Background
Early childhood education (ECE) is a schooling philosophy that focuses on young children in preschool, kindergarten, and first through third grade. While exact applications may differ, most ECE philosophy is built on the premise that children learn best by doing and exploring. Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget were influential in directing ECE to emphasize children’s learning via play. Playing serves a child’s physical, intellectual, language, emotional, and social (PILES) requirements, according to this school of thinking. Early childhood programs provide support services like child health and development screenings, referrals to community resources, and early education and care to help young children and their families achieve better results. Relying on the two videos on Early Childhood Education Programs, this paper discusses the comparison between various programs that are critical for the proper development of children.
ECC Within Sarah Lawrence College
Children, according to the Early Childhood Center at Sarah Lawrence College, are the creators of their meaning. In kindergarten and preschool, the Early Childhood Center (ECC) offers a focused, developmental curriculum for children aged 2 to 6. Its activities are based on the Sarah Lawrence pedagogy, and it provides an environment for college students at Sarah Lawrence who are interested in childhood education programs to observe and do research. The ECC is located on the Sarah Lawrence College campus in Yonkers, north of New York City, on the boundary of the Village of Bronxville. Mount Vernon, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, New Rochelle, Larchmont, the River Towns, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, Mamaroneck, Riverdale, and the Upper West Side are all within easy driving distance of the Center (Sarah Lawrence College, 2019). Concerning the ECC leadership and teachers, in addition to the school director, the ECC has got a highly experienced staff of five who are certified lead teachers.
Additionally, the staff at the ECC school includes students from Sarah Lawrence College, who volunteers to assist in caring for and guiding the children at the learning center within the college under the guidance of the lead teachers and the ECC director. Students integrate into the everyday flow of the classroom as participant observers, giving essential help. The ECC has a large adult-to-child ratio since it employs professional instructors as well as undergraduate and graduate student observers and assistants.
The school program is based on the teachers getting to know the children, who they are, and how they think and interact with the world. The teachers at the ECC are welcoming and eager to assist the children in the best way possible. The children are encouraged and guided to make their own decisions; to achieve this, they are allowed to play together and interact with others and other things in the playroom.
Anaheim Elementary, a Californian State School Program
The Anaheim Elementary School System (AESD) is a public school district in Anaheim, California that serves the city’s residents. Anaheim Elementary School District (AESD) entails comprehensive school services that include parent involvement, AESD, technology, music, and environmental trips (Anaheim Elementary, 2017). It has been noted by researchers, policymakers, and practitioners that parent involvement is a strong component of effective schools. This is because when the parents participate in the school curricula, their kids tend to do better. The school creates an experience for the kids outside their home settings that is positive and meaningful. When parents volunteer at the school, they help create an easy transition between school and home.
Similarities
In both ECC schools, the compounds are designed with several playfield equipments that is meant to help the kids improve several motor skills. The two schools rely on the adult-child ratio, a strategy that is explained in both YouTube videos to improve the learning ability to learn faster. Additionally, both ECC district schools have got specialized and qualified teaching staff. The teachers know whatever they need for various stages of child development. With the guidance of the teachers, the kids were exposed to several types of learning, including indoor play and outdoor play. Most of the games played are geared towards the promotion of teamwork among the children and how they can share and care for each other. Some other play types are meant to teach language and mental development. As commented by one of the parents, parent-child session at ECC has also helped end fear among young parents. While in the school setting, I found out that most of the activities that exist or that the children enjoy playing were part of my preschool and kindergarten teaching.
Differences
The childhood education program between the two schools differs in several ways that include the state or the location where found, the structure of the schools, and the staff involved. AESD is found in the state of California, and the laws and regulations of the ECC schools in the region differ from that of Sarah Lawrence College, located in New York City. The school structure differs in that, at Sarah Lawrence College, the ECC, which is located within the college “Sarah Lawrence College,” does have a large team of teachers and teachers. At Sarah Lawrence College ECC, teaching is made easier due to the availability of the various staff that offers appropriate teachings to the kids. In comparison to the AESD program, only the certified teachers and the parents are always involved in nurturing the kids.
References
Anaheim Elementary. (2017). Early Childhood Education Program [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Sarah Lawrence College (2019). The Early Childhood Center at Sarah Lawrence College. [Video]. YouTube. Web.