Many issues of ongoing discussion and debate face the field of early childhood education today. Identify and discuss two of the issues

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Issues in the field of early childhood education:
- Views about Curriculum and Teaching
• Teaching the whole child or developmentally appropriate practices believes the emphasis is on supporting all aspects of development, building problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, self-regulations and creativity. Hands-on learning and many opportunities to learn through play. Providing rich, meaningful learning experiences that promote social-emotional and cognitive skills. Authentic assessment based on the observations of children‘s behavior is the most effective approach to use in assessing young children.
• Subject-oriented approach to teaching young children believes that the primary goal of education is the acquisition of knowledge and skills that prepare children for the expectations they will encounter in later grades. The focus is on promoting academic achievement. Teacher-led direct instruction may be the prevalent teaching strategy used. The focus is on the subject areas of literacy and math. Standardized tests are often used to evaluate children.
• Despite disagreements about specific instructional approaches, there is consensus that early childhood teaching should be intentional and have clearly articulated rational and be informed by research on its effectiveness (evidence- based teaching).
• It is important for teachers to stay current and be thoughtful about current research so you will be consistent with what you have learned about child development, developmentally appropriate practices and what you know is best for young children.
- School Readiness
• Most educators agree that school readiness involves children's competencies at the time of school entry that are important for school success. Viewpoints differ regarding the types of skills, abilities and knowledge that are important for children to have as they enter formal schooling.
• In the 1990s a more comprehensive model of readiness emerged that focuses on experiences that a child has before entering kindergarten- family support, preschool experiences and community resources. Three components of readiness were recommended by the National Education Goals Panel in 1997 . 1) readiness in the child, 2) schools' readiness for children and family and community support. Schools readiness for children is just as important as a child's readiness for school.
• It is important to understand and know that both children's skills and the social contexts in which they live is an important part of school readiness for children.
- Balancing the Needs of Children, Families and Teachers
• Three interrelated issues concerning the provision of education and care for children under the age of 5 . The trilemma (QCA) of early childhood education have been a continuing challenge for our field. These terms refer to the tension between children's needs for a quality program to support their development, teachers' needs to receive adequate compensation and families' need for programs that are accessible in both location and cost.
- Role of Government in Early Childhood Education
• A continuing issue is determining whose responsibility it is to help families provide early education for their children. Families have been held responsible for the cost until their child entered public school. Today, the needs of working families, the push for school readiness and the recognition of the developmental benefits of children attending high-quality programs before the ages of 5, has led to growing support for government funded early childhood programs.