I have spent a little time of the association's website this week and found myself reading their position statement on teacher certification for early childhood teachers.
The position statement calls for teachers who work with children 8 years and younger to have specialized training in child development. This requirement is to assure that children receive instruction from teachers with the best possible teacher preparation.
A growing body of research, including studies on brain development, demonstrates that the experiences of
the first years of life have a decisive and long-lasting impact on all areas of children’s later
development and learning. This research shows that young learners have unique needs and learn
in different ways than older children.
The statement goes on to list the elements necessary for providing quality care to these young children:
- Attention to social and emotional development is essential in young children’s school experience. Children need support to develop the capacity to form and sustain positive relationships with other children, teachers and other adults and to develop the social and emotional skills essential for living and working cooperatively with others.
• Conceptual development in young children is based on a foundation of direct experience
that enables them to later understand abstract concepts.
• In order for young children to master literacy skills, they need to learn how to
communicate, to acquire and understand vocabulary and linguistic concepts, and to
develop the ability to recognize and decode print and to understand words in context.
Not all teachers or even administration understand the importance of early childhood educators having specialized training in child development and teaching practices.
For example: the school my children attend treat pre-k and kindergarten students the same as they do older students. Their classrooms are arranged the same as a fourth or fifth grade classroom, with rows of desks and assignments written on the board. You would never dream you were standing in a pre-k classroom; and this is an accredited program!!
I have attached the link to the position statement: http://www.naecte.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=4
The Association website also posts an early childhood teacher certification tool kit which I found to contain useful information and am sharing it as well: http://www.naecte.org/docs/Toolkit%20for%20use%20with%20NAECTE%20Position%20Statement%20on%20Teacher%20Certification..pdf
The Association website also posts an early childhood teacher certification tool kit which I found to contain useful information and am sharing it as well: http://www.naecte.org/docs/Toolkit%20for%20use%20with%20NAECTE%20Position%20Statement%20on%20Teacher%20Certification..pdf
4 comments:
Crystal,
Wow! That is a very interesting way to arrange a class for K and pre-k students. Do you see any benefit(s) to having a classroom arranged in such a way? I really like the NAEYC website as well, I'm using one of their papers on the inclusion of same-sex parents and their children for my application paper this week.
Cheers,
Jeff
Crystal,
I completely agree with the fact that children's social and emotional development are vital to their future success. Our oldest son is high-functioning Autistic and although he is academically ahead of his peers, his social and emotional regulation skills are lacking. He will not be able to function in a classroom without these skills. We work on them with him every day and he is also receiving Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy to assist in his development. I fully believe that early childhood teachers should be trained in this area because these skills are vital for all children to function in society and be successful.
Hello Crystal,
Thanks for sharing this website. I agree that in order for young children to master literacy skills, they need to learn how to communicate, to acquire and understand vocabulary and linguistic concepts, and to develop the ability to recognize and decode print and to understand words in context. I always say communication is the key.
Jeffery,
I do not see any benefit whatsoever!! The problem is that the teacher, the administration nor anyone on the school board has any training in early education....so they set up a classroom like any other class. I've given them my thoughts and ideas, but it falls on deaf ears.
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