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Teacher Preparation. Issues and Challenges. K. Lakshmi Chairperson SRCECE AMS. Teacher and the young ones. The central point of ECE curriculum is the teacher+ teachers’ role Hence importance of teacher development Teacher needs to be adequately prepared and and continuously supported
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Teacher Preparation Issues and Challenges K. Lakshmi Chairperson SRCECE AMS
Teacher and the young ones • The central point of ECE curriculum is the teacher+ teachers’ role • Hence importance of teacher development • Teacher needs to be adequately prepared and and continuously supported • No system can function in absence of availability of right quality teachers • Effective preparation of teachers/ providers for ECE is key to the issue of quality
Quality depends on Capacity • Quality of any ECE program is determined by the quality of the teacher preparation • Need for capacity ensured childcare service is no longer matter of option but a prerequisite on human resource development agenda • Article3 of CRC directs that the best interest of children to be the primary consideration in all actions taken by public or private institutions • Competent child education staff is crucial to implement programmes which are sensitive to the needs of young children
Training Scenario • No manpower planning related to ECE • Capacity building initiatives end up with : -assorted ad hoc interventions -Lack of linkages or continuity -Isolated structural formats -formalized training in negligible slots -only a handful of islands of excellences – duration of training range from a few days to two years in India
Issues • Goal of childcare is custodian care and school readiness. Hence, ECE is not recognised as an area needing specialized trainingorpreparation • Private sector is a major employer and is not under any regulation to hence preferences range from highly but inappropriately qualified persons to uptrend persons • When employers not interested in specifically trained workers potential workers have no incentive in getting trained. • Affecting demand for training-resulting in closure of institution • Pre-school training institutions are flourishing in private sector, govt. Approved programmes are gradually closing down.
Challenges • Complex in nature-needs varied and specialised skills • No adequate attention on training ECE professionals • Not much empirical evidence on the components of training teachers for young children • Wide gap between the context of training and field situation • Universities not shown much interest in this area • Training programme content quality and duration need attention • ECCE is a fast growing discipline
Diverse needs • Wide range of personnel functioning in diversity catering to a variety of situations, contexts components & levels (helper to teacher educator) • Non availability of Tr. Edn. Inst. In sufficient numbers to meet the emerging demands
ECE is not a door decorator of primary education, but the main door opening educational structure • Overall picture lack of trained persons in ECE either in terms of adequate numbers or appropriate quality • Needs large number or persons with different specializations, • Wide variety of earnings • No standardized training curriculum • Lack of systematic supervision & accreditation
Curriculum review • Design of curriculum • Core competenciesranging from entry level practitioners, directors, program administrators to training educators & researchers • Core body of knowledge based on research &bestpractice evidence • Needs cross sector involvement in training • Existing body of research related to capacity building needs to be strengthened • Accreditation system • Need to venture intoother crucial areas • ECEshouldbenefit from advances in other disciplines
Pathway of Professionalism “Teacher must orient his work not on yesterday’s development in the child but tomorrow” Lev Vygotsky
Teacher quality is a function of several factors. Teacher’s remuneration, conditions or work, their academic and professional education. • Recognition ECE as professional discipline. ECE has not drawn any attention as a distinct area of knowledge with its own concerns, concepts and methodological perspectives • Diversity calls for development of multiple models of work force. • Professional excellence is possible only when child development pedagogical issues, empirical studies blend and provide direction to policies and programmes.
Training of trainers- most urgent requirements • Pooling resources- It is time we mobeliseall our physical, financial human resources for providing the best deal to children.