Early Childhood Education: Parents, Teachers Should Co-partner for Positive Child Behaviour, Says British Educationist

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A British educationist, and Manager‎, Child Care, United Kingdom, Mrs. Tracy Hill said there is need for parents and teachers to co-partner to achieve a better behavioural management of the child at early stage.

‎Hill made this known at a one day Early Childhood Conference tagged, ‘Discover the Boundless Possibilities,’ held in Abuja.

According to her, “for us to get best result at early childhood, understanding our children is important . The parents and the teachers should co-partner for a positive child behavior. A positive behavior is the behaviour that is socially acceptable, rather than challenging type of behaviour which are generally seen to be positive.”

She explained that, “some of the socially acceptable behaviors are Cooperation, Agreement, Showing affections, Understanding, Listening to others and Consideration of others. This will work in any part of the world for a better behavioral management of the child.”

‎Earlier, the Chief Executive Director, School Resource Centre Educational Group, Mrs. Emem Opashi, said that the need to develop the Nigerian child education at an early stage cannot be overemphasised.

She said facilitators were brought from UK and within Nigeria to share their experiences across board, stressing that the conference would ensure that every participant is either validating the knowledge he already had or learning more than he imagines.

Opashi noted: “‎Over the years, it has been discovered that children must be exposed to stimulating and engaging experiences in their early childhood . The first thing you did in your first eight years will determine what you do in the next 80 years of your life and so early childhood education is the foundation for any growth .

“As a country, if we can get it right at the early childhood education, it can make a big difference in our polity, even for our leadership. The Highest number of brains in our neuron is formed before the age of four. When you leave your child at home at an early stage you are already building a bad foundation for that child future learning. So, exposure and learning through play allow children to explore and discover things for their needed growth,” she added.

Opashi stressed that, “the environment must be able to bring out what you intend for the child to be .When you prepare your environment with very stimulating learning resources you will watch your child grow as you expect. The teachers job is to observe and understand the child for better result. So, you must have the right person in charge of the children, you must have a well developed child with right nutrition intake.”

A participant and a teacher from New Horizon Primary School, Niger State, Mr. Abdullhai Ibrahim said the conference has made him understand and broaden his knowledge about early childhood educational and it’s impact in shaping the lives of children.

“We have not taken intellectual risk to know more about early childhood which we would have assist greatly to help the children in their future. Children are not empty, we only need to develop the environment for them to work with, play with and manipulate with, then we will see the potentials that is inborn with them.”