The case study is on a four-year-old Chinese child; essentially, the child acted more like a 2-year-old. After spending a few months with his grandparents in the family’s homeland, the child had just returned to his parents. Thus, the parents needed collaboration from the teacher to aid them in developing bonds with a child they adored but did not know. Henderson (2007) asserts that a sense of belonging pushes parents to become more involved in their children’s education. It is vital to mention that ECE experts embraced their knowledge of child development and parents’ excellent thoughts or intentions. Attachment formation and maintenance are critical factors in child development. Intentionally creating possibilities for two-way dialogue enabled fresh learning among professionals and ‘first teachers’ (Daniel, 2009). The teacher’s first choice was to place the child in the 3-year-old classroom since he was too big for the toddler room, even though he was developmentally a 2-year-old. Notably, the teacher did not want the size and strength disparity to lead to the development of a bully. Furthermore, he was too socially immature to have had a positive experience in the 4-year-old room with kids his age.
The teacher addressed the child with a warm tone and words, knowing that he did not understand English but relying on her soft demeanor to ensure that she would assist him and that he was in a secure place. Moreover, the teacher utilized what she felt he would comprehend best, physical space and touch, to support him in relaxing and learning. She kept him close to her for several weeks; the child sat alongside her. Vygotsky argues that child development is not a linear process since there are several developmental stages, according to Pathan et al. (2018). Based on Vygotsky’s theory, two development sets coexist in a child’s mental functioning. Firstly, the child can perform the actual level of development alone. Secondly, the prospective level of development may be detected by the activities the child can do in collaboration with the teacher or with a more competent peer (Pathan et al., 2018). Therefore, the teacher demonstrated how to engage in play and communicate with other youngsters. As the child got into the school procedures, the teacher’s interactions with the father intensified. The adults’ collaboration deepened as parents observed the teacher’s belief in their child’s ability to learn and the beneficial outcomes of her work. The cooperation blossomed due to the teacher’s confidence in their abilities to parent.
Essentially, home-school relationships and family involvement are recognized to boost ECE programs in children’s healthy growth and development. A ‘Help Me Grow System core component’ integrated is ‘Family & Community Outreach’ (HMG National Center, 2018). One from the NAEYC Code of Ethics that has been applied is “I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve” (The National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2011, p. 3). The key element from the ‘NAEYC Early Childhood Professional Preparation Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships’ is supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships. (NAEYC, 2010).
‘Social and Emotional Competence of Children is one of the ‘Strengthening Families Protective Factors.’ A child’s capacity to engage constructively with others, self-regulate their conduct, and effectively explain their feelings benefits their relationships with their family, other adults, and peers (Center for the Study of Social Policy, n.d.). Building relationships with English language learners is the most significant component of working with them. Additionally, several ways can assist youngsters in grasping what is going on, such as using visuals, gestures, image cues, and repetition to enhance expressive and receptive language development. It is also vital to encourage youngsters to play together to develop their language skills and friendships. Thus, a preschool teacher should listen, understand, and help children communicate more effectively.
References
Center for the Study of Social Policy. (n.d.). Strengthening families: Increasing positive outcomes for children and families. Web.
Daniel, J. (2009). Intentionally thoughtful family engagement in early childhood education. YC Young Children, 64(5), 10.
Henderson, A. T. (2007). Beyond the bake sale: The essential guide to family-school partnerships. New Press.
HMG National Center. (2018). HMF core components. Web.
NAEYC (2010). Summary of the NAEYC professional preparation standards. Web.
Pathan, H., Memon, R. A., Memon, S., Khoso, A. R., & Bux, I. (2018). A critical review of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory in second language acquisition. International Journal of English Linguistics, 8(4), 232. Web.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (2011). NAYEC code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Web.