My name's Jamel. I'm an early years educator. My role is to provide the foundations for a life-long love of learning. Our aim is to help children build confidence and positive self-esteem, promote and develop their independence, foster perseverance, develop an understanding of right and wrong and respect and value others.
Play may be child-led. Play might also be more focussed and structured learning. For example, I froze toy cars in blocks of ice. They had to work out how to get them out of the ice by using their motor skills and problem solving. Physical play is so important. We might introduce an activity that strengthens arms and shoulder muscles. Why? Because we know that children need to develop their gross motor skills before they develop their fine motor skills. The skills they'll need to hold a pencil and write with it.
Every activity that I set up for the duration of the day has theory, neuroscience and psychology behind it.
I believe that it's hugely important that children have male role models in those early years. People like me, six foot, a black man, with a gold tooth in a nurturing and caregiving role.
Early years practitioners can be found in a number of places including nurseries, children's centres and schools. But what do they do?
Jamel Campbell, an early years educator explains his role.
