The United States is one of the countries with the most advanced early childhood education in the world, emphasizing a child-centered approach in its educational philosophy.
In early childhood education, child development is fostered through comprehensive and harmonious education integrated via daily kindergarten activities, as well as the full development and utilization of family and community educational resources, resulting in unique characteristics that distinguish it from other nations.
American education focuses on the process and the cultivation of abilities, particularly the development of a child's imagination and creativity.
1. Emphasizing the individual and valuing freedom
American education is individual-centered; it prioritizes personality, highlights the individual, and emphasizes freedom of choice. In the eyes of Americans, children are active and creative, and self-realization is a natural developmental process for the child; adults simply need to provide favorable conditions. Americans place great importance on the natural development of a child's self-awareness, frequently encouraging children to express their thoughts and feelings freely and naturally. American adults strive to help children discover their existence and their own capabilities.
In American kindergartens, collective activities are rare; teachers always arrange activities based on the child's distinct personality and abilities, encouraging children to choose the games and activities they enjoy. Teachers also encourage children to engage in multiple activities over a short period to foster flexibility and creativity. For instance, when painting, teachers do not focus on the content, form, or technique of the child's art, but rather allow them to express themselves freely and imagine without constraints. As a result, American children are often covered in paint from head to toe. At home, they create masterpieces all over the walls, doors, and floors. While these 'works' may be rough and parents may not always understand what they are, they will never be angry, nor will they obstruct or forbid the behavior. Instead, they smile and watch the children perform, allowing them to fully exercise their creativity and imagination.
Americans like children to be childlike; being lively and active is not only considered normal but is viewed as a major virtue. American kindergartens create environments where children can truly be children; they are lively and energetic, and children are even permitted to talk or play during meals. During nap time, provided they do not disturb others, children in American kindergartens are allowed to do what they like. Therefore, Americans often feel that Chinese kindergartens are too rigid and lack vitality, with children not acting like children; Chinese children often appear modest, disciplined, and cautious, while American children appear confident, courageous, and possess strong creativity and imagination.
2. Respecting and affirming children
In American early childhood education, adults believe that children should receive the same equality and respect as adults. For example, children may address their elders by their first names, and likewise, adults will respectfully address children as Mr. or Miss, using these simple details to make children feel this equality. Furthermore, when visiting others, if a host offers the child something to eat, adults will not follow the practice of Chinese parents of deciding "yes" or "no" for the child, nor will they scold the child if the child expresses a desire to eat; everything is left to the child's discretion. When conducting various games and activities, teachers highly respect the children's choices of materials and methods of operation, focusing on creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere for play, protecting the children's enthusiasm, and praising their differing viewpoints and ideas—not only accepting them completely but also commending them for their reasonable imagination and unique designs.
In the United States, parents are never stingy with their praise; as soon as a child achieves even a small success, parents will heap praise upon them. The phrase American parents say to their children most often is, "You are great!" This praise is also put into practice; they fully affirm and praise any of the child's "creations," providing the child with a great sense of self-confidence.
Once children have been praised, they value their reputation more highly and therefore become more careful about maintaining their reputation and ensuring that others continue to think well of them.
3. Focusing on the child's independence
In public places in the United States, you can often witness such scenes: a child falls down and begins to cry loudly, but the mother standing not far away is not anxious or flustered. They will not walk up to the child, pick them up, wipe their tears, and coax them like Chinese parents might, sometimes even using exaggerated language or fake actions; American parents calmly watch their child get up on their own.
Compared to Chinese early childhood education, American early childhood education places more emphasis on the cultivation of the child's independent personality. In the United States, a child is considered an independent individual. Throughout the process of growing up, a child will inevitably encounter various difficulties and setbacks. Since parents cannot be by the child's side to take care of them forever, Americans focus on cultivating the child's independent character from a young age: solving one's own problems.
4. Emphasizing the child's long-term development
American education focuses on the process and the cultivation of abilities, particularly the development of a child's imagination and creativity. They believe that participation is key, and that the knowledge, experience, and development of abilities gained by children in various activities are the most important things.
American preschool teachers try to avoid evaluating children, neither praising nor criticizing them, because they know that criticism will discourage your child, while praise might impact other children. Therefore, there are no report cards or grades in American kindergartens, but there is a learning report. The main purpose is to let parents know the child's progress in kindergarten, which areas need strengthening, and which areas need attention after entering elementary school.
5. Multicultural education in kindergartens
Multicultural education originated in the United States and is a fundamental concept of modern American education. In American kindergartens, children come from different countries and ethnic groups, so the American early childhood education sector emphasizes that children should not only learn their own traditional culture but also embrace other cultures. In terms of curriculum design, the American early childhood education sector believes that the target of multicultural education is all children, and the curriculum should consider the interests and experiences of every child, reflecting their individual family backgrounds and linguistic cultures.
The curriculum content is not centered on a single culture, but rather inclusive of various cultures, and is presented in the form of thematic activities. Several sub-thematic activities constitute a complete thematic system, with each system involving the natural geography, human landscapes, and traditional culture of different countries and ethnic groups, guiding children to achieve the goals of mutual understanding, acceptance, and respect while learning about these different cultures.