Trends Within Early Childhood Education

 

Reflective practice is a core component of being an effective early childhood educator.  Through the process of reflection, educators become aware of ‘who’ they are in relation to their colleagues, the children, and the families they serve.  The ability to engage in professional judgement is essential because educators regularly face decisions that require discernment that references professional ethics, personal professionalism, and family cultures.  Reflection, as a tool for transformational learning, facilitates the process of discovering how life experiences have contributed to the educator’s response to new situations or information.  The ability to reflect in the moment or after the fact empowers the educator to consider the effectiveness of his or her practice and alternative responses to situations.  The reality of reflection being a core component of best practice within early childhood education has prompted change within educational institutions over the years.  At Okanagan College, two courses are now titled 'Reflective Practice', and the emphasis of process over content permeates all the courses.  University of Victoria, Douglas College, and Thompson Rivers University also place an emphasis on ‘reflection’ being a part of the learning process.   

How am I preparing for trends within Early Childhood Education?  I believe a great place to begin preparing for the inclusion of reflection as a part of the transformational learning process is to engage in reflection myself.  Having been in the early education field for 25 years, it is likely that I have ‘rote’ practices within my professional engagements.  Perhaps what I believe  about play, how I believe children learn, or what I believe about the influence of media within today’s society has been set for a number of years now and I haven’t considered new findings within research or alternative perspectives from colleagues.  As an instructor, I need to look beyond the way I was taught in my post-secondary training and consider who the learner is today and adapt accordingly.  Brookfield (as cited in Jordi, 2011) “argued that a process of ‘critical reflection’ through which we challenge our assumptions is essential for such a transformation” (p. 183).  To be effective in today’s learning environment with today’s learners, it is important that I challenge myself to consider the value of technology, knowing that most youth readily have access to information in the web via their phones.  I can’t assume that what has been effective before is relevant today.  As an instructor, I am being handed a stack of overheads and notes from instructors who have previously taught the course.  In preparation of moving along with educational trends towards experiential learning and educational techniques that involve media, I am engaged in the process of ‘modernizing’ the class activities and delivery modes to adapt to today’s learning environment.  Certainly, making meaning of course material in the Provincial Instructors Diploma is a step towards broadening my perspectives and experiences.

Jordi, R. (2011). Reframing the Concept of Reflection: Consciousness, Experiential learning, and Reflective Practices, Adult Education Quarterly, 61(2), 181-197, doi:10.1177/0741713610380439.