Early Childhood Care and Education

          I found very enlightening to read the website of UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/).  I have gained a few insights that relate to my professional goals after exploring the website in detail.

          One of the insights is that the division between care and education in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is breaking down, and the professional role in ECCE is becoming more complex.   This is due to the fact that there is growing recognition of the importance of collaborating with parents and other services, and of the competence of young children as learners.  Another insight is that when care and education are integrated, the workforce is expected to be highly profession.  Workers in childcare have always been treated as babysitters, are requiring only the competence to apply predefined processes, functioning like substitute mothers.  Nevertheless, the view is to be changed.   The integrated workforce needs to be expected as children co-constructors, learners and researchers.  In other words, the workforce is not merely a transmitter, of knowledge and culture.  School thus becomes a place of research, where the children along with the teachers are the primary researchers.  Last insight I gained is that there will be an increment in costs when restructuring the integrated workforce around a core profession.  A fact is that once early childhood workers are trained at the same level as school teachers, there is a compelling case for comparable pay and conditions. 

          These insights compel me to refine and sharpen my professional goals to be more delicate in relation with staff development and their professional growth.  I need to develop my workforce to have a clear mindset that early childhood workers are not babysitters, neither knowledge transmitters.  They are considered to be co-creators, powerful teachers that collaborate with students.  In return, they need to be paid reasonably that match with their profession and competence.