Table of Contents
Patch 1
Brock offers a description of a professional that works with children as an individual who not only attains the standards, that is attaining the qualifications, knowledge, training, experience and skills, but one who has the attitude, passion, ideology, code of ethics, and independence to interpret quality information to children (Brock, 2006). Practitioners in the early years are considered by the commitment that they offer to young children and they handle issues among the early years with powerful voices as well as a wide scope of knowledge and expertise.
The issue of early childhood professional has for over a decade been part of an agenda in politics at the nation and international levels (Miller, & Cable, 2011). The main attribute of a profession is reflection and thus plays a great part in the conversion to one being a professional. According to Murray, he argues that professionals in early years require interaction skills, collaboration, and teamwork as well as an opportunity for continuous learning (Osgood, 2006). On the other hand, Feney describes a profession as an individual with specialized knowledge and expertise and has independence over the internal control of the quality of services provided.
We can do it today.
The person that I consider a professional in the early years is A. A is the head of a private nursery, a school where I worked as a nursery teacher. On my opinion, the professionalism of A can be seen through his passion, commitment as well as the unending dedication in her profession. Through the wide experience of more than twenty years that A has gathered in the field as well as the wide knowledge in child development makes her truly a profession in the field.
Besides this, A had an aspect of interacting with children and ensuring that they developed healthy relationships with others. A also had the ability to organize activities that motivated the participation of children, encourage their conversations and offered them a chance to work together as a team. Through such activities including other aspects of child development, I have great belief that A is a good example of a professional.
According to claims by Moyles, the concern for passion and paradox are the spirit required out of professionals that work in the early years (Dalli, and Urban, 2008). It is evident that A interacted with children in a passionate way and showed aspects of professionalism when dealing with young children. On the other hand, A had a good understanding of social work values and the ability to integrate such practices. According to research findings that were done by Simpson, results showed that professionals displayed critical thinking, transformative dialogue, and research skills among others (Cameron, Owen, & Moss, 2001). A presented these skills in her daily activities in school.
Thus, A was not only good at applying critical thinking in her daily management activities of the school, but she also applied her wide knowledge, passion, and had more interest in inclusive activities. The entire qualities that A presented in the management activities of the school truly showed that she was a profession in the early years.
Patch 2. Parenting book analysis
Many interesting books are available for parents who seek information on how to raise their children. One kind of such books is ‘Toddler Taming’.
In the analysis of how Toddler Taming by Christopher Green, it is first important to discuss how the title of the book is portrayed to children. This book is recommended as a guide to parents within the first four years and incudes all hurdles faced by parents and their toddlers (Green, & Roberts, 2006). In the title of the book, the author has used a title that is unfortunate in the portrayal of children. Taming is a word that has been used to suggest pictures of wild animals. Is this really how children are portrayed? The use of language in successful way for instance ‘little terror’, ‘problem toddler’, and ‘unreasonable behavior’ evokes the nature of animals as well as an idea of an advice that is beneficial in avoiding embarrassment, fixing toddlers and curing outbursts (Green, & Roberts, 2006). The kind of language used in the book is not specifically encouraging to portray children as precious and valuable.
In addition, the author confesses that the use of the word taming is expressive of the need to provide control to children (Jones, 2009). He further expresses that sensible expectations and understanding are important factors in inspiring the relationship between children and parents. Furthermore, the idea of adulthood construction is noticeable. The author suggests that a compliant baby transforms into an unpredictable. However, the big question is, do we require children to be compliant to rules when they grow up? Consequently, the discussion by James and Prout present an idea that is historical that the life of a child is a prefigure of adulthood. Similar perspectives can be seen in Green’s conception of children and Comte’s idea of the child as brutal (James, & Prout, 1997). In addition, Jones highlights on the idea over superiority of adults as well the control for adult and is expressed in the book (Frones, 1994).
The chapter on parental confidence in the book presents the normal challenges that parents undergo with young children such as stress, competition, security and lack of experience (Green, & Roberts, 2006). The book offers an advice that is not superior over building confidence in such specified areas. The author admits that the confidence of parents appears to be lowering rather than increase in the view of the prevalence care among experts of childcare. It appears that parents may be stunned the attack of information and as a result, it may bring a feeling of anxiety and insufficiency among parents (Derbyshire, 2007). The idea points out the question of; who are the actual specialists in the lives of children?
Thus, has our perceptions over childhood or childhood changed? The book evokes that, young children have not changed, and however, they may have worn clothes that are different or have only changed their lifestyle (Derbyshire, 2007). Young children continue to be how they normally are, with full of life and magical. Nevertheless, current approaches to understand young children show that there is an emergent bother specifically in the western theory of childhood for each and every child that effectively covers the reality that childhood is a social construction (Green, & Roberts, 2006).
To sum up, the most evident notion appears is the reputation given to childhood outcomes, a substantial idea in the educative approaches by Green and less on the actual experiences of the child.
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