Quotes from Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education (Gordon & Browne)

“In ancient times children were considered adults by age seven. A society’s definition of childhood influences how it educated his children” (Page 9)

“Children’s Development follows a timetable of his own, and their education should reflect that fact.” (Page 15)

“The German word Kindergarten means “Children’s garden” and that is what Froebel felt best expressed what he wanted for children under six years of Age. Because his own childhood had been unhappy, he resolved that early education should be pleasant”. (Page 17)

“The teacher’s role is to be a guide as differentiated from a dispenser of information” (Page 27)

“School should nurture individual differences while at the same time encourage problem solving and team work” (Page 33)

“The adult is primary and emotional base and a social mediator for the child. Teachers become interpreters of feelings, actions, reactions, and solutions. We help children understand situations and motives so that they can solve their own problems. Look at each child’s emotional makeup and monitor their progress through developmental crises; each crisis is a turning point of increased vulnerability and also enhanced potential.” (Erickson Page 137)

“To encourage thinking and learning, teachers should refrain from telling children exactly how to solve a problem. Rather, the teacher should ask questions that encourage children to observe and pay attention to their own ideas”. (Page 148)

“Growth is what happens, maturation is how it happens”. (Page 155)

“To learn to give love later in life, one has to learn about love by receiving it as a child. This means learning early about the responsibilities of giving as well as receiving love” (Page 157)

“Moreover, the brain can reorganize itself throughout our lifetimes, so we do not yet understand what brain-based research might mean for education” (Page 172)

“The way teachers handle to conflict, react to tears, the words they use, and the voices raised communicate a direct message to the child” (Page 193)

“Good teachers have an involvement with the world outside the walls of the early childhood setting. They want to help children understand some of the real-life issues and concerns” (Page 196)

“Self-knowledge – examining values and personal qualities – takes courage and a willingness to risk oneself. Accepting oneself in where to begin in accepting children” (Page 197)

“Observing children can be a key of understanding ourselves. People who developed observational skills notice human behavior more accurately. ..They learn to differentiate between what is fact and what is inference: (Page 236)