development
This section may stray from the topic of the article into the topic of another
article, Child development. Please help improve this section or discuss this issue on
the talk page. (May 2012)
There are five different developmental domains of children which all relate to each other. They can be
referred to as the SPICE[9] of life:
Social
Refers mostly to the ability to form attachments, play with others,
cooperate, share, and create lasting relationships
Physical
Development of fine (small) and gross (large) motor skills
Intellectual
Learning to make sense of the physical world
Creative
Development of talents in areas such as music, art, writing, and
reading
Emotional
Development of self-awareness, self-confidence, and the ability to
cope with and understand feelings
[edit]Psychosocial
developments
[edit]Cognitive Development
According to Jean Piaget, there are four major
stages of cognitive development:
Sensorimotor
This stage occurs between the ages of birth and two years of age.
Intelligence is demonstrated through motor activity with limited use
of symbols, including language; the infant’s knowledge of the world
is primarily based on physical interactions and experiences.
Preoperational
The second stage occurs between the ages of 2–7 years.
Intelligence is increasingly demonstrated through the use of
symbols;memory and imagination are developed as language use
matures. The typical thought process is nonlogical, nonreversible,
andegocentric.
Concrete operations
This developmental state occurs between ages 7 and 12
(approximate). During this stage—characterized by conservation
of[clarification needed] number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, and
volume—intelligence is increasingly demonstrated through logical
and systematic manipulation of symbols relating to concrete
objects. Thinking becomes operational, reversible, and less
egocentric.
Formal operations
This final stage of cognitive development takes place from ages 12
and beyond. During this stage, intelligence is demonstrated
through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts.
Thinking becomes abstract, hypothetical, and, early on, egocentric.
It is believed that the majority of people never complete this stage.
[edit]Emotional
development
Emotional development concerns
the child's increasing awareness
and control of their feelings and
how they react to them in a given
situation.
[edit]Social development
Social development concerns the
child's identity, relationships with
others, and understanding of their
place within a social environment.
[edit]Benefits
of early
childhood education
In Ypsilanti, Michigan, 3- and 4year-olds from low-income families
who were randomly assigned to a
group that did not receive
preschool education were five
times more likely to have become
chronic lawbreakers by age 27
than those who did receive it.[10]
The first conference on early
childhood care and education took
place in Moscow from 27 to 29
September 2010, jointly organized
byUNESCO and the city of
Moscow. The overarching goals of
the are to:

Reaffirm ECCE as a
right of all children and
as the basis for
development

Take stock of the
progress of Member
States towards
achieving the EFA
Goal 1

Identify binding
constraints toward
making the intended
equitable expansion of
access to quality
ECCE services

Establish, more
concretely,
benchmarks and
targets for the EFA
Goal 1 toward 2015
and beyond

Identify key enablers
that should facilitate
Member States to
reach the established
targets

Promote global
exchange of good
practices[11]
[edit]Notable
early
childhood educators

Charles Eugene Beatty

Sue Bredekamp

Elizabeth Harrison

David P. Weikart

Froebel
[edit]See
also

Baby video

Bright from the Start

Compensatory education

Head Start Program

Montessori education

Playwork

Preschool curriculum

Reggio Emilia approach
[edit]Notes
1.
^ Winner, Melinda (28
January 2009). "The
Serious Need for
Play". Scientific American.
2.
^ Early Years Framework.
Scottish Government.
2008.ISBN 978-0-75595942-6.
3.
^ Oatley, Keith; Jenkins,
Jennifer M
(2007). Understanding
emotions (2nd ed.).
Malden, Massachusetts:
Blackwell Publishing.
pp. 211. ISBN 978-1-40513103-2.
4.
^ Groark, Christina J., et al
(2008). "Special section on
Russian
orphanages". Infant Mental
Health Journal (Michigan
Association for Infant
Mental Health.) 29 (4).
5.
^ Farquhar, Sarah-Eve
(2008). "The Benefits &
Risks of Childcare (ECE)
for Young Children: A
Review of the Best
Available NZ and
International Research".
New Zealand: ChildForum.
6.
^ Shapiro, N.; Nager
(1999). "The
Developmental-Interaction
Approach to Education:
Retrospect and
Prospect". Occasional
Paper Series (New York:
Bank Street College of
Education).
7.
^ "Bank Street
Developmental Interaction
Approach". State of New
Jersey Department of
Education.
8.
^ Casper, V; Theilheimer,
R (2009). Introduction to
early childhood education:
Learning together. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
9.
^ Torkildsen, George
(1999). Leisure and
recreation management.
p. 27.
10. ^ "Lifetime Effects: The
HighScope Perry
Preschool Study Through
Age 40". HighScope.
2005.
11. ^ "World Conference on
Early Childhood Care and
Education, Moscow
(Russia), 27-29 September
2010".
[edit]External
links

"Early Childhood Education
Certification Schools".

"Early Childhood Care and
Education". UNESCO.

"National Institute for Early
Education Research".

"Early Childhood Education".
National Education
Association.

"Heckman Equation for
Investing in Early Human
Development".

"International Montessori
Index".
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