Welcome to this online class with Emily Macfarlane, designed to explore the crucial role that key individuals play in a child's learning and development. This session is particularly valuable for those training for their Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, directly linking to Knowledge 14 and supporting you in building evidence for this essential component of your course. In this class, we will examine the influence of parents, caregivers, family members, peers, and educators in shaping a child's early experiences. From the nurturing environment created at home to the interactions children have with their peers, every relationship plays a significant role in development. Early years professionals, like you, have a particularly important responsibility in fostering learning and growth within early years settings. We will explore how these key individuals contribute to a child's progress in cognitive, social, and emotional development, as well as their moral understanding, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Learning how children develop their thinking skills, form relationships, build confidence, and understand the world around them will provide valuable insights into your role as an educator. By the end of this class, you will have a deeper understanding of the impact these relationships have on a child’s learning journey. This knowledge will not only strengthen your studies but also enhance your professional practice, allowing you to provide meaningful support to the children in your care. Ready to begin? Let’s dive into Lesson 1!
1. Cognitive Development
23:49In this lesson, you will explore how cognitive development in young children is shaped by the contributions of parents, caregivers, peers, and educators. You will learn how early interactions, emotional support, and structured routines help build language skills, problem-solving abilities, and memory. The role of play in fostering creativity and critical thinking will be examined, along with the impact of peer relationships in developing social learning. Educators play a vital role in reinforcing these skills through guided activities and encouragement of a growth mindset. By the end of the lesson, you will understand how collaboration among key individuals supports a child's cognitive development and how to apply these insights in practice.
2. Social & Emotional Development
19:21In this lesson, you will explore the role of key individuals, including parents, caregivers, and educators, in shaping children's social and emotional development. You will learn how secure attachments, emotional regulation, and positive role modelling help children build confidence, form relationships, and understand their own and others' feelings. The importance of independence, socialisation opportunities, and peer interactions in developing essential social skills will also be examined. Educators play a crucial role in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages positive interactions. By the end of this lesson, you will understand how these influences work together to support children's emotional well-being and social growth.
3. Moral & Ethical Development
14:22In this lesson, you will explore how moral and ethical development begins in early childhood and is shaped by the influence of parents, caregivers, peers, and educators. You will learn how role modelling, clear boundaries, and guidance help children develop a sense of right and wrong, empathy, and compassion. Peer interactions play a key role in reinforcing fairness, cooperation, and respect for others, while educators support this growth through discussions on justice, responsibility, and positive decision-making. By the end of the lesson, you will understand how these influences contribute to a child's self-identity, social responsibility, and motivation to learn.
4. Motivation & Self-Esteem
12:31In this lesson, you will explore how parents and caregivers lay the foundation for children's development through love, secure attachments, and a nurturing environment that builds confidence and a love of learning. You will learn how celebrating efforts and fostering a growth mindset help children view mistakes as opportunities for growth, while peer interactions and constructive feedback from educators enhance self-esteem and motivation. This lesson also examines the importance of creating safe, supportive environments that encourage exploration and further promote children's holistic growth.
5. Health & Physical Development
13:37In this lesson, you will explore the vital role parents, caregivers, peers, and educators play in supporting children's physical health and overall well-being. You will learn how proper nutrition, healthy habits, and sufficient sleep contribute to a child’s growth, while peer interactions encourage physical activity through play. Educators reinforce these healthy behaviours by promoting movement and providing health education. The importance of early identification of developmental concerns will also be discussed, highlighting the need for timely support. By the end of the lesson, you will understand how collaboration among key individuals helps establish a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
Having worked in early years since the age of 16 early childhood learning means everything to me, which is why I'm so passionate about ensuring a platform dedicated to our communities learning exists. I've experienced first hand the lack of genuine and affordable learning opportunities that exist within early years and trying to provide my teams with high quality and flexible training on a non-existent budget is an impossible task. Its our mission to change this.
Investing in meaningful and affordable training is always something we are looking to do. The Early Years Network puts all our in-house training under one roof and is extremely affordable compared to other avenues we've gone down in the past. Having inspired, motivated and passionate staff members is what drives us to be our best, The Earl Years Network has given us opportunities to provide meaningful training in a fun and informative way.
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The Early Years Network is all about meaningful learning that will transform the way you interact with and educate young children, not attempting to fill your head with information for the sake of a quick superficial quiz.
Unfortunately for the time being videos are only available in English, but maybe one day...
YES! Content on The Early Years Network has been created for people interested in early years regardless of age, experience or academic background. We have something for everyone whether you are a childminder, parent/carer or an early years professional.
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Whilst The Early Years Network is not an accredited body we do offer skill-based learning helping people transform knowledge and theory into meaningful change and improvement to their practice, environments and curriculum. Our Network Courses are created and hosted by leading experts within their academic fields, and upon completion of each course learners will be provided with a certificate to evidence their achievement.
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We are a learning and development platform dedicated to the magical world of early years! We cover a wide range of topics, from child brain development to the importance of safeguarding and child wellbeing, through high-quality and immersive video content.
We cover everything Early Years from ‘Cognitive Development Theories’, to the science behind play and even how to build the best rocket ship out of cardboard (you won't want to miss that video!). If you can think of a topic in early years we've probably got a video on it!
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