Four themes emerge from the history of early childhood education: the ethic of social reform, the importance of childhood, transmitting values, and a sense of professionalism. Write about one of these themes

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
Ethic of social reform: early childhood education as trying to improve children’s health and well-being; early education including social welfare and family support; mention of Montessori, McMillan sisters, Mill, Eliot, Head Start, anti-bias, and/or Edelman; may include current inequities and need for social justice
Importance of childhood: may mention the historical emergence of childhood as a unique stage of life, adults taking responsibility for children’s welfare, children learning and needing experiences in special ways
Transmitting values: values as the essence of education in history; may connect works of Montessori, Dewey, and Steiner with certain values; anti-bias curriculum and a need to honor diversity while forming a cohesive culture
Professionalism:
Sense of identity: look for teacher as caregiver, as educator, as part of a larger focus on developing children; look for holistic view
Purpose for DAP: look for the description as having three parts: knowledge of child development/children as a group; understanding the children as individuals; respecting the social and cultural contexts of the children and families
Commitment: look for keeping children’s best interests as a priority; keeping confidentiality; upholding a code of ethics; honoring diversity
Legitimate work: look for comments about worthy wages, work conditions that are sustainable, teaching as more than baby-sitting?