My job scope: as an ECE practitioner

Early Childhood Education is a growing industry. It continues to develop as more and more research is being done to support the learning and developments of young children. Maybe being a kindergarten teacher back then and now is still the same. Maybe it is different in a lot of ways we are not ready to admit. Here is my take of my role as an Early Childhood Education (ECE) practitioner.

The last thing you want to do as an ECE practitioner is to ASSUME what a child needs/wants. 

What I've learned-- the more you study ECE theories, the more you feel like you don't know. So many insights and probability you need to work on when it comes to children. You can guess and hypothesis, but as an ECE practitioner who reflects and does research, you must not assume what you are doing or giving is the best for the child.

More often than not, children will always show us adults how exactly they are feeling. They'll show it in their behaviour. We miss it because we had already given them instructions, expectations, or rules because we had already assumed what's best for them.

Instead of helping, we are creating more issues that we might not be aware of. 

That's why in our practice, its always best to listen first. 

By listening first, you are accepting the child as he/she is without judgement. 

By listening you are giving the child a chance to explore their own strength and work with themselves from within.

By listening you are empowering them.

An ECE practitioner does not just teach. 

We listen.

As an ECE practitioner, we cannot be looking at children on the surface only. We are not merely teaching anymore. We have a whole lot more to look at. We have to dig deeper and read things, especially the ones below the surface, the not so obvious issues. These issues do and will continue to affect children's learning up until adulthood. 

Personally I think a lot of ECE practitioners are struggling because a lot of underlying, hidden matters are happening within the children. Things that should and must be sorted out at home is not being taken care of. All these comes out in school. The teacher is struggling between teaching and guiding (and sometimes cleaning up the mess).  

Parents (adults) nowadays are struggling with work; struggling with the social economy pressures; struggling with their own upbringing; struggling with the dos and the don'ts; struggling with the lies they are being fed regarding their children's intelligence. Parents nowadays are struggling with their own unmet (childhood) needs (manifested into adulthood) and meeting their children's needs.

It is not easy being a parent. There are challenges and it is a life-long learning process.

I am not trying to start a parents vs teachers argument here (I for one supports parents-teachers positive relationship) but my point is this: ECE practitioners nowadays have to do a whole lot more. We are not merely teaching ABCs and 123s anymore. We need to guide our students how to manage their feelings and how to appropriately express them. Some (unknowingly) are taking up the parenting role too whether they like it or not. We have to equip ourselves with lots more knowledge on Early Childhood Development. Especially on childhood and child psychology. AND at the same time, we need to be able to support parents too. This is looking beneath the surface. This is how we help children nowadays. 

Maybe we can't possibly learn everything and master them, that's why we need to work together with other agencies: Everyone and anyone working closely with children. We all need to work together.

There's truth in the saying: It takes a village to raise a child. Yes, the role of raising a child comes from parents first, but we all need to work together in helping out. In doing our part without stepping in each other's boundaries.

So, serious, Teacher Najmi.

:)

But that's the truth: banyak kerja kita sebenarnya. That's why a lot of early years practitioners are struggling. Torn between paperwork and their students; and the unnecessary pressure from the lies and fake promises that comes from this statement: "Children must be able to read, write, count, and solves the mysteries of life before they turn 6". *roll eyes*

So, do you still think we merely teach ABCs and 123s, sing and dance whole day? That's on the surface. After all the ABCs and 123s, the songs, and the dancing, the real works begin. 

We need to listen to our students. We need to listen to every behaviour (positive and negative). We need to listen to every stories, songs, and even white-lies that comes from them. And to be able to do that without judgement.

In my view, a good practice for us ECE practitioners are:

1. Accepts the children as they are
2. Listen to the child without judgement
3. Reflect on the child's behaviour and sharing and your own ECE practices
4. Research (an ongoing learning process)
5. Work together on solutions (parents, teachers, therapists, social workers, psychologists, government agencies, etc.)
6. Never assume whats best for a child
7. Offer support to child and family

★☆★

In our quest to help our students may we find our kindness and happiness.

Love,

Teacher Najmi

#teachernajmilovesyou

#championingchildhood

#WeTeachWeListen

#teachersdontmerelyteach

#bestjob

Bermain adalah Fitrah anak-anak

Anak-anak memang fitrahnya mahu bermain. Ada yang bermain dengan senyap dan berimiginasi, ada yang bermain sambil gelak ketawa dan jerit-menjerit. Ada yang duduk diam bermain patung, ada yang berguling dan panjat-memanjat. There is no stopping children from playing. FACT.

Itu hakikatnya. Kalau disekat-sekat anak-anak bermain, seumpama kita menyekat kebolehan semulajadi mereka.

It's almost as if when I (an adult) stop YOU (another adult) from eating. Asal nak makan je saya kata jangan. Nak makan je saya tak bagi. Padahal anda sangat lapar.

Aksi yang terlampau kan? Kalau dalam bahasa matsalleh-- inhumane. Orang lapar ni, ada pula disekat-sekat.

Jadi, apa yang menjadi persoalan yang sangat penting bagi saya ialah, bagaimana kita boleh (tanpa rasa bersalah) menghantar anak-anak kita ke sesuatu tempat yang menyekat mereka bermain. Walhal bermain adalah fitrah mereka. Sama seperti makan dan tidur bagi anak-anak kecil. Mana boleh disekat-sekat. Melampaulah kalau disekat-sekat.

Siapa kata anak yang suka bermain nakal dan tak boleh didisiplinkan? Siapa kata anak yang suka bermain nanti tak pandai? Siapa kata anak yang suka bermain nanti tak dengar cakap?

Siapa kata?

Kalau nak ikut orang kata, ikut kata AP Dr. Mastura Badzis. Dia kata kurangnya bermain ada perkaitan yang tinggi dengan peningkatan isu anxiety, depression, and sense of helplessness (buntu) among children and adolescents (remaja) (Gray,2013).

Kalau nak ikut orang kata, ikut kata Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. Diorang kata anak-anak bawah 9 tahun yang mempunyai mental health issues menunjukkan peratus yang tinggi berbanding anak-anak 10 tahun ke atas (😱😱 horror-nya! What are we doing to our children? 😭).

Kalau nak ikut kata orang, ikut kata Imam Al Ghazali-- If you do not allow children to play, you will kill their soul. Kalau kita tak benarkan anak-anak bermain, kita akan membunuh jiwa mereka (Petikan dari Ihya' Ulumuddin).

Kalau nak ikut orang kata, Teacher Najmi kata-- Bagilah anak-anak bermain kerana bermain itu fitrah mereka. Bila fitrah anak-anak dipenuhi, mereka akan rasa selamat dan gembira. Bila mereka rasa selamat dan gembira, mereka akan lebih senang nak belajar apa-apa. Kalau anak-anak disekat dari bermain, mereka akan rasa tidak selamat (takut kena marah dengan cikgu, susah hati sebab Mak Ayah takde depan mata) dan tak gembira. Bila ini berlaku, nak belajar pun susah. Walhal, kalau dia bermain, belajar terjadi secara spontan dan konsisten!

Carilah tempat-tempat yang benar-benar laksanakan bermain 100% dengan cara yang betul. Bermain tak salah. Yang salahnya cara perlaksanaan bermain tu.

Jangan salah faham ya. Bukan senang-senang ya kita nak adakan sekolah bermain atau play-based learning. Research perlu ada, ilmu haruslah ada. Kalau tempat tu kata dia laksanakan bermain sambil belajar tapi dia bagi workbook, ada homework book kena buat kat rumah, ada expectations itu ini dari staff sekolah, hari-hari cikgu mengajar guna papan tulis, anak-anak kena duduk atas kerusi 90% of the time-- cancel je lah niat nak pergi tempat tu. SCAM je tu.

Anak-anak anda semua bukan untuk scammers.

Anak-anak anda layak dapat apa yang fitrah mereka perlukan.

You and your child deserve better, quality play, and quality time.

Paling best, bermain adalah untuk SEMUA anak-anak. Cara bermain mungkin berbeza. Perlu ada sedikir adaptasi, tapi bermain adalah untuk semua, tidak kira bangsa, agama, mahupun kelebihan atau keupayaan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For quality play experience, you can whatsApp me at +601120909620
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love,

Teacher Najmi 💐

P/S: Bermain bina perkembangan minda. Bermain bina keyakinan diri. Bermain bantu dalam membentuk sahsiah diri dan kendiri. Hebatkan bermain untuk anak-anak ni?


#teachernajmilovesyou
#hariharibermain
#earlymorningthoughts
#championingchildhood
#letthemplay