I
Part 1
Many people have every reason to do the job in the education sector, but it only takes brave special skills to work with children. Early childhood educators should offer assistance to young children in order for them to recognize knowledge and learning. The purpose of this paper is to look at some of the personal and professional characteristics for early childhood educators, as well as their contribution to the learning programs, and personal reflection on what one thinks can make one be an excellent early childhood professional.
Personal and Professional Characteristics Which Are Important for An Early Childhood Professional
Various personal and professional characteristics are associated with early childhood education professionals. This needs to be beyond playground fun as they are supposed to focus on helping children to meet their developmental milestones. The educators should also have a sense of humor as well as patience while dealing with young children. Children are always curious and energetic to learn new things, and this can only be achieved when their educators employ a sense of humor while engaging them. Educators also need to be creative while guiding young children. In doing this, they will be in a position to connect dots relating to some of the lessons that they are relying on children in the best possible manner. Dietze & Kashin (2015) argue that “educators need to incorporate some learning techniques that include program design like simple games that will make the children understand the concept that is being directed to them” (p. 139). This will help the children to be focused throughout the day without being bored by routine teaching mechanisms. Communication skills are another vital characteristic that an early childhood educator should possess.
As an educator, one should ensure that he or she communicates with the children in a manner that they do understand while looking at their daily progress. The educators should also communicate effectively to the parents, making them aware of the daily progress of their children. This will help the parents to be aware of the position that their children stand at, and hence they will have a simpler time to push them forward. Dietze and Kashin (2015) claimed that “educators should understand the diversity of young children from different backgrounds” (p. 57). Most children come from different backgrounds, and it will be the role of the educators to understand this and treat each case in an individualized manner. This will help young children to achieve the desired objectives of learning while the educators execute their roles of teaching. Professionally, educators must have an education background like a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development to teach young children. This can only be achieved when an educator has fully qualified as an early childhood educator to be transformed or to apply the acquired knowledge to young children.
Important Knowledge and Experience
The knowledge and experience that is important for an early childhood educator is to be conversant with the requirements of young children. One should ensure that he or she understands the requirements of the children, and one should be creative, passionate, flexible, and diverse when it comes to dealing with children. Dietze and Kashin (2015) argue that “it is important to have relevant experience with children while focusing them as learners” (p. 30).
Contribution of Early Childhood Professionals to The Quality of Early Learning Programs
The early childhood professionals contribute greatly to the early learning programs in various ways. The educators are the ones who set lesson programs for early childhood education. Also, the professionals ensure that any amendment that favors the learning process is done without any violation. The professionals ensure that young children get quality education as prescribed by the learning curriculum that has been set aside. This implies that early childhood professionals are very significant in ensuring learning programs are conducted as the rule of law prescribes.
Part II
Knowledge About Myself that Will Make Me an Excellent Early Childhood Professional and What I Would Like to Improve
I am a very creative person when it comes to engaging children with new activities. I am also passionate about dealing with children’s affairs as well as I am diversified with children matters. Besides, my educational background is solid, with a key interest in children’s issues that have equipped me to be an early childhood professional who is excellent in dealing with young children. I would like to improve on communication skills that I think I sometimes over-communicate to different people that may make me disclose some children’s issues to their parents that are not very necessary. However, I will always ensure that I have constant communication with the parents about the development of their children. Dietze and Kashin (2005) claim that “being ethical makes one’s beliefs and values to be concrete, and this contributes positively to the well-being of the children” (p. 156).
The Way My Values and Beliefs Contribute on The Way I Ethically Approach Situations in My Work with Diverse Families, My Goals and Aspirations in The Field, as Well as Education and Experience Needed to Prosper in The Next 5 or 10 Years
I always ethically approach situations of the children as I stand strong to my values and beliefs regarding diverse families as well as their children. The aspirations and goals that I have are to make children profoundly identify themselves while ensuring that they achieve developmental milestones. The main goal and aspiration that I have in this field is to build a trusting relationship as Dietze and Kashin (2015) posit “build trusting relationship is fundamental to your professional practice” (p. 12). In this regard, my goal and aspiration is to build a positive relationship with the children, parents and also co-worker. In 5 to 10 years, I see myself as being an early childhood professional who is competent in ensuring young children develop fully as well as being a leader in early childhood education. I will achieve this by ensuring that I further my education to higher levels as well as ensuring that I interact with more people who are competent in the sector to gain the relevant experience.
Conclusion
Conclusively, various personal and professional characteristics are associated with early childhood education professionals that include passion, creativity, humor, education background, and proper communication skills. As an educator, one has to employ all the characteristics to have a positive outcome in the early childhood learning process. The educators have a role of ensuring that young children get quality education as prescribed by the curriculum. It will also be imperative to co-exist well with co-workers to achieve one’s goals and aspirations as an educator of early childhood education. Lastly, one needs to use values and beliefs in a more ethical manner while dealing with young children as an educator.
Reference
Dietze, B. & Kashin, D. (2015). Empowering pedagogy for early childhood education. Toronto, Canada: Pearson Education Inc.
