Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education Program utilizes the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Standards
and Competencies for Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs,
Position Statement adopted by the NAEYC Governing Board, November 2019.

Graduates of the program will know and be able to do the following:

Standard 1.  Child Development and Learning in Context

Early childhood educators (a) are grounded in an
understanding of the developmental period of early childhood from birth through
age 8 across developmental domains. They (b) understand each child as an
individual with unique developmental variations. Early childhood educators (c)
understand that children learn and develop within relationships and within
multiple contexts, including families, cultures, languages, communities, and
society. They (d) use this multidimensional knowledge to make evidence-based
decisions about how to carry out their responsibilities.

Standard 2. Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections

Early childhood educators understand that successful early
childhood education depends upon educators’ partnerships with the families of
the young children they serve. They (a) know about, understand, and value the
diversity in family characteristics. Early childhood educators (b) use this
understanding to create respectful, responsive, reciprocal relationships with
families and to engage with them as partners in their young children’s
development and learning. They (c) use community resources to support young
children’s learning and development and to support children’s families, and
they build connections between early learning settings, schools, and community
organizations and agencies.

Standard 3.  Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment

Early childhood educators (a) understand that the primary
purpose of assessment is to inform instruction and planning in early learning
settings. They (b) know how to use observation, documentation, and other
appropriate assessment approaches and tools. Early childhood educators (c) use screening
and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally,
culturally, ability, and linguistically appropriate to document developmental
progress and promote positive outcomes for each child. Early childhood
educators (d) build assessment partnerships with families and professional
colleagues.

Standard 4. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching
Practices

Early childhood educators understand that teaching and
learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary
depending on children’s ages and characteristics and on the settings in which
teaching and learning occur. They (a) understand and demonstrate positive,
caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation for their
work with young children. They (b) understand and use teaching skills that are
responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of
each child. Early childhood educators (c) use a broad repertoire of
developmentally appropriate and culturally and linguistically relevant,
anti-bias, and evidence-based teaching approaches that reflect the principles
of universal design for learning.

Standard 5. Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum

Early childhood educators have knowledge of the content of
the academic disciplines (e.g., language and literacy, the arts, mathematics,
social studies, science, technology and engineering, physical education) and of
the pedagogical methods for teaching each discipline. They (a) understand the
central concepts, methods and tools of inquiry, and structures in each academic
discipline. Educators (b) understand pedagogy, including how young children
learn and process information in each discipline, the learning trajectories for
each discipline, and how teachers use this knowledge to inform their practice.
They (c) apply this knowledge using early learning standards and other
resources to make decisions about spontaneous and planned learning experiences
and about curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation to ensure that
learning will be stimulating, challenging, and meaningful to each child.

Standard 6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

Early childhood educators (a) identify and participate as
members of the early childhood profession. They serve as informed advocates for
young children, for the families of the children in their care, and for the
early childhood profession. They (b) know and use ethical guidelines and other
early childhood professional guidelines. They (c) have professional
communication skills that effectively support their relationships and work
young children, families, and colleagues. Early childhood educators (d) are
continuous, collaborative learners who (e) develop and sustain the habit of
reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and
as members of the early childhood profession.