C A R I B B E A N E A R LY C H I L D H O O D G O O D P R A C T I C E G U I D E
7 TEACHER AND PRACTITIONER TRAINING
7.1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK EVIDENCE FOR EFFECTIVE PRACTICE IN TEACHER AND PRACTITIONER TRAINING Well-educated, well-trained teachers and practitioners are the key factors in providing high-quality early childhood education and care with the most favourable cognitive and social outcomes for children. Harmonising expectations for teachers and practitioners encourages continuous child development of staff working with both younger and older children, in both education and in care settings 1. Effective training addresses the development of the skills of teachers and practitioners in both pedagogy and programme content, including:
Effective training addresses the development of the skills of teachers and practitioners...
zz good understanding of child development and learning; zz ability to develop children’s perspectives; zz ability to praise, comfort, question and be responsive to children; zz leadership skills, problem solving and development of targeted lesson/
activity plans; and
zz good vocabulary and ability to elicit children’s ideas2.
While it is not necessary that all staff have high general levels of education, the presence of some highly qualified staff can have a positive influence on those who work with them and who do not have the same high qualifications 3. The Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2007 identified the quality of interaction between teacher/practitioner and child as the single most important determinant of programme success in early childhood 4. 1 2 3 4
Shonkoff, J. P. and D. A. Phillips (2000), From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development, National Academy Press, Washington DC. OECD. 2012. Encouraging Quality in early childhood education and care. Research brief: Qualifications, Education and Professional Development Matter. Accessed on 18th March 2016 at http://www.oecd.org/education/school/49322232.pdf Sammons P. 2010 “The EPPE Research Design: an educational effectiveness focus” in: Sylva et al. (eds.), Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Preschool and Primary Education project, Routledge, London/New York. UNESCO (2007) Education for All Global Monitoring Report
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