© 2007 by thomson delmar learning chapter 1: a holistic approach to safety, nutrition, and health...

© 2007 by Thomson Delmar Learning

Chapter 1: A Holistic Approach to Safety, Nutrition, and Health

in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments


Holistic Approach to Early Childhood Education

• 13 million children under age 6 have mothers in the workforce

• 75% of children under 5 years and 50% of infants are in some form of child care

• By age of 6, 84% of children have received supplemental care

• To avoid risk, all areas of development of children should be considered

• Good quality early childhood education can reduce the magnitude of the effects of problems


The Environment

• Physical

• Social and emotional

• Cultural

• Economic


The Physical Environment

• Heredity (genetics) a.k.a. nature– body type– temperament– inherited diseases and traits


The Physical Environment (continued)

• Home environment a.k.a. nurture– Should be healthy and protected from harm– Includes family, home, school, neighbor-

hood and community– May be at risk due to abuse of some type– Quality early childhood education can

reduce risk


The Social and Emotional Environment

• Attachment is the goal

• Consistent and sensitive caregiving– by parent or teacher

• Quality care = primary caregiver


The Economic Environment

• Influenced by parents’ work history, neighborhood, community, and nation

• One in 5 children in the United States lives below the poverty level– 40% of these parents are unemployed– Consider this as new welfare reforms affect

children– Impact of financial stress can affect

emotions and behavior


The Economic Environment (continued)

• Lack of preventive care and access to resources = at risk

• Teachers can help children by providing good nutrition and preventive health and safety measures

• Families can be helped by connecting them to resources and other community linkages


The Cultural Environment

• Culture = beliefs and practices of a given group

• Values conflicts among and between cultures• Newer immigrants and migrants less likely to

assimilate• Cultural competence is the key

– Teachers should support family values as much as is possible

– Awareness of diversity present in child care is important


Health Promotion, Protection, and Disease Prevention

• Knowledge of developmental aspects and issues help to promote, protect, and prevent risk for children

• Teachers need to establish and maintain a healthy environment– using an holistic approach– being aware of organizations that help

promote well-being and prevent harm


Risk and Risk Management of Children’s Well-Being

• To prevent risk for children, risk management minimizes chance of danger for children in early childhood education environments

• Teachers need to use– health promotion– safety protection– nutrition education


Providing High-Quality Child Care =

• Goal 1 Maximize health status of children

• Goal 2 Minimize risk to health, safety, and well-being of children


Providing High-QualityChild Care =

• Goal 3 Use education as a tool to promote health and reduce risk

• Goal 4 Recognize the importance of guidelines, standards, and laws as they apply to the well-being of children


Providing High-QualityChild Care =

• Goal 5 Practice cultural competence

• Goal 6 Develop partnerships with families to provide a caring community


See Tables 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3


Reality Check—Child Care in America: The Reality

• 73% of infants and toddlers are in nonparental care part of the time, and the great majority of kids by the age of 6 years have been in early childhood education environments– Child care has become a necessity for

most families– The assumption might be that quality early

childhood education is the norm


Reality Check (continued)

• Several studies have shown that the majority of child care is not quality, and that most centers and family care homes do not meet children’s needs for health, safety, and secure attachments

• There is no formal system to oversee family child care homes

• There are no consistent federal regulations for center-based care


What Is a Quality Early Childhood Education Environment?

• Teachers– have adequate training in child

development, health, and safety– provide sensitive, responsive care– have skills to communicate with parents

and promote nurturing– are competent with diverse cultural and

language background of children– are adequately compensated


What Is a Quality Early Childhood Education Environment?

• An environment that– allows for good health and safety– provides good working conditions for caregivers– has adequate child to caregiver ratio– has toys and equipment that are age and

developmentally appropriate– provides adequate nutrition and food safety if

providing meals and snacks


Reality Check—The Reality of War and Terrorism for Young Children in the

United States

• Children react to war and terrorism• A range of behaviors may be expressed• Children want to know about what they fear• It is important to be truthful


• Let children deal with their fears in their own way

• Teach children how to look for helpers• Play helps children deal with things they do

not understand• Play behavior may need to be directed and

discussed


United States (continued)


• Practice cultural competence and help children to learn tolerance

• Involve families• Children need

– structure– consistency– predictability– nonpunitive limit setting– nuturance


United States (continued)


Building Curriculum for Quality Early Childhood Education Environments

• Provide mechanism for teaching children

• Includes a number of elements

• Should offer several important qualities, including flexibility



(continued)

• See Table 1-4 for curriculum design consideration

• Reggio Emilio approach– investigation of information– gaining knowledge through project-based

learning by doing



(continued)

• Project steps– 1 = interest or idea– 2 = development– 3 = conclusion

• Co-constructive curriculum



(continued)

• Regular curriculum– Theme based– Has objectives and outcomes– Age and developmentally appropriate


Questions

• How does the environment of your own community support the physical, socioemotional, cultural, and economic lives of the children in it?

• How would you rate your community?• Are there any differences

geographically within your area?• What might be done to make

improvements?

© 2007 by thomson delmar learning chapter 1: a holistic approach to safety, nutrition, and health...

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