Using Microteaching to Train Child-Centered Learning Approaches

Microteaching plays a crucial role in preparing early childhood educators to apply child-centered learning in the classroom. Through short, focused teaching sessions, teacher candidates can practice strategies that prioritize children’s interests, choices, and active participation. This structured practice environment allows them to experiment with methods that encourage exploration rather than passive listening.

In microteaching, future teachers learn to observe children more closely and adjust their teaching to suit different learning styles. They also practice giving children autonomy, such as choosing materials, leading small tasks, or expressing ideas freely. These skills form the foundation of child-centered pedagogy.

By reflecting on their recorded sessions, teacher candidates gain awareness of how their interactions affect children. Reflection helps them identify whether they are truly facilitating children’s learning or still dominating the activity. This step is essential for nurturing sensitivity and responsiveness.

Microteaching also offers opportunities to practice questioning techniques that stimulate thinking rather than simply seeking correct answers. Open-ended prompts, guided discovery, and hands-on exploration become central tools in child-centered learning. Teachers begin to see learning as a process, not a product.

Ultimately, microteaching empowers educators to design classroom experiences that respect children’s individuality. This approach aligns with modern early childhood education principles, where learning is joyful, meaningful, and rooted in children’s natural curiosity.