assignment of 2000 words

Final_46625_2500 Essay.docxRunning Head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEARNING AND TEACHING         1
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEARNING AND TEACHING    2
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEARNING AND TEACHING IN EARLY YEARS
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Biblical Principles    3
Constructivism, Humanism or Post-Modernism and Its Impact on Early Childhood Teaching and Learning.    5
Developmental Characteristics    6
Learning Connected to Brain’s Learning Processes    8
Conclusion    10
References    12
Introduction
Early childhood can be considered as one of the most critical time period during the growth of individuals. This is majorly because of the fact that during this time children learn everything new because they are not aware of anything or any concept. Therefore, it is also essential to consider that teaching and learning during this time period becomes a critical and sensitive aspect for children as well as the teachers or educators. Age limit for early childhood may vary in between 6-8 years depending upon the system of education or country. However, it would be necessary to consider that brain development of children starts during this age. This essay critically analyses the importance of learning and teaching during early childhood depending upon humanism, modernisation and constructivism. Along with this, developmental characteristics and the learning connected to functioning of brain will be discussed.
Biblical Principles
Early education plays a major and sensitive role in the development of children physically as well as mentally. This is majorly because during this age, children needs to be prepared spiritually, emotionally, mentally, cognitively as well as influentially through the behaviour of other children as well as society. Bible is considered as the final authority for all the living creatures and therefore it also helps to understand and learn how things work, principles of living as well as protection from the harmful thinking and behaviour (de Jong, 2016). Therefore, in order to provide spiritual as well as emotional development of children biblical principles needs to be followed in early childhood teaching.
In order to provide the education and information based upon biblical principles, it would be essential that the educator must be aware of concepts related to bible as well as Christianity. It would also be significant for the teacher or the early childhood educator to foster children’s growth based upon their individual growth in each student with respect to their culture, temperament as well as personality, attitudes and beliefs. Adger, Snow and Christian (2018) suggested that educators need to develop the sense of learner among the students or children. In other words, it would be required that the children develop the sense of learning and that life is full of learning therefore, they will have to pursue spiritual and professional growth.
One of the major aspect of teaching is to pass on exact as well as correct information to the students. Student or children in early childhood learning are not aware of any concept or learning that is they are fresh and ready to grasp. Therefore, biblical principles suggest that educator must provide informed as well as researched concepts related to the understanding of growth as well as simultaneous learning. Teaching children based upon their developmental domains such as social, emotional, spiritual and physical allows children in their early childhood to plan for achievable goals that may be under god-designed development.
Activities can be regarded as the best way to make children learn especially in their early childhood state. This is majorly because of the fact that activities allow children to express themselves, learn to manage the relationships even if it may be with their mates, regulate their behaviour as well as develop imagination. In other words, it allows children to experience god’s world and the way it functions. Activities include certain set of functions based upon teacher-guided instructions and explorations that are imitated by chid. This is essential because every time the child performs some activity, they will be able to learn and understand something new, they will be able to identify their own flaws and then may be able to develop improvement.
However, it is required for the educator to consider and understand how every child learns. This could be easily learned by developing biblically based curriculum activities. This would allow the educators to centre their plans, learnings as well as teaching based upon the thinking and learning ability of children.
Constructivism, Humanism or Post-Modernism and Its Impact on Early Childhood Teaching and Learning
Psychology and understanding of human behaviour explains a lot about the individual and their attitudes. Children in early childhood stage mostly are not aware of themselves, their learning styles, or the abilities they may possess. Therefore, it is essential for the educators or teachers to possess information regarding children’s psychology.
Constructivism is a learning theory that is found in psychology and it explains the aspect of how individuals may learn or acquire knowledge. Further, according to this theory, individual learns mostly through their experiences as well as their mistakes. However, as argued by Kratochwil (2017), with respect to early childhood, it is essential to consider that the children during this age are not aware of their rights and wrongs unless they are told and therefore, they may not be able to learn.
Kubalkova, Onuf and Kowert (2015) suggested that the concept of constructivism completely eradicates the role of a teacher because according to this theory instead of a teacher, facilitator may be required. In other words, teachers may be able to give lectures and provide information. However, a facilitator will allow children to identify their rights and wrongs. Facilitator will help children to learn through their own understanding and through their own content. Learners or children may play a passive role during the former scenario. However, later learner is the one that plays an active role. Further, a teacher may give knowledge and information under the confined limits of curriculum and may draw their own conclusion. However, facilitator only gives the guidelines to create an environment for the learners that may further foster them to derive their own conclusions. Therefore, a constructivist approach would be required from the educators.
Humanism is another associated and complimentary concept that is not only a philosophical approach rather it also defines ethical approach. Humanism is the concept that emphasise upon the value and importance of human beings in groups as well as individually. This concept not only represents kindness of sympathy rather it may also help to define the attitude of human being against other humans. Children during their early childhood learning need to understand the importance of fellow human or children. This will allow them to develop the feeling of non-discrimination and this learning stays throughout life (Novak, 2018). This concept allows the development of individual based upon the freedom of their thoughts. Therefore, in early childhood care, educators will be required to allow children understand the importance of human life and the way, every individual possess different capabilities.
Postmodernism is a very a 20th century concept that reflects a departure from modernisation and defines the use of self-consciousness in order to justify mixing of different styles as well as theories (Nicholson & Maniates, 2016). This concept denies the existence of reliable knowledge, stable reality and much more. In other words, it has also been defined as reaction against scientific attempts in order to explain reality and personal circumstances. In early childhood learning, educators would be required to develop the ability of questioning among children. In other words, asking and questioning the existence of an entity, culture or belief can allow having a better understanding of it due to aroused curiosity to gain knowledge.
Developmental Characteristics
Early childhood is the stage where some of the major developments in children occur. These developments are not limited to their physical or morphological structure rather emotional as well as mental state also. Children during this stage grow in height, weight, develop teeth and also learn a number of activities. However, it would be essential to consider that children also develop a number of skills such as catching, throwing, running, climbing, riding and much more and along with this this also learn one of the most important characteristic that is mind and body coordination (Costello & Angold, 2016).
Early childhood also needs to be considered as an essential age of learning language as well as speaking. During this age, children are able to speak and they also learn how to make and develop gestures while they speak. Further, they also have a strong motivation because they learn to Coney message and their feelings and likewise, they also learn that through language they can make the other person understand their concept. Moreover, children also develop the understanding of what other individual may be trying to say or convey to them. In other words, they learn to communicate (Taylor, Oberle, Durlak & Weissberg, 2017). Further, they also learn to pronounce words properly, build up their vocabulary and also learn how to answer questions that other individual may ask. They learn to speak complex sentences and also make use of words to construct sentences.
Another major characteristic that children develop during this age is emotions. During childhood emotions are supposed to be intense because children do not understand the meaning of most of the functions or activities that they may have to perform. Children at stage are required to be taught to control their emotions. Some of common emotions that children reflect are anger, jealousy, joy, envy, grief and need for attention. Conflicts over small things are very common among children and they try to express their tantrums trough screaming, crying, jumping, kicking, or striking. Fear is one of the most common and persistent emotion that children develop and therefore it becomes essential for the educators to support children and engage them in activities that may help them to overcome fears.
Roskos (2017) mentioned that early childhood could also be regarded as the period for social development because during this age children develop and get the training along with the experience to become a member of gang or social leader. The foundation for socialisation are laid down by the family as well as educators because they are the one that children trust and therefore, it may be considered as the duty of educators to allow students understand the concepts of society.
Children also develop the sense of understanding that is they learn to reason and understand the relationships and associated limits. Children try to understand people and their reactions further; they also try to mould their conversations according to the response such as changing the conversation upon observing the angry mood of other individual. Other than this, children also develop interests in diverse activities as well as other concepts. Things related to culture, religion and even gender and sex are supposed to arouse curiosity among them. Further, interests related to games, sports, self-understanding and much more. Children are also supposed to develop curiosity as well as reasoning and questioning against the superstitions as well as various beliefs that may persist in society.
Learning Connected to Brain’s Learning Processes
Theories as well as scientific studies have proven that the development of child’s brain starts when they are 5 years of age and from then it continuous until their lifetime. Therefore, it would be essential to consider the fact that early childhood emerges to be one of the most critical times in the life of children. This is majorly due to the fact that children learn to interpret things as well as functions such as earlier they may be eating food because they are told to eat or they may be hungry however, during this stage they start to understand the importance of food and nutrition and therefore, they start consuming it on their own.
Goldie, (2016) suggested that there are 4 major brain developments that occur during this age that is decision-making, problem solving, behaviour as well as executive skills. Therefore, it would be essential for the teachers and educators or facilitators to develop learning curriculums that foster all 4 developments. Decision-making skills allows children to understand the situation and therefore, make the right decision such as after fighting with fellow mates, guilty children must be provoked to say sorry so that they remember their fault and next time they themselves say sorry. Likewise, learning such building models, shapes and other things not only allows to carve the creativity out of children but also allow children to decide what their next steps may be and if that is not feasible what could be the alternative.
Problem solving skills are essential for brain development as these allow handling situations and especially tough situations. Further, these may also allow to compliment the decision making process. Activities such as puzzles, treasure hunt, jumble words, scribbles and much more are some great learnings that directly foster problem-solving skills and allow children to think out of the box (Klein, Mok, Chen & Watkins, 2014).
Behaviour is one of the major development that occurs within the brain of children and behaviour changes throughout life. It is highly dependent upon the surrounding environment as well as the individuals around children. It would be essential to consider that behaviour is an observational learning that is children learn behaviour by observing other individuals. In other words, behaviour can be considered as the part of observational learning that is no-trial learning. If they observe rude behaviour they develop rude behaviour and if the observe polite and sensible behaviour they acquire the same. Other than this, observational learning can also be considered as feedback or reward learning. Children after receiving a certain feedback based upon their activities may develop the thinking and ability whether to repeat the action or not. If they are not provided with a positive feedback or are not given any reward for certain activity they may not perform it again. This is based upon the interpretation and observation whether they are being recognised or not.
Jackman, Beaver and Wyatt (2014) mentioned that implicit learning is another learning that is most effective when it comes to brain development. This can also be considered as statistical learning and is highly dependent upon learning of regular patterns in the surrounding. This requires exposure to a specific event or entity in order to develop regularities and learning.
Perceptual and Motor Learning is also another learning through which children may learn and it is highly based upon the fact to observe difference. In other words, children are excellent observer and performer therefore, they can easily identify the difference between their and other’s activity and therefore, will try to mimic the same in order to receive same reward.
Conclusion
Early childhood as evident from the above-mentioned explanation as well as rationales can be considered as one of the most important phase of human life. There is numerous learning as well as functions that are associated with this age and they go along lifetime. Further, it would be essential for the teachers and educators to understand the importance of this time and therefore, develop the curriculum accordingly. There is requirement of learnings related to biblical principles as well as based upon the personal attitudes as well as abilities of children. Moreover, different approaches of learning such as humanism, constructivism and much more may be required. Likewise, allowing children to develop learning based upon experiences as well as observation could be considered as one of the most effective learning associated with brain’s development.
References
Adger, C. T., Snow, C. E., & Christian, D. (Eds.). (2018). What teachers need to know about language. UK: Multilingual Matters
Costello, E. J., & Angold, A. (2016). Developmental epidemiology. Developmental psychopathology, 1-35
de Jong, E. J. (2016)....