It is acknowledged worldwide that
the people of the country are its greatest asset. The human resources of the
country and their holistic profile is responsible for the growth, development
and the wealth of the nation. No wonder, every country pays its best attention
to the development of its human resources right from their life’s beginning.
Early childhood and its care are a very important dimension in a country’s
managerial concerns. Alongside, the investment the country makes on the
educational inputs of the young children defines its vision and mission. Says
Nelson Mandela[GB1]
“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of our
children”. As a reflection of this
intent, the recent policy of education at its draft level has focused on the
theme of “Early childhood care and education.”
The Early Childhood
Researches have clearly indicated
that the development profile of an individual starts from the foetal level. The
attention to the organic development of the foetus includes not only its
physical growth but also its emotional growth. In other words, the maternal
care during the days of the conception of a baby plays a vital role in the
future growth profile of the baby. Apart from the nutrients the foetus would
need, the emotions of the mother also impact the wellbeing of the baby. The
psychologists therefore state the emotions of the mother have to be taken care
of during pregnancy. Many of the emotions of the mother impact the foetus and
researches indicate that the foetus responds meaningfully to those emotional
inputs either in a positive way or negative way. Stimuli- Response systems are
seen at the prenatal level itself. Therefore, it is important to take care of
the growth profile of the foetus in terms the nutrition they will get during
that period of a peaceful journey towards a life in this planet.
Here is an extract from Jan
Nijhuis from the Journal on Foetal behaviour “It has often been asserted
that human foetuses are exposed to environmental stimuli that have a lasting
effect. The effects thereof are often negative: medication, viral infections or
a malnourished mother might have a harmful effect on the foetus. But
environmental stimuli might also have positive influences, as anecdotes tell.
For example, during her pregnancy, King Heinrich IV of Germany’s mother had a
musician come every morning to play in close proximity to her. At that time,
people believed that the foetus could hear the music and that music would have
an influence on the person’s later character by preventing him or her from
becoming bad humoured. According to historians, this worked for Heinrich IV: he
was good humoured all his life.”
Dr. Barbara Kisilevsky, a Queen's
University professor of nursing along with a team of psychologists at Queen's
and obstetricians in Hangzhou, China, found that foetuses are capable of
learning in the womb and can remember and recognize their mother's voice before
they are even born. Their research findings are published in the international
journal Psychological Science.
The Brain Development
The development of the brain in
the child is very significant and critical at the formative years. The home
should provide an excellent, happy and positive environment for the child so
that the learning is positive, constructive and fearless. Any inputs of fear,
stress or negative sentiments not only impairs learning, but creates trauma in
the mind of the child.
Having carried out extensive research
regarding the trauma associated with birth and the first few weeks of the
baby’s life , Dr. Terry M. Levy writes in his article “Effects of Attachment
Trauma”: “Severe childhood trauma is correlated with a wide variety of
symptoms which include difficulties with sense of self, modulating affect and
relating to others. Attachment trauma often produces symptoms in the following
DSM IV categories: Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (Oppositional Defiant
Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Separation Anxiety Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder of Infancy and Early
Childhood, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression. Dissociative and
characterological symptoms may emerge as the child develops. Behavioural
acting-out includes aggression, destruction of property, lying, stealing and
self-destructive behaviours. Extreme oppositional and defiant behaviours are
common.”
Early childhood care involves
building an atmosphere of comfort, security, safety and acceptance. The
positive relationship of the parents with the child ensures all the above and
the child responds according with a growth profile which is absolutely healthy
and secure. The researches relating to mirror neurons in the brain have also
focused on building such a positive relationship between the parents and the child
and a healthy environment at home.
Play and Learning
The early years of the child are
indeed exploratory. The urge in the child to seek experiences, to touch and
feel the world around triggers the curiosity. Curiosity manifests into play and
in turn play provides learning experiences. “Play is the work of the Childhood”
says the eminent educational philosopher Piaget. Facilitation to play and enabling learning
through play has to be the focus of any formal or informal curriculum at this
stage. The communication, the expression,
the articulation of the child’s intents and the designs get carved into actions
which are sometimes creative, innovative or suggestive for the curiosity. Thus,
every child becomes an artist in his or her own way. Pablo Picasso is in full
concurrence with this idea and says “Every child is an artist. The problem is
to remain an artist once they grow up.”
In the process of a genuine
developmental process which is exclusive to the child, parents, schools and the
society interferes to “mentor” through an articulated pre-ordained curriculum
‘to shape’ the child. The focus of such ‘shaping’ is to make the child more as
one useful to the society rather than one who is a unique member of the
society. Learning comes through instructions, behaviour is conditioned,
thoughts directed to a goal and thus an active learner in the child becomes a
passive student in the system. It is therefore important that the schools and
educators should take concrete steps to ‘liberate’ the child from the chains of
structures that would make him or her as a follower than a leader. Albert Einstein wonders “It is in fact,
nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not
entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry.”
The saying “The Child is the
Father of the Man” has a deep inner meaning. We need to understand and
celebrate the child so that the we empower the child to realize his or her own
vision and dream. As Paul Coelho puts it “A child can teach an adult three
things – to be happy for no reason; to always be curious; to fight tirelessly
for something.”
Ben Jessen, the author of the
book “Brain based learning” says “Many educators unknowingly inhibit the
brain’s learning ability by teaching in an ultra-linear, structured, and
predictable fashion. The result is bored or frustrated learners who then
perpetuate the underachievement cycle.”
The focus of the New Education
Policy on the Early Childhood Care and Education, is therefore in context.
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