Encyclopedia Of Early Childhood Care And Education (SET Of 3 Volumes)

Preface

Education has undergone a metamorphosis in recent years. The concept that children grow and learn adult roles automatically as a result of change in development is no longer good in the field of child care, education, and training. A child can come back after a poor start if appropriate interventions are ensured. In fact, not achieving the targets either of universalization of education or literacy or skill development are the result of a lack of awareness, commitment, and involvement in early childhood care and education. It is for this, the UN. Declaration of Rights of the Child and Research on critical periods, early deprivation, and changes in family life have made it obligatory to have a concern for early childhood care and development. Brain development research confirms the role of prenatal, perinatal, and post-natal care. nutrition and hygiene, stimulating environment, and several other factors that would significantly affect the education of the child and his developmental potential.

Keeping these broad parameters in view as well as our concern in early childcare emerging out of our professional experiences in the field of education, psychology, special needs children, health care and nutrition, it was thought to have a text dealing with various aspects of ECCE in a compact and readable form. The National Policy on Education and several National and International Documents support such a venture of giving a treatise to the early childhood professionals, teachers, Anganwadi workers, researchers, parents, and community members, for not only contributing to their awareness but also childbearing and rearing habits, nurturing and educating, and training different life skills for healthy growth in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude required in life.

The present volume therefore considers the general frame “Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Care and Education” which encompasses the child from 0 moment of Birth to 8 years of age including individual difference variables such as ability groups, nutritional variations, educational environmental variations, social groups, and such other considerations. It is known that in this field various terms are on the floor, preschool, nursery school, kindergarten school, crèches, day care homes, family care, lower kindergarten, upper kindergarten and several others but such conceptualizations are categorical which an inclusive society forthcoming in 21″ century does not welcome. In fact, there is no drastic variations which would account for such categorization. It is already known that categorization in the field of disability has led to stigmatised effects. Therefore, in the present text, the term early childhood care and education would be used to indicate all forms of childcare and training consistent with the National Framework on Education (NPE & POA). It is for the teachers and trainers to develop their competence in the overall field of child care and education rather than on a segment of it.