Posts Tagged early childhood development
Education Is Key From Early Child Care To Master Level Professors
We have all heard of the phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child”, and in today’s world where two incomes are needed just to get by, the importance of teachers trained in early childhood development is extremely important. Are you interested in this field, but because of family responsibilities you thought that going back to school was just a dream? Thankfully for many of us, the Internet has changed all of that. We now can enroll into an online accredited school and earn the degree necessary to have the career we have always wanted.
Although it is possible to have a general teaching degree and certificate, the advantages of specializing in this area is an increase in earning potential, plus you can advance into an administrative position. Due to the growing awareness of the importance of early childhood training, the job market in this field is considered stable and secure.
Where can you start? An associate’s degree is one possibility and takes two years to complete. With this degree you can work in a variety of settings, including but not limited to, pre-schools, daycare and early childhood educational centers. This is also a great degree if you want to increase your knowledge and you are already a teacher.
The next degree would be a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development with which you would be qualified to work with children from birth through eight years of age. After you complete the four years, you would be able to get your teachers certificate. This program will provide instruction in child development and health and nutrition, plus children with special needs.
During the end of you degree plan you will be required to complete a student teacher semester so that you will get experience and feedback from an established teacher. Online schools recognize that their students might have difficulty with their schedules, so they have several to choose from.
After the bachelor’s degree is, of course, the master’s degree, which is also available online. This is the degree you will want if you would like to teach on the college level or if you want to become an administrator of a school. Also, if you want to go into research you will need this level of degree.
In the master’s program you will cover areas of cognitive learning, speech development, advanced principles in education, research methods and children’s literacy. There are two types of master’s degree programs you can select from – either a licensure track or a non-licensure track. In other words, if you do not need to have a license to practice you can opt for the non-licensure program, which is a shorter curriculum.
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Educational Toys – Are They Really Educational
Children love to play and it is the most natural way for them to learn. Toys can provide a means for parents and or caregivers to connect relationally with children through play. Studies show that learning is enhanced as parents – caregivers participate in the activities of their children. Interaction during play also provides opportunities for parents – caregivers to observe the various skills that are developing and continue to build upon them as well as observe under developed areas and help these areas to grow.
According to the NPD Group, a leading market research company, the toy manufacturing industry boasted $21.64 billion in sales in 2008. This may or may not surprise you, but toy sales in 2008 in a shaky and uncertain economy were only down 4% from toy sales in 2006 when the USA seemed to be enjoying a stable and even growing economy. Many toy manufacturers make claims that their products will facilitate learning and growth in the six crucial areas of early childhood development. But do they really?
Children from infancy to six years of age will experience some positive growth and development with almost any toy that they engage during playtime because their brain is being stimulated and is gathering information with every experience. This is why parents – caregivers should seek advice from a pediatrician or an educator who specializes in early childhood education and development as to what toys will be best suited for their child. In doing this parents – caregivers will discover that the best educational toy is not what a manufacturer may claim, but the one that works best at stimulating interaction with them and their child. Toys are not a substitute to keep children busy by themselves, but an avenue to support loving, caring interaction and relationship building.
On Monday October 5, 2009 my wife and I welcomed our fifth grandchild, a boy, into our family. As I observed him in the hospital nursery waving his little arms and legs shortly after his birth I could not help myself from thinking that his brain was already preparing him for the world around him. With that, here a few ideas that may help you when looking for educational toys for your child…
- Look for age appropriate toys that will challenge their imagination. Problem solving helps prepare them for real life situations
- Look for toys with your child in mind. Like everything else, trends find their way in the toy market also and may not be suitable toy(s) for your child
- Do not fall prey to claims made by advertisers. Many educational toys have greatly improved in recent years, but some are more entertaining than educational. A little personal research on your part can reveal a lot.
- Safety first. Is the toy safe for your child? Remember 1 – 2 year olds like putting things in their mouth
- Stay away from any toy that promotes even the slightest hint of violence or negative social behavior
- When in doubt, seek the advice of a pediatrician or an early childhood education and development educator – specialist
With the 2009 holiday season quickly approaching many parents – caregivers will purchase toys for their children. However, while choosing toys that will aid in your child’s educational development, it is important for parents – caregivers to keep in mind, their personal interaction with their child is the best gift that they can give.
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How to Find the Best Early Childhood Education Degree Program
Early childhood education is an imperative aspect of the education field. It is no secret that young children are extremely impressionable – and any positive learning experiences that they can encounter can impact them in a substantial way. Even as advancing technology substantially changes the way that various ages of children and young people are learning, certain teaching methods and education techniques have remained the same and are still just as effective today as they were many years ago. Because studies have proven that 85% of a child’s personality is developed before the young age of six, early childhood education is an imperative part of a young person’s life.
Early childhood education involves the shaping of the emotional, social, physical, intellectual and cognitive skill set of a young child. Professional early childhood educators are specially trained to positively impact young children and help them grow into intelligent and effective adults. Even though primary care facilitators and a child’s parents play a significant role in a child’s life, early childhood instructors provide nurturing education-oriented attention to a child. Teachers should also closely involve a student’s parents during a child’s education to ensure that he or she receives the best and most effective type of education.
Do you wish to pursue degree program training in the early childhood development field? Do you enjoy working with young children and watching them develop? Are you patient, encouraging and kind? Can you help young students who may possess severe or mild learning disabilities? Many schools, like the McCann School of Business and Technology, offer convenient courses and hands-on classes that quickly prepare students like you for a career in early childhood education.
Students who enroll in training classes in the area of early childhood education will acquire standard degree program instruction for this important field. Once these students graduate, they are able to obtain careers in pre-schools, primary schools, day care centers and nursery schools.
Courses will teach students the basics of early childhood education. They will learn about:
- Establishing a creative, encouraging and nurturing learning atmosphere.
- Helping students in the classroom and at home – instructors will closely involve a student’s parents and encourage parent-teacher interaction during the process of learning.
- Developing age-appropriate lesson plans that are fun, educational and interactive. Instructors will place a strong emphasis on learning through ways which are fun and positive to the student.
- Assisting students with special needs and learning disabilities. Students will become familiar with instruction methods that help students who may have difficulty with the learning process.
- Providing any necessary care for young children, learn to focus on the emotional, social, physical and cognitive development of a child.
- Collaborating with other early childhood education instructors to develop the most appropriate education plans for certain age groups.
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