Unit 1 - Unit 1 Lecture + Chapter 1 notes PDF

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Unit 1 Introduction What is Quality Early Learning and Care? has moved the responsibility of childcare to the Ministry of Education and implemented Early Learning Kindergarten effort to create more cohesive early childhood systems and increase the accessibility and qualit...

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Unit 1 Introduction What is Quality Early Learning and Care?! -Ontario has moved the responsibility of childcare to the Ministry of Education and implemented Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten ! -an effort to create more cohesive early childhood systems and increase the accessibility and quality of early learning experiences ! -cohesion: 1 factor to create effective early learning and care programs ! -the Ontario Ministry of Education: high quality early childhood programs:! -establish positive, responsive relationships with children and their families! -value children as individuals and active contributors with their own interests and points of view ! -holistically support development! -provide environments and experiences for children to engage in explorations, investigations and interactions Using Professional Language! -ECE and registered ECE are professional designations for professionals registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators ! -replace ‘daycare’ with child care, early learning, early childhood education, or early learning and care

Chapter 1: Defining Quality Early Childhood Programs The Early Years are Crucial to Healthy Child Development! -childhood experiences have the greatest influence of any time in the life cycle on brain development, learning, behaviour and health ! -for every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood development, there is more than a twodollar benefit to children, parents and society ! -the potential economic benefit is even greater for children at risk ! -early childhood settings: settings other than the child’s home in which care and education are provided for the child by a person who isn’t a member of the child’s immediate family ! -healthy early childhood development is crucial to Canada’s future economic prosperity ! -shift in focus on childcare solely as a women’s issue relative to workforce engagement, to an added focus on early childhood education with its own pedagogical discourse on child development and learning ! -children are citizens with their own rights and deserve a healthy start ! -the UN’s Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation: ECE is part of the right to education and the main foundation for holistic human development ! -a child’s abilities and the option to live up to their potential is related to the synergistic effect of good health, good nutrition, and appropriate stimulation and relationships to others ! -multiple pathways, both direct and indirect, through which EC programs contribute to better health ! -1/7 Canadian children still lives in poverty ! -higher risk: children of immigrants, lone female parents, Aboriginal identity, and limited opportunities x2 more likely !

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 -high quality EC programs a powerful tool for breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty ! -the poor are unable to pay the considerable costs of EC programs ! -EX programs should be considered to address inequality Access to Universal EC is Founded on Multiple Rationales Educational Quality- A Right for All Children! -all children have the right to quality ECE ! -the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child provides the most significant basis for policy development on behalf of young children ! -respecting children’s rights requires a radical shift in public and professional attitudes ! -recognizing that children are social beings, entitles to respect, care, and education, and comprehensive services in their best interests Social Justice- All Children Should Have Access to Quality EC Experiences! -in many countries (including Canada), EC isn’t achieving its full potential to promote equity and to change the lives of many disadvantaged children ! -in the absence of proactive EC policies, there is a risk of perpetuating intergenerational poverty and inequalities ! -children’s earliest learning experiences are the most significant in determining their future progress in education and subsequent successes in life ! -to level the playing field, decision makers should consider the impact of poverty, poor health, and other adversities as well as the differences in the quality of EC experience ! -basic equity + adequate provisions should be made Economic Case- Public Investments in Young Children! -the loss of human potential and economic wealth can be the result of inadequate investments in human development ! -today, the least adequate for young children ! -Canada in the middle for children’s well-being due to inadequate government investment ! -increased public investments in the nurture and education of young children make a difference and produce large economic returns ! -investing in EC provides the greatest economic benefit of all sectors of the Canadian economy ! -investing in young children is a job creator, a strong economic stimulus, beneficial to society ! -parents have a difficult time judging EC quality ! -workforce shortages of EC staff and high turnover are the results of low rates of pay and poor working conditions ! -the social benefits from more EC staff are greater than both the costs of professional education and current subsidy levels ! -high-quality EC programs are necessary for large economic returns Human Development Case- Preventing the Loss of Potential! -the environment in EC affects brain development ! -investing in early childhood brings greater returns and long-term rewards than investing in any other period in human development, including further education and job training Strong Evidence for Early Childhood Program Effectiveness! -investments in early childhood development programs easily pay for themselves by generating high rates of returns for participants, the public, and the government ! -good programs produce 3 dollars or more in returns for every dollar of investment ! -when children and their families get part of the total investment, the benefits to the rest of the

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 public and the government are larger and on their own, tend to outweigh the costs of the programs ! -the benefits of increased investments in young people lead to improved cognitive and noncognitive skills ! -preschool experiences improve performance on self-control and perseverance ! -sustained investments in disadvantaged children have dramatic results to improve children’s school performance and their social skills ! -increase in high school graduation and college enrolment, decrease in crime ! -the most effective interventions are comprehensive in providing services to children, and include an active parenting and skill-building component for a more effective strategy ! -quality is the most important consideration in early childhood settings! -significant differences in quality between for-profit and nonprofit sectors Greater Demand for EC Programs! -more parents are working, but provision hasn’t kept pace ! -for newcomers, EC experiences provide a valuable way for children of different cultures to integrate into society and learn English or French ! -the demand has also grown from parents who are not in the paid workforce ! -critical component: family friendly policies ! -some settings where employers are family-sensitive and family-friendly, leading to greater retention and productivity ! -supply is inadequate ! -virtually no opportunities exist in some areas of the country, esp. rural and Aboriginal areas ! -children who care for themselves are at greater risk for injury, loneliness, and unhealthy eating habits ! -little evening or weekend care for children of shift workers ! -where a full range of quality EC services exist, many parents are barred by high costs What Should Comprise an Early Childhood System?! -flexible, coherent, high-quality services with equality of access for all children! -comprehensive, universally available and accessible, integrated, community-driven, accountable, of high quality, incorporating early learning, childcare, and parenting support ! -opportunity to participate for all! -programs should be sustainable, publicly funded, and adequately resourced! -parental fees should be affordable and accessible! -attendance should be by choice Need for a New Vision! -in many provinces, service fragmentation and chaos exist ! -either integrated through 1 ministry, or split management between 2 or more ministries ! -care and education policies have historically developed separately ! -key elements for a successful ECE policy:! -governance! -the integration of care and education! -building bridges between child care and kindergarten! -conceptualizing and delivering care and education as 1 seamless program! -having a single responsible department in each province and territory ! -in Canada, policy makers are removing the split between community-based and school-based

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Towards Strong and Equal Partnerships! -quality EC programs help ensure that children are more able to adjust to the expectations of school ! -policy approach emphasizing EC as preparing children for school: emphasis on literacy and numeracy! -‘schoolification’ ! -the general atmosphere/culture of EC programs is different from schools ! -more closely aligned with holistic principles of care and development, and with providing children with an enjoyable learning experience vs. preparation for formal school and settings ! -in some models, policy attention has focused on carrying some pedagogical strengths of EC into the first grades of school:! -attention to the well-being of children! -opportunities for active and experiential learning! -confidence in children’s learning strategies! -avoidance of child measurement and ranking ! -third view: a pedagogical meeting place founded on strong and equal partnerships ! -neither culture takes over another, but kindergarten teachers and ECEs come together to create a common culture ! -to be successful, must redefine the relationship between EC and schooling ! -schooling tends to be dominant, with one-sided relationship! -achieving successful transitions requires creating a curriculum and pedagogical continuity, home-school continuity, and professional continuity ! -going from preschool to school can be a stimulus to growth and development Curriculum and Pedagogical Continuity! -one strategy for positive transitions: supporting pedagogical curriculum for children as they move from one educational setting to another ! -central to effective learning: an emergent approach that builds on a child’s curiosity, intrinsic interests, and self-discovery ! -closer linkages can build on the strengths of both pedagogical approaches ! -kindergarten teachers bring:! -knowledge of curriculum development ! -greater experiences in assessing children, reporting to families! -ECEs bring:! -plans for enriched learning through play! -guide behaviour and facilitate self-regulation! -view the child holistically ! -teachers and ECEs must consider differences within any group of children, their family circumstances, prior experiences, and abilities Professional Continuity! -when staff members communicate and collaborate well, they are more likely to develop compatible program philosophies and broaden their understanding of children’s trajectory from preschool to school ! -joint professional development can facilitate a common knowledge base and common practices, which build partnerships ! -important to create a supportive infrastructure by providing opportunities for professional development ! -achieving comparable status and compensation to equalize power relationships

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Ingredients Needed for Effective EC Programs! 1. Equitable access ! 2. Education and opportunities for continuous professional development! -being qualified: having post-secondary education in child development or education, or in a related field ! 3. Suitable programs! -clear, explicit, and educationally relevant ! 4. Quality adult-child relationships ! -two qualified adults for every 16-20 children aged 4 years, and smaller numbers for younger children! 5. Involvement of families! 6. Monitoring and evaluation systems ! 7. Stable and adequate funding Defining Quality ECE! -central problem: how to reconceptualize quality, taking into account the subjectivity, diversity, views of various stakeholders, and wide range of special and temporal contexts, without losing sight of the factors that contribute to a good learning experience! -quality EC settings promote children’s physical and psychological safety and health, and their physical, emotional, social, communication, cognitive, ethical, and creative development ! -each child feels accepted, understood, supported, and respected by knowledgeable adults; enjoys positive relationships with children; and finds activities interesting, engaging and satisfying ! -quality: the extent to which settings exceed the meeting of minimal standards Ecological Framework for Early Childhood Environments! -in assessing EC environments, many researchers use an ecological approach: look at interactions among children, parents, and educators, and the relationships of each with the environments in which they live, work and play ! -how to structure environments + how environments interact with influences outside the setting ! -ecological model: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem ! -social systems: a patterned series of interactions existing among individuals, groups, and organizations forming a coherent whole ! -microsystem: immediate settings and relationships! -the physical environment; the resources within it; the relationships among parents, educators and children; the interactions among children ! -mesosystem: where different microsystems are linked together through relationships ! -the relationship between early childhood environment and the home ! -exosystem: the social structures (formal and informal) that influence the settings the child experiences ! -the roles and influences of parents’ jobs, government policies for the child and the family, the local economy, etc. ! -macrosystem: encompasses the ideologies and patterns of a culture! -economic, educational, legal, political systems ! -defines what is possible! -quality of services depends on the interactions of these systems Elements of Quality Environments! -quality depends on:! -effective policies, appropriate and sustained funding, and infrastructure!

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 -knowledge and committed leaders & educators! -evidence-informed, age-appropriate programs & practices! -families who are partners in children’s learning ! -structural quality: define the physical environments for children (ex. buildings, space, adult:child ratio, group size) ! -popular with policy makers: more easily adapted & commonly included in government licensing regulations ! -concrete, relatively easy to assess objectively & accurately ! -variables are interconnected ! -iron triangle: adult:child ratio, group size, & staff’s professional education in child development ! -these elements exert so much influence on quality, esp. when clustered together ! -process quality: the direct experiences for children (ex. warmth and quality of relationships, etc.)! -variables have a direct influence on children ! -the pedagogical relationship between children & educators is most effective when it includes concern for the children’s learning: provision of a developmentally appropriate curriculum ! -some are connected to structural elements ! -educators with more formal education are more likely to offer high-quality environments that provide better outcomes for children ! -a requirement of professional education is intended to ensure that educators are more likely to be sensitive ! -outcome measures: child outcome measures in areas of cognition, social, or behavioural outcomes ! -can be assessed by educators or researchers ! -Woodhead: organize quality criteria in ECE using:! -entry indicators: establish the base for quality standards (ex. the staff, buildings, etc.) ! -process indicators: reflect the relationships and what happens on a day-to-day basis (ex. children’s experience)! -exit indicators: the impact caused by the experience ! -regulation alone doesn’t ensure quality: it is designed to prevent programs from harming children vs. promote programs that enhance development ! -regulations set the baseline for minimal standards ! -providing an EC program doesn’t ensure an effective learning experience ! -need to consider children, parent, community experience ! -a quality ECE may be one that reflects and supports the values, beliefs, and needs of the people served ! -understanding and ensuring quality involves a continuous process of merging the perspectives of different stakeholders Influential Factors! 1. The contribution of families! -vital to the design and implementation of programs, shown in children’s emotions, and for ensuring consistency between home and the EC setting ! -relationships between EC settings & families benefit children when those relationships are respectful of family structure, culture, etc. ! -open and regular communication between educators and families has a significant impact on positive outcomes for children ! 2. Promotion of positive relationships! -among all children and adults to encourage each child’s sense of worth and belonging as part

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 of a community ! -major influence on coping and competence skills in later life ! -from a child’s point of view, EC experiences are a joint enterprise of parents and educators ! -educators need to establish relationships based on mutual trust, respect and support; involve families in children’s growth; fully participate in the program ! -quality of interaction is affected by the ratio of adults to children, teacher education, group program and size, and continuity of care ! -one of the strongest indicators of quality: fewer children per adult ! -ratio and group size: children should be divided into groups that are broad enough for normal variations in development & small enough to have meaning ! -the number and range of age groups has implications for continuity of care ! -group size: ! -for children older than the toddler stage but under age 5, adult:child ratios may be less significant than group size ! -maximum group size should be determined by the distribution of ages within the group, the developmental needs of children, the activity, and the inclusion of children with special needs ! -group must be small enough to permit educators to facilitate both individual and group needs effectively ! -group-limiting strategies- keeping small groups of children consistently together- to reduce the spread of infection ! 3. Knowledgeable and responsive EC educators ! -quality of experiences is most importantly associated with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and stability of the educators ! -need knowledgeable, sensitive educators who understand external impacts on learning, and have knowledge and skills to address the diverse needs of children ! -professional education: preservice training + continuous learning ! -teaching effectiveness is shaped by the adult work environment ! -experience alone appears to bear little to positive child outcomes ! -two additional factors: stability and job satisfaction ! -educators who are dissatisfied tend to be harsher, more restrictive ! -salary is the biggest predictor of job satisfaction: staff that are compensated better tend to stay longer ! -main causes of job dissatisfaction: poor compensation, working conditions, devaluing of the EC workforce ! -need for strong leadership! -how they define quality + strive to achieve it are important ! -effective leadership creates a knowledgeable + stable team ! -movement beyond individual leaders to the creation of a community of leaders ! 4. An explicit, clear, and relevant educational program! -with general principles that are fitting for all principles ! -curriculum should be consistent in its goals for children, and promotes learning & development in a variety of ways ! -should be based on an informed understanding, specific goals, with structure and direction for educators ! -development of provincial frameworks ! -curriculum planning should be based on an educator’s observation of each child’s interests and developmental t...