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INDEX SR.NO
CHAPTERS
1
INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
2
APPROACHES EDUCATION
3
WESTERN AND INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS
4
CHILD CARE SERVICES IN INDIA
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Early Childhood Education (ECE) refers to the education that children obtain during early stages of their childhood. Early childhood is a crucial time period for the development of the mental functions of children. This development, including the emergence of the ability and skills in areas such as language, motor skills, psychological cognitive and learning, is now known to be greatly influenced by exogenous factors also including the nature of the educational environment to which the child is exposed during the first 6 to 8 year. It has been shown that ECE can be a major input into a child's formal education. A number of studies link ECE to increase in school readiness for primary school and it has been shown that school readiness is an important predictor of early school achievement. While parental and family care is important component of ECE development we are primarily concerned with the educational component. This policy is able to play the most proactive role. So whatever is known in the literature about creating a good ECE program is it should be a multidimensional educational program with a focus on the holistic development of children in the early stages of their childhood. The need and importance of early childhood education is now being recognized all over the world. The child acquires most of his personal and social habits before the age of six. It shows that 50 percent of the total intellectual development of the child is completed by the time a child is four years old. It means by this age child will acquire better knowledge and develop their thinking skills. Research in the area of creativity has also shown that if children arc providing early formalized experiences through play then their creative ability will also be enhanced. Young children need to acquire physical skills, which demand muscular control and the development of fine and coordinated movement. They therefore, need adequate indoor and outdoor space and equipment to provide opportunities for running, climbing, jumping, balancing and playing with small objects such as puzzles, constructional toys, moulding clay etc. The society prepares children to fit into the existing order, and school experience can either help children conform to existing social order or help prepare for a new social organization. There has been a large amount of scientific research in child development. The first six year of life are critical for development. The effect is long lasting. Children need to be given tender love, care and attention not just because one day they will be a productive adult but because they have a right 2
As children to live and to grow to their full potential. In other words at each stage of the development span every person is fully entitled to enjoy human rights. Today, around the world, family structures have changed. With the increase in population and parents living in small apartments, or even in single rooms, there is no space for the child to move and the child loves to play. For this they need the company of other children. In preschool could not only gets the opportunity of playing with other children but also develop other social CHARACTERISTICS OF ECCED ECCED is the training that a child receives between two and a half to six years of age i.e. the The rate of development at this stage is so rapid, that anything given to the child in a manner in which he can understand is retained for a very long time. ECCED centres are laboratories where children can actively engage in learning rather than lectures room, where the learners actively participate in the classroom. Children use play as a way to discover and master themselves and their world. Teachers work as a team they plan to carry out a program based on each child's needs. Great deal of care should be taken up to keep them safe and help them learn. They are guided to use available resources: 1. To gain self-control 2. To make choices 3. The skilled as their faculty 4. To work independently 5. Tie share and care 6. To take turns, To work with other children 7. To take care of their own and school property, 8. To participate in games, music, movement activities and snacks time 9. To use and become skilful with a wide variety of materials, and to build concepts. 10.It should be built around a good learning environment with an effective well thought curriculum 11.It should begin at an appropriate starting age. 12. It should be provided in a physical space that is safe and one that has certain specialized facilities. 13.It should be given by professional care givers, attentive to the individualize needs and progress of the child and if possible, it should include the involvement of parents. A home like atmosphere prevails in school. There is a free flow of indoor and outdoor activities.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF A PRE-SCHOOL CHILD 1) They are curious for movement. 2) They need ample scope for movement. 3) They learn by doing for e.g. play, imitation, experimentation, discover, exploration, experience etc. 4) They learn by repeated experiences, they are egocentric and are passing through 5) They grow at a different rate. 6) They follow instructions and get approval of adults. Thus the ECCE centres aims to give the child an opportunity and scope to play, to create, to imagine, to explore and in short to develop their overall personality. CHARACTERISTIC OF AN IDEAL PRE-SCHOOL 1) The preschool shares with the parents the responsibility for promoting sounds growth and learning in a period when growth is significant and rapid. 2) Respect for the individual child and his need is basis for a good preschool, 3) A good preschool has a small group i.e. all children together seldom do the same things. 4) In a good preschool a great deal of talking, for language skills are valued. 5) The preschool is a place for activity to develop creative skills. 6) Play is a great avenue for learning in an ideal preschool i.e. curiosity, the Inventiveness and spontaneous energy of the young children are sources from which lifetime learning can be develop. 7) Most of the teaching in an ideal preschool is done through creative teaching aids. 8) The teacher respects the individual interests, styles and rate of learning of the children. 9) The teacher in an ideal preschool will encourage children's independence, initiative and their awareness of the world around them. 10) In an ideal preschool, the program is flexible. The structure will depend on the needs of the individual child in the group. 11) The preschool should have appropriate teacher-child ratio i.e. 1:10. 12) The school should develop proper parent-teacher relationship. 13) The preschool is a school serving the needs of children in today's world by offering them first hand experiences. SCOPE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION “Teaching is a profession that carries with it a high degree of responsibility and the qualifications and skills of those who take on the responsibility constitute a major factor that affects teaching, be it positively or negatively, any education, including at the early childhood stage which requires creation of a learning environment of children which is joyful, play based and developmentally 4
appropriate. Preparation of teachers for this stage would therefore require teacher educational philosophy of ECCE besides an understanding of its specialized content and methodology. This study is an attempt to address the emerging question in this context does the teacher education programs being currently offered in India enable student's teacher's access to thin kind of require! Expertise and experience and prepare them adequately for the demand of this critical stage of children's development and education. With this aim in view, and with the objects of informing policy level reform, the study reviewed the availability, coverage and nature of pre-service training for teacher's education in ECCE. It did this in terms of access, facilities, curriculum content and method used in profile of teacher's educator and perception of different stakeholders. It also studied some provisions offered through the open and distance education programs. Early scope is an initiative to bring the world's attention to the most essential phase of human development i.e. birth in eight years of age. Programmes of ECCE will be child oriented, focused around play and the individuality of the child development is not the only concern but what is happening with in the child, kind of care the child require it is imperative that the basic need for protection, food and health care are met. It is equally important to meet the child's need for affection and security for stimulation and interaction; it is normal and healthy for the child to learn through exploration and discovery, through playing and fantasy. Meeting the health and nutrition needs of the child is of course is an essential prerequisite for optimum development of the child. Fostering a healthy foundation includes maternal health, educating the mother and other care givers about the importance of breast feeding, immunization, supplementary feeding and management of common childhood illness and also about the nutritional needs of the child at different ages and how these may be met regardless of the economic constraints. In addition to it providing health and nutritional need and physical care to the child is important. Early childhood stimulation attempts is to provide learning opportunities to the child so as to enhance the development, however the learning experience need to be planned accordingly with the child maturational status. This stimulation should be provided from early infancy. By and large, stimulation comprises activities that involve a close interaction between the child and the care giver. The basis of these activities is a warm loving relationship between
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the child and care giver. Thus an affectionate and aware care giver holds the key to the optimum child development. It is important that the trained ECCE worker instils this confidence in individual parents that even if they are poor and illiterate they can provide stimulation to their child and that should be done right from early infancy. Up to three years of ages the stimulation aspect is primarily taken care by parents and other family members at home. Subsequently children start attending pre-school centres. Therefore not only family members but also workers in preschool centres (be it the balwadi, anganwadi, a nursery school or an early childhood education i.e. ecce centre) who have to be the “sensitive periods”. PRE-SCHOOL OBJECTIVES 1. Develop in the child a good physique, adequate muscular coordination of basic motor skills. 2. Develop in the child good habits and to build up basic skills necessary for personal adjustment such as dressing, toilet-habits, eating, cleaning, etc. 3 . Develop social attitudes and manners to encourage healthy group participation and making the child sensitive to the rights and privileges of being a member of a social group and to encourage him to cooperate, share and take care of the property that belongs to him as well as other. 4. Develop emotional maturity by guiding the child to express, understand, accept and control their feeling and emotions. 5. Encourage aesthetic appreciation in the child. 6. Stimulate in the child the beginning of intellectual curiosity, concerning his immediate environment to help him to understand the world in which he lives and to foster new interest through opportunities to explore, investigate and experiment. 7. Encourage in the child, independence and creativity by providing him with sufficient opportunity for self-expression. 8. Develop in the child the ability to express his thoughts and feelings in fluent, correct and clear speech. THE SCHOOL AS A PLACE FOR LEARNING: The school as a place of learning: the special job of the school is to focus on child growth by its syllabus in teaching method. School role also includes the transmission of cultural heritage, adoption of customs and values, for personal life and social learning / living School proves to be the bas for learning, expanding knowledge. It motivates children to think, imagine, explore, create, judge and develops all rounds. They learn about sharing working together adjusting adopting the environment and 6
lot more with the help of teacher guidance and supervision. The day activities should be organised by teacher keeping in mind many learning elements. ACTIVITIES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DEVELOP THE FOLLOWING •DEVELOPMENT OF CONSTRUCTIVE HABITS The school environment should be stimulating to develop and explore constructive activities. It is very important to inculcate good habits in young children. They need to be trained systematically. • DEVELOPMENT OF CONFIDENCE Every effort must be made to boost up child's confidence by encouraging him to participate in all appropriate activities. Constant appreciation and support will grow him as a happy secure and satisfied child. As a child they love to do things on their own like e.g. putting on their shoes, eating on their own etc. By doing their own work they build up their confidence. •DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE Language develops very rapidly at the early stage. A child gets many formal and informal Language experiences in a preschool. He could hardly frame sentence when he enters school, quickly begin saying what he needs, learns rhymes and stories. Vocabulary enhancement and better speaking abilities are formed in school. They listen more closely to sound, speak more clearly and slowly come to understand how language works. • DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS Physical skills are essential for proper development of the body and ability to perform tasks. Eye-hand coordination is a pre-requisite for reading, learning and writing. It is necessary to strengthen the small muscles by providing activities like holding objects, catching, throwing, sand, clay, crayons, safety scissors, beads and thread and large muscles by running, jumping, swinging, climbing up and down, balancing on height, sliding, dancing etc. • DEVELOPMENT OF INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES Children are familiar with their surroundings by observing the differences. School should increase understanding of common object and ideas as well as they should introduce the activities which they have not done before with available opportunity. Teacher should plan and organise activities carefully to increase the understanding of children. • DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIALISATION Socialization takes place gradually. When many children of same age, come together they learn to share, co-operate, to help each other, to listen, to talk, to be independent, develop sympathy and compassion. They realize that certain type of behaviour like biting others grabbing and quarrelling etc does not get him any friends and they have to refrain from such acts. Educators regard that stimulation should be provided to a young age child. 7
EXERCISE 1 What is the need and Importance of ECCE? 2) What are the characteristics of an ideal Pre-school? 3) Write short notes on: a) Scope of ECCE b) Objectives of Preschool c) Development of constructive habits 4) What are the various characteristics of a preschool child? 5) What is ECCEd? What are the characteristics of ECCEd?
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CHAPTER 2 APPROACHES TO EDUCATION PLAY - WAY METHOD Play is an innate, creative, joyful, non-serious, interesting and re-creative activity. It is the activity in which natural urges of the child find spontaneous expression. It is regarded as the language of child. What he cannot express through his behaviour and the behaviour is play. Play is an activity engaged in for enjoyment without any consideration of the end result. For generations, it is believed that while play is fun, it is also a waste of time that could be spent more profitably on doing something useful. Since young children were incapable of doing anything useful, they were allowed to play. However, when they were old enough to go to school, they were expected to learn to do the things that would prepare them for life. Play consists were kept strictly for the end of the day and for the holidays. Now, the attitude towards play has shifted, as scientific studies have shown the importance of play and how play way method can help child's development when in kindergarten and preschool in India and around world. Not only scientists, even parents and schools have acknowledged the educational values of play way by introducing into curriculum organized games & sports, dramatics, music and art and for the holidays have shown the importance DEFINITION a) Ross: 'Play is joyful, spontaneous and creative activity in which was finds fullest self-expression.' b) Thomson: ‘Play is impulse to carry out certain instinctive actions.' c) Crow and Crow: 'Play is the activity in which a person engages himself when he is free to do what he wants to do.' d) Froebel: 'Play is the highest phase of child development and the source of all that is good.' PRINCIPLES OF PLAY - WAY METHOD: The following are the underlying principles of play-way method; a) Learning by Doing: Training of five senses makes all round development in an individual. The principle of learning by doing involves maximum usage of these senses. Any knowledge which a child gains through his head and hands becomes interesting and purposeful for him. The children experiment and discover themselves the required knowledge by means of play-way method. 9
b) Principle of individual differences: The play-way method takes into account the individual difference of the learners. Every individuals work according to his differences in different spheres like interest, attitudes, sentiments, capabilities, intelligence level etc. It makes the learning easy and understandable by involving every learner according to his differences. c) Sympathetic Attitude: Play-way method develops a congenial environment in teaching-learning process. It does not create artificial environment or any compulsion on the learners. Everyone is free to do or act according to his interest. Whenever children need suggestion or give suggestion, they accept them without any hesitation. d) Learning takes place through doing, in an atmosphere of freedom. The method should suit to the need and interest of the child. Ample opportunities should be provided to the children for self-expression. PROCEDURE: When we review all the progressive methods of teaching, we find that they contain the principle of play. All the progressive method viz. Kindergarten, didactic method, project method, Dalton plan involves the procedure which is of play way nature. For e.g. The Dalton plan follows the procedure like assignment or contracts, subject teacher, subject room, records, conference, time budgeting and daily time schedule involves the play way principles in each step. Every activity is done according to the capabilities, needs and interests of the learners. They are at liberty to move from one room to another according to their wishes. So, all the progressive methods follow the play-way procedure in their completion. CHARACTERISTICS OF PLAV WAY. 1) Children imitate the play of older children, who have imitated the play of the generation of children preceding them. 2) From babyhood to maturity certain play activities are popular at one age and not at another. 3) Older children have less time available for play due to studies. 4) Children want to play with small and selected group called “Gang" whose members have common interests. 5) In young age girls and boys play games but as they grow old, girls play women like games and boys play men like games. ADVANTAGES OF PLAY-WAY TO KIDS: Play way method helps the children in their following development. 1) Language Development 10
2) Logical Development 3) Physical Development 4) Aesthetic Development 5) Creative Development 6) Social Development PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PLAY-WAY METHODS IN PROGRESSIVE METHODS OF TEACHING: 1. Kindergarten method: Kindergarten means 'garden of children' In this method, children are provided with seven guns Called apparatus in order to develop the different ideas like shapes, colour, number, weight etc .children learn while playing and singing in a happy atmosphere of kindergarten. It is based upon the play urge of the children. Every activity is designed according to their interests. 2) Didactic method: This method was developed by Maria Montessori. It provides sense training to the individuals, because senses are the gateways of knowledge. In it, the children enjoy, play and learn. 3) Project method: As a method of teaching, it was used by J.A. Stevenson. In it the children choose their projects according to their interest, urges and capabilities and complete their projects only when they follow certain psychological principles of learning like law of readiness, law of effect etc. they learn in real life situations which becomes significant for them. 4) Dalton plan: This method was devised by Miss Helen in Dalton USA. In it, complete freedom is given to children to complete their school work according to their interests and capacity. 5) Heuristic method: This method was devised by Prof. Armstrong. In it, the children discover things themselves. The child experiments and finds out different principles or rules for himself. The child struggles to find out conclusions for an investigation which he chooses voluntarily and happily. PLAY-WAY IN TEACHING DIFFERENT SUBJECTS: a) Languages: Play-way method helps the children to acquire the free use of language, debates, discussions, tutorials, class-meetings, school assemblies and provides sufficient opportunities for expressing one's ideas. Thus help in acquire control over the use of languages in different situations. Even pronunciation can be well thought in play-way spirit. The little children recite nursery rhymes in a singing manner even if they do not understand its meaning. So play-way method is very effective and significant at elementary level in order to make the use of language in different situations. 11
b) Mathematics: Different mathematics operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division can be taught through play-way method, counting and simple calculations can be taught by organization projects like running a shop, managing a post office, opening a co-operative store c) Social studies: It can taught through dramatics, stamp collecting, drawing of maps, graphs, charts, picture, globe-making, models, historical and cultural excursions and tour. d) Science: Science can be best taught through play-way method. Different experiments, collection of specimens, manufactured articles, minerals, preparations of charts, models and graphs, photography, soap making, chalk making, preparation of squashes, jams etc. can be best taught through playway spirits. Children love to make things for themselves so they should be given ample opportunities for activity and play. All the educationists made efforts in order to bring play into the field of education. WHAT IS MONTESSORI EDUCATION? Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori and characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child's natural psychological, physical, and social development. Although a range of practices exists under the name "Montessori", the Association Montessori International (AMI) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) cite these elements as essential: • Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children ages 27/2 or 3 to 6 years old by far the most common • Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options • Uninterrupted blocks of work time, ideally three hours • A constructivist or “discovery” model, where students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction. • Specialised educational materials developed by Montessori and her collaborators freedom of movement within the class room. • A trained Montessori Teacher. In addition, many Montessori schools design their programs with reference to Montessori's model of human development from her published works, and use pedagogy, lessons, and materials introduced in teacher training derived from courses presented by Montessori during her lifetime. MONTESSORI EDUCATION THEORY Montessori education is fundamentally a model of human development, and also an educational approach based on that model. The model has two basic principles. First, children and developing 12
adults engage in psychological self-construction by means of interaction with their environments. Second, children, especially under the age of six, have an innate path of psychological development. Based on her observations, Montessori believed that children at liberty to choose and act freely within an environment prepared according in her model would act spontaneously for optimal development. Montessori's education method called for free activity within a "prepared environment", meaning an educational environment tailored to basic human characteristics, to the specific characteristics of children at different ages, and to the individual personalities of each child. The function of the environment is to help and allow the child to develop independence in all areas according to his or her inner psychological directives. In addition to offering access to the Montessori materials appropriate to the age of the children, the environment should exhibit the following characteristics: • An arrangement that facilitates movement and activity •Beauty and harmony, cleanliness of environment •Construction in proportion to the child and his/her needs Limitation of materials, so that only material that supports the child's development is included. •Order •Nature in the classroom and outside of the classroom PRINCIPLES OF MONTESSORI METHOD The Montessori Method has been and is very popular around the world with early childhood professionals and parents. The Montessori approach is designed to support the natural development of children in a well-prepared environment. Five basic principles fairly and accurately represent how Montessori educators implement the Montessori Method in many kinds of programs across the United States. These principles include: 1. Respect for the child 2. The absorbent mind 3. Sensitive periods 4. The prepared environment 5. Auto education 1. RESPECT FOR THE CHILD Respect for the child is the centre stone on which all other Montessori principles rest. As Montessori said, as a rule, however, we do not respect children, we try to force them to follow us without regard to their special needs. We are overbearing with them, and above all, rude; and then we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is 13
their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them (Montessori, 1965). Teachers show respect for children when they help them do things and learn for themselves. When children have choices, they are able to develop the skills and abilities necessary for effective learning autonomy, and positive selfesteem. 2. THE ABSORBENT MIND Montessori believed that children educate themselves: “It may be said that we acquire knowledge by using our minds; but the child absorbs knowledge directly into his psychic life. Simply by continuing to live, the child learns to speak his native tongue" (Montessori, 1966). This is the concept of the absorbent mind. Montessori wanted us to understand that children can't help learning. Simply by living, children learn from their environment. Children are born to learn, and they are remarkable learning systems. Children learn because they are thinking beings. But what they learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments. Early childhood teachers are reemphasizing the idea that children are born learning and with constant readiness and ability to learn. 3. SENSITIVE PERIODS Montessori believed that there are sensitive periods when children are more susceptible to certain behaviours and can learn specific skills more easily. A sensitive period refers to a special sensibility which a creature acquires in its infantile state, while it is still in a process of evolution. It is a transient disposition and limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once this trait or characteristic has been acquired, the special sensibility disappears. (Montessori, 1966). Although all children experience the same sensitive periods (e.g., a sensitive period for writing), - the sequence and timing vary for each child. One role of the teacher is to use observation to detect times of sensitivity and provide the setting for optimum fulfilment. 4. THE PREPARED ENVIRONMENT Montessori believed that children learn best in a prepared environment, a place in which children can do things for themselves. The prepared environment makes learning materials and experiences available to children in an orderly format. Classrooms Montessori described are really what educators advocate when they talk about child-centred education and active learning. Freedom is the essential characteristic of the prepared environment. Since children within the environment are free to explore materials of their own choosing, they absorb what they find there. Maria Montessori was a master at
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creating environments for young children that enabled them to be independent, active, and learn. 5. AUTOEDUCATION Montessori named the concept that children are capable of educating themselves to education (also known as self-education). Children who are actively involved in a prepared environment and who exercise freedom of choice literally educate themselves. Montessori teachers prepare classrooms so that children educate themselves. BENEFITS OF MONTESSORI EDUCATION Montessori education offers our children opportunities to develop their potential as they step out into the world as engaged, competent, responsible, and respectful citizens with an understanding and appreciation that learning is for life. • Each child is valued as a unique individual. Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all learning styles. Students are also free to learn at their own pace, each advancing through the curriculum as he is ready, guided by the teacher and an individualized learning plan. •Beginning at an early age, Montessori students develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence. Classroom design, materials, and daily routines support the individual's emerging “self-regulation” (ability to educate one's self and to think about what one is learning), toddlers through adolescents. • Students are part of a close, caring community. The multi-age classroom— typically spanning 3 years re-creates a family structure. Older students enjoy stature as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead. Teachers model respect, loving kindness, and a belief in peaceful conflict resolution. • Montessori students enjoy freedom within limits. Working within parameters set by their teachers, students are active participants in deciding what their focus of learning will be. Montessorians understand that internal satisfaction drives the child's curiosity and interest and results in joyous learning that is sustainable over a lifetime. •Students are supported in becoming active seekers of knowledge. Teachers provide environments where students have the freedom and the tools to pursue answers to their own questions. • Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori classroom approach. As they mature, students learn to look critically at their work, and become adept at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors. 15
HALLMARKS OF MONTESSORI Components necessary for a program to be considered authentically Montessori include multi-age groupings that foster peer learning, uninterrupted blocks of work time, and guided choice of work activity. In addition, a full complement of specially designed Montessori learning materials is meticulously arranged and available for use in an aesthetically pleasing environment. The teacher, child, and environment create a learning triangle. The classroom is prepared by the Teacher to encourage independence, freedom within limits, and a sense of order. The child, through individual choice, makes use of what the environment offers to develop himself, interacting with the teacher when support and/or guidance is needed. Multi-age groupings are a hallmark of the Montessori Method: younger children learn from older. Children; older children reinforce their learning by teaching concepts they have already mastered. This arrangement also mirrors the real world, where individuals work and socialize with people of all ages and dispositions. Dr Montessori observed that children experience sensitive periods, or windows of opportunity, as they grow. As their students develop, Montessori teachers match appropriate lessons and materials to these sensitive periods when learning is most naturally absorbed and internalized. In early childhood, Montessori students learn through sensory-motor activities, working with materials that develop their cognitive powers through direct experience: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and movement. In the elementary years, the child continues to organize his thinking through work with the Montessori learning materials and an interdisciplinary curriculum as he passes from the concrete to the abstract. He begins the application of his knowledge to real-world experiences. This organization of information--facts and figures-prepares the child for the world of adolescence, when thought and emotion evolve into understanding more abstract, universal concepts such as equality, freedom, and justice. In educational literature, the study of alternative education systems often mentions, “Open systems”, "Non-Formal Education”, “Distance Learning”, “Non-conventional studies”, among other terms. In some cases there are employed as synonyms, whereas in others, there is no agreement as to their meanings, making it impossible to reach a consensus for their concepts. A more precise definition of such concepts is fundamental, as their possible classification aimed at better understanding and practical utilization. We shall therefore analyse the concepts of formal, non-formal and informal education
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in an attempt to define their features, advantages, limitations and interrelations. > FORMAL EDUCATION Formal education means education imparted in the formal way through education institution. Formal education corresponds to a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology. It is characterized by a continuous education process named, as Sarramonal remarks, “presential education”, which necessarily involves the teacher, the students and the institution. It corresponds to the education process normally adopted by our schools and universities. Formal education institutions are administratively, physically and curricularly organized and require from students a minimum classroom attendance. There is a program that teachers and students alike must observe, involving intermediate and final assessments in order to advance students to the next learning stage. It confers degrees and diplomas pursuant to a quite strict set of regulations. The methodology is basically expositive, scarcely relating to the desired behavioural objectives - as a matter of fact, it is but seldom that such targets are operationally established. Assessments are made on a general basis, for administrative purposes and are infrequently used to improve the education process. Their character is, for the most part, punitive, obeying a monodirectional methodology that fails to stimulate students and to provide for their active participation in the process, though in most cases, failures are ascribed to them. The setting-up of a formal education system does not consider the students' standards, values and attitudes that are relevant to the education system which, generally, is not tested or assessed at the level of student acceptance, as well as for efficacy and efficiency. The same methodology - poor, ineffective, scarcely creative - is adopted, whether the universe contains 10, 50 or 200 students, Other institutional resources than the expositive method are seldom employed and, when they are employed, the basic learning principles are disregarded. The subjects are presented in isolated blocks, whether as to content or methodology. Thus, for instance, in the case of Physics, for techno- administrative reasons the subject is divided into theory, laboratory and exercises and, their adequate order and correlation is disregarded. ► NON FORMAL EDUCATION As seen, formal education has a well-defined set of features. Whenever one or more of these is absent, we may safely state that the educational process has acquired non-formal features. Therefore, if a given education system is not 17
pre-essential most of the time - non-contiguous communication - we may say that it has non-formal education features. Likewise, non-formal education characteristics are found when the adopted strategy does not require student attendance, decreasing the contacts between teacher and student and most activities take place outside the institution - as for instance, home reading and paperwork. Educative processes endowed with flexible curriculum and methodology, capable of adapting to the needs and interests of students, for which time is not a pre-established factor but is contingent upon the student's work pace, certainly do not correspond to those comprised by formal education, but fit into the so-called non-formal education. Proportionally to the number of formal education factors that are absent from a process, we find several grades of non-formal systems. Given its scope, non-formal education comprises of an ample diversity of educational situations, many of which have played a significant role in the renewal of educational systems. There are some examples: Distance learning, Correspondence learning, Open systems. INFORMAL EDUCATION Informal education is quite diverse from formal education and, particularly, from non-formal education, although in certain cases it is capable of maintaining a close relationship with both. It does not correspond to an organized and systematic view of education; informal education does munt necessarily include the objectives and subjects usually encompassed by the traditional curricula. It is aimed at students as much as at the public at large and imposes no obligations whatever their nature. There generally have no control over the performed activities. Informal education does not of necessity regard the providing of degrees or diplomas; it merely supplements both formal and non-formal education. Informal education for instance comprises the following activities: (a) - visits to museums or to scientific and other fairs and exhibits, etc.; b) - listening to radio broadcasting or watching TV programmes on educational or scientific themes; (c) - reading texts on sciences, education, technology, etc. in journals and magazines; (d) - participating in scientific contests, etc. (e) Attending lectures and conferences. There are many instances of situations/activities encompassed by informal education, from those that may take place in the students' homes - such as scientific or didactic games, manipulation of kits, experiments, reading sessions
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(biographies, scientific news, etc.) - to institutional activities - lectures in institutions, visiting museums, etc. It is easy to see that the higher the degree of systematization and organization involved in informal education activities, the nearer it will be to non-formal education. This is a relevant fact in as much as it suggests the possibility of transition from informal to non-formal. We must ponder that, considered by it, we cannot generally assert whether an educative action belongs to the formal, to the non-formal or to the informal universe. For instance, a visit to a Science Museum may be an informal education instance if arising from a personal and spontaneous decision by a student, as it is not directly related to his scholastic activities. However, if such a visit is part of an established curriculum, requiring from students a written report and including assessments by the teacher, or tutor, then it will probably be an activity associated to either the formal or to the non-formal education. COMPARISION BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION The formal school is specially organized to teach something that has a specific purpose The formal school is managed by full-time and professional teacher. The role of teacher in a formal school is that of a superior individual The formal school tends to be dominating by concept of uniformity and rigidity Formal have specific attendance The formal system tends to be centralized
The cost of formal education program tends to be on higher side because of professionals and full time staff
Non-formal program the central point is learning, either by oneself or by learning together in a group of individuals The non-formal can be run by teachers but usually they have para professional or nonprofessional teachers or volunteers. Non-formal teacher is engaged in an equal joint enterprise of learning with students here teacher acts merely as a facilitator. Non-formal is dominated by concept of diversity, flexibility and elasticity. Non-formal is dominated by concept of diversity, flexibility and elasticity The non-formal makes decentralized inevitable because they effectively define their own needs priorities and interest In non-formal it is much lower because they use Para-professional and optimum use of community resources.
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EXERCISE 1) Describe what play-way method is. Mention its principles and characteristics. 2) Distinguish between formal an informal education 3) What is non-formal education? Explain 4) What is Montessori education? State its function 5) Write short notes on: a) Auto education b) Sensitive Periods
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CHAPTER 3 WESTERN AND INDIAN CONTRIBUTORS 1. JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAN (1712-1798) Rousseau was Swiss by birth. He greatly influenced the modernization of educational thought and practice. He introduced in education which is called 'naturalism'. His philosophy of preschool education was based on this. The basic idea of 'naturalism' is that the natural growth of children in natural environment constitutes adequate education. Rousseau's said that children were born wicked and education must reform them. Their mind being a blank slate learns only what is taught to them. He has written two books Emile and social contract which describe his educational philosophy. PHILOSOPHY Rousseau stressed the necessity of play for learning; he said make education a game and teacher less from the book. He emphasized the use of objects, pictures and illustration in educating the child and advocated less reliance on lectures for teaching he propagated learning from the environment and emphasized that the child should be free to explore. He advocated that the child should be free to act as; harsh discipline and repression hamper development. It is important to stimulate the mind of the child with thing she can understand learning and not teaching should be the goal. Anything should not be forced upon children let children be children he said. 2. JOHN HEINRICH PESTALOZZI (1746-1827) 414. Pestalozzi was born in Zurich Switzerland. He started an orphanage at Bergdorf and Munchen Bruch and was founder of a popular school at Yverdon. It was at these institutions that he tried out his ideas. He wrote a manual for mothers titled “How Gertrude Teaches Her Children He stated that education should be seen from the developing mind of the child and not from the already developed mind of the adult. The child should be the centre of the educator. system the subject matter. He believed that learning was more important than achievement therefore reaching an incorrect conclusion by ones owns effort was preferable to memorize the right answer from a book. He advocated that the child should be studying thoroughly and thereafter, appropriate methods of education should be adopted. He emphasized the role of the mother in pre-school education stating that the task of educating the child inevitably begin with the mother, who could use the early years to promote all round development of the child. He attached great importance to games in development and education. The spontaneous activity of the child he said leads to learning.
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He made great use of objects during his teaching he would put an object before the children and e s them what they saw encouraging the children to prepare albums containing drawings us thematically problems and natural objects. Pestalozzi believed that discipline should come within oneself and should not be forced upon. Children were guided to control themselves. FRIEDRICH WILHELM AUGUST FROEBEL (1782-1852) Froebel the founder of the kindergarten system. He was born in Prussia Frobel came under the fluency of German philosophers and later observed the methods of teaching at Pestalozzi's com Yverdon which created his interest in children. He imbibed ideas about pre-school estimation through the study of Pestalozzis book “How Gertrude Teaches Her Children”, he became the personal tutor of three children and it was at that time he generated the idea of kindergarten. After eleven years of teaching at a model school he founded his own school Krishna, known as the Universal German Pestalozzi orphanage, where for the first time he come in to contact with pre-school children who needed to be presented with an orderly series of phenomena that wall s late their mind. Subsequently he developed play gifts which were packed in boxes with printed direction for use and his play songs were written illustrated and printed. He felt that play is an essential factor in the growth of the child. The free and unfettered natural development of the child takes place through play. Play is not merely an addition to instructions; is the most important phase in the spontaneous development of the child. Play combine attention with relaxation, purpose with independence and rule with freedom. Play for the child is as ethical as devotion to work is for the adult. THE CONCEPT OF KINDERGARTEN: Froebel has made an important contribution to the theory and practice of early childhood education. He realised the paramount importance of childhood and opened the first kindergarten. An institution for children between ages four and six at black berg in 1837. Kindergarten is a German word which literally mean children's garden.' Froebel found much similarity between a child and a plant. He believed that the process of growth and development of the plant and the child was the same; the plant grows from within, same way the child grows from within. Frobel conceived the school as a gardener, and students as tender plants. An important component of kindergarten was creativity. The child always follows imagination. The child develops herself through her own creative activities. Froebel’s kindergarten centred around three elements the use of his play materials, the singing of play song and the playing of various educational 22
game. It was the play material that made the kindergarten unique in it approaches. These were of two types: geometrical patterns and the - essential for such activities as modeling, drawing, sewing and colouring. The geometrical patterns were known as gift and the activities as occupations. The gift allowed a great deal of free play and helped in all round development. They helped in the development of the concept of shape, form, size, colour and number. Frobel saw an organic relationship between songs, gestures and art work. He regarded these as three co-ordinate form of expression in the child. The teacher in the kindergarten should not remain passive. Rather she must carefully guide children to play with gift and occupation. She is also required to demonstrate certain activities to children and suggests ideas where children lack in co-operation. She has to avoid external restraint and bodily punishment. Froebel's contribution to preschool education has been the kindergarten. His basic principles and designed materials of kindergarten are equally applicable now. This concept of play gifts, song, dramatization and stories are equally applicable now. All though few children today are presented with Froebel's original play gift, the game and other education and equipment are available in the market that are closely based on his principles. 4. MARIA MONTESSORI (1870-1952) Maria Montessori was born in Italy. While working for her medical degree, she became interested in mentally retarded children and developed teaching materials and methods to facilitate learning. On being successful with them, she tried new materials and method and worked with normal children. She agreed that if retarded children could progress by the use of her methods, one could do much more with normal children in properly designed educational environment. She put her ideas to test while working with slum children in 1907. She created a learning environment through her approach called “The Montessori Method”. HER PUBLICATION INCLUDES •The discovery of the child. • Education for a new world. • To educate the human potential •The secret of childhood •The child care and education • Reconstruction in education • The absorbent mind • What you should know about the child. • Child training • The Montessori-method
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PHILOSOPHY She believed that education must help in the complete unfolding of the child's individuality. Suitable environment should be provided so that the child may grow and develop their potential. She said, 'The school must permit the free natural manifestations of the child, if he has to study in scientific manner'. She was against material rewards and punishments. According to her, material rewards are unnatural incentives and punishment lead to forced efforts on the part of the child. Therefore, she believed that the development that comes with their help will be unnatural. She believed that every child is unique and the rate of progress is also different for each child. Collective method of teaching crushes the child individually. She treated each child as a separate individual and recommended that the child should be helped and guided in a manner that will help in proper growth and development. Thus teacher strategy must be glared to each child's development level, interest and needs. Montessori shifted the emphasis from teaching to learning. She believed that self-education is true education. The first six years of life is the most crucial period of a child's life. Montessori asserted that senses are the gateways of knowledge. She pointed out that the senses are very active during the early years and a lot of learning takes place during this period. She also attached importance to motor and physical development as a part of the early education of children. She believed that fostering motor development would facilitate other activities like writing and drawing. THE CONCEPT OF CHILDREN'S HOUSE: Children's house is the name given by Montessori to a school for young children. The original Montessori house consisted of a set of room for intellectual work, for individual play and sleep, a club room for games and music, a dining room, a dressing room and a garden. The activities organised in the house for children are there for all round development. Montessori developed her own educational materials, borrowing from Froebel and Seguin. The Montessori system of education relay heavily on these educational material and apparatus. These materials are mainly of three types: those for training of senses, those that teach practical skills, and those that child adopt themselves to the needs of school life. 24
The emphasis is on encouraging the child to discover and understand concept by them. For e.g. experience with building block of different shapes and size gives opportunity to perceive length, breath and thickness. Arranging cylindrical pieces of the same height but different diameters in an order of increasing diameter will help child to understand concept and relative size. Similarly, at first children associate word with their sensory experiences and gradually they acquire a descriptive vocabulary. She had special emphasis on her teaching strategy to read and write. Her educational apparatus provide properly graded and correlated exercise that leads to reading and writing. She has provided practical exercises in her school which enable children to learn habit of cleanliness. Students learn the lesson of dignity of labour and self-help by attaining their needs themselves. Social values are also stressed in the children's house. Children serve lunch, eat together and later clean the plates. Many other activities are also performed cooperatively. The Montessori system is child centred. The child is free to choose the activity they desire. Montessori did not approve of fairy tales for children, as she felt that these tend to confuse children and hinder them in the process of adjusting themselves to the real world. THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER Montessori replaces the word 'teacher' by the word 'directress' as she think that the function of the teacher is to direct and not to teach. The motto of the directress should be “I must diminish, to let you grow." She suggested that teacher should care for the child like a gardener who cares for plants, so that the natural growth of the child is properly guided in the process of unfolding itself. The directress should have an intimate knowledge of the mind and character of each child. She should keep the physiological record of each child's development; the weight, height and other measurement in the word of Montessori. “The directress should be partly doctor, partly scientist and completely religious. Like a doctor she should avoid scolding or suppressing the patient in order to avoid worse situation. Like a scientist she should wait patiently for the result. ...... like a religious lady she should be there to serve the child. “Many pre-schools today are based on the Montessori Method, Otherwise they may not have adopted her approach totally, and the use of educational materials in one form or the other. 5. RABINDRANATH TAGORE (1861-1941) Tagore, popularly known as 'Gurudev' was a poet, an educationist, an artist, a social as
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well as a religious reformer. He was born at Calcutta in 1861, at a time when nationalism was fused with religion. He started a small Bengali school at Bolpur, which his father called Shanti Niketan. He was a naturalist. He was concerned with the association between, body and mind to order to establish a total rhythm and harmony in life. Children should be taught drama from the beginning and make them learn to express themselves. HIS BOOK INCLUDES • Shiksha Herpher • The parrot's training • Shiksha Samsya PHILOSOPHY Tagore was convinced that in the early years the child should face the truth spontaneously, through natural process by coming in contact with thing and persons. The curriculum in his preschool was activity centred. He believed in education through play and activity. Art for him was the bridge between the man and world. The cardinal principle in his educational theory is the freedom for creative self-expression and so he stressed on the creative aspect of learning, crafts, work and play. He felt that literature was the true vehicle of education and children should be encouraged to read. Tagore emphasized the following three methods of teaching. A) PERIPATETIC METHOD: A follower of the peripatetic method, Tagore was concerned with the association between body and mind, in order to establish total rhythm and harmony in life. He believed that drama and histrionic art should be an integral part of the preschool curriculum. This is because children need the opportunity to express themselves through bodily movement. B) ACTIVITY METHOD: Believing in learning by doing, he emphasized that children must learn through activities. C) LEARNING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT: Tagore stressed teaching through environment to the preschooler; he said teaching should be done when they are on 'natural walk' or on 'trek'. If possible I would recommend children to carry their notebook and to go writing while they are on trek. Tagore was against rigid discipline. He believed that the object of education was the freedom of the mind. He would give a break between two class periods, and would change the place of the class from one tree to another. He felt too many restrictions would make education joyless. Tagore's emphasis on teaching through the environment, learning by doing, good activity are all considered i qualities of good pre-school education today. 6. MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI (1869-1948) Gandhi will always be remembered not only as the great postal of non-violence and truth but also as an important philosopher of education. He aimed at 26
evolving an educational system based on the Indian culture. In 1937, he gave an ideological basis for his scheme of new education called 'nai-talim'or basic education. However, at that time he did not think of pre-school education. It was in 1944 that he realised the importance of early childhood education. It was now that he felt that, the real education begins from conceptions of child itself as the mother begins to take up responsilility of the child. It is very clear that if this new education is to be effective, its foundation must go deeper, it must begin not with the children but their parents and the community. GANDHIJI'S PUBLICATION ON EDUCATION INCLUDES – Basic education - True education - Task before Indian students. - Toward new education - Medium of instruction PHILOSOPHY He recommended a new approach during the elementary years called basic Education both pre basic and basic education are based on the principle ideas of imparting education to the mind and the body. Instead of loading the child with bookish knowledge, he stated that the child must learn by doing purposeful activities. He laid great emphasis on crafts not merely for productive work, but also for developing the intellectual capacities of children. He said that teaching is possible through the process of the handicraft. He believes that the child is active, creative and playful. They learn through the medium of play. The home is the first centre of the education and learning. The teacher and parents should co-operate in carrying out the education of young children. The teacher must understand the child's like and dislike. He stated that preschool education must be inexpensive so that it can reach the millions in the villages. Based on his above ideas, the first experiment in pre-basic education was started in 1945 at Sevagram, Maharashtra under the guidance of Smt. Shanta Narulkar. The pre-school is geared to the needs of the following four groups of children: Stage 1: conception to birth Stage 2: birth to 2 1/2 year Stage 3: 2 1/2 year to 4year Stage 4: 4 year to 7year The first two stages involve both the mother and child. Mothers are helped to learn about new trends and scientific method of child rearing, health anc hygiene. The physical and health needs of the children are also looked after during this period.
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Children from 2 %2 year to 4 year of age are provided stimulating play activities. They are free to act to move about and to choose their own activities. The teacher needs to observe that the child handles the play materials effectively and correctly. After four years of age, the child's participation in activities like cleaning the classroom, washing small vessels, watering the plants, measuring and weighing things, ginning cloths with a small iron rod and wooden plank, brining water and other similar activities. 7. GIJUBHAI (1885 - 1939) Girijashankar Badheka, generally known as Gijubhai, the most outstanding personality in the field of pre-primary education was born in Vala in Saurashtra in the house of his maternal grandfather on 15th November 1885. He had his early education at a primary school at vala and later passed the Matriculation from Bhavangar around 1905. He joined the Shamlals College, but had to leave his studies incomplete and go to East Africa in 1907 to earn a livelihood. On his return in 1910 he studied law in Bombay. He started practice in 1911 as a district pleader and in 1912 he enrolled himself as a high court pleader. He married twice, first Sm. Hiraben and after her death jadiben. Gijubhai is maternal uncle Hargovind Pandya had a great influence in molding his mind and character. Another string influence was that of S.P Stevens, a solicitor for whom Gijubhai worked with in East Africa, who taught him self-help and reliance. Solicitude for the education of his first time job, Narendra bhai led Gijubhai to see the child education classes conducted under the guidance of Motibhai Amin at Vaso, Gujrar, where he was presented a gujrati book describing the Montessori method of education. That first attracted him to organized child education on similar lines. In 1915 he assisted in drafting the construction of the Dakshinamurti, then started as a hostel at Bhavnadar. In 1916 he left legal practice and joined the Dakashinamurti as assistant superintendent. He drew the attention of the superintendent Nanabhai Bhatt, to the fact that the boarders have to study in old-fashioned schools. To remove this anomaly the Dakshinamurti was converted into a teaching institution with Gijubhai as the Acharya (Principle). Simultaneously he trained his son according to the Montessori system. This convinced him about the need to the begin at the very beginning, and the Dakshinamurti Balmandir, a 28
pre-primary school, came into being August 1920 Gijubhai's contribution was evolution of a system of child education suitable to Indian environment, training teachers and creation of suitable bit for children. In 1925 the first Pre-primary teachers training college (Adhyapak Mandir) was started at Dakshinamurti to meet the need for qualified teachers Gijubhai also turned his attention to children's literature and wrote simple short stories nursery rhymes and tales of travel and adventure. He produced more than 100 works which still retain their importance and many of them have been rendered into several other Indian language. 8. TARABAI MODAK (1892-1973) Padmabhooshan Shrimati Modak was a pioneer in the field of the education. She was the principal of a training college for women at Rajkot in Saurashtra. When she came to contact with Gijubhai Badeka, another educationist in the field of pre-school education at Bhavnagar in Gujarat, she was greatly influenced by what she saw at Gijubhai's BAL mandir scheme. She resigned from her post as the principal and went to work with Gijubhai. This was the period when the national movement in education was at its peak and efforts were on indianize the system of education. Gijubhai ana 'Tarabai were convinced of the importance or pre-school education and they started the movement for pre-school education in India. They prepared the necessary literature for the students and teachers. They started a training college for pre-primary teachers in 1925 – the first of its kind in the country. Later, they founded a society for propagation of preschool education, brought out a monthly journal and published instructional material for teachers & parents. In Gujarat, the preschool movement was criticized on the ground that preschool education was only for the rich. Tarabai Modak took this up as a challenge and in 1931 extended the preschool movement to Maharashtra, where she set up a balwadi in a harijan wada at Amravati. In 1936, Tarabai started a centre for preschool children called Sishu vihar Kendra at Bombay. This centre had been established in a well to do locality. Subsequently in 1945 Tarabai founded the gram Bal Shiksha Kendra at Bordi, where she worked for 12 years. Then she shifted to the tribal area of Kosbad in 1957, where she worked and tried her methods with tribal children. 29
Tarabai pioneered the concept of Balwadi - a centre for preschool children. She started 02 types of Balwadi at Bordi – Central Balwadi and Angan Balwadi. The central balwadi were run during regular school hours for 05 hours. They were fully equipped with educational play material and the children were brought from their homes to the central balwadi. The angan balwadi were conducted near the children's huts under the eyes of the parents and elders, in the courtyard or under the trees. These were run at the convenience of the children for an hour and a half. The angan balwadi was almost without any materials, except a mirror , combs ,buckets, scissors, napkins, etc. activities in the angan balwadis included personal and general cleanliness, rthymic movements, games, oral language and activities, hand work and craft. Tarabai stressed that the teachers should make their own play material form locally available materials. Tarabai's idea of the angan balwadi is a unique contribution which greatly helped in making the nursery education truly indigenous in content and form. 9. ANUTAI WAGH Anutai Wagh worked closely with Tarabai Modak. While Tarabai initiated the concept of the meadow school, it was Anutai Wagh who developed and carried this concept further. She made a major contribution by indianizing Montessori materials using stones, leaves, pebbles etc. available in the environment. Anutai Wagh, who died in 1993, held executive positions in several organizations and committees and initiated niany programs for the welfare of woman and children in her life time. She was the director of the gram Bal Shiksha Kendra at Kosbad. She was the president of the thane district Shree Shakti Jagruti Samiti and under its auspicious position initiated many programs for woman and children. She wrote many books in Marathi on child education and was also the editor of the monthly magazine of the Nutan Bal Shikshan Sangh “Shikshan Patrika” and of a journal for woman Savitri”. In 1972, the Maharashtra government awarded her the “ideal teacher award”. In 1974, the state government conferred her title of “Dalit mitra”. In the international year of the child (1979); she received the national award from the government of India for being the best worker in the field of the education. She has been felicitated and awarded by many other organisations in Maharashtra and elsewhere. She was a great source of strength and inspiration to the Indian association for preschool education taking and active 30
leadership role in its functioning effectively to refresh and re-educate teachers of the very young nationwide. EXERCISE 1) Write short notes on: a) Maria Montessori b) John heinrich Pestalozzi c) Anutai Wagh 2) What was the philosophy of MK Gandhi? 3) Write down the role of Maria Montessori in ECCEd? 4) What is the concept of kindergarten? 5) Why do we say that Tarabai Modak a pioneer n the field of education?
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CHAPTER 4 CHILD CARE SERVICES IN INDIA Early child hood education was suggested under the sixth five year plan (198285) as a strategy to reduce the dropout rate and improve the rate of retention in school. It was designed with a view to prepare the child for primary school by enhancing her communication and cognitive skills. A scheme was initiated whereby voluntary organisation were provided central assistance for operating early childhood education (ECE) centre in rural and backward areas of the educational backward states. The task of ECE centres was to take up activities related early childhood care and education. It was for the first time in the national policy on education (NPE), adopted in 1986 by the government of India, that a bold recognition was granted to early childhood care and education (ECCE) and a clear government policy was stated in this regard. The NPE used the term ECCE to include all activities which foster and promote all round balanced development of the child during the critical early childhood years, i.e. the age group 0-6 yrs. in all dimensions - physical, mental, social, emotional and moral. It was emphasised that both these components, care and education, are essential for being crucial for the overall development of the individual child. ECCE is of immense significance for the universalization of elementary education tool. NPE (1986) recognised that ECCE is linked both directly & indirectly to universalization of elementary education. The content of ECCE – physical, mental, social and emotional development was very similar to what was being offered in the ICDS package, which also has non- formal preschool education. The policy thus suggested that ECCE be integrated with ICDS wherever possible. I) GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS We are now going to learn about some national level government organisation for children. These organisations have their headquarters at New Delhi, they have branches in various states or there may be region wise branches. As you know, the central government works through many ministries. Each of these ministries has many departments for example: Department of education or Department of women and child development. The role of this autonomous organisation is to help the respective departments at the ministerial level in running programs for child development
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1) NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION RESEARCH AND TRAINING (NCERT) It is the national council of education research and training popularly know as NCERT. NCERT works on improving school textbook with the passage of time. It also performs the other functions relating to improvement of school education. NCERT also has a women study unit which is concern with issues of women development. Children media laboratory is another unit of NCERT which was set up in 1961 with UNICEF support. In this laboratory, they are involved in developing teaching – learning materials in the area of early childhood care and education. These materials are made for children in the age group of 3-8 years and for adults who handle young children. The materials are of four types: 1) print and graphics, 2) play materials,3) audio, and video and 4) slide programs. These materials can be borrowed for use by organisation working in the area of early childhood education. Materials have been produced with objective of developing in the pre-school child various abilities such as learning colours, shapes, sizes, numbers etc. Forming concepts of time, speed, distance enhancing vocabulary, creativity and curiosity are among the other things that can be inculcated through these materials in a play way manner. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC COOPERATION AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (NIPCCD) The national institute of public cooperation and child development is popularly known as NIPCCD. The institute assists the department of women and child development, in the ministry of human resource development, and in planning and implementing various child development programs. NIPCCD trains the staff of ICDS program, directly as well as indirectly. It trains the child development project officers (CDPOs) directly. The training of the supervisors and Angan wadi workers is conducted at the middle level training centres (MLTCs) and Angan wadi training centres (AWTCs) respectively. In addition, NIPCCD undertakes research and evaluation studies on many issues relating to child development. You are aware that government plans various programs and services for child development. These need to be reviewed from time to time. This institute helps the government of India in assessing the progress success of various government program as well as voluntary action intended for the benefit of children and social development. Through this
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review certain problems and needs become apparent. The institute suggest various approaches to tackle these problems. As you know there are many universities/research institutions in the country that have department of home science, social work, nutrition, child development and so on. Research reports and other relevant information generated through these departments are also compiled at NIPCCD efforts are made to collect data relating to child development form government department, voluntary organisation and colleges etc. This information is organised and made available to all concerns. 3. NATIONAL CHILDREN BOARD (NCB) After the formulation of national policy for children in 1974, it was decided by the government to set up a national children board. The board is headed by the prime minister of the country. As you know, child welfare program are run by government as well as voluntary organisation. The board integrates the efforts, if such organisation and gives a direction and focus to services for children and takes important policy decisions regarding new activities for child development, expansion of old program etc. 4. CENTRAL SOCIAL WELFARE BOARD (CSWB) The CSWB was set up at New Delhi in 1953. The main function of this board is to encourage voluntary action for social welfare in the country. The board under takes many activities for the welfare of women, children and the handicapped, through a large number of organisations spread all over the country. The government of India gives financial assistance to many voluntary organisations engaged in providing services for the welfare and development of children in the country. 5. INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES The ICDS program which was started during 1975-76 on an experimental basis has been expanding steadily and is presently the largest child development program in a country. It was planned that by the 2000, the disadvantage under the age of 6 will be able to receive services of this program. OBJECTIVE a) To improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-6 yrs. b) To lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical, and social development of child. c) To reduce the incidence of morality, malnutrition and school dropout. d) To enhance the capability of a mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutritional and health education 34
e) e) The objective of the ICDS are sought to be achieved by providing a package of services to the beneficiaries. The essential components of the package are as follows: TARGET GROUP 1. Children below 3 years
2. Children between 3-6 years
3. Expected and Nursing mother
4. Women between 15 to 45 years
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SERVICES Supplementary Nutrition Immunization Health check up Supplementary Nutrition Immunization Health check-up Non-formal pre-school education Supplementary Nutrition Immunization Health check-up
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Nutritional health education
II. NATIONAL VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION If a person has an unfortunate experience or suffer a tragedy, this may become a motivation them to start social work or service for others in the community. For example a mother whose daughter was killed for dowry by the in-laws may feel compelled to do something for the removal of this social evil, so that others daughter do not face the same cruelty. Thus she may start a small organisation for the dowry victims. However it is not necessary that such initiatives are taken by people only after going through unfortunate incidents. There can be other reasons and choices too. The advantage of voluntary organisation is that the people who take this kind of initiative understand the needs of target group. Thus the programs are organised keeping in view the characteristics and needs of the people for whom they are meant. In our country, much of the social work has been done by voluntary organisations. Over the years, they have contributed greatly in organising development programs for children's as well. Appreciating these factors, the government of India also promotes voluntary action. It is difficult for the government to reach all parts of the country and design development efforts to suit the needs of every community. As you know, India has many types of communities, each one with distinct characteristic and culture of its own. Any scheme plan by the government may not be suited to the needs of all communities alike. Here voluntary organisations have a vital role to play. They understand the needs of the local 35
communities. They are able to win the confidence of the communities. They are able to work effectively because of their motivation and commitment. So, we find that government has to work hand in hand with voluntary organisation for successful implementation of the programs. Let us now read about some of the voluntary organisations that are working for children. These organisations have made significant contributions in the field of child development. 1. INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CHILD WELFARE (ICCW) The Indian council for child welfare (ICCW) is a premier organisation in the field of child welfare/development. The council was setup in 1952. It runs programs for the benefit of children, particularly from the weaker sections of the society. It has branches all over country. Let us now read about some of the main program of ICCW. A: ANGAN WADI WORKERS TRAINING PROGRAM As you know, Angan wadi work (AWWS) at grass root level in the integrated child development services program. The newly appointed AWWS are given training for 03 months. This training is arranged at various angan wadi training centres (AWTCS) all over the country The Indian council for child welfare runs the Angan wadi training programs through its AWTCS. These training centres also organise refresher training course for those AWWS who have completed at least 02 years of service after their initial training. A week long orientation course for helpers is also organised by these training centres. B: BALSEVIKA TRAINING PROGRAM The counsel initiated the Balsevika Training programme in 1961. This programme is designed for providing necessary skill to child care workers. The curriculum of this programmed is planned in such a manner that it covers all aspects of child development. This is an eleven month programmed which includes components like non-formal pre-school education, health and nutrition, community participation and organization and management. These workers are also given practical training in conducting simple social service and community work. During the training these workers prepare a set of aids which form the Balsevika training programme kit, and it can be used by them in the child care centre.
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C: ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMED FOR TRAINER To prepare the trainer of Anganwadi Training centre at the Balsevika training institutions/ training programme for there is organised by the council job, enrichment. These programmes are meant for imparting the requisite knowledge and skill to the trainers. The objective hereis to prepare these trainers so that they can respond to the field situation and issues. These trainers can provide the training to workers in an effective manner. D: CRECHE WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM The ministry of human resource development launched the crèche worker training program in 1986. This five week long training program is conducted with the objective of enriching the skill of crèche workers in organizing and managing day care centre. The council provides this training through the Anganwadi training centre. E: BALWADI NUTRITION PROGRAM This programme was launched in 1971. The aim of this programme is to provide supplementary food to children in the age group of 3-5 year through balwadis and day care centres. A grant is given for the purpose to voluntary organizations responsible for running various balwadis and day care centres. The council runs about one hundred balwadis in 19 states and union territories. Under the balwadis nutrition programme, children in the age group of 3-5 years are provided supplementary nutrition to cover one - fourth of their daily requirement. In addition, preschool education activities are also organized for children in the balwadi. Basically effort is made to cater to the recreational, educational and health needs of preschool children. Balwadi a Marathi word when literally translated means "garden for children” Balwadi is a preschool centre for children between two and half to six year of age. The services made available are similar to those provided under the ICDS programme. The services provided at the balwadi includes health, nutrition, pre-school education and adult literacy components. The teacher or the worker at the balwadi is called a Balsevika. She is provided guidance and help by a supervisor to run the activities of the centre. F: CRECHE PROGRAM The crèche programme is meant for providing day care facilities to the children of working and ailing mother, under this programme many services are provided to the children in the age group of 0-5 years. Under this programme day care services, Supplementary nutrition, entertainment and recreation are provided for children in the age group of 0-5 years. This is targeted at children of working women mainly from economically backward 37
section of migrant agricultural and contractual labour force. The programme is concentrated in the hilly, remote, tribal, backward, rural and urban slum areas. Since the scheme is intended to cater mainly to the needy section of the society, children of those woman who are sick or women who are unable to take care of their children due to other reasons are also covered. These children mainly come from the lower socio-economic strata of the society. G: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM The early childhood education (ECE) programme launched in the early eighties is designed to prepare the child for formal schooling. An important feature of scheme is the emphasis on availability and use of teaching aids and play material in the ECE centres. Under the scheme, assistance is provided to various voluntary organizations to start ECE centres. Wherever possible, these centres are attached to a primary/middle school so that young child's elder sibling is relieved from task of care giving for that duration and able to attend school. The centre has been opened in areas which are backward and manly inhabited by deprived and disadvantaged population. Wherever a balwadis or an Anganwadi exists, the ECE programme function through it. In addition to the ECE centres, balwadis and anganwadis, crèches, preschool and day care centre, including private and those run by voluntary organization provide early childhood care and education. The objective of the early childhood education programme is to provide for the overall development of children in the age group of 3-6 year 2: SOS CHILDREN VILLAGES OF INDIA (Save Our Souls) SOS (save our souls) is a voluntary child welfare organization dedicated to the total care of needy orphaned and destitute children. The main programme of this organization is to establish children's village for orphaned, vagrant abandoned, neglected and socially handicapped children and children in need of care who have been torn apart from their family atmosphere also to children under the care of house mother. SOS believes that the family environment is the best for the child's development. A typical SOS children's village has twelve cottages, each homage housing one family unite. A family unit consists of eight or more children both girls and boys, who live under the care of an SOS mother. Like a natural family, the mother cook for her children and looks after them. She is like any other mother with a strong maternal! instinct. SOS mother are usually those who had been rendered destitute. Apart from the children's village, this organization also provides services to the form of health and medical facilities, mother and child centres and school etc.
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3: CHILD-IN - NEED INSTITUTE Child – in-need institute, popularly known as CINI, was set up in Daulatpur village in west Bengal in 1974. The organization aims to provide low cost health care to mother and children in the community. Women's group (Mahila Mandals) are formed which run health programme for mother and children. Women are helped in income generation for the families. Basically, three types of services are provided these are health services for woman and children, women's welfare services and training of personnel. The ICDS supervisors are also trained by this organization CINI has centres in west Bengal and Tamilnadu. The various services provided at these centre are health services for mother and children, health check-ups for expectant and nursing mother, supply of CINI nutrimix, organizing Mahila Mandals and balwadis and training of community members. 4: BALKAN-JI-BARI BALKAN -JI-BARI literally means children's garden. Here the aim is to provide children an atmosphere for harmonious growth. Balkan-Ji -Bari aim to work for physical, mental, moral and social development of children. The motto of this organization is education and enjoyment of learning. It also extends help to the orphans, handicapped children and beggars. The organization arranges seminars to create awareness among people on various topics like those related to health and hygiene. 5: BUREAU OF CHILD WELFARE AND RESEARCH Bureau of child welfare and research (Bal kalyan Evam Anusandhan Parishad) is a national level organization. It was started in 1959 with the objective of promoting the cause of children. Located in Uttar Pradesh, the bureau attempts to work with various child welfare organizations in other states in the country. The main aims of the bureau are – • To investigate problems of children and collect relevant data • To prepare child welfare plan and set-up child welfare organization • To persuade Government and local bodies to implement it. • Child development programmes. • To train child welfare workers.
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Some of the programmers organized by the bureau include holidays. Camps and educational trips for children and celebration of children's day. The bureau runs child guidance clinics. As also undertake survey and research on child welfare. Organizing sport and cultural programmes and publication of a monthly magazine ‘Gilahari' are some of the other activities of the bureau. 6: VIKASWADI KOSBAD HILLS Older children are often expected to take care of their younger siblings when parents go out of works. This is likely to deprive many children of an opportunity to have an access to education. At Vikaswadi of kosbad hills, both younger and older children can come together. This project was set up by Tarabai Modak who started a preschool teacher training institute in 1945 at Bordi Maharashtra. She then moved to Kosbad hill to works of tribal children here a large number of balwadis are run for tribals with an active involvement of the community. There is a crèche attached to the balwadis so that preschool children are free to attend the balwadi after leaving the younger sibling in the crèche. Thus the crèche children are also exposed to a stimulating environment. Integrated services like health, nutrition, adult literacy and vocational education are part of the programme. This organization trains its own functionaries the majority of whom belong to the local community. 7: RUCHIKA It is a school for street children and is run on the sailway platform of Bhubaneswar city. It was started by Ruchika school society in 1985. it caters to children in the age group of 6 month to 14 year along with the educational component, health check-up and nutritional inputs are provided The community is contacted through home visits and mothers are advised to take proper care of themselves during pre and postal natal periods. The activities are managed with fund raised by donations and assistance received from state social welfare departments and saving from the Ruchika School run for affluent children in the city. 8: KISHORE DAL A group of young men initiated the idea of providing recreation to children. They formed 'boys club' from this small base, it developed in to a pioneer institution for the child welfare movement in Bihar. The central office of Kishore Dal is located in Patna. Kishore Dal believed in helping children grow and develop a free, healthy and creative mind. It feels that all round development of the children must be attempted. Activities of Kishore Dal are directed towards creating such an awareness and movement in the country. 40
Kishore Dal also works toward bringing appropriate legislation for the betterment of children. MOBILE CRECHES It is a common sight to find me and women engaged as labourers at construction sight usually bring their children, including very young ones to the site. As the parents work on the site, children are not only neglected but also exposed to hazards threats and situations. A social worker Mrs. Meera Mahadevan initiated the idea of providing a crèche for children whose mother is working as labourers at construction sites. The objective here was to provide a crèche wherever the mothers were working, thus a voluntary organization by the name of mobile crèches provided day care facilities for looking after health nutritional, educational and recreational needs of children of construction labourers. Three type of service are providing for children in different age groups. - Creche for children below three year of age - Balwadi for children aged 3-6 year and - Non-formal education for 6-12 year The organization is presently running a chain of centre at Delhi, Bombay and pune, other activities like holiday camp and exhibitions and celebrations of social events are also conducted by the organization. The worker of the mobile crèches also make effort to create awareness in the community at the work sites regarding health, hygiene, nutrition family planning and care during illness. EXERCISE 1) Describe the main functions of CSWB. 2) Write short notes on: a) NCERT b) NIPCCD c) Mobile Creches d) Balwadi Nutrition program 3) Write the main objectives of NCERT? 4) What do you understand by creche program? 5) What is the main aim of NIPCCD?
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OBJECTIVES TO BE SOLVED 1. The central government works through many_______ 2. NCERT works on improving school ________ with the passage of time 3. MK Gandhi aimed at evolving __________system based on the Indian culture. 4. _________ and _________ occur when chid interact with others. 5. Anutai wagh worked closely with ________ 6. Play is an activity engaged in for __________ without any consideration of the end result. 7. Training of_____________, _________makes all round development in an individual. 8. Most of the teaching in an idea __________is done through creative _____________, _____________ 9. The central through many _____________ 10. NCERT works on improving school _______________ with the passage of time. 11. MK Gandhi aimed at evolving _________________ system based on the Indian Culture. 12. ___________ and _________ occur when child interact with others. 13. Anutai wagh worked closely with _____________ 14. Play is an activity engaged in for ___________ without any consideration of the end result. 15. Training of ___________, __________ makes all around development in an individual. 16. Most of the teaching in an idea __________ is done through creative _______________, __________ 17. A ________________, ___________ grow at different rate. 18. ECCE is of immense significance for the _________ of _________ educational tool. 19. The school as a place of ____________ 20. ___________ education means education imparted in the ________ way through education institution. 21. The role of a ____________ in a formal school is that of a _________ individual. 22.__________ is dominated by concept of _____________, flexibility and elasticity. 23. NIPCCD trains the staff to ___________ program, as well as ________ 24. ECCE was designed with a view to prepare the child for her __________ and ________ skills. 42
25. _____________ at grass root level in the integrated child development services program. 26. The _____________ council for _______ _____________ was set up in 1952. 27. The first six years of life is _________ for development of the child. 28. The ____________, __________ is meant for providing day care facilities to the children of working and ailing mothers. 29. CINI has centres in _____________ and _____________. 30. _____________ Of child welfare and _________ I a national level organisation. 31. _____________ is a group of young men who ___________ the idea of providing recreation to children. 32. The objective of ____________, ___________ was to provide a _________ wherever the mothers were working. 33. At ___________ of Kosbad hills both younger and older children can come together. 34.___________ is a school for street children and I run on the railway platform of __________ city. 35. _________________ also works towards bringing appropriate legislation for the betterment of children. 36. _____________ is impulse to carry out certain instinctive actions. 37.___________ Method was devised by prof. Armstrong. 38.Montessori education method called for free activity within a _______ & ___________ 39. _____________ for the child is the __________ on which all other Montessori principles rest. 40. Montessori education is an educational approach developed by ____________ educator Maria Montessori. 41. _____________ started a small Bengali school at Bolpur, which his father called Shanti Niketan. 42. In 1972 Maharashtra government awarded __________ the “ideal teacher award” 43. ____________ programme is designed for providing necessary skills to child care workers. 44. The services provided at the Balvadi includes health ____________, _______ and _____________ components. 45. Whenever a ___________ or an ___________ exists, the ECCE programme function through it. 46. __________ literally means children’s garden.
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WRITE FULL FORMS OF: 1. CINI 2. ICCW 3. MLTC’s 4. IE 5. CSWB 6. NCB 7. ICDS 8. AWTC’s 9. SOS 10.GO 11.NIPCCD 12.NCERT 13.AWWTP 14.ECE 15.AWW’s 16.CDPO’s 17.ECCED 18.NVO 19.NGO 20.NPE
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