You and Early Childhood Education

Chapter 1 – Mrs. Wagner

I Like Milk

Focus Questions

• Who is an early childhood professional?• What can you do to embody the personal, educational,

professional practice, and public dimensions of professionalism?

• What is the terminology of early childhood education?• How can you prepare for a career in early childhood

education?• What does the future hold for the early childhood

professional?

Who is an Early Childhood Professional?

• Early Childhood Professional?– A person that has the personal characteristics,

knowledge, and skills necessary to teach and conduct programs so that all children learn.

– The ability to inform the public about children’s and family issues.

– A professional is a person who promotes high standards for themselves, their colleagues, and their students.

– Continually improving and expanding their skills and knowledge.

Figure 1.1 – Text Page 5

• Definitions of Categories of Early Childhood Professionals

• NAEYC – National Association for the Education of Young Children

• http://www.naeyc.org• Magazines

The Four Dimensions of Professionalism

• Personal Characteristics

• Educational Attainment

• Professional Practice

• Public Presentation

Personal Characteristics

• Four areas• Personal Character• Emotional Qualities• Physical Health• Mental Health

Personal Character

• Ethical Behavior• Having high morals and values• Legally and ethically proper• NAEYC developed codes of ethics that help

inform and guide professional practice.– PA Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for

Educators» http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/lib/teachi

ng/PACodeofConduct.pdf– Appendix A – Activity

Personal Character (cont.)

• Civility• Compassion, Patience, Acts of Kindness and

Helpfulness– Ex. Courteous with children, parents, and colleagues

• Additional Traits• Courtesy, Dedication, Respect, Enthusiasm,

Honesty, Intelligence and Motivation

Emotional Qualities

• What is the most important quality?» Love and respect for children» Understanding of children and their families» Compassion» Empathy» Friendliness» Kindness» Sensitivity» Trust» Tolerance» Warmth» Caring

Emotional Qualities (cont.)

• Why Caring?» Love and respect for children» Understanding of children and their families» Compassion» Empathy» Friendliness» Kindness» Sensitivity» Trust» Tolerance» Warmth

Good Professionals….

Care about all children!

Physical Health

• Why do you feel it is important to be healthy and fit as an early childhood professional?– When you are healthy, you can do your best and be your

best!– Wellness and healthy living are vital for the energy,

enthusiasm, and stamina that teaching requires and demands!

Mental Health

• Having good mental health enables professionals to instill in children good mental health habits.

» Optimism» Attentiveness» Self-confidence» Self-respect

• Maintaining a positive outlook on… » Life» The profession» The future

Educational Dimension

• Essential knowledge of the profession and professional practice

• Understand the ways children develop and learn

• Keeping up-to-date on public issues

Educational Dimension

• Vary from state to state– http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/lib/

teaching/EarlyChildhoodEducation.pdf– Teaching in PA: Nursery/Kindergarten Teac

her and Nursery/Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Educational Dimension

• Associate Degree Program

• Baccalaureate Programs• Master’s Degree

Programs• Doctorate in Early

Childhood Education or Child Development

• Two years

• Four Years• Four Years +

• Four Years ++

The Professional Practice Dimension

• This dimension includes:

• Knowing children

• Developing a philosophy of education

• Planning

• Assessing

• Reporting

• Reflecting and thinking

• Teaching

• Collaborating with parents, families, and community partners

• Engaging in ethical practice

• Seeking continued professional development opportunities

Child Development is the what of early childhood.

Early Childhood education is the how of the profession.

Early childhood professionals must be able to do the following…• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the early

childhood profession and make a commitment to professionalism.

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of child development and apply this knowledge in practice

• Observe and assess children’s behavior for use in planning and individualizing curriculum.

• Establish and maintain an environment that ensures children’s safety and their healthy development.

Early childhood professionals must be able to do the following…• Plan and implement a developmentally appropriate

program that advances all areas of children’s learning and development, including intellectual, social, emotional, and physical competence.

• Establish supportive relationships with children and implement developmentally appropriate techniques of guidance and group management.

• Establish positive and productive relationships with families.

• Support the uniqueness of each child, recognizing that children are best understood in the context of family, culture, and society.

Philosophy of Education…

• A set of beliefs about how children develop and learn and what and how they should be taught.

Text Pages 13 & 14

Planning

• Stating what children will learn and what children are able to do.

• State Board of Education: Academic Standards

• Selecting developmentally appropriate activities and materials and ones that are based on children’s interests.

• Deciding how much time to allocate to an activity.

• Deciding how to assess activities and the things that children have learned.

Assessing

• Assessment is the process of gathering information about children’s behavior and achievement and, on the basis of this data, making decisions about how to meet children’s needs.

Reporting

• “How is my child doing?”

• Helps you, as a professional, be accountable to the public in fulfilling your role of helping children learn and be successful.

Reflecting and Thinking

• Think before you teach, think while you teach, and think after you teach.

Teaching

• Teaching involves making decisions about what to teach, planning for teaching, engaging students in learning activities, managing learning environments, assessing student behavior and achievement, reporting to parents and others, collaborating with colleagues and community partners, and engaging in ongoing professional development.

Collaborating with…

• Parents • Families

– Children’s learning begins and continues within the context of the family unit, whatever that family unit may be. Learning how to comfortably and confidently work with parents is as essential as teaching children

• Community Partners

Engaging in Ethical Practice

• Ethical Conduct – the exercise of responsible behavior with children, families, colleagues, and community members.

Seeking Ongoing Professional Development

Opportunities

The Public Dimension

• Advocacy

• Articulation

• Representation

Advocacy

• The act of pleading the causes of children and families to the profession and the public.– Examples - abuse and neglect

prevention, health, children living in poverty

Articulation

• Early childhood professionals must be knowledgeable and informed about the profession and the issues it faces.

• They have to be able to discuss these issues with the public, the media, families, and others in the community.

Representation

• The process of acting in the best possible ways on behalf of children and families.

• Being a role model.

Four Dimensions of Professionalism

• Personal

• Educational

• Professional

• Public

Early Childhood TerminologyTurn to your text page 24.