Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education ECE403

Part 1: Reflection on the Importance of Risky Play in Early Childhood Education

The issue of risky play, which is the kind of play where children are allowed to undertake activities that are difficult and daring, is one of the current issues examined in Module 4. For this reason, I find this issue pertinent to my teaching philosophy and practices because it supports the aspect of helping children be more self-reliant, active, and decisive. Being an early childhood educator, I appreciate that play is an inevitable element as far as childrens development is concerned. This is because it helps in the development of motor skills but also emotionally and psychologically.

Today, encouraging risky play becomes all the more relevant, especially because children are cocooned from so much as even a hint of challenge due to the overly concerned uncalculated risks of parents and guardians as well as educators. However, this fulfillment of needs and desires that seek to protect children from harm may also impair the very skills children are supposed to develop, of risk assessment and critical thinking Poverty is also regarded as a multifaceted phenomenon. Sandseter (2010) states that allowing children to engage in risky play is an unavoidable necessity in their development as they learn how to engage confidently in asses-sable risks and more so to be resilient. Taking into consideration the environment, while supplying scared children with anxiety-provoking opportunities helps achieve life skills.

It is also imperative to understand that encouraging so-called risky activities is other childrens necessary right, particularly their right to play, which is reflected in the texts of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. As per article 31 of the Convention, all children shall have the right to engage in age-appropriate games and recreational activities. Therefore, it is essential for educators to create environments that encourage exploration and risk-taking while ensuring safety measures are in place. Engaging in risky play not only supports children's development but also empowers them to assert their rights as active participants in their learning journey.

Furthermore, research indicates that risky play can have positive mental health benefits. Engaging in physically challenging activities allows children to manage their emotions and stress levels, promoting overall well-being (Obee, 2019). As educators, we must strike a balance between safety and allowing children the freedom to take risks, which can lead to enriched learning experience.

Part 2: Reflection on the Importance of Inclusion in Early Childhood Education

In early childhood education, equity and inclusive practices mean designing educational experiences for all children regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or needs. As a practitioner in the Australian early childhood education sector, I view inclusive practice as one of the basic strategies to ensure that every child is accepted and appreciated. This is consistent with the vision discussed in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) which propounds the three concepts of belonging, being, and becoming, and encourages practitioners to allow for the full participation of all children in learning activities (Department of Education and Training, 2022).

My view on inclusion is both personal and professional. I, in particular, appreciate inclusive education because it serves all children, not only those with special needs, which is always great. It is the case that when a classroom is inclusive of all categories of children, other children learn to deal with differences, and learn how to care for and work with other children: learning becomes social. Moreover, it also benefits those children with disabilities who can learn in an inclusive environment with their peers about social and cognitive skills development (Ainscow et al., 2019).

In my current position, I must facilitate access to quality education for all children and provide necessary adjustments to the content delivery so that all learners can benefit from it. This also entails providing differentiated activities that ascertain various learning abilities and styles within the classroom. It also means that such practices go hand in hand with the need for training especially cultural competence and issues across the learning spectrum, provided for in the National Quality Standard (NQS) (Australian Childrens Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), 2022).

Inclusion in the Australian early years sector is especially important as it coincides with national initiatives such as the Disability Standards for Education and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These blueprints provide for all children to have equal access to education irrespective of any barriers presented by their social background or ability (Lwandiko, 2023). Through the integration of inclusive practices within my teaching, I am helping to build a fairer education system that benefits all children as they get ready for learning and experiences in life.

Part 3: Reflection on the Importance of Sustainability in Early Childhood Education

As a part of Module 6, we discussed the concept of sustainability within the context of early childhood education, and that strikes a chord with me as a teacher. Sustainability is not just about protecting the environment; social and economic factors are equally significant because they also influence the well-being of children and the planet in the future. As early childhood educators, we are in a very good position to ensure that a younger generation grows up knowing and practicing sustainable behaviors; allowing them to appreciate their place in an environment and society that is much bigger than them.

Sustainability in early childhood education is also key to promoting responsible citizenship. The environment belongs to the children for they are the stewards of tomorrow and fostering in them a sense of responsibility towards the environment will encourage them to make healthy choices. Studies have shown that children who take part in education on sustainability develop critical views and awareness of issues concerning the environment (Capp, 2018). For example, children learn to respect and care for the environment through active learning such as gardening or taking part in recycling activities.

However, social viability enshrined in sustainability is viable too. The very principles of diversity and inclusion if incorporated in our teachings would promote a just and equitable learning environment that values different cultures and perspectives. According to the changes carried out by Early Childhood Australia (ECA), sustainability is seen as a collective goal where all systems even environmental, social, and economic interconnect for the benefit of the children (Y?ld?z et al., 2021). As we are role models, we need to reach these values to teach children not only how to appreciate the environment but also those who want to promote social equity.

In addition, the issue of technology is equally relevant within the context of sustainability in early childhood education. And although technology is useful because it has the tools required to teach sustainability principles, it is also problematic. This is because the difficulty comes in with using the technology in the right way, as it is most likely that most educators will overuse, if not abuse, the technology in such a way that it will interfere with the childrens interaction with nature and other aspects of learning. As such, it is important for educators teaching children about sustainability as a concept to be able to find a middle ground between learning through technological means and learning through practical means.

Part 4: Peer Responses

Peer Response 1: Response to Pramod Karki

In the context of Pramod Karkis Re-thinking Children and Digital Technology, I find the rationale for introducing and enhancing the use of digital technology in Early Childhood Education(ECE) very sound. For instance, Pramod observes that technology makes it possible for children to be engaged, develop their cognitive skills and even tap into their creativity about EYLF outcomes 4 and 5 (AGDE, 2022). He also builds a good argument in support of the integration of artificial intelligence in ECE because, after all, we live in times when every child has to get adjusted to the use of technology (Su et al., 2023). In this way, such a technological picture is plausible and positive, but at the same time, it has its blind spots, which is the very concept of digital factors enabling or limiting, like, in this case, communication. Studies indicate that excessive use of electronic equipment can often interfere with the normal progression of childrens social growth and well-being as they may lose out on physical exercise and social interaction, for instance, with other children (Strasburger et al., 2010). Therefore, it is important to take a comprehensive perspective in which both digital and non-digital experiences are used. Teachers must also be responsible for managing the use of technology in terms of what should be used when and in what amounts to help provide benefits and avoid negative impacts.

Peer Response 2: Response to Miaomiao Lu

I would like to address one point made by Miaomiao Lu in her article on The Role of Media in ECEC. In her article, she mentions that the media often presents early childhood education in terms of politics and parents, rather than its main target children and their developmental needs. This bias in the media, as pointed out by Lwandiko, M. (2023), diminishes the status of the profession and its value. I agree with Miaomiaos assertion that we need to refocus the narratives by highlighting the significance of ECE in childrens growth and development. Nevertheless, there is also a suggestion of another angle, that is, how further advocacy for the betterment of educators, families, and childrens policies can be done with the help of the media. For example, media is powerful in creating awareness concerning the existing inadequacies such as funding or resources available within the early years education systems (Prusinski et al., 2023). Media does not only serve as a channel of information where educators and advocates are recipients of uninformed media narratives, but also where they help in changing the perception of the public and advocating for policies that will improve the quality and coverage of the sector.

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