A introduction to my Early Childhood Educator role

1. Who I am and my
Role as an Early
Childhood Educator
By: Mikaela Lawson

2. How Have Historical Theories Influenced my
Teaching?
I look at the evidence and data collected from historical theories
and use them to improve my classroom environment, and to
use it as a base for what I should expect in teaching.
It helps both myself and my students to have a more thoughtful
environment, and reminds me of how I can best get them to
open up and learn in the environment I create.

3. Theorists and Educators that Influence My
Teaching:
Jean Piaget and Cognitive Theory: I really like the idea that Piaget focused on the cognitive
developments and found them just as important as the physical, because as someone who
teaches toddlers, while walking and standing and running is important, so is cognitive
development. I also agree and implement with his idea that learning is done best as a interaction
between the student and the environment, at least with the early childhood levels.
Lev Vygotsky and Sociocultural Theory: He was very similar to Piaget in theories of active
learning, but I further loved how he believed in the support and assistance that is provided to
students is important for their growth.
John Dewey: I fully agree with his belief that curriculum should be based on the interest of
children. They are more likely to learn new things if there are aspects of ideas that they are
already interested in.
Emmi Pikler: I enjoy Pikler’s theories especially as she focused on infants and toddlers (who I
work with), and believed in building strong relationships during caregiving and stressed the
importance of self-initiated activities - both of which I agree with.

4. My key roles and responsibilities as an educator
● To take care of my students:
○ Emotionally ( i.e. enhance self image, strengthen social and emotional
development)
○ Physically (i.e. muscle control, help develop fine and gross motor skills,
coordination)
○ Mentally (stimulate an interest in the world, identify special needs, develop
problem-solving, expand communication skills)
● I am to be highly engaged, have excellent preparation, and provide high-quality
supervision
● To give them educational opportunities
○ To help them learn and develop (support cognitive and social-emotional
development)
○ Integrate curriculum goals across all areas
○ Make the curriculum fun and challenging but appropriate to the age and needs of
the group

5. My key roles and responsibilities as an educator
Part 2:
● To build relationships with the families
○ Be able to inform them what assessment data means in a way that they
understand
○ Make all programs accessible to families
● Help the students socialize and further social skills
● I am to understand the nature of development for learning and the
characteristics of each of my students to ensure the best experience for them
● More specifically, I am to change their diapers and make sure their are clean,
feed them lunch and help them clean up and eat, get them down for nap, take
them on walks, create crafts to help with their fine motor skills, and teach them
the basics like ABCs, 123, and colors. I also watch over them during free play
and create learning moments, and take them on walks when it is nice out.

6. How I fulfill These Roles
and Responsibilities:
I take care of my children but teaching them with crafts focused on fine motor and circle time,,
helping them process their emotions, put them down for nap, change their diapers, ensure they eat
lunch and help when needed, and facilitate free play (especially with gross motor toys).
I ensure that even during free play I am engaged and participating, creating learning moments.
Making sure that kids are interacting by creating scenarios that allow and encourage this for social
skills.
I annually get my gateway hours done each year to ensure I am the most updated on what I need to
know.
I talk to the parents at pick-up and drop-off and leave notes on their daily sheets to keep an informal
communication up with the parents to build a strong bond.

7. The characteristics and developmental needs of
children in an early childhood classroom
Quality program, child-centered and age appropriate environment, curriculum and
assessment that supports the children’s individual needs, a teacher who is constantly
learning and striving for a knowledge and safe learning environment.
Socialization (furthering social skills or even developing them), Emotional development,
development of physical and motor skills, cognitive growth,
Accessible programs to all families, positive interpersonal interactions with teachers, small
class sizes and child-teacher ratios (more one on one time),

8. How I Meet Those
Needs:
I ensure that my classroom and its environment is colorful, interactive, and somewhere a child feels safe to express
their emotions (good or bad), giving them an area to express those emotions safely.
I make sure my crafts and circle time curriculum is age-appropriate and something the majority if not all toddlers are
doing.
I do my gateway hours every year to expand my knowledge.
I encourage socialization through play (dancing, group drum playing, holding hands to walk or circle or run, etc.), kand
allow all emotions in my classroom and help them process it through calm talk and emotional support.
I keep up communication with all the parents, through talking or notes, of my students to build a bond that allows the
child to succeed.
And I make sure my ratio is always 5-1 teacher for my age group so that every child’s needs are met.

9. How I Work Effectively with Families and the
Community:
I ensure that I have open communication with the families of my students. I send
home positive notes that detail what the child did that day and what new
developments happened. Pictures are taken throughout the day with various
activities to show the parents visuals of what is happening with their children. I
listen to the parents when they have questions and concerns and I make sure to
have answers for them right then, or by the next day if I need to think about it.
The families of my students know they are welcome in my classroom and its
environment.
I don’t have much say in how my school and classroom works with the
community.

10. What Makes Me Unique in the Field of Early
Childhood Education:
One thing that I think makes me unique in the field of early childhood education is the
fact that I know what it is like to be the student who might have needed help but
couldn’t receive it, from my own experiences and my from my friends.
I had bad anxiety even as young as five -years-old, and had difficulty paying attention
sometimes. When it came to asking for help as early as kindergarten through second
grade I was either too scared to and took the bad grade or failed at an assessment, or
I was chastised for not paying attention (and therefore I was not given the context I
missed) or because I was perceived as smart and therefore didn’t need the help.
My own friend with ADHD wasn’t diagnosed until her mid-twenties because she did
well in her English and Writing classes and was therefore dubbed lazy with homework
and tests instead of getting the help that she asked for.

11. How Does this
Positively Affect My
Students:
I know what it is like to not be heard or taken seriously. For my emotions and anxieties to not
be taken seriously, and I take that passion and feeling with me into my classroom to ensure
that none of my toddler’s ever feel chastised for their emotions or disabilities or left to felt that
they can’t ask for help.
I understand that sometimes you can’t pay attention all of the time and you need time and
patience to be redirected back on course.
I know what it’s like to be shy and scared, and don’t push the children outside of their comfort
zones, but let them come to me and open up to me.
My students even at their young ages feel safe coming to me with their worries, pains, and
questions, which allows my students to reside in a healthy, positive, and comforting school
environment.