Wordle: Early Childhood Passion

 

As a part of the introduction to my Capstone for my Master's in Early Childhood Studies through Walden University, my colleagues and I were asked to reflect on the themes presented throughout our degree program and choose five themes that resonated most with our passion for the field. The theme that I am most passionate about is play-based or child-initiated learning. I believe that children learn best about the world around them by having the freedom to explore it through play. Play enables children to interact with their environment and develop all areas of growth. As an educator, I believe that it is my responsibility to provide a supportive environment for my students to be able to explore while still being available for assistance or gentle guidance. 

The second early childhood theme that drives my spirit as an educator is that of testing and assessment. I believe that testing and assessments should be used as tools to determine the current developmental status of a child in order to assist the teacher and parents in creating a positive support system for enabling the child to reach their greatest potential. Children should not be expected to fit into a stereotype and be penalized for under-or-overachieving goals set for them. Tests and assessments are created to reflect the idealized expectation for the typical child at a certain stage in life. However, if researchers truly understood early childhood development, they would realize that there is no such thing as the typical child. Assessments need to be used as a tool to assist in planning activities to support the child, not as a guideline for the child to meet. 

Leadership, advocacy, and nurturing positive relationships all combine to form my third passion in the field because they all link together to highlight important aspects in my role as an Education Coordinator for Head Start. As a leader, it is my responsibility to obtain and share up-to-date information and research in the early childhood field. Collaborating with early childhood professionals, I strive to educate families about the importance for advocating for their children and learning about the supports available for improving the quality of education not only for the child but for the family as well. Parents who understand the importance of being a voice for their children are able to form positive relationships with their children and each child's educator. This cohesive partnership between parents and educators promotes nurturing relationships for the children to grow up in, resulting in a group of children who are more likely to achieve or exceed developmental milestones throughout their childhood as long as these supportive partnerships remain in tact.