Magda Gerber
Magda Gerber
Magda Gerber was considered as a pioneer in the field of early childhood education in the United States and was known in her role in training both caregivers and parents on ways of understanding children and interacting with them from the point of inception. Her passion for infant care was inspired by her paediatrician known as Pikler. Many of Pikler’s theories were incorporated by Gerber to form her own philosophy that was referred to as educaring approach as well as the term educarer that referred to the caregivers. Gerber had the belief that infants should be regarded as capable living beings and should be accorded treatment as such.
Gerber’s approach
Gerber’s approach towards early childhood education was known as the educaring approach (Hammond, 2017). This approach majorly aims at encouraging both the adults and the infants in building a relationship that is based on trust, the ability to solve problems as well as embracing the capability of self-discovery. Children discover and inspire the best out of themselves as a result of being given the chance to develop at their own pace and time. This particular approach allows for sensitive observation of a child so as to develop an understanding to their needs as well as creating a level of consistency that clearly defines the limits and expectations in order to enhance the development of discipline.
Impact on toddler education
Gerber’s impact in toddler education are that caregivers are able to provide a safe environment that nurtures the child emotionally as well as challenging the child’s reasoning. The toddler has the liberty to discover and interact with other kids. Children become energetic participants rather than an impassive beneficiary due to the involvement of the child in all care activities. Lastly, she has enabled the creation of an authentic child that feels secure, competent and connected to the environment around them which instils a sense of security and confidence.
References
Hammond, R. A. (2017). The educaring approach of Magda Gerber. In Theories of Early Childhood Education (pp. 95-108). Routledge.