Saturday, April 11, 2015

Notes for Early Childhood Sem 1 Exam Study

From notes dated 1/9/201

- Every Child Can Learn Children have to be active participants Psychomotor, cognitive, affective domains of learning are inter-related and must be

simultaneously developed

Stages of Learning- Infancy: sensory input- Age 2-7: starts to develop reasoning and thinking, but still self-centered- Age 7+: Become less self centered. - Age 12: child can reason, and use their ideas in the world

Young children need to have personalized education because of the self-centered state

Children must be at the right stage to learn Different Learning Styles:

- Auditory- Visual- Kinesthetic (touch)

Maria Montessori (1870-1952). - Intelligence not static/fixed. - Intelligence influenced by childs experiences- Best learning done through sensory experience to take advantage of childrens

natural tendency for curious exploration- Used attractive child-sized materials and equipment. - 3 growth periods for young childrens development

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Practical life experiences (learn by doing things like chores) Sensory Education - Vision, auditory, somatsensory (touch), gustatory (taste),

olfactory (smell)

Academic education (reading, writing, arithmetic) Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

- Expert in development of knowledge in children and young adults- Children thinking differently than adults- Intellectual development via interacting with the environment, which develops

organizing structures- Three Adaptive Processes

Assimilation (new info added on top of what the child already knows) Accommodation (changes made to existing known info) Equilibration (assimilation + accommodation = adaptation)

- 4 stages of cognitive development Sensorimotor (age 0-2) Preoperational (age 2-7): beginnings of symbolic thinking . Self centered,

relying on intuition

Concrete Operational (age 7-11). beginning logical and systematic thinking relating to concrete objects. Less self-centered

Formal Operational (age 12-15): Abstract and logical thought, and ability to solve hypothetical problems

Eric Erikson - Theory of Personality- Life stages

Basic trust/mistrust - bond with mother Autonomy vs shame - conflict with parents, and body function control Initiative vs guilt - aggression against same-sex parent, genital attraction to

opposite sex parent

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Industry vs inferiority - neighborhood and school environment. Gains desire for

competency and ability

Musical Learning Process- Limited time for teaching music- Dead ends

Rush through music skills and concepts, Failure to develop music skills and understanding

Learning music just for fun. - 4 Step Process to covering subject of music

Preparation Presentation Reinforcement Assessment

Suzuki Method: Talent Education- Open admission: no pre-testing needed- Talent not inborn. All children can be well educated- Abilities gained via experience and repetition- Love and support from parents and teachers needed- Memory training- Raising children with noble heart- Language acquisition theories are key- Environment important

From notes dated 2/26/2015

- Art Music, and Language Arts Children has spontaneous affinity to music.

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Process oriented vs. Product-oriented. The journey is more important than the

destination.

Music & Rhythm- Music good for thinking, language, physical, emotional, social development- Needs understanding of tempo, pitch, dynamics, articulation- Use rhythm band instruments, tapes, records. Use different types of sounds an

music

Music and Child Development- Starts from infancy. Child can hear and respond to music right from the start- Humming from caregivers is a good start- Children enter early childhood programs already aware of music- Child Development Milestones for Music

Age 2: Able to sing simple songs. Finger play. Motion. Age 3: Larger repertoire, better control, memory, attention span. Able to

compare sounds. Special music leads to special development

Age 4. More complex melodies. Able to compose words and songs. Music instrument experimentation

Age 5-6: Refinement. Understand songs and dances with prescribed rules. Can follow specific rhythmic patterns

Age 7-8: Can read lyrics. More advanced sound/pitch comparisons.- Listening

Must be developed Exercise: close eyes, listen, and share what they hear. Everyday good music via records during activity or outdoor time Exercise: Clap or move with music. Exercise: Have them discuss mood of music Exercise: Same melody, multiple instruments. Describe differences in sound.

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- Singing

Main purpose: Not musical accuracy, but foundational music appreciation Best done when relaxed and comfortable Can start in infant and toddler programs. Can sooth children. Lyrics must be understandable. Repetitive. Enjoyable. Not too many different

pitches.

Understand that learning a new song is very complex. Lyrics, rhythm, melody, pitch, tones all have to be handled at the same time when singing.

Guidelines for successful group singing education- Song must be known well and practiced- Words and music should be taught together, not separately- If song is short and simple and repetitive, can be learned all at once- More complex songs need shorter teaching segments- Accompaniment helps.- Singing should be encouraged by note forced if a child refuses.

Different classification of Music Instruments for purposes of Early Childhood- Rhythm instruments- Melodic instruments- Accompaniment instruments (chordal such as guitars or autoharps)

Movement and Music- Good for exercise and teaching imagination, time/space, respect for other

childrens uniqueness and ideas- Movement reinforces pulse and rhythm.

- Language Arts Language is very complex Literacy begins from infancy Good education in early years is crucial

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Adults set example. Must demostrate interest in books and text Learning language must be done in social groups to help with sharing info and

group learning

Language is not communication. Language is merely the vehicle for communicating information.

Aspects of Language- Pragmatics (how/when to communicate)- semantics (word meaning)- Syntax (grammar and other language rules)- Phonology (speech sounds and patterns)

Can also focus on development of listening, then vocalization, then verbalization with meaning

Different Language Development Views- Nativist (Noam Chomsky)

Language is self-taught, and learnt intuitively by children- Behaviorist (B.F Skinner)

Imitation and reinforcement key Adults are imitated by children, and can be given positive reinforcement Parents responses to childrens attempt at languages important to getting

child to further develop their language skills- Cognitive Developmental Theory (Jean Piaget)

Childrens knowledge comes from actions and sensory input from environment

Child goes from ego-centric to more awareness of external factors Language represents this, as children only talk about the things they

themselves have sensed- Vygotskian Theory (Lev Vygotsky)

Development is from social interactions

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Adults help with naming objects and giving commands. Less assistance is

given as child gains proficiency and independence

ZPD - Zone of Proximal Development. Basically, knowledge/expertise circles.

Instruction should be given at the level that the child can do without adult assistance.

- When does communication begin? Begins before birth, as fetus can hear mothers voice through the womb Development of physiology necessary for hearing is already complete by birth. Imitation by the child of good examples set by adults is key to successful

communication.- Early language development

Infants have communicative intent, but lack language capabilities to carry out communication

First words are important for babies, but also does not constitute language yet. Newborns first gain selective hearing by preferring mothers voice The more the caregivers talk to the child in the early months, the better and

faster the child will develop language.

Phases of Early Language Development- Cooing (0-6 months): Mostly throaty vowel sounds- Babbling (6-12 months): Multi-syllabic vowel sounds. Not yet coherent

words, but imitation and call-response cycles are beginning.

Talking to infants with exaggerated tones, facial expressions, and body language will attract the infants attention more.

- 2nd Year (1-2 years old): Actual words will start to development, eventually replacing babbling. Words then start to be strung together. Negatives (no) and possessives (mine) are learned first. Language changes DAILY. Vocabulary approximately at 25-50 words.

- Symbols and gestures assist language

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- Age 2.5 to 4.5 years old: Acquisition of 2 to 4 new words per day

Age 3: 900-1000 word vocabulary Age 4: 1500-1600 words Age 5: 2100-2100 Age 6: 10000-14000 words

Milestones in language development- Birth - 1 year: Response to sudden noises and familial voice recognition- Age 2-3: Object identification. Pronouns (mine, me, you). Knows own

name. Can ask questions. Simple stories, rhyming games. Multitasking (talking while playing)

- Age 3-5: Can listen for purposes of learning. Improved memory. Can express ideas. More easily understood. Can read and be read to. Can talk about own emotions.

Behaviors that strengthen literacy environments- Integration

Use reading and writing to unify various subjects. Have children write about their experiences.

- Exploitation Create teaching moments for reading and writing when opportunity

appears- Demonstration

Share activities that teach about the mechanics of reading and writing and language

Emergent Literacy- Early age: Children are read to by caregivers- Toddlers: Develop book preferences, and will pretend to read them- Age 4-5: Children able to cross reference text and what is being read, as

well as recognize letters

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- Informal support environment is key. Good adult supervision also key.- Whole language approach includes art, music, and math on top of the

communication skills

Things to help setup a literate environment- Simple picture books for infants/toddlers- Make reading materials a part of the home, and parents demonstrate

reading and writing- Reading time can be made a special time of the day daily.- Books for presents- Writing materials should be made available- Teachers can share titles of favorite school books to the parents

From Notes dated 3/18/2015

- Infant and Toddler development Infants and toddlers learn through interaction with the environment and their peers Infants (age 0-1)

- Even though they are immobile, infants can absorb a lot of information from the environment

- Infants learn pincer grasp later in the year, through interaction with their toys. - They learn to crawl, then pull themselves upright, eventually walking alone- Infants primarily interact socially with their caregivers- Stranger anxiety results from interaction with other people that arent their

primary caregivers.- Babble predominates infant and early toddler speech

Toddlers (Age 1)- Increased mobility leads to expanded environmental interaction

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- New ability to push/pull things- Better finger manipulation- Expanding vocabulary- By age 2, toddlers can internally represent objects and events. - Make believe play and dress up- Egocentric

Toddlers (Age 2)- Transition from babyhood to childhood- Rapidly expanding vocabulary- Toilet-training- Single-minded repetition of newfound skills. Should be encouraged, not

discouraged- They play socially, but in parallel, and not together. No cooperation or sharing

yet. Will grab toys from peers.

Toddlers (Age 3)- End of babyhood- Improved balance and motor control skills. More self-sufficient- Lots of questions asked by child of this age.- More socially aware.- Begin to make friends and play with each other

- Physical development changes Very rapid growth in initial years

- Head - double in size- Trunk - triple in size- Arms - Quadruple in length and size- Legs - Quintuple in length and size

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Muscles develop control from large to small/fine

- 5 Senses for children Smell

- Very keen in newborns. - Can respond appropriately to pleasant/unpleasant smells- Young babies detect/identify mother through smell

Taste- Infants already can differentiate taste- Most prefer sweet tastes, reacting positively to them

Touch- reflexive response when touched

Hear- Fetus can already hear 7 to 8 months in- Best hearing range is in realm of human speech- Ability to use sound to locate objects

Sight- Newborns and first month babies have sight range of 20 feet- 3-4 months can differentiate colors- Visual acuity on par with adults by age 1

- Motor skill development phases Reflexive

- involuntary movement- voluntary begins by 4th or 5th month

Rudimentary- 1st year, combination of reflexive and controlled movements- Body management (sitting, keep head upright, basic crawling, walking, etc.)

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- age 2 to 3, begin motor skills acquisition

Foundational Movement- building blocks for participation in lifetime activities- influenced both by innate (hereditary) ability and environmental opportunity

- Milestones for Gross Motor Skills Rolling (3 months) Sitting (6.5 months basic support, 9 months voluntary action) Creeping/Crawling (crawling belly touches floor, creeping belly is up). 7 months Standing and walking (9 months standing, 13 months walking) Running (18 months to age 2/3) Jumping (2 to 2.5 years) Hopping (Age 4) Galloping/skipping (Age 4-5) Balancing ( Age 3) Ball skills (Throwing catching age 3.5)

- Developmental characteristics of young children Egocentric Physically active Short Attention Span Large Muscle Development Improved balance over time Vision and coordination

From Notes dated 1/27/2015 - Environment Nurtures Growth

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Teachers have to design activities within the environment with specific goals, but

with room for kids to make choices and explore

Environment must nurture and sustain, not subdue or destroy Choose appropriate experiences that will sustain eagerness to learn Hereditary vs. environment

- Personality comes from environment- Suzuki: Energy of mans survival instinct acquires ability as it adapts to the

environment- Music ability comes from environment, not hereditary

Young Childrens environment- Mothers play records of the pieces to be studied. Passive listening by the child- Suzuki preferred the children listen to the music first before child starts to learn

the music- Learn through games

The instruments can be treated as toys for children- Do not nag.- Childs own desire will internalize ability- Praise them- Training and repetition- Childrens action comes from their life force - Suzuki- Man is the son of his environment- Babies absorb environment fastest. Pace slows down until completion towards

adulthood

Positive environment- Saturation in music community

Go to concerts Make friends with other music students

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Listen to classical musicians at home everyday via records/radio

- Avoid aptitude or audition tests to begin music study- Start from a young age, between age 3 to 5, sometimes even 2 years old- Use well trained teachers - Delay music reading (in the beginning), emphasizing ear training- Regular playing in groups in addition to individual performance- Frequent public performances make performing natural and enjoyable- Try to retain and review every piece from the beginning- Emphasize collaboration and mutual encouragement- Discourage competitive attitudes

- Physical Environment Sound

- resolve inappropriate noise conditions- Sound dampening materials

Light- Appropriate lighting necessary- Natural lighting best for art

Color- Choose appropriate colors for success. Bright but not too bright.

Red: Physical Activity Yellow: Art and Music Green, Blue, purple: reading and language learning

Humidity- 50-65%. Use humidifier or vaporizer as needed

Temperature- 20-22C recommended

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Saturday, April 11, 2015

From notes dated 3/10/2015 - Parental Involvement is critical

Parents are the first teachers Most powerful influence is the mother. First to hold, usually breast-fed. Powerful

bond.

Parental response to language makes for better language progress Important for parents to be self-reflective and make sure they are not negatively

influencing their children inadvertently

If a child can speak fluently, despite poor grades in school, the child may not necessarily be to blame or may not necessarily be dumb

- Different parenting styles Authoritarian

- Command the children. Little interaction upwards on the chain of command. No questioning or insubordination

- Children have lower grades, lower self-esteem, lack socials skills Authoritative

- Follows rules, but explains them and allows for discussion- Children have higher grades. Self-reliant, responsible, friendly

Indulgent-permissive- Kids run the show. Undisciplined and spoiled.- Children have lower grades. Impulsive, easily frustrated.

Indifferent-uninvolved- Only basic needs provided. No interaction otherwise. - Children have low self esteem, impulsive, aggressive, moody.

- Punishment

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Primarily suppressive. Should only be used sparingly. Physical punishment is

discouraged especially because it can lead to imitative behavior against peers and younger siblings

Effective Punishment- Time-out corner

Effective parenting- Parents who:

Love Teach Enjoy interaction Cope

Attachment- infant and parent first attachment- Age 6-7 months children single out stable socio-emotional base.- Fathers are playmates. Mothers are support

- Parent-Teacher partnership Good relationship and combined work will help child grow best

- Communication styles for Parent-Teachers interaction Superficial

- Non critical information and surface interaction. Not helpful Command style

- Risky. May be misinterpreted as blame or intimidation Intellectual style

- Interpersonal, and uses elaborate speech Caring style

- Openness

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- High Information- Needs high social skills to pull off successfully.

- Good tips for Parent-Educator communication Do not enter the Parent-Teacher conference with pre-conceived negative feelings Stress importance of regular communication Learn about the child and family to be able to plan a proper strategy for the childs

education

Focus more on strengths and abilities rather than weaknesses Avoid comparing the child with other children.

- Suzuki Method - Talent Education Train the parent, rather than the child Train mother first for one piece, and she will teach the child at home and create a

good environment

Have recordings running at home. Might lead to I want to play too. Stress good posture and proper practice. Parents should supervise everyday if possible Parents should take notes every lesson to help coach the student Parental instrumental skill not necessary. Instead, its more for learning what the

child should be doing, even if the parent themselves cannot replicate it.

Notes from 1/20/2015 - Ability develops early

Talent / Ability defined as capacity to think act, or feel in any given situation Not inborn Can be nurtured in any child Between birth to kindergarten is critical time period

- The Multiple Intelligences Theory of Howard Gardner

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Linguistic

- Languages Logical-Mathematics

- Math, also includes formal and informal reasoning Musical Spatial

- pictures, visual space.- Artists, architects, designers

Bodily-kinesthetic- Athletes, dancers

Interpersonal- Understanding and interacting with others

Intrapersonal- self-understanding. Novelists and Counselors are examples

Naturalists- Nature scientists (biologists, geologists, etc.)

- More Suzuki method stuff Mother tongue method Ability breeds ability Ability develops early Conditions for developing great ability

- Begin early- Have the best environment- Have the finest teaching method- Lots of training- Best teachers

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Character first, ability second.

From notes dated 2/12/2015 - Encouragement is essential

Positive reinforcement can help change learned behaviors Dont over-praise, however

- Motivation of children Motivated learning has to be fun and stress-free Fun activities for learning music

- Instruments- Games- songs- videos

Children have short attention spans.- Flash cards are helpful

Stop or change the activity if they get bored or restless Dont criticize for mistakes too much. Mistakes are natural during learning Repetition is good

- Can repeat same game- or concentrate on same concept

Regular practice routine is important- Encouraging the child

Talk with them about what you read and hear Write encouraging comments Encourage the pursuit of own hobbies and interests Expose to a wide variety of experiences

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Playing thinking games with the children Provide free time for the child Involve the parents with the school activities Let the children express their opinions Celebrate even the small achievements Focus on strengths and emerging talents

- Encouraging musical development Introduce wide variety of music Sing out loud Communicate using music as a language.

- Personalized songs- Let child self-compose

Dance with the children

Notes dated from 6/4/2015 - Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Young children are naturally active and curious Average indoor environments are dangerous Healthful environment: good light, adequate ventilation Younger children should have smaller groups and smaller space Prevention

- Falls Happens most often at age 2 Mostly head injuries Prevent falls by putting mattress at the lowest position and the side rails to the

highest position

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- Severe blows and cuts

Avoid sharp edged furniture Always keep child in sight Steer young children clear of older children while playing in the playground Remove sharp objects (scissors, knives, tools) from the area

- Choking, Suffocation Avoid hard foods that contain bones, eggs heels. Remove/store beads, coins, screws and other small objects Keep plastic bags away

- Ingestion of Toxic substances Safely store and seal Cleaners, perfumes, cosmetics, medications, and other

chemicals- Drowning

Never leave child alone in bathtub or pool or frozen bodies of water. Shallow water still dangerous Fence off and supervise such areas of water.

Cover electrical outlets and heaters Be wary of windows and mirrors Fire prevention. Have fire extinguishers handy and have an exit plan Keep furniture in good condition Wash hands often Clean toys and other play equipment Maintain the cleanliness of the environment (mop floors, vacuum, etc.) Store food and bottles in refrigerator, throwing away old food Be able to recognize common illnesses.

- Nutrition

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Saturday, April 11, 2015 Good diet comes from the various food groups Total nutrients used by children is relatively low, but

- Age 1-3, requirements for proteins, minerals and vitamins 50% of adults.- Calcium and Vitamin C are the same though.

Six types of nutrients- proteins- minerals- carbohydrates- fats- vitamins

Nutritional needs have to be met daily Choose appropriate foods First 3 years of eating habits influence later life

- Infants up to 4-6 months age just need milk breast milk provides protection against infections breast milk babies transition to solid foods better harder to contaminate breast milk Breast milk protocol

- When expressed, put cold into a bottle, and store immediately in the fridge- Label bottles with date of collection- Discard after 48 hours- Dont warm longer than 5 minutes- Dont use a microwave to warm milk

Babies cannot handle solid foods until at least 4 months old

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- They are prone to allergic reactions because the digestive systems are too

immature to handle whole proteins.

Formula milk has similar amounts of nutrients The bottle feeding of babies allows other family members to participate Babies should be allowed to set their own schedule of feeding

- Introducing solid foods Small servings (1-2 teaspoons) gradually adding more (3-4 teaspoons) Solid food does not replace milk Introduce new foods one at a time, for 2-3 days straight.

- This prevents allergies New foods best introduced when baby is hungry. Best time is middle of the

morning- Other tips

Provide variety, using a long-range menu (1 month length) Fresh season fruits and vegetables Simple unmixed foods Limit sugars Frequent small servings of meals

- Malnourishment Worst damage is during infancy because growth is happening rapidly Malnourishment leads to inactivity, distraction, Lower IQ

- Obesity Overnutrition Bottle fed babies gain weight faster than breast-fed babies Commercial prepared foods encourage overfeeding due to cost Avoid high carbs and fat

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Saturday, April 11, 2015- Relaxed comfortable atmosphere leads to good eating- Encourage tasting foods but do not force- Make children independent at mealtime. Provide foods that are easy for them to

scoop up and eat

From notes dated 2/12/2015 - Success breeds success

Success defined as- achievement of something desired, planned, attempted

Patience and repetition needed Talent develops talent Second nature: being able to do a second thing at the same time

- Successful educated hold high expectations- Think creatively- Be curious, confident, ever evolving- Devote entire self to the job- Emphasize fun in learning and in life- Be Versatile and Sensitive

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