Simply put early childhood education is an effort to provide adult education to the children and held on while the child is still at the phase of pre-school age (0-6 years), this is in terms of Islamic education called الطفل [1] التربية ie education provided to the children aged 0-6 years. Clearer early childhood education is an effort aimed at the development of children from birth to the age of six years are done through the provision of educational stimulation to assist the growth and development of mind and body so that children have a readiness to enter further education. [2]
Understanding Another mentioned that early childhood education is a process of growth and development coaching children ages birth to six years as a whole, which includes physical and non-physical aspects, by providing incentives for the development of physical, spiritual (moral and spiritual), motor, resourceful thinking, emotional, social and right so that children can grow and develop optimally. The efforts include intellectual stimulation, health care, nutrition, and providing ample opportunity to explore and learn actively.
Thus early childhood education can be described as follows: First, early childhood education is the provision of an effort to stimulate, guide, nurture and delivery of learning activities that will result in the child's abilities and skills. Second, early childhood education is a form of organization that focuses on laying the foundation toward growth and physical development, intelligence, socio-emotional, language and communication. Third, early childhood education in its implementation tailored to the developmental stages through which children early age. [3] Center for Curriculum Research and Education Ministry defines early childhood learning as follows. First, the process of learning for young children is a process of interaction between the child, learning resources, and education in a particular learning environment to achieve those objectives.
Secondly, according to the characteristics of early childhood that are active in exploration in various play activities, then the learning process focused on the activities of children in the form of learning while playing. Third, learn and play focused on the development potential in the areas of physical, intelligence, socio-emotional, language and communication competence or ability to actually possessed child. Fourth, the implementation of learning for young children need to be given a sense of security for the children. Fifth, according to the nature of early childhood development learning process implemented in an integrated manner. Sixth, the learning process will occur when the child is actively interacting with the learning environment organized education.
Seventh, learning and teaching program was designed and implemented as a system that can create conditions that inspire and provide convenience for young children to learn while playing through a variety of activities that are concrete, and in accordance with the rate of growth and development and early childhood life. Eighth, the successful achievement of the learning process is characterized by the growth and development of optimal early childhood and is able to be a bridge for young children to adjust to the environment and the subsequent development.
REFERENCE
- [1] M. Athiyah Al Abrasy, at-Tarbiyah wa al-Islamiya Falasatuhā, (TTP: 'Isa al-Babi al-Jalabī wa syirkāhu, 1969), p. 163.
- [2] Boediono, ed., Competency Standards Early Childhood Education Kindergarten and Raudhatul RA, (Jakarta: Ministry of National Education, 2003), p. 6.
- [3] Mansur, Early Childhood Education in Islam, (London: Student Library, 2005), p. 89.