Sonia Arias

Carolyn Ellsworth

Introduction to Early Childhood Education

18 April 2019

Final Philosophy

The emotional, social and physical development of a young child has a direct impact on

their overall development and it will define and shape the adult they will become. This is why it

is very important to understand the need to invest in young children, as this will maximize their

well-being in the future.

A child’s first experiences, the attachment they form with their caregivers, and their first

educational experiences, deeply affect their physical, cognitive, emotional and social

development in the long run.

Intentional Teaching. ​Our text defines intentional teaching as “teachers who have a purpose for

the decisions they make and can explain that purpose to others.” (Bredekamp, 2017, p.76).

Intentional teaching implies teaching with a purpose and to have developmentally appropriate

teaching practices that are effective and support children’s play through purposefully planned

activities. Children really need the modeling and the interaction with adults to build their

thinking and understanding skills; intentional teaching plays a huge role in accomplishing this.

Something I was able to realize after learning more about intentional teaching is that there is a

direct connection between the adult:child ratios and the improvement of opportunities for better
adult:child interactions. Improving the adult:child ratios in a classroom will positively impact the

quality and quantity of teacher:child interactions and it will allow a teacher to offer and work on

individual plans and teaching strategies for their students. This will naturally result in the

improvement and raise of the teaching intent and learning outcomes in the classroom.

DAP.​ ​“Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is an approach to teaching grounded in the

research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early

education. Its framework is designed to promote young children’s optimal learning and

development.” (NAEYC, 2019). DAP is based on the idea that children learn by doing when they

are actively involved in a task or in the learning environment (considering the environment as

materials, adults and other children). It assumes that children build knowledge based on

experiences, and not through the passive listening of a class. This view is based on the notion of

"zone of proximal development" proposed by Vygotsky.

Both/And. ​“Both/And thinking rejects simplistic answers to complex questions and requires

diverse perspectives and several possible answers to be considered.” ​(Bredekamp, 2017, p.76).

Our text explains the analogy of “widening the lens”. This has to do with the ability of a teacher

to look beyond the view they have held and to have a wider perspective of things.

Role of teachers in children’s learning. ​An early childhood educator works with children who

are in their earliest stage of life, so the influence they have on these children has a huge impact

on the next stages of learning. Teaching young children goes beyond teaching them basic
knowledge and concepts. It implies a commitment to strengthen children's values and attitudes

necessary for them to live and develop their full potential, improve their quality of life, make

fundamental decisions and continue learning.

​ he guidance and discipline children receive during their first years of

Guidance and Discipline. T

life is key to help them develop language, social-emotional cognitive skills and to achieve

adequate physical development. One of the main objectives of providing guidance to young

children is for them to receive continuous, systematic and orderly learning in favorable

environments that gives them the possibility of acquiring and developing all the necessary

functions to face their future school education and life challenges.

Why Early Childhood Education? ​The reason why I decided to take Early Childhood Education

classes is that I am a child care provider and I want to improve the quality of care, guidance, and

education I provide to the children under my care. I want to be the kind of caregiver that helps

children feel safe and secure, encourages self-responsibility and fosters competence and healthy

self-control. I want to be a positive influence in their lives and behavior. I want to use both

direct and indirect guidance to help children develop their personalities and full potential while

making them feel respected and listened to. It is important for me to always take into account

that each child is different and that my guidance approach needs to be flexible and individualized

in order to fulfill their unique and diverse needs. I am grateful for everything I learned this

semester. It has changed my personal philosophy and it’s already making a positive impact in my

program.
 Works Cited

“NAEYC.” The 10 NAEYC Program Standards | NAEYC, ​www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/dap​.

Bredekamp, Sue. ​Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation​. 3rd

ed., Pearson, 2017.