Anyone with contact with young children is an early childhood educator. The young child learns through imitation and will imitate the adults around them. Those with training and practice can become worthy of imitation. A quality Early Childhood Educator can enhance the lives of the children and the families they live in, through gentle consistent encouragement and support. In short an Early Childhood Education concerns itself with what is best for children.
What is Early Childhood Education? Early Childhood Education is an evolving field of study, research and practice, which concerns itself with all aspects of early life experiences. From separation anxiety to early literacy development, the early childhood educator must be versed in the physical and emotional development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The early Childhood Educator works with children and their parents.
While there are many philosophies and methodologies in the field of Early Childhood Education, the Waldorf Early Childhood Educator is particularly concerned with the physical and emotional health of children. Waldorf educators have the knowledge of early developmental influences and the need for young children’s defense from the unhealthy effects of modern life. The experience of education on young children is completely integrated with all other experiences they have during the day. Now that many young children spend their days outside of their own homes, the importance of Early Childhood expertise is in high demand. A Waldorf Early Childhood Educational setting is a cozy, home-like environment. Every aspect of the curriculum and the method is designed to preserve and protect the child’s innate innocence and trust in the world while providing practical and artistic activities that develop the children’s interest and connection to the wider world.
There are many colleges that offer Early Childhood Education Degrees Online, however The Rudolf Steiner College is a wonderful choice to explore training in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Waldorf Education. There the striving educator will be given practical and artistic guidance as well as a firm foundation in Child development from embryology to age seven.