Social inclusion is feeling of all members of the community that they are a part of a bonded community that shares common values and identity. Every member’s contribution to the community is recognized in social inclusion. Children of all the other members of the community are entitled and have a right to be socially included in their country’s educational and school settings. Social inclusion is crucial as it makes children feel valued to comfortably partake in educational opportunities, and fulfill their potentials with their agemates. When children and young people are involved in social inclusion, there are many associated benefits not only to themselves but also to their parents and society as a whole. Based on the quote “If solid foundations are laid in the early years, later learning is more effective” by Deborah Brennan and Elizabeth Adamson (2014), this essay will persuasively argue on two different perspectives on social inclusion; how early childhood education and care foundation can hinder the risks involved with early school leaving, and secondly, how promotion of cultural change can promote social inclusion into early childhood education.
First Perspective: Social Inclusion Reduces Early School Leaving (ESL)
ESL refers to the instance where children and young people in general, leave training and education prematurely, or before completing their secondary education. ESL is a complex and a multi-faceted problem that results from a cumulative disengagement process that is directly linked to social exclusion. It is also a result of low motivation, education, counseling, economic, personal, family, and social related reasons. Low education level is not only disastrous to the young people but also implies inefficient cost use on the part of government and parents (Brennan " Adamson, 2014). When children and young people face all these challenges, then it is likely that their future learning in the case they go through rehabilitation, place of work or any other form of training, would prove futile. Besides the current changes in demography and aging population, countries cannot afford to lose the young talents that are best and efficiently nurtured through exposure to early and strong education foundation (Biddle, 2016).
All the problems associated with ESL are easily preventable if only a strong early foundation is laid in children, and that would only be achieved through a proper social inclusion. Young children are like learning sponges, in that they adopt every behavior, learn every word and take in every new experience, and make it a part of their life, which later becomes a fruitful future investment. Early childhood education and care (ECEC), a government social inclusion initiative, is a good example of the effectiveness of early education foundation in young people as it has many benefits that facilitate effective learning in a child’s future (European, 2013). It promotes socialization and transition of a child into friendship groups in a safe environment besides the one they are used to back at home. The child understands the cooperation concept where they learn how to share, persevere, and take turns in a professionally-guided environment. Preschool is not all about playing but exposing the child to diversity where they are guided on how to accept and appreciate differences, and become full-time social contributors (Council, 2013).
For effective future learning in children, a strong foundation that encourages holistic emotional, mental, physical, and social development should be laid as it prepares them not only for the present but for a lifetime (Brennan " Adamson, 2014). Through early learning, educators can easily identify a child’s weak areas and introduce them to relevant programs that offer help at that age rather than procrastinating the problems which may prove problematic later in future (Gilley et.al., 2015). A thirst of eagerness and enthusiastic learning is instilled in a rather exciting and fun way and that enables the children to develop a positive view of the whole education system even in years to come. Through the preschool, these young people grasp the value of education directly as they emulate their educators and trainers who play role models (Brennan " Adamson, 2014). With civility and teaching manners in place, children learn to respect others, learn how to participate in teamwork, develop resilience, self-esteem, confidence, and patience. Moreover, concentration is equally important throughout the learning of a child, and through early education, their lively and constantly imaginative minds are programmed on how to follow directions, develop critical thinking, attend to issues, and solve problems at a highly informed level. All these positive values are what help them successfully make it through other forms of learning at a later age.
Second Perspective: Promotion of Cultural Change
Culture plays an important role when it comes to laying a current foundation that is essential for later learning in children. Cultural change does not only need or start with families, but also the society at large, which should be inter-culturally educated, more diverse, and also all-inclusive (Gilley et.al., 2015). Among the major factors that hinder an all-inclusive society is inequality, and more so in the education system. Social exclusion curtails the extra resources that are needed to establish early education to all students in the country, and on an equal basis (European, 2013). Schools and institutions that do not provide all students with relevant resources prompt the student’s failure to develop their talents and individual strengths which play a significant role in their later learning since their specific needs and abilities are not recognized. Cultural coexistence in the older generation may be hard to implement but is not the case with the young children in whom the right ways of coexistence can be instilled and stick at the earliest stages of their education.
Cultural change in social inclusion does not imply changing the individuals, but instead the structures (Biddle, 2016). In order for schools to facilitate later learning, they ought to implement policies that develop resources and books, anti-racism, bilingual support, and intercultural curricula that support young people with diverse multi-faith and languages (Gilley et.al., 2015). It is essential to note that the presence of separate schools for young children is one of the problems that cause social exclusion. The children from poor families and neighborhoods are the ones that suffer the most from intergenerational exclusion transmissions (Brennan " Adamson, 2014). Unless the problem is dealt with at the local level, then it is likely that it will persist as placing children of diverse cultural backgrounds in the same classroom is not the only solution. Breaking the rancorous exclusion cycle requires a long-term and a well-integrated approach that aims at strengthening and empowering people in economically culturally challenged societies and the services they are offered.
Conclusive Recommendations
From the above-discussed perspectives based on the quote “If solid foundations are laid in the early years, later learning is more effective” by Deborah Brennan and Elizabeth Adamson, it is evidently clear that people should not only consider the associated importance of early education for children, but also the associated hindrances. With effectively educated for children in pre-schools, the government, and the society at large is capable of having an ideal future nation since these children can behave, and act in accordance to how they have been taught. Learning on higher education levels and places of work become easy since then now adults were well prepared in advance on ways to tackle and solve various issues.
These children, even if taught for how long, would face many difficulties if the current social structures and institutions carried forward the old culture behaviors that proved futile and spoilt the earlier generation. In order to achieve the desired objectives of an early education foundation for children, schools, and society, more so families, need to work hand in hand, and ensure that they not only speak but also act in one accord to prevent causing any confusion to these innocent minds of children. Young ones tend to behave in accordance to the foundations that they were exposed to during their growing up, hence adult need to be keen on what they table for them if at all they are purposed to maximize on social inclusion now and in the future. Early foundation through pre-school is a once-in-a-lifetime social inclusion opportunity and experience that any child should not miss out on.
References
Biddle, N. (2016). Early childhood education is key to closing the gaps. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-education-is-key-to-closing-the-gaps-54322
Brennan, D., " Adamson, E. (2014). Financing the Future: An equitable and sustainable approach to early childhood education and care. Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales.
Council, S. C. (2013). Social Inclusion Framework: For schools and educational settings.
European, C. (2013). Reducing early school leaving: Key messages and policy support. Final Report of the Thematic Working Group on Early School Leaving). Bruxelles.
Gilley, T., Tayler, C., Niklas, F., " Cloney, D. (2015). Too late and not enough for some children: early childhood education and care (ECEC) program usage patterns in the years before school in Australia. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 9(1). doi: 10.1186/s40723-015-0012-0
Part B: News Page
Early Childhood Education Foundation
Nothing matters more to a child than the foundation that was laid for them when they were still young. The topic of social inclusion has over the recent past become the talk of the day not only on social media platforms but also at an individual and governmental levels. The time has now come when mere education and learning are no longer that is all needed; modern children need to be exposed to early meaningful learning and education opportunities in an all-inclusive setting. This is not only to maximize their cognitive skills, psychological and social growth but all their physical and well-being development. Not only does early childhood education prepare these children to attend elementary schooling level, but also prepare them for any learning they may encounter in future.
In their book, Deborah Brennan and Elizabeth Adamson, (2014), quoted that “If solid foundations are laid in the early years, later learning is more effective”. They continue they continue to emphasize that a well premeditated early childhood education and care policy not only makes later learning worthwhile, but also offers a solution to other related problems like early school leaving, leads to increased education quality, and reduced government expenditure on criminal justice and health. Evidently, children who have had exposure to early education can nonetheless be compared with the rest on wellbeing and intellectual capacities.
Despite the numerous immediate and future importance associated with laying a strong educational foundation for children, there is nonetheless associated challenges into achieving this important objective. As Nicholas Biddle stated in his article (2016), racial and cultural inequality has resulted in stagnation between different parts of the country. In spite of the government highlighting improvements and progress in some social aspects of social inclusion, others, like education, are still lagging behind, and thus causing social imbalance. Unless a policy is all inclusive of all societal issues like early education and health, then it is nothing less of a failed policy.
Nonetheless, there are several steps and measures and initiatives that the government under relevant organizations can implement to ensure meaningful early education in social inclusion to facilitate children’s later learning. All children, be they with any special need or from a culturally and economically strained background need to be provided with included in early childhood learning programs. As Tina (2018), further states in her article, early childhood education should be allocated adequate equipment, financial, and human resources to support this program. Moreover, she goes ahead to say that if positive and progress results are to be realized in this program, then the whole burden should not be borne by the child’s parents only, but the society and the government at large.
Countries that have effective early childhood education programs and initiatives are what those lagging behind on the same should emulate from. They have a better education system and results in their curriculums, spend less on rehabilitating children as a result of making uninformed decisions and engaging in risky behaviors. It may sound like a cliché but the fact remains that children develop do become who the society has made them be, therefore making it right and conducive for them is not only good for their future lives but for the whole society and universe altogether.
References
Biddle, N. (2016). Early childhood education is key to closing the gaps. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-education-is-key-to-closing-the-gaps-54322
Brennan, D., " Adamson, E. (2014). Financing the Future: An equitable and sustainable approach to early childhood education and care. Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales.
Dam, T. (2018). Inclusive Early Childhood Education Policy | Inclusion BC. Retrieved from http://www.inclusionbc.org/about-us/social-policy-positions/early-childhood-education
