Professionalism in Early Childhood Education: Framing Best Practices

1. Chapter 3 Professionalism in Early Childhood Education:Framing Best Practices

2. Starting Questions • What do you believe are the most important rights of children, parents, and teacher? • A professional credo is a set of defined beliefs and commitments. What would you write if you were writing your own professional credo? • How do you believe teachers of young children should conduct themselves with other teachers, with young children, and with families? What does ‘professionalism’ mean to you?

3. Professional Associations • Emphasize that knowledge of child development is key foundation • Support strong partnerships with families • Promote observation and assessment as integral to quality practice • Articulate a code of ethics for ECE practice

4. Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) • Mission to enhance developmental outcomes for children all over the world and support high quality teacher education • Global Guidelines document provides concrete indicators of ethical practice and align with program assessment tool

5. Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children • Serving children and families at risk for disabilities • Website provides checklists and strategies for best practices in inclusion • Journals and publications guide and support programs, teachers, and families

6. Zero to Three • Multidisciplinary research-based site covering a broad range of topics including mental health, nutrition, language and literacy, play, brain development, behavior, and others • Website is tailored for families, providers, and policy-makers

7. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) • NAEYC is early childhood professional organization • Mission to promote high-quality, developmentally appropriate programs for all children and their families • Provides guidance statements on best practices • Publishes current research, engenders conversations • Conducts large annual conference • Maintains accreditation program for child development centers

8. DAP Position Statements • Developmentally Appropriate Practice • Advocates for emphasis on applying child development theory to practice • Recent revisions include culturally and individually diverse perspective • 2009 revision integrates an emphasis on literacy and mathematics in the scope of play-based practice

9. DAP Framework • Teachers as reflective, deliberate practitioners and decision makers: • Knowledge of child development • Knowledge of individual children • Knowledge of unique culture and social background • Teachers as learners: • Keep abreast of current research • Work as a team with colleagues, children, and families • Build a repertoire of effective teaching strategies

10. DAP Curricula • Resists push-down, overly academic programs in favor of play-infused, child-centered, engaging programming • Integrates all domains of development • Activities should be meaningful, authentic, balanced, and engaging • Constructivist: active, hands-on, challenging, social

11. DAP Assessment • Systematic authentic assessments to guide programming and assess progress • Observations • Work sampling • Performance assessments • Work reciprocally with families to develop more complete picture

12. NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Statement (COE) • Guidance for handling ambiguous dilemmas (you’re torn between obligations, beliefs) • More than one possible solution • Parties involved are in conflict • Resolution has positive and negative consequences • Obligation to all parties involved

13. Ethics • Guide professionals in respectfully and sensitively handling ethical dilemmas and conflicting situations. • Ethical dilemmas are complex situations that are not solved by research or law and for which there is more than one course of action, with potentially negative impact on one party.

14. COE Basic Guidelines • Respect worth and dignity of every child • Valuing childhood as a unique time • Supporting family bonds • Fostering healthy development • Validating the impact of individual culture

15. Key Considerations • Teachers are in position of power and authority over children. You must maintain: • Personal integrity—doing the right thing because it’s right, not because someone is watching • Professional ethics and responsibility— holding yourself to a high standard, taking responsibility for your actions

16. Teachers’ Responsibilities • Preserve child’s right to safe, healthy setting • Empower each individual child • Remain current in field research • Ensure access to quality programs for all children • Above all else, DO NO HARM

17. Reflection Questions • What professional ideals do you value? • What key principles of the DAP or Code of Ethical Conduct statements do you think would be the most challenging to implement? What can you do to alleviate those challenges?