DEVELOPING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION COMPETENCES (EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE, ECEC)

<doi>10.24250/JPE/2/2020/GK

Abstract

Early education is of increasing concern to specialists in the field:
pedagogues, psychologists, sociologists, and not only them,
the society as well, especially the family and parents, as well
as many governmental and non-governmental organizations,
which recognize the role of early educational intervention in
the normal development of a child. Early education is a
fundamental part of education and lifelong learning, and its
central role is focused on educating and raising children in a
stimulating educational environment. Early education with its
components: teaching, learning, care, child safety, can be
optimized by creating the best learning opportunities in the
first years of a child's life. Early education supports and
monitors physical and mental well-being, including social,
cognitive and emotional development, and helps prevent any
difficulties that may arise during their lifetime. Early
education imposes a holistic vision on the actions exerted on
the child, the different areas of development not being
separated. Care is an integral part of this approach in a
stimulating, integrative educational environment. Thus, it is
necessary to train educators and teachers to achieve a quality
education for all children, without discrimination, in an
educational environment appropriate to their age, with the
support of family and community. In this article we outline
some directions that aim to train the professional skills of
specialists in early education.