Early Childhood Education as a Profession PDF

SECTION Who Are the 3 Teachers? CHAPTER 5 Teaching: A Professional Commitment  158 CHAPTER 6 Observation and Assessment of Children  191...

SECTION Who Are the 3 Teachers? CHAPTER 5 Teaching: A Professional Commitment  158 CHAPTER 6 Observation and Assessment of Children  191 CHAPTER 7 Guiding Children’s Behavior  235 CHAPTER 8 Families and Teachers: Partners in Education  261 © Cengage Learning CHAPTER 9 Creating Environments  281 CHAPTER 5 Teaching: A Professional Commitment PREVIEW QUESTIONS © Cengage Learning Who are the early childhood teachers and how does their teaching differ from other teachers? What are the eight essential attributes for successful teaching? What is a professional code of ethics, and why should we have one? What are some of the roles and responsibilities of early childhood teaching? What does it mean to be a member of a teaching team? Why are evaluations important? How can a beginning teacher ensure a positive start? NAEYC CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT These Core Values and sections from the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct are ad- dressed in this chapter. As you read, note how the Core Values, Ideals, or Principles listed here apply to the topics in this chapter. (Reprinted with permission from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.) A. Responsibility to coworkers Ideals: I-3A.1 To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, and cooperation with coworkers. I-3A.2 To share resources and information with coworkers. I-3A.3 To support coworkers in meeting their professional needs and in their pro- fessional development. I-3A.4 To accord coworkers due recognition of professional achievements.  CHAPTER 5 Teaching: A Professional Commitment 159 B. Responsibilities to employers development. She is now a certified first grade teacher in a Ideals: bilingual program and is working on her Master’s degree. I-3B.1 To assist the program in providing the highest qual- ity of service. All of these people had different motivations, yet they all I-3B.2 To do nothing that diminishes the reputation of the were drawn to the early childhood classroom. They may program in which we work, unless it is violating teach in different settings and have different educational laws and regulations designed to protect children or the provisions of this Code. backgrounds and skills, yet they do share common every- day experiences of the teacher of young children. They C. Responsibilities to employees plan, observe, listen, help, learn, play, console, discipline, Ideals: confer, comfort, and teach the children and adults who I-3C.1 To promote policies and working conditions that make up their particular world of early childhood. foster mutual respect, competence, well-being, and positive self-esteem in staff members. I-3C.2 To create a climate of trust and candor that will en- Teacher Diversity able staff to speak and act in the best interests of children, families, and the field of early childhood According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008), care and education. the teachers of young children represent the population I-3C.3 To strive to secure equitable compensation (salary in the following percentages: and benefits) for those who work with or on behalf of children. Teaching Hispanic/ Level White Black Asian Latino Child Care 78.9 16.0 2.7 16.8 Worker Who Are the Teachers Preschool and 80.0 14.3 3.0 10.4 of the Young Child? Kindergarten Elementary 86.6 10.3 1.6 6.9 Margarita had always wanted to be an early childhood and Middle teacher. Right after high school she went to a community School college and earned her A.A. degree. Shortly after her first child was born, she became a licensed family child care pro- These statistics tell us that today’s diverse demographics vider, and she now cares for infants and toddlers in her own are not equitably represented in the teaching population. home. It is important to Margarita that she feels she is mak- A 2001 study in three California communities from ing a contribution to the family’s well-being, as well as enjoy- 1994 to 2000 (Whitebrook, et al) noted that while ing a satisfying career. She plans to pursue her B.A. degree 50 percent of the classrooms in the study had Chinese- in the evenings when her children are older. speaking children, only 7 percent had a staff member Paul recently spent several years teaching in a school for who spoke Cantonese or Mandarin. Forty-four percent children with severe developmental delays. He has been a lead of the classrooms had Spanish-speaking children, yet teacher for 4-year-olds at the child care center for two years, only half were staffed by Spanish-speaking teachers or gaining experience with children whose developmental pat- caregivers. It is no wonder that parents in these pro- terns are typical. Paul wants to remain a teacher but is con- grams reported difficulty in communicating with the cerned about the salary levels. He has given himself one more staff because of language barriers. This raises the ques- year before he will make a decision to stay or leave the field. tion of how the early childhood field is upholding the Kendra’s four children were in parent-cooperative nurs- Code of Ethical Conduct as it relates to children and ery schools, where she enjoyed the companionship of many their families, hiring practices, and employment other parents of young children. After a few years of teach- opportunities. ing elementary school, she is now director of a parent co-op and teaches children from ages 2 to 5. She particularly en- Comparison with Teaching joys leading weekly parent discussion groups. Elva was the most sought-after parent aide in the school in Other Educational Settings after she began helping out when her two boys were ages 4 The nature of teaching in the early years is unlike that of and 5. This success stimulated her to get an A.A. degree in other age groups. At first glance, the differences in teach- early childhood education, then a bachelor’s degree in child ing preschool and older children may outweigh any simi- 160 SECTION 3 Who Are the Teachers? larities. There are some common elements, however, that Figure 5-1 highlights the similarities and differences be- link the two: tween early childhood teachers and others. Early childhood teachers teach what other teachers teach. The curriculum in the early years is rich in math, science, social studies, history, language, art, The Beginnings and geography, as it is in any other grade. Early childhood teachers and their elementary and of Professionalism high school counterparts share many of the frustra- NAEYC has developed standards for the field of early tions of the teaching profession—long hours, low childhood education to ensure that teachers receive the pay, and a people-intensive workplace. best possible professional preparation available. “Teachers They also share the joy of teaching—the opportu- are the key,” says Hyson (2003), who goes on to say that nity to influence children’s lives and the satisfaction it is the high quality early childhood professional, not the of meeting the daily challenges that teaching chil- curriculum, assessments, and strategies, that has the dren provides. greatest effect on children’s learning and development. Early Childhood Teachers: Differences and Similarities Elements of Teaching Elementary and and Learning Early Childhood Settings High School Settings How teaching and Through teacher–child interactions Through lectures and demonstrations learning occur and concrete use of materials that are often teacher dominated Guides children toward discovery Teaches subject matter Play opportunities Primary learning medium is play Usually just at recess Opportunity for child to Many choices throughout the day Few options—all students do same make choices both inside and outside activity most of the day Classroom environment Abundant floor space, many activity Rows of desks and tables centers, variety of materials for play Daily schedule Large blocks of time for unlimited 45-minute to 1-hour periods on exploration of materials and for play subject matter Small group interactions Majority of teaching Much less frequent Large group interactions Few times a day Majority of teaching Outdoor activity Teachers involved as intensively as Others usually supervise play yard— they are in the classroom little direct teacher interaction Parent relationships Frequent, if not daily, contact May see them once a year as child grows older Working with other adults Often works with aide, assistant Usually teaches alone or with part- teachers, and parents time aide Educational materials Toys, games, natural materials, blocks Textbooks and worksheets Evaluating students Observational and anecdotal Grades, tests, and report cards assessments, portfolios Emphasis on growth of whole child Standardized academic assessment Age range of students May have two- to two-and-a-half-year Usually same age age span or greater Art, music, and physical Available throughout the day as Restricted to a special class, time, or education an ongoing part of curriculum teacher Teacher training Strong child development foundation Emphasis on subject matter FIGURE 5-1 The nature of teaching in the early years is unlike that of other age groups.  CHAPTER 5 Teaching: A Professional Commitment 161 A set of standards for professional preparation pro- NAEYC’s Standards vides the vision for how teacher training programs and professional development will help teachers pursue the education, specialized training, and ongoing professional What Today’s Teachers Should Know and Do development they need. These standards echo the profes- 1. Promote child development and learning. Well- sional values found in the Code of Ethical Conduct and prepared early childhood professionals should: include the diversity of age ranges and programs in the understand what young children are like early childhood field. The standards identify common understand what influences their development expectations for professional knowledge and skills and use this understanding to create great environments where all children can thrive emphasize a multidiscipline approach to educating teach- ers. The importance of outcomes, which indicate what 2. Build family and community relationships. Well- prepared early childhood professionals should: early childhood professionals should know and do, are understand and value children’s families and stressed throughout the standards, as are the continual communities assessment of these outcomes. Figure 5-2 outlines the create respectful, reciprocal relationships five aspects of NAEYC’s professional standards. involve all families in their children’s Eight essential attributes of a professional teacher are: development and learning 3. Observe, document, and assess. Well-prepared 1. knowledge and skills early childhood professionals should: 2. abiding by a code of ethics understand the purposes of assessment use effective assessment strategies 3. continuing education and professional development use assessment responsibly, to positively 4. professional affiliations influence children’s development and learning 5. knowledge of career options 4. Teach and learn. Well-prepared early childhood 6. cultural competency professionals should: 7. advocacy build close relationships with children and 8. becoming a whole teacher families use developmentally effective teaching and learning strategies Knowledge and Skills have sound knowledge of academic disciplines or content areas There is a body of knowledge and educational founda- combine all of these to give children tion that is assumed of anyone entering the early child- experiences that promote development and learning hood profession, as noted in Figure 5-2: the NAEYC’s Standards. Some basic teaching skills are also necessary. 5. Become a professional. Well-prepared early childhood professionals should: These include methods and techniques appropriate for identify themselves with the early childhood teaching the very young child. profession The NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Profes- be guided by ethical and other professional sional Preparation outline key elements that begin with standards having a common background with others in the field. be continuous, collaborative learners think reflectively and critically This includes studying child development and human advocate for children, families, and the behavior, family relations, parent education and develop- profession ment, and curriculum planning, as noted in key elements in Standard 1. Some practical teaching experience under the guid- FIGURE 5-2 What today’s teachers should know and do. ance of a master teacher is expected, as is familiarity with (NAEYC, 2003. Reprinted with permission from the observation and recording techniques. The key elements National Association for the Education of Young Children.) in Standard 3 provide the framework for professional development as teachers acquire further skills on the job. those in the early childhood field. Professional expecta- Key elements in Standard 5 encourage lifelong learning tions mandated by the states provide some degree of that will advance teaching practices. professionalization of early childhood teachers. Becoming a professional teacher involves progressing Figure 5-3 is an example of the California statewide along a continuum of development. The state you live in certification program. This career matrix has a number of may or may not have regulations for early childhood levels, each with alternative qualifications for meeting teachers; some states offer a specialized certification for the requirements. Within each level, there are a variety of 162 SECTION 3 Who Are the Teachers? teaching roles. Each state defines its own certification degree. Match her plans with Figure 5-3 to see what standards. Information is available through the state’s other options she will have. Elva’s story demonstrates department of education. how education and experiences work together. Look back to the teachers you met at the beginning Experience and education work together to refine the of the chapter. Margarita is making plans to move from skills and knowledge of the early childhood professional being a licensed home caregiver to pursuing a bachelor’s as shown in Figure 5-3. In addition, Figure 5-4 has some A Career Lattice: Child Development Permit Matrix Level Education Requirement Experience Requirement Assistant 6 units of ECE or CD None Associate teacher 12 units ECE/CD, including core courses 50 days of 3 hours/day within 2 years Teacher 24 units ECE/CD, including core courses  175 days of 3 hours/day within 4 years 16 general education (GE) units Master teacher 24 units ECE/CD, including 16 GE units  350 days of 3 hours/day within 4 years 6 specialization units  2 units adult supervision Site supervisor A.A. (or 60 units) with 24 ECE/CD units, including 350 days of 4 hours/day including at core  6 units administration  2 units adult least 100 days of supervising adults supervision Program director B.A. with 24 ECE/CD units, including core  Site supervisor status and one program 6 units administration  2 units adult supervision year of site supervisor experience FIGURE 5-3 A combination of education and experience work together to form a ca- reer ladder for early childhood professionals in California who want a child develop- ment permit. General Role Definitions for the Early Childhood Teacher Title Description Minimum Qualifications Apprentice/ Is responsible to teacher for implementing Entry level, no previous formal training but Teacher Aide program enrolled in early childhood education classes Assistant or Is part of the teaching team under the Child Development Associate (CDA) Associate direction of teacher; may implement credential Teacher curriculum, supervise children, and communicate with parents. Teacher Is coleader who plans and implements Associate’s degree in early childhood curriculum, works with parents, and education or related field evaluates children’s progress Lead Teacher Creates a model classroom, applies good Bachelor’s degree in early childhood early childhood education practices, education or related field; supervised teaching supervises other team members, develops experience; additional coursework work in new curriculum, provides leadership to family life, assessment, supervision, etc. team FIGURE 5-4 There are many ways to reach the top of a career ladder. Each role has its own job description that will vary with the type of early childhood education setting. The qualifications will also be based on individual programs and their needs. (Adapted from Blueprint for Action: Achieving Center-Based Change through Staff Development, by P. J. Bloom, © 2005 New Horizons.)