Introduction
After reflecting on my developmental process as a professional in Early Childhood Education and considering my personal, political, philosophical, and socio-economic backgrounds and beliefs, I have come to understand that my white European upbringing mostly influences my views of what is important. This can be advantageous when functioning in this context, but it does limit the diversity of perspectives I can bring to the table. For example, my absence of inherent biases allows for more flexible deliberation. A lack of awareness of these biases unintentionally undermines the diverse opinions and values embedded within different cultures.
In addition, my ideas will be shaped by a developmental lens regarding modeling social discourse and praxis. I see myself using reflection and action research for pre-professional development (Rodd, 2020). That is, what I do in my practice is the result of the accrual of my own experiences that have informed me, professionally and personally, over time. Therefore, it is important to understand this ongoing process within my development to provide an accessible context for critical externalities.
Moreover, I have explored many opportunities during my education, which has allowed me to explore my passions and interests. I am experienced in all areas of child development, including program management, leadership, communication, collaboration skills, assessment and intervention protocols, project planning and execution, and data collection/analysis (Rodd, 2020). This essay discusses and analyzes the reflections based on my personal and professional experiences in early childhood education. It further shows how my interest in developing human potential was achieved.
My Past and Present Development
The early relationships in my life have been influential in shaping my personality type and also the way that I relate to others. My relationship with my father has been an important factor in shaping who I am today. My father was always around and caring for me at the beginning of my life. He worked hard to provide for his family, but he also spent time with each of us individually. We would go on walks together, play games, and have fun together as a family. My father taught me many important lessons about life through his example. He taught me how to be a good person by showing me that being kind is important and that treating others with respect should be expected from everyone.
He also encouraged me to explore new things and learn as much as possible about the world to become more knowledgeable about our surroundings and ourselves. I remember how excited he would get when we learned something new about geography or science at school because it meant he could teach me something else after class. He always wanted me to keep learning no matter what age I was or what subject matter might interest me at any given time during those formative years when my mind started forming into something new every day.
In addition, I have always been a very empathetic, caring person. At an early age, I had a strong sense of empathy and compassion for others. This was probably because my parents raised me; they were extremely kind people who always ensured I knew how much they loved me. I also think that society played a role in helping me develop these traits. Society teaches us through its media that being kind to others is good and that it is important to be selfless sometimes.
Moreover, my personality type is ENFJ (Extraversion, Feeling, Judging, Intuition). This means I am outgoing and intuitive, feel things deeply and make decisions based on my feelings (Rodd, 2020). This personality type has shaped who I am today because it allows me to be comfortable interacting with other people and working in groups. In addition, I like helping people so much, which is something that ENFJs are good at doing. This personality type further makes me very good at my job because I have a natural ability for leadership and empathy towards others.
My Role as a Professional
Emotional intelligence and team member function are two themes that have influenced my role as a professional. The ability to recognize and appropriately react to the feelings of others and one’s own is what psychologists mean when they talk about emotional intelligence (Rodd, 2020). A team member function is crucial because it helps me work well with others. Team member function has helped me understand that each person’s contribution is equally important to the group’s overall goal. In addition, my emotional intelligence gives me a strong sense of right and wrong. Based on my observations of their natural environments, I know what is right for children and what is not. I believe that every child is important and that they all deserve to be treated equally. I will treat each child respectfully, regardless of their background or abilities.
Moreover, my values have also influenced my decision to become an early childhood educator. I value teamwork and collaboration and seek out opportunities where this is possible so that I can work with others who share similar values. Working as part of a team provides me with the opportunity for growth because it forces me to explore different perspectives and approaches that may differ from my own but still add value to our overall goal.
In addition to my values, I have developed interpersonal skills that enable me to communicate effectively with others and relate well with children. Having strong interpersonal skills allows me to work comfortably with others who may be different from me culturally or racially without causing conflict or tension within the classroom setting, which would disrupt learning opportunities for all students involved. I can use my interpersonal skills to build relationships with my colleagues, parents, and children because we all share something in common: we want what is best for our kids. The children feel comfortable talking to me because I am approachable and make eye contact with them when they speak. They also know that I will listen to them without judging them or getting frustrated if they do not understand something right away or ask questions repeatedly. This skill has helped me gain the parents’ trust so they will feel comfortable telling me about their child’s needs without worrying about being judged.
My Profession
My profession in Early Childhood Education is defined as promoting the healthy development of young children from birth to age eight. It is a profession that is centered on the child and their development. As a professional in early childhood education, I am expected to be a role model for children. To be considered a professional, I must demonstrate ethical responsibility and professional competence. To be considered a professional, one must have a set of values and principles that guide their actions and decisions. All those who wish to consider themselves professionals must embody these values, regardless of their field.
In the field of early childhood education, there are many different types of professionals: teachers, therapists and tutors. Each profession has its values that it follows when performing its duties. For example, teachers are expected to follow strict guidelines to ensure that all students receive an equal education, regardless of their background. Whereas therapists must adhere to certain ethics codes to avoid harming any patient during treatment sessions or working with families needing help with child-rearing issues at home (Rodd, 2020). It is important for these professions and others like them because they teach children to behave appropriately in society without understanding the consequences of their actions. This helps them build up confidence later down the road when they are older and ready for more responsibility.
Additionally, early childhood educators are expected to be highly qualified professionals with great training and experience. They also need to be ethical in their practices and trustworthy in relating to children and families (Rodd, 2020). Moreover, there is an increasing emphasis on doing things ethically, which means that educators need to know what practices are acceptable within the profession (Rodd, 2020). Further, the professionalization process involves creating rules and regulations for how educators work with children and families (Rodd, 2020). Educators must undergo extensive training to learn how best to meet these new standards. This includes learning about child development theory and how best to support children’s development through educational activities.
Conclusion
In my five-year professional prediction, I see myself as a kindergarten teacher in a successful school that ensures all its students are learning. I want to be the person who helps each student discover their strengths and weaknesses and works with them to help them improve. In addition, I see myself as an early childhood educator who helps parents understand how important it is for children to learn at home and school. I want to help parents create a fun environment at home where children can practice what they are learning in school.
I believe that in 20 years, the early childhood education field will be more focused on supporting families and helping them understand how important it is for children to have access to high-quality educational opportunities at home and school. I further predict that in 20 years, more schools will offer online courses or virtual classrooms so students can learn at home while maintaining a relationship with their teachers and classmates. I also think that by then, there will be more opportunities for teachers to work remotely so they can have flexible schedules and spend more time with their families.
Reference
Rodd, J. (2020). Leadership in early childhood: The pathway to professionalism. Routledge. Web.