How Early Childhood Care And Education Shape A Child’s Future

The early years of a child are the most crucial for their development and growth. Early childhood means from 0 to 8 years; in this period, almost 85% of a child’s brain growth occurs, especially in the first six years. Early childhood development combines social, cognitive, emotional, physical, and motor growth. These skills are foundational to any child’s development, and it is essential that each child is provided with nurturing care in a stable environment and that the child is well-protected and given opportunities to learn.

The Nation Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recognises the importance of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and aims to provide world-class and universal ECCE to all children across the country, with a special focus on underprivileged children.

The early years are crucial as the brain develops quickly and is also adaptable to changes in these years. Thus, the learnings and exposure of these years lay a foundation for lifelong growth, health, and happiness for children. Unfortunately, many children in India lack primary exposure to early childhood care and education. The NEP 2020 addresses this and aims to tackle it by training teachers and caregivers better, providing the latest resources and teaching material, and the infrastructure required.

What is the Purpose Of Early Childhood Care Education?

Early Childhood Care and Education go beyond reading, writing, and solving fundamental maths problems. The overall holistic development of a child in their early years promotes healthy cognitive, social, and emotional growth, which helps them navigate their lives better. The purpose of ECCE is:

• Social Skills: When young children attend preschools, they interact with other young children. They learn how to share and communicate and also make new friends. Being around other kids also helps them become more patient, empathetic, and part of a team. All these life skills will stay with them well into adulthood.
• Academics: Early childhood education promotes lifelong learning. With ECCE, children learn various subjects like science, maths, and languages. Since fun and interactive methods are adopted to teach these subjects, learning becomes easy and fun for the children. They develop a positive attitude towards academics and schooling.
• Diversity in Learning: In school, children interact with other children of different abilities, communities, and backgrounds, and all the children are treated equally. So, kids learn to communicate better and share their toys, thoughts, food, and feelings with all other children, and this shapes them into better humans.
• Language and Literacy: A part of NEP 2020 focuses on fundamental literacy and numeracy (can link the article on FLN here), i.e., providing essential reading, writing, comprehension, and maths abilities to children in their early years. This ensures that children learn how to read, write, and understand the basics, are able to do maths calculations, and can talk and share thoughts in their mother tongue and English/Hindi languages.
• Thinking: By promoting ECCE, we encourage children’s cognitive skills, which means they develop analytical thinking, logical reasoning, problem-solving, and memory retention skills. Children learn to put their thoughts into action, communicate their thoughts, and develop a problem-solving attitude.
• Self-Control: In preschools, students are taught to share and be kind and patient from an early age. These teachings make the children more empathetic and caring and instill self-control in them, too. They learn not to waste food and take only that much on their plate that they can finish. They learn to wait for their turn to speak and share their thoughts. They also learn to respect and listen when others are speaking.

Key Objectives of Early Childhood Care Education In NEP

The NEP 2020 aims to make Early Childhood Care and Education available for all children nationwide. The key objectives of ECCE in NEP are:

• Universal Access: NEP’s vision is to provide universal access to high-quality early childhood education that is effective for all children from the ages of 3 to 6.
• Holistic Development: ECCE aims to provide holistic development to all children, including cognitive, physical, social, ethical, and emotional skills.
• Play-Based Learning: The NEP philosophy is to move away from rotting studies and adopt more interactive and play-based learning. This will help children to explore and experiment more.
• Inclusivity and Diversity: ECCE under NEP aims to be inclusive and mindful of all cultures and backgrounds. Children of all abilities and backgrounds are treated equally under ECCE.
• Technological Integration: ECCE understands today’s era of technology. So, it promotes e-content in regional languages, trains teachers to use the latest technology, and introduces technological reforms in learning and teaching.
• Higher Education Reforms: The NEP 2020 also focuses on higher education and aims to bring about the needed changes in the higher education systems and techniques. Students will have more diverse subjects, flexibility in pursuing various disciplines, and the use of the best resources and technology is advocated.
• Assessment Reforms: NEP advises shifting from traditional exam patterns and adopting nonstop and comprehensive evaluations based not only on cognitive skills but also on social, emotional, and realistic abilities.

How Extramarks Smart Class Plus Aligns With Early Childhood Care Education In NEP

Extramarks aligns with the goals and guidelines provided by the National Education Policy in India. By introducing innovative and technology-driven education solutions, Extramarks supports the NEP vision of providing high-quality education in the foundational years. Extramarks understands the importance of ECCE for children’s overall development, and so the platform provides solutions designed to cater to the unique learning needs of young children.

1. Holistic Development Focus

   The comprehensive curriculum provided by Extramarks Smart Class Plus includes interactive and engaging content that is designed to stimulate all aspects of a child’s development in the early years. This approach aligns with the holistic approach to early childhood education suggested by NEP 2020. So, the focus is on cognitive development and social, emotional, physical, and ethical growth. Extramarks’ software smartly integrates all multimedia elements, such as animations, games, and stories, which help foster a love for learning in children and develop necessary skills in a fun and playful manner.

2. Personalized Learning

   All children are unique, and so are their learning styles, pace, and methods. The NEP emphasises the importance of personalised learning experiences and Smart Class Plus has incorporated the same. With the help of AI, Extramarks offers tailored learning solutions based on the strengths and weaknesses of each child, and the students also have the flexibility to choose and explore specific topics, chapters, and subjects. Extramarks also provides real-time data insights, which help the teacher to identify the skills gaps and adjust their lessons accordingly. Various assessments are available on the platform, and after-school connectivity is possible.

3. Activity-Based Learning

   The NEP encourages activity-based and experiential learning, moving away from rote memorisation in early childhood care and education. Extramarks Smart Class Plus promotes activity-based learning by integrating interactive content and hands-on activities within its digital platform. It offers various multimedia resources, including videos, simulations, and quizzes, designed to engage students in active learning. These resources are specially designed to encourage students to engage in practical exercises, problem-solving tasks, and collaborative projects, all of which enhance their understanding of the key concepts.

4. Empowering Educators

   The NEP recognises teachers’ role in early childhood education and strongly advocates for their professional development and training. With the Smart Class Plus feature, teachers can analyse students’ academic progress after school hours. With access to resources after classes, students can learn at their own pace. Teachers can use the app to fine-tune their teachings and strategies to better impact the students and ensure a more personalised and effective learning experience.

Conclusion

The National Education Policy 2020 understands the importance of Early Childhood Care and Education, and so does Extramarks. It is a crucial stepping stone for a child’s future, and best efforts must be made to ensure each child learns and develops their skills in their formative years, from 3 to 8 years.

This learning will stay with them throughout their life, and their future well-being, health, and academic and socio-economic growth also depend on the ECCE. With the help of the Extramarks Smart Class Plus platform, you can help shape a better future for your kid through interactive and play-based activities and learning.

Last Updated on October 29, 2024