Help for Students: Navigating the Seven Standards of Teaching in Early Childhood Education

Introduction:

This essay aims to reflect and examine the personal and professional perspectives and values in providing a contemporary curriculum for the development of children in their early years. In this essay, the theoretical perspectives about the curriculum approach and pedagogies in early childhood, the elements of the early years learning framework, the domains of teaching and professional capacities and the seven teaching standards will be discussed. 

Theoretical perspectives, curriculum approaches and pedagogy:

According to Oxford University Press (n.d.) the first theoretical perspective in the early childhood setting is the maturational perspective. This theoretical perspective says that children are unable to read and write effectively until they are six years old, which means that a child is unable to learn if he/she is not mature enough or has started developing a sense of the environment. I disagree with this theory, as it opposes the other theoretical perspective, which is the cognitive theory of development. This theory highlights that children learn in their way, which is usually based on four stages of development including sensory, preoperational, concrete and formal operational stage. Children start developing their cognitive skills slowly during these stages (Sanghvi, 2020).  Emergent perspective is another theoretical perspective, which says that children start learning from their birth when they initiate interaction with the environment. I also agree to this, as a child gets known to sounds and voices when people talk or call names around the child. 

Elements of Early Years Learning Framework:

According to ACECQA (2022) the EYLF framework consists of three basic key elements, known as principles, practices and learning outcomes. The key theme of the EYLF is to enable children to feel belonged to the world, to identify themselves, and to become good learners. This framework guides educator professionals to teach children to accept and respect diversity such as to the Aboriginal and Indigenous children. This is because teaching equity, and respect for diversity is an essential element to help children become good people (Adam et al., 2023). This will not only help children grow in their academics, but will also help them in becoming good citizens in the future.

This framework also guides professionals to help children learn the importance of collaboration, partnership, interconnectedness and inclusion for learning and development. Also, this framework recommends teachers to help children develop a good sense of self-identity, so they become confident learners in future and can effectively communicate with everyone. According to ACECQA (2022) confidence is a key to developing self identity among children, which I believe is a good element mentioned in the EYLF and has also assisted me in developing good communication skills among children.