Laura J. Colker’s article titled “Twelve Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Teachers” provides a comprehensive overview of twelve personal qualities that early childhood education (ECE) professionals view as desirable to excel in the field. The source’s main points include the methodological description of the survey. Also, the author explains the phenomenological attributes of each quality, ranging from passion to a sense of humor, and then concludes on the findings’ limited generalizability.
The source enables the audience to understand the difference between knowledge/skills and personal qualities when it comes to the ECE profession. The key point of dissimilarity is the potential for improvement. With due investments of time and effort, aspiring professionals can polish their teaching knowledge and expand their skill set, whereas personal qualities are “more fixed” and go far beyond the cognitive realm (Colker 1). Individual psychological characteristics’ flexibility and controllability are limited, which could be detrimental for some knowledgeable practitioners.
Next, the desirable personal qualities emphasized in the article describe my personality to a large extent and could be applied in the workplace, and creativity is the first trait that permeates my attitude to professional responsibilities. As per Colker’s explanation, creativity is required to teach students from diverse cultural backgrounds or deal with the scarcity of educational resources (4). As a teacher, I might exhibit creativity by inventing various methods of delivering a certain message to the students, especially when the educational institution’s access to expensive learning materials is limited.
There are endless opportunities to apply everyday objects and creative techniques to the teaching of basic skills. For instance, to improve the children’s handwashing habits, I could conduct an open lesson on making soap for students and their parents. The ability to search for creative solutions might also enable me to conduct arts-focused activities with minimal expenses and select materials that encourage children to develop final products from scratch instead of offering ready-made solutions. Therefore, creativity might support me in establishing learning environments in which all children explore their creative potential and approach problems from different angles.
Another trait that deserves an in-depth discussion is the love of learning that I developed many years ago. From Colker’s perspective, this trait is required to inspire children to learn (5). Since childhood, I have been interested in how various things work and relate to each other, and this can be instrumentalized in making knowledge acquisition pleasant rather than exhausting. As a teacher, I might put this quality into practice by explaining that nearly every object or phenomenon holds countless opportunities for learning. Another message that might be delivered in an age-appropriate form is that knowledge and openness to new information have changed humanity’s life in various aspects, ranging from new technology to the emergence of crafts. Also, as a life-long learner, I will remain committed to staying updated on the state of child education research. With that in mind, the readiness to seek new knowledge can make me a positive role model for the students.
Finally, the reading thoroughly explains the building blocks of success in teaching and encourages emerging professionals to engage in self-assessment. In my case, multiple traits from the list find manifestation, but creativity and love for learning are the most pronounced, which strengthens my potential as an educator. Aside from fostering the ability to teach in imperfect physical conditions, these features could help me to ensure that all classroom activities are inspiring and give rise to further achievements outside of the class.
Work Cited
Colker, Laura J. “Twelve Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Teachers”. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web, 2008, pp. 1-6. Web.