Philosophy of Early Childhood Education

A Personal Philosophy of Early Childhood Education

My own beliefs about early childhood education are based upon the knowledge that children's growth is developmental. It seems very clear to me that a high quality early childhood program must provide a safe and nurturing environment which promotes a broad spectrum of support for the child's physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. I strongly agree with the tenets of the National Association for the Education of Young children--that high quality, developmentally appropriate programs should be available to all children (Bredekamp & Rosegrant, 1992, p. 7). Children under the age of eight have enormous potential for growth and achievement, and it is my belief that they have rights to fulfill their possibilities. A separate statement of the NAEYC divides the concept of appropriateness into two aspects--age appropriateness and individual appropriateness (Bredekamp, 1987, p. 2). This statement coincides with my belief that children are unique individuals who may or may not reflect the usual characteristics of other children of their same age.

Furthermore, I believe that a developmentally appropriate curriculum for young children is correctly tailored to the specifics of each age group. Different ages have different needs, interests, and developmental tasks, and the curriculum should reflect those variations. The most effective early childhood curriculum offers creative expression, social and emo

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tial educational philosophers in the United States in the early 1900's and his influence is still felt in the 1990's (McCarthy & Houston, 1980, p. 6). Dewey and other forward-thinking professionals of his time believed that learning should be based upon the children's interests and that children should be actively involved in their education. Before Dewey's time, most classroom activity consisted of teachers instructing passive, obedient listeners. Dewey's work provided a solid philosophical basis for early childhood educators who desire to integrate subject matter into whatever the children are actively involved with at the moment. Dewey contended that any kind of life experience is valuable for learning. Dewey was humanistic in his orientation, and his work spoke to the importance of human interest, value, and dignity (McCarthy & Houston, 1980, p. 8). Abraham Maslow was one of the first psychologists to emphasize the importance of various needs being met before other, higher needs come into focus. He placed the physical needs at the bottom of his needs hierarchy, followed by the need for love and belonging. Physically, children at young ages grow and change dramatically from year to year, and the alert, educated teacher

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