Introduction
Early childhood education is a very important segment of learning. It is therefore important to design a good and effective management plan to implement the early childhood curriculum. During this learning stage, the learners get the opportunity to explore, imagine and create as they gain academic, social, and emotional capabilities for life. Children get opportunity to taste learning through such a program. However, the level and effectiveness of the early childhood program have not been up to the required standards. This paper is meant to find out how a good syllabus for the children of age bracket 3-5 years can be designed to fit the purposes of such subjects as mathematics and science. The paper will first focus on the theoretical perspective and the various philosophies that are applied in early childhood education.
Thesis Statement
A curriculum that is developed and planned for early childhood learners of the age bracket 3-5 years can achieve positive results in nurturing knowledge. Such a curriculum is designed to specifically guide the structuring of the syllabus since children of different ages use specific curricula and syllabus. Such a program will therefore enhance faster learning for the children and impart essential skills to the children of this age bracket.
Discussion
Concepts of Designing an Early Childhood Education Curriculum
Teachers in preschool rely on many strategies of encouraging children to participate in learning activities. It is important to determine what children of the age class of 3-5 years require, this data on children’s preference is important because it helps to determine what should be adopted in the classroom (Essa, 2003). According to Miltenberger (1990) “the acceptability of behavioral interventions has often been determined by inviting teachers or caregivers to complete rating scales or questionnaires.” Incorporating children preferences into the context of instructions result to few disruptive or off-task behavior. Several methods have been adopted to determine what children between 3 to 5 years prefer among, food, toys, curriculum material and activities. Pre-school teachers have faced difficult tasks in trying to determine the children prefer best.
Several studies have been done to determine young children’s preferences. One such study adopted a sequential and embedded motivational system. For this case, attractive teaching materials are used to determine what young children prefer. With this system young children get reinforced by the teacher’s instructions through manipulating attractive materials instruction. The preferred material is therefore systematically selected and adopted for teaching young children (Heal & Hanley, 2007).
Philosophy of Early Childhood Education
Children who enter early childhood centers have multiple life experiences and belong to different stages of development. As a result of this, educators and administrators need to understand the different qualities of young children. Usually all children adopt the same procedures of development even though every child has unique characteristics (Sweeney, 2008).
A warm and conducive atmosphere is required for young children to learn. For children between the age of 3 and 5 years, basic needs should first be provided before learning is introduced to them, such basic needs include shelter, food and safety. The provision of such basic needs may be difficult for the early childhood centers and therefore the administrators should work with other agencies and parents to ensure that this requirement is met. When these children study subjects such as mathematics and sciences, they should be encouraged to use pictures, play, and verbal communication to express themselves. According to Conley (2002), “children learn through manipulation of objects in their environment, creative play, and discovery of the world around them.” Social and emotional growth in young children is facilitated through role modeling, supportive teaching and group play. Family members, educators and administrators have a major role to play in early childhood education; they should be able to determine what is needed for a child to grow socially, emotionally and academically.
Outside agencies, parents and educators have vital roles to play in young children’s development both in the school community and in society. This is because it through sharing ideas and providing solutions to problems those young children grow with wisdom (Conley, 2002).
Theoretical framework
The role of educating children has for a long time been considered a reserve for the teachers. By teachers most people tend to think that teaching is a reserve for those who are professionally trained to do so. However, the role of parents as teachers cannot be underestimated. In fact parents play a crucial role in the education of their children. Since it is the parents who spend most of the time with children they are in a better position to take the role of teachers. However for parents to take the roles of teachers a lot of preparation has to take place. In other words, there are a lot of things that must be put into consideration when assuming the responsibility of teaching. Learning is a complex process that must be well approached for the results to be f essence. As a result, there are various models through which the learning process can be carried out. The concern-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is one model that is useful in the learning process.
Concern Based Adoption Model is a program that takes an overview of all the undertakings of change in the course of learning. The system goes ahead to predict the various characters and needs of the educators throughout the process. As the name suggests the whole process is based on concerns. These represent the emanating needs and experiences of the teachers as they conduct the learning process. The model provides for a deeper understanding of the al the parameters of the process making the teachers be aware and thus conversant with everything that concerns the same. As a result, the teachers are in a better position to comprehend their roles and fulfill their obligations in a better-informed manner (Conley 2002). The prediction part of the model helps the instructors to anticipate certain changes and therefore prepare to handle them successfully. This helps the process to take place in a more organized manner. The model works in several ways. First is the different stage through which the program is implemented. The levels of the model are also instrumental in bringing about the necessary change. Lastly the innovation aspect of the model plays an important role in the whole process.
Stages of CBAM
The Concern-Based Adoption Model is a comprehensive program used in the learning program. The model works through several stages in order to successfully implement its requirements. Each stage is unique and covers a certain degree of role that makes an ultimate contribution to the whole process. The model involves seven different stages. The stages can be used by parents in their role as teachers. The teaching process is meant to pass knowledge and education to the young children. As a result parents can simply assume the role of teachers and carry out the teaching process. Through CBAM, the process is meant easy since a step-by-step approach ensures that that the process is gradually approached with ease. CBAM provides an easy and simple formula through which the parents can employ in their endeavor to provide the young children with the education. Through each stage the needs of the children are taken care of. At the same time the concerns of the teachers during the whole process are also provided for. The stages involved in the CBAM areas listed below:
- Creation of awareness
- Provision of necessary Information
- Management
- Personal
- Collaboration
- Refocusing
- Consequence
Creation of Awareness
This is the initial stage in the whole program. Through the awareness stage the program incepts, the other stages that follow therefore deriving significance from the awareness stage. Being the first stage, the awareness stage sets the process of the whole program. Under normal circumstances the stage involves the understanding of the individual concerning the change that is to take place (Sweeney, 2008).
The person in question might not be aware of the impending change, therefore this stage establishes whether the individual has the awareness or not. It also explains the willingness of the person to get the knowledge of the change or not. In other words the awareness stage establishes the situation of the learner and the attitude he or she poses. Before the process can begin the awareness of the person has to first be established. It is from here that a proper understanding of the person can be done.
When parents take up the roles of teachers they can find this stage to be of great importance. This is true bearing in mind that the awareness step sets the stage for the whole process. At the same time the CBAM model is made in a systematic way that enables the proper understanding and handling of the whole process. Proper implementation of the first process guarantees the success of the whole program.
The awareness stage involves the concerns which are to do with the individuals in the process and not the situation itself. Under normal circumstances, this involves the people who bring about the change or experience it. How they perceive the change and how prepared they are to handle the whole situation.
The awareness part is the most important since it establishes the situation of the individual before proceeding with the other aspects of the same. In their roles as teachers parents can take advantage of the CBAM model to ensure the convenience of their process. The model makes the process simpler and easier to carry out. Parents can therefore assess their own level of awareness when carrying out the process. Their concerns are well understood through the first stage of the model.
Relationship with Other Stages
The awareness stage sets the stage for the application of the other stages of the CBAM model. As a result, it is the single most stage of the whole program. This is because it begins the process by ascertaining the awareness quotient of the individual in question. The awareness stage has a complementary relationship with the other stages of the model. In one way or another, all the stages of the model complement each other. Therefore the awareness stage opens the whole process through which relationships are built at the relevant stages of the program.
Awareness and Education Relationships
Awareness is the single most important parameter in the activities of education. In fact, the relationships involved in the educational process have a lot to do with the awareness aspect. The awareness of the various aspects in the process is vital towards the success of the early childhood education program. Awareness carries the most significant role in the education environment. At the end of the day, it is the awareness of the teachers and the young children of their needs and concerns that point to the success of any program of education nature. Failure to develop a sound awareness of the needs and concerns of the program can have drastic effects on the way the whole program is run. A proper understanding of these concerns leads to the success of any program available. Poor awareness among the participants in the educational program is more dangerous for the success of the program
Conclusion
This paper has discussed how what is needed to develop a curriculum that fits the syllabus for young children. As mentioned above early childhood education program is faced with problems of adopting the best system for learning for the young children. This is because young children have different preferences and therefore to determine a preference for a certain age class is a hard task. Specifically, this paper has considered children between 3 and 5 years of age. A curriculum that is developed and planned for early childhood learners of the age bracket 3-5 years has been found to achieve positive results in nurturing knowledge. Such a program has therefore been found to be able to enhance faster learning for the children and impart essential skills to the children of this age bracket.
References
- Conley, B. (2002). Alternative schools: a reference handbook. New York: ABC-CLIO.
- Essa, E.L. (2003). Introduction to early childhood education. Clifton Park, New York: Delmar Learning.
- Heal, N. & Hanley, P. (2007). Evaluating preschool children’s preferences for motivational systems during instruction. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 40(2): 249–261.
- Miltenberger R.G. (1990). Assessment and treatment acceptability: A review of the literature. Journal of topics on Early Childhood Special Education, 3(10): 24–38.
- Sweeney, B. (2008). Leading the teacher induction and mentoring program. Washington: Corwin Press.