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Philosophy of Teaching Statement

  • May 11
  • 5 min read


As an Early Childhood Educator, I believe in partnering with families to understand their cultural background and home life better and incorporate that in my teaching so that my students can embrace where they're from because when an educator promotes cultural awareness in the classroom, it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in a diverse world. I’d include the child's home life and cultural background into my teaching practice. I’d also want the families to know just how important it is for them to feel welcomed, so I plan on partnering with families to understand better their background, family traditions, and home life. I plan to provide families opportunities to visit the child care center to meet and connect. I'd invite them to bring items that resemble things from their culture and collaborate with them to support their child's development by planning activities that meet their individual child's needs. When demonstrating a genuine interest in learning about a child's culture and what makes them unique it establishes trust and allows you to form a bond with them so that they feel valued and appreciated; If students feel appreciated by and comfortable with their teacher, there's a better chance they'll reach their full potential and succeed. I believe I can accomplish this if I provide a nurturing and safe environment because it is my top priority to ensure the safety and well-being of all my students. I also believe it is imperative to develop partnerships with the community because when children know their community, they more about themselves and create a sense of belonging. They feel valued. They can meet new people who can believe in them and support them, widening and enhancing their community. Setting up opportunities for children and families to learn about and visit different places in their community can help provide them with resources, support, and new ways of thinking. Ensuring we have a system to provide community resources to families is an integral part of being an early childhood educator.

Observations and Documentations are essential because they are interconnected to the whole child. It is a key factor in understanding the children's experiences, development, and learning. It is used to gain insight into how children think, learn, and make sense of their world. This is crucial in gathering information to plan meaningful activities and lessons that build on children's natural curiosity, ideas, abilities, and life experiences. Observation and assessment of children also inform overall preparation. The best way to support children's learning and development is to ensure that preparation for planned and child-initiated learning should resemble their needs; both meet their current needs and interests, and preparation enables them to engage in activities and experiences that build on their knowledge. Observation should inform this process by carefully analyzing the children's needs and interests reflected in the preparation. It also provides opportunities for discussion amongst other educators and parents to support learning at home and in early childhood settings. One example of a behavior guidance strategy I plan to use in my program is re-direction. I plan to implement this by redirecting the child's attention to another activity if I see they’re struggling with behavior. For example, if I see a child in the play area throwing blocks, I’d say something like “Throwing blocks is never a good idea—someone could get hurt or something could break. How about we head outside and throw the ball to each other?" by doing so, I am redirecting that negative behavior into a positive one. This strategy supports child development because it encourages the child to use their gross motor skills, promoting growth. It also boosts their self-esteem because I acknowledge the child’s emotions and help them use that by turning it into a positive activity where they can release their stress in a healthy way. Another example of a behavior guidance strategy I plan to use in my program would

be Positive Re-Enforcement. I plan to implement this by encouraging behavior through praise. For example, if a child is behaving well or doing what they need to do in class, I'd encourage them to repeat that behavior by praising them. I'd provide positive feedback by telling the child where they did good in a timely and specific manner. When using this strategy, you have to be specific and timely. If you wait till the end of the lesson to tell the child that they did good and reward them, they won't be able to tie that feedback to the exact behavior they portrayed to receive that reward and will likely be confused. It is essential to tell the child where they did good and offer praise in return when using this strategy—lastly, Modeling words and tone to give children examples of how to interact with others—for example, listening and responding in a sensitive way to all kinds of things – not just nice things or good news, but also anger, embarrassment, sadness, and fear and modeling good body language such as eye contact and facing someone when they are speaking to you. This shows the other person that you are listening and shows signs of respect. I think it's important to implement developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive practices because when incorporated into classroom instruction, culturally responsive strategies can have significant benefits such as:

· Strengthening students' sense of identity.

· Promoting equity and inclusivity in the classroom.

· Engaging students in the course material & supporting critical thinking.

Developmentally appropriate practice is crucial because it draws upon each child and family's strengths and resources. Early childhood educators can create a rich learning environment that fosters that motivation and helps advance each child's current skills, abilities, and interests. Educators contribute significantly to the child's development by providing the support or assistance that allows the child to succeed at a task that is just beyond their current level of skill or understanding. When I think about inclusive environments and what they should be/look like, I often think it is more than just having activities or posters on the wall. It is about meeting each student's needs and providing an environment that welcomes them how they come. I will provide accommodations for the children who need them and modify my classroom accordingly. They will have access to and be included in classroom lessons and activities adapted or modified to meet their unique needs. It would consist of an open space for children with disabilities a sensory table for children who need sensory breaks. A quiet area where children who get overstimulated with loud noises or commotion can take a break away from it all. I'd have books and dramatic play materials that represent diverse people. The materials/shelves would be labeled and easily accessible by students. There'll be a balance of large/small group and individual instruction throughout the daily routine and active/outdoor and reflective/indoor activities. It is essential to include content when designing an inclusive environment. I'd include images representing children and families from all cultures and backgrounds and with disabilities to show that we're

all the same regardless of race, religion, gender, disabilities, background, academic ability, etc. I'd like to have posters that display positive relationships to convey love, happiness, friendships irrespective of where someone comes from or who they are. It is essential to advocate for children because it gives children a strong start on the path that leads to college or a career. The overwhelming evidence and research demonstrate that high-quality early care and education is crucial component of a child’s healthy development. Investing in child care and early learning is a solution that creates upward mobility by ensuring all children have the opportunity to build foundations for success in school and life. The quality of early childhood education is essential for the holistic development of children. Quality includes proper curriculum and learning environments in all developmental domains (physical, intellectual, language, social, and emotional). Early childhood educators advocate their work each day. They advocate for the children and families they work with by supporting them, looking for resources they might need, and speaking up for them when necessary.


References:



NAEYC. (2020). Developmentally appropriate practice [Position statement].




 
 
 

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