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Posted: Wednesday 26 November, 2014 at 1:16 PM

Early childhood teachers showcase skills in Creative Arts

A participant of the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education Programme explains to pre-schoolers what the pieces of creative art symbolise
By: Stanford Conway, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRE-SCHOOLERS in St. Kitts and Nevis will soon benefit from a Creative Arts Curriculum currently being taught and practised by a group of early childhood teachers at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) in Basseterre.

     

    On Friday, last (Nov. 21), SKNVibes visited the higher learning institution and observed a public display of creative arts by students pursuing an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.

    In an exclusive interview with this publication, Dean of Teacher Education at the CFBC, Jocelyn Archibald-Pennyfeather briefly provided an overview of the day’s activity.  

    “Today we have on display the creative work of some of our early childhood teachers who are engaged in the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. We commenced the Early Childhood Associate Degree last year for the first time, so this will be the first batch of students to graduate with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.

    “The programme requires that they complete 66 credits in seven courses and Creative Arts is one of them. So the display shows the creative input of the students. It is their innovative skills that are on display to show how students can include art into the classroom, involving all students at the pre-school level to motivate them to work to the best of their ability.”

    The Dean also spoke to some of the benefits that the students would derive from the programme, which would enhance their methods of teaching in preparing pre-schoolers for their stints  at the primary and secondary school levels.

    “The Creative Arts Programme is for students to really familiarise themselves with the approaches that may be applied in early childhood settings. Students learn about Visual Arts, Drama and Music…movement activities for young children. Additionally, they also learn how the Creative Arts fosters the total development of the children at that particular age.

    “The teachers’ role in planning developmentally appropriative Creative Arts Curriculum is emphasised throughout the entire course, where they are engaged in the creation of art work.”

    She noted that the in the execution of art work, the teachers have learnt how to employ puppets to engage the children in learning, adding that participants of the programme have also been taught “how they can use low-cost materials to help create that environment; the aesthetically, positive, pleasant environment that a student needs in the learning process”.

    Archibald-Pennyfeather pointed out that while the primary focus of the programme is learning to foster creativity in young children, the second level focus is demonstrating the integration of the Arts into subject specific content areas.  

    Giving her perception of the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education Programme and the reason for her attendance, a very enthusiastic Katrina Seaton told SKNVibes that the course is all about training early childhood teachers.

    “The Early Childhood Programme is basically about training the early childhood teachers and we believe we that early childhood is the foundation of any education process. If participants in other areas of education are getting training, why not get people trained at the foundation level. We are the first group of teachers to be doing the Early Childhood Programme at the College and so I am very anxious and excited about that.”

    She, too, but from a student’s perspective, explained the purpose of the day’s activity.

    “This morning we are having an exhibition to showcase some of our past work for our Creative Arts Class. Within it we have taken different things that children in the early childhood can do, because many persons have the perception that early childhood is just about playing. But even though they are playing, there are many concepts that can come out during their play. So we have a Literature Corner where we use props to teach stories and morals within the stories. We also have puzzles made out of popsicle art and matching one on one correspondence. Further, we have toilet paper rolls that we use as teaching aids.”

    She jokingly said that early childhood teachers are junk collectors, but seriously noted that they are capable of turning junk into magnificent pieces of learning materials.

    In response to what motivated her to participate in a programme of that nature, Seaton emphatically stated that she has a love for children and always wanted to be responsible for their introduction to education.

    “I have always wanted to work in a position where I am always on the go…being very active. I wanted to be the first person responsible for children’s education, because when we get them at the primary schools there is only so much the teachers can do, and high school is even worse! But with early childhood, I am the one who lays the foundation that the children need. I think that I should be trained so that I can lay the right foundation, because once you mess up that foundation it would affect the children at the next level of learning and I want to make that change in our society.”

    The first batch of students pursuing the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education are in their second year and will be among those graduating from the CFBC in 2015.
     
     
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