CERTAIN SKILLS SHOULD BE TAUGHT AS PART OF EARLY CHILHDOOD TEACHER TRAINING SO TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AND DEVELOP THE EMOTIONAL QUALITIES NEEDED FOR THE JOB

Ghana. May, 2012 - Lack of trained and motivated teachers for children affects the smooth transition to and success in primary school, a deputy director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) says.

Esther Happy Edjeani, Acting Director of Pre-Tertiary Private Schools in Ghana, said the country needed trained caregivers to employ quality methods and materials in a safe, non-violent and inclusive environment to teach its children.

“The requirement for success as an early childhood teacher/caregiver, resolves around personal disposition, knowledge of the child’s developmental needs and organizing learning experiences around themes,” Ms Edjeani said.

However, she added, “…the status of the child as a weak and vulnerable member of a family or community with special needs not commonly conceived by everyone, gives the teacher an additional role of an advocate.”

This advocacy also required some skills which must be incorporated in the training of the childcare teacher, Ms Edjeani said.

She said that an important attribute of a trained child teacher was the exhibition of emotional qualities such as love, respect for children, compassion, empathy, caring, sensitivity and warmth.

A good early childhood education teacher would spend long hours of planning and gathering materials to make the child’s day more effective and interesting, Ms Edjeani said.

“Be willing to sacrifice your free time for the sake of the children and the school. Be kind and cheerful in going about your work. Be helpful and tolerant to the children,” she advised.

She added that, a trained teacher must establish and maintain a safe healthy learning environment and advance the physical and intellectual competence of children to ensure that the head, heart and hand are all well trained.

For more, see Ghanaweb.com