EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION UNIT.1 Nature, Aims and ...

[Pages:192]Early Childhood Education

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

UNIT.1 Nature, Aims and Objectives of Pre-school Education

Objective To enable the students understand the nature, aims and objectives of Early Childhood Education. To acquaint with different recommendation. To understand the characteristics of Pre-school Education.

Structure 1.0. Nature of Early Childhood Care Education 1.1. Aims and objectives of Pre-school Education 1.1.1The Secondary Education Committee (1952-53) on objectives of Preschool Education. 1.1.2 Child Care Committee (1963-64). 1.1.3. Indian Education Commission (1964-66). 1.1.4. Report of the study group. 1.1.5 Objectives of Pre-school Education. 1.1.6 Characteristics of Pre-school Education. 1.1.7 Significant Reasons for Preschool Education.

1.0. Nature The National Early childhood care and education (ECCE) Policy reaffirms the Commitment of the Govt. of India to provide integrated services for holistic development of all children along the contiuam, from the prenatal period to six years of age. The policy lays down the way forward for a comprehensive approach towards ensuring a sound foundation with focus on early learning for every Indian child.

The 11th five year plan has acknowledged the importance of Early Childhood Care Education as the stage that lays the foundation for lifelong development and the realisation of a child's full potential and directs that "all children be provided at least one year preschool Education in the age group of 3-6 years".

1|Page

Early Childhood Education

Under Article 21A through 86th Amendment of the constitution, free and compulsory education to children in the age group of 6-14 has become a fundamental right, In addition to this, in Article 45 of the directive principles, early childhood care and Education for children up to the age of 6 years has been recommended.

Early childhood care and education is necessary as readiness for formal education. Today there is universal demand for early childhood education in the whole world.

National Policy in Education (NPE) 1986 has given a great deal of importance to ECCE. Emphasizing the holistic nature of early childhood programme, it has extended ECCE to include the component of `Care' i.e. Early Childhood care and Education (ECCE). The main elements of care are health and nutrition. ECCE requires that young children to be provided care opportunities and experiences that lead to their all round developmentphysical, mental, social and emotional and school readiness.

NPE has viewed ECCE as an important input in the strategy of human resource development. it has highlighted the need of community involvement in ECCE as well as the need to establish a linkage between integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and (ECCE) programme at all level.

In the public sector integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is the world's largest programme imparting ECCE. Prior to the Universalisation of ICDS and its subsequent expansion uncovered areas were attempted to be covered by pre-primary system within the ambit of the primary school system.

1.1. Aims and objectives of Pre School Education National curriculum framework (2005) emphasized two years of pre-schooling and considered ECCE as significant for holistic development of the child, as a preparation for schooling and as a support service for woman and girls. It advocated play based developmentally appropriate curriculum. National plan of action for children (2005) included universalisation of ECCE as one of the goals. It specified care, protection and development oppertunities for children below 3 years and integrated care and development and preschool learning opportunities for 3-6 years old.

Pre-primary education is the education that a child receive before entering school at the age five or six. Actually it starts even before the birth of a child. It therefore includes prenatal education, prenatal and post-natal care also. It includes formal as well as non formal education i.e. education imparted in a school as well at outside. Pre-primary education in its broader sense may be divided into the following four parts;

2|Page

Early Childhood Education

1. Pre-primary education from conception to birth.

2. Pre-primary education from birth to two and a half year.

3. From a two and half to four years.

4. From four to five or six years.

India has a wealth of traditional practices in ECCE that date back almost 5000 years. The value of ECCE lies in the recognition and acceptance that ECCE is a vital development need of all children ECCE must be the first step in the educational ladder and should be part of EFA.

ECCE in five year plans of India Varying degree of emphasis in ECCE; voluntary efforts to strengthening of ICDS from 1st to 10th plan.

11th Five year plan (2007-2012) -Development of children at the centre stage of the plan commitment to pre solving with varying options.

ECCE in National policies and programmes (NPE on 1986) Emphasized need for play based and joyful ECCE. Warned against formal teaching of the 3R's (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) Right of children to free and compulsory education Act 2009.

According to the sargent report (1944), the main objectives of education at the pre primary stage should be to give young children social experience rather than formal instruction.

To develop understanding of foundations of pre-school education. Growth and development in early childhood (0-6 yrs) development of skills to

manage an early childhood care and education centers. Provide guidance / knowledge for working effectively with parents and

communities for education of pre. School children. To gain knowledge and develop skills and attitude required for working with young. To appreciate the health and nutritional needs of young children and to be able to

evaluate a diet as regards nutritional adequacy. To be able to identify common childhood illness takes care of the sick child and take

preventive measures.

3|Page

Early Childhood Education

1 .1.1. The Secondary education Commission (1952-53) on Objectives of Pre School Education. Introducing the child to the joys of learning through companionship and recreational activities.

Providing oppertunities for developing proper habits of life, cleanness and healthy modes of living.

Cultivation of social habits so necessary for a community life.

1.1.2. Child Care Committee (1963-64) Under the chairperson of Smt.B.Tarabai, listed the following objectives of

Preschool. 1. Taking very great care of the physical development of the child in the very early years in terms of health, nutrition, posture and capacities for activities. 2. Developing habits of cleanliness in the pre-school child at home as well as in the school. 3. Providing adequate nourishment in kind and quantity for growth of vigorous healthy bodies. 4. Providing facilities for training and exercise in personal cleanliness and hygienic habits. 5. Providing play ground activities and hand work activities necessary to develop all the skills of the child to deal with the environment. 6. Providing oppertunities for the emotional development of the child. 7. Providing oppertunities for developing, good behaviour patterns. 8. Providing suitable environment for the development of the senses on which depend the total mental life and the psychological health of the child.

1.1.3 Indian Education Commission (1964-66) 1. To develop in the child good health habits and to build up basic skills, necessary for personal adjustment such as dressing toilet habits, eating, washing, cleaning etc.; 2. To develop desirable social attitudes and manners and to encourage healthy group participation, making the child sensitive to the rights and privileges of others; 3. To develop emotional maturity by guiding the child to express, understand, accept and control his feelings and emotions; 4. To encourage aesthetic appreciation; 5. To stimulate the beginning of intellectual curiosity concerning the environment and to help him understand the world in which he lives; and to foster new interests through oppertunities to explore investigate and experiments; 6. To encourage independence and creativity by providing the child with sufficient oppertunities for self expression.

4|Page

Early Childhood Education

7. To develop the child's ability to express his thoughts and feelings in fluent, correct and clear speech; and

8. To develop in the child a good physique adequate coordination and basic motor skills.

1.1.4 Report of the study group 1972: The study group was appointed jointly by the Ministry of Education and the Department of social welfare (which was a part of the ministry of law and social welfare). The group consisted of 13 members including the chair person Smt. Mina Swaminathan, Sri J.P.Naik was the member secretary of the group.

The group made several recommendations on the development of the pre-school child.

1. To promote child health through periodic health care so as to reduce child mortality and morbidity and offer protection against communicable diseases;

2. To promote optimum nutritional standards during the formative years of the child's life to enable him to develop his innate physical and mental potentialities to the full;

3. To promote a proper climate and to adopt measures for the healthy and balanced growth of the social and emotional aspects for the child's personality;

4. To reduce educational disparities by providing planned environmental stimulation aimed at supporting development of the cognitive abilities of the child;

5. To build readiness in the child for school learning and thus to help combat wastage and stagnation in the first two years of primary schools;

6. To promote an environment of security, love and acceptance and to help the child to build up desirable attitude, values and behaviors;

7. To protect the child against the social and mental hazards of an unfavorable social environment ; and

8. To create community awareness of the needs of the pre-school child and to elicit and build community environment and participation in the programme.

1.1.5 The Objectives of Pre School Education However followings are the objectives of pre-school education.

Development of good physique which includes ; a. Development of motor skills. b. Development and coordination of the muscles.

Training in hygienic and healthy habits such as dressing, toilet habits, eating, washing, cleaning etc.

Learning to share things with others and waits for one's turn.

5|Page

Early Childhood Education

Learning desirable social manners and etiquettes. Learning to express, understand and control one's feelings. Stimulating the child's curiosity about his environment and satisfying it. Learning concepts relating to numbers. Expanding knowledge for the solution of problems. Understanding physical phenomenon. Understanding social phenomenon. Developing vocabulary. Developing concepts of right and wrong. Developing appreciation of beauty in the environment i.e. flowers, birds, butterflies,

pictures, music, dance and scenes etc. Developing school readiness. Expressing creative expression. Developing self reliance. Encouraging children to participate in conversational activities. Developing healthy habits in the child and necessary skills for personal adjustment

like putting on clothes, eating on his own, observing cleanliness etc. Developing good social attitudes among children so that they can participate in

games and other activities and be sensitive to the rights and privileges of others. To sharpen children's aesthetic sense. To give oppertunities for self expression which encourage them to be independent

and creative?

To develop in children the competence to express their views and feelings spontaneously, clearly and accurately.

1.1.6. Characteristics of Children at the ECE Stages Each and every child is unique. There is a define pattern of a Child's development A Child's development is influenced by her/his heredity, environment and nature. Children generally learn by practice and repetition. Children are self-centred .They see everything from their own point of view. There are individual differences in children. We should accept the right of every child to learn in her/his own pace and style. Children mostly learn by imitation. Children are very active and energetic. They cannot sit still for a long time. Children are motivated when give oppertunities and encouragement. Children have curiosity and eagerness to learn and take interest in new things.

6|Page

Early Childhood Education

Abstract thinking is not yet developed at this stage, therefore they learn from concrete experiences.

Children develop and learn better by actively discovering their environment and experimenting with it, rather than by rote learning.

They learn best through activities and play. Their attention span is short they cannot concentrate on one activity for a long time. They take more interest in small groups activities. They like repetition.

1.1.7 Significant Reasons for Pre School Education

1. Brain Development is highest during the first four years of life. The brain is forming important neural path to help develop the child's ability to perform and function and learn well. Children are able to learn at a rapid rate and want and need to learn new information.

2. Going hand in hand with brain development is structure. Structure is vital for the young preschooler and the child thrives in a loving, structured environment with stimulating colours, sounds, textures, classroom layout, varying activities and books.

3. Social skills are next on the list and they are important to learn at this age rather than waiting until kinder garden age or later social skills such as learning how to listen, nice talks, brave talks, taking turns, acceptance of multi-cultural differences, apologies when to say pleas and thank you, how to speak in a group helping each other, learning compassion and empathy.There are so many opportunities for a child to develop social skills.

4. Academic are now being emphasized more than in past years because there is more research substantiality that a child is able to learn and perform more than what we used to expect. Also, there are more academic in the preschool curriculum now because the schools expect a child entering kindergarten to know what once used to be taught in kindergarten.

5. Pre-school is important the needed space it gives as a parent to work or have time to pursue interests, hobbies friends as an adult in the adult world. As a parent one still needs to grow and learn and give the community if that is something you enjoy doing. The child needs this time away from his parents and home to learn about the world, about people, about accepting others, making new friends. Children learn trust and independence when given opportunities to do things on his /her own or with a group, the child is learning important work attributes that are necessary in his future.

7|Page

Early Childhood Education According to Miss Grace Owen, the aims of pre-primary schools are:1. To provide healthy external conditions for the children like light, sun shine, space and fresh air. 2. To organize a happy healthy and regular life for the children as well as continuous medical supervision. 3. To assist each child to form for himself wholesome personal habits. 4. To give opportunity for imagination and for the development of many interests as well as skills of various kinds. 5. To give experiences of community life on a small scale where children of similar as well as varying ages work and play with one another. 6. To achieve a real unit with home life. Self Evaluation Q1.Explain Objectives of Preschool Education according to NCF (2005). Q2.Why should Pre-school Education to be promoted? Q3.What is the statement of Indian Education Committee regarding Pre-school Education? Q4.What Child Care Committee states on objectives of Pre-school? Notes on: 1. 5 important points on objectives of Pre-school Education. 2. Characteristics of children at ECCE stages.

8|Page

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download