TEACHER-LED IS BEST?
The Save Childhood Movement’s Early Years Education group has been discussing the complexities of the ‘teacher-led is best’ statement, that is so frequently quoted in government statements, and it has proved to be a complicated issue.
At the beginning we explored the difference between ‘teacher-led provision’ and ‘teacher-led activities’ and that the evidence quoted by the EPPE Research showed that teacher led provision improved the desired outcomes (which would not be surprising if adult priority was given to them), but that for developmentally appropriate practice teacher-led activities should be carefully balanced with child-initiated activities. It was also evident that co-playing, where the activity is initiated and led by the child but an adult joins in as a co-player - required skill, but was often the most productive activity of all, and very much enjoyed and valued by the children.
It was noted that in some high quality learning environments, such as Montessori schools, teachers are trained to be highly sensitive to each child’s developmental needs and will aim to avoid direct instruction as it might interfere with a child’s natural processes. As in Reggio schools they see themselves more as observers, facilitators and catalysts between the child and the environment. The word teacher in this respect is felt to be misleading.
We discussed the need to be very careful about making generalised statements based on any one piece of research, and to explore what variables have been measured, and which ones possible ignored. It was felt that there was currently too little attention being paid to global data and that this compromised the reliability of any of the assumptions made. The government funded EPPE Research has been very valuable to help people better understand the importance of the early years, but the methodology still needs to be carefully examined in light of other published research, together with current understanding about learning dispositions and developmental readiness.
We talked about the definition of ‘quality practice’ and that this was currently too dependent upon externally imposed norms and targets that were results rather than process focused.
The group then discussed the following issues:
With such young children ‘desired outcomes’ are not necessarily developmentally appropriate and can come at the cost of child wellbeing
Having one graduate teacher is unlikely to fundamentally change the nature of the environment and does not justify higher ratios that might compromise the quality of care. Quality early years teaching is about more than just a body of knowledge and more attention needs to be paid to the importance of the relational and emotional aspects of adult-child interactions.
It was noted that profound relational changes happen when teachers move their focus from being in the moment with the child to instead seeking to achieve measurable outcomes, and that this may compromise the natural empathic adult-child interaction and negatively impact on the child’s natural developmental processes.
There was currently too much focus on ‘teaching’ as an instructional, rather than a facilitating, role.
Children are extremely sensitive to the messages that are conveyed (both verbally and non-verbally) from the adults in their worlds and will seek to please them, even if this goes against their natural developmental instincts.
There are some positive aspects that need to be taken into account. The word ‘teacher’ has now allowed early years practitioners to be taken more seriously and improved training has given them a better understanding of child development. Early years practitioners have started to feel more valued by the system.
The word ‘teacher’ is, however, confusing for many people and is currently too closely associated with formal ‘teaching’ and ‘schooling’.
We discussed that it should not be about practitioners moving to ‘become teachers’ (in the sense of how the word has been commonly understood for many years), but rather that the word ‘teacher’ when applied to the early years needs to encompass the more holistic elements of practice i.e. nurturing, supporting children, supporting other staff, deep understanding of child development, working in equal partnership with families etc.
Maybe, therefore, we now need a new name that better encompasses this?
SO WHAT REALLY IS AN EARLY YEARS ‘TEACHER’?
· A person with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
· A person with a degree
· A person with a TA qualification
· A person with a level 3 qualification
· A group leader at a baby and toddler group
· A level 2 pre-school worker
· A childminder
· A parent or grandparent
We talked about the need to value everyone on the above list, to recognise their different skills and roles and to acknowledge how each contributed something different and valuable.
WHAT QUALITIES DO WE WANT FROM AN EARLY YEARS TEACHER?
An understanding of child development
A positive role model
Someone who is emotionally mature
A person who exhibits emotional warmth
A person who loves and respects children
A person who understands the importance of the environment
Someone who is sensitive to the developmental needs of the child
Someone with humility who sees themselves as a facilitator and co-learner
Someone who always puts the best interests of the child first
At the beginning we explored the difference between ‘teacher-led provision’ and ‘teacher-led activities’ and that the evidence quoted by the EPPE Research showed that teacher led provision improved the desired outcomes (which would not be surprising if adult priority was given to them), but that for developmentally appropriate practice teacher-led activities should be carefully balanced with child-initiated activities. It was also evident that co-playing, where the activity is initiated and led by the child but an adult joins in as a co-player - required skill, but was often the most productive activity of all, and very much enjoyed and valued by the children.
It was noted that in some high quality learning environments, such as Montessori schools, teachers are trained to be highly sensitive to each child’s developmental needs and will aim to avoid direct instruction as it might interfere with a child’s natural processes. As in Reggio schools they see themselves more as observers, facilitators and catalysts between the child and the environment. The word teacher in this respect is felt to be misleading.
We discussed the need to be very careful about making generalised statements based on any one piece of research, and to explore what variables have been measured, and which ones possible ignored. It was felt that there was currently too little attention being paid to global data and that this compromised the reliability of any of the assumptions made. The government funded EPPE Research has been very valuable to help people better understand the importance of the early years, but the methodology still needs to be carefully examined in light of other published research, together with current understanding about learning dispositions and developmental readiness.
We talked about the definition of ‘quality practice’ and that this was currently too dependent upon externally imposed norms and targets that were results rather than process focused.
The group then discussed the following issues:
With such young children ‘desired outcomes’ are not necessarily developmentally appropriate and can come at the cost of child wellbeing
Having one graduate teacher is unlikely to fundamentally change the nature of the environment and does not justify higher ratios that might compromise the quality of care. Quality early years teaching is about more than just a body of knowledge and more attention needs to be paid to the importance of the relational and emotional aspects of adult-child interactions.
It was noted that profound relational changes happen when teachers move their focus from being in the moment with the child to instead seeking to achieve measurable outcomes, and that this may compromise the natural empathic adult-child interaction and negatively impact on the child’s natural developmental processes.
There was currently too much focus on ‘teaching’ as an instructional, rather than a facilitating, role.
Children are extremely sensitive to the messages that are conveyed (both verbally and non-verbally) from the adults in their worlds and will seek to please them, even if this goes against their natural developmental instincts.
There are some positive aspects that need to be taken into account. The word ‘teacher’ has now allowed early years practitioners to be taken more seriously and improved training has given them a better understanding of child development. Early years practitioners have started to feel more valued by the system.
The word ‘teacher’ is, however, confusing for many people and is currently too closely associated with formal ‘teaching’ and ‘schooling’.
We discussed that it should not be about practitioners moving to ‘become teachers’ (in the sense of how the word has been commonly understood for many years), but rather that the word ‘teacher’ when applied to the early years needs to encompass the more holistic elements of practice i.e. nurturing, supporting children, supporting other staff, deep understanding of child development, working in equal partnership with families etc.
Maybe, therefore, we now need a new name that better encompasses this?
SO WHAT REALLY IS AN EARLY YEARS ‘TEACHER’?
· A person with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
· A person with a degree
· A person with a TA qualification
· A person with a level 3 qualification
· A group leader at a baby and toddler group
· A level 2 pre-school worker
· A childminder
· A parent or grandparent
We talked about the need to value everyone on the above list, to recognise their different skills and roles and to acknowledge how each contributed something different and valuable.
WHAT QUALITIES DO WE WANT FROM AN EARLY YEARS TEACHER?
An understanding of child development
A positive role model
Someone who is emotionally mature
A person who exhibits emotional warmth
A person who loves and respects children
A person who understands the importance of the environment
Someone who is sensitive to the developmental needs of the child
Someone with humility who sees themselves as a facilitator and co-learner
Someone who always puts the best interests of the child first
This is from the recent Ofsted guidance:
Teaching should not be taken to imply a ‘top down’ or formal way of working. It is a broad term which covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities: communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges. It takes account of the equipment they provide and the attention to the physical environment as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and can do as well as take account of their interests and dispositions to learning (characteristics of effective learning), and use this information to plan children’s next steps in learning and monitor their progress.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/evaluation-schedule-for-inspections-of-registered-early-years-provision
Teaching should not be taken to imply a ‘top down’ or formal way of working. It is a broad term which covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities: communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges. It takes account of the equipment they provide and the attention to the physical environment as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and can do as well as take account of their interests and dispositions to learning (characteristics of effective learning), and use this information to plan children’s next steps in learning and monitor their progress.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/evaluation-schedule-for-inspections-of-registered-early-years-provision