TEACHERS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

Standard #1: Core Knowledge.

The early childhood education professional possesses core knowledge that is extensive and comprehensive and goes well beyond common knowledge.

Performances

1. Incorporates core knowledge content in classroom experiences and activities.

2. Models learning about the world and shares the process involved in that learning.

3. Supplements and enriches learning through sources outside the field of education.

4. Demonstrates appropriate social and interpersonal relationship skills in a variety of contexts.

5. Uses effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques.

Knowledge

1. Understands fundamental concepts of fine arts, language, mathematics, science and technology, and social studies.

2. Knows importance of relating classroom experiences to core knowledge.

3. Understands basic social interaction and interpersonal relationship skills.

4. Knows effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques.

Dispositions

1. Appreciates the importance and relevance of a well-rounded education.

2. Values the process of creating, evaluating, and selecting content and activities from the core body of knowledge.

3. Enjoys learning and sharing learning.

4. Values all knowledge meaningful to the learning experience.

5. Values the need to be flexible in interpersonal relationships in a variety of social contexts.

Standard #2: Child Growth & Development.

The early childhood education professional understands typical and atypical growth and development within each developmental domain and possesses the knowledge to facilitate healthy growth and development in all young children.

Performances

1. Uses knowledge of how young children differ in their growth, development, and approach to learning to create and modify environments and experiences to meet the individual needs of all young children in an inclusive educational setting.

2. Uses knowledge of child development to facilitate the next developmental step for each child in the group and works with developmental specialists and special educators as necessary.

3. Demonstrates understanding of the developmental consequences of life events and stressors on young children's behavior and performance.

4. Recognizes signs of emotional distress, child abuse, and neglect in young children.

5. Recognizes typical and atypical growth and development in young children's physical growth, behavior, and performance.

6. Sets goals which reflect developmentally appropriate expectations.

7. Reports suspected emotional, physical, and sexual abuse or neglect to appropriate authorities.

Knowledge

1. Understands the process of development in all developmental domains in all young children from birth through age eight.

2. Understands and can critique major theories of child growth and development.

3. Knows how children differ in their growth and development and how to meet the individual needs of typically and atypically developing children in inclusive settings.

4. Understands how life events and stressors may prevent children from achieving optimal development.

Dispositions

1. Values the role of growth and development theories in informing practices with all young children.

2. Respects the ways in which growth and development in individual children may differ.

3. Commits to fitting the environment to the differing developmental needs of all young children.

4. Values the role of motivation in young children's lifelong growth, development, and learning.

5. Values the role of the teacher in helping young children and their families to cope with stress and crisis.

Standard #3: Foundations of Education & Learning.

The early childhood education professional understands the roles of history, philosophy, and educational learning theories as being fundamental to planning curricula that are developmentally appropriate for each of the individual children in a group.

Performances

1. Applies historical, theoretical and philosophical background knowledge, as well as contemporary research, to practice.

2. Discusses and shares with colleagues information about current theories and philosophies and their practical applications.

3. Adapts various aspects of curricula and program models to the early childhood environment in developmentally appropriate ways for all young children.

Knowledge

1. Understands learning theories and child development and knows how to use this knowledge in planning instruction to meet curriculum goals for all young children.

2. Knows history, philosophies, and theories of education that have influenced contemporary early childhood education practices and dispositions and is able to critique them in light of current research.

3. Understands major education and learning theories as well as major philosophical viewpoints and movements that have shaped education, as well as their strengths and weaknesses in a contemporary context.

4. Understands how research and theory influence current practices.

5. Knows current research about theories and philosophies of how all young children learn.

Dispositions

1. Values the rich history of education in general, and early childhood education specifically, as important to informing current practices with all young children.

2. Appreciates the importance of educational and learning theories, along with child growth and development theories, as fundamental building blocks of the curriculum and as the basis for developing one's own personal philosophy.

3. Appreciates that developmentally appropriate practices may be demonstrated in a variety of curricula and program models.

Standard #4 : Curriculum and Instruction.

The early childhood education professional understands developmentally appropriate practices and can develop curriculum and implement instruction for all young children.

Performances

1. Demonstrates current knowledge of how to implement meaningful, integrated learning and play experiences into curricula which promote the development of the whole child.

2. Uses individual and group observation and assessment information to design instruction that meets each child's current needs in their overall development and that leads to the next level of development.

3. Facilitates active learning and knowledge construction in the classroom through making choices available that: acknowledge the personal needs and interests of all young children in the environment; are multisensorial; recognize different learning styles, strengths, and developmental levels; provide real and relevant problem-solving situations; and encourage both adult and peer interaction.

4. Recognizes factors and situations that are likely to promote or diminish motivation; helps young children become self-motivated; uses individual as well as cooperative activities that help young children develop the motivation to achieve.

5. Creates plans that are linked to the needs and performance of all young children in the group, and adapts the plans to ensure and capitalize on progress and motivation, needs and interests.

6. Stimulates young children's reflection, promotes critical thinking skills, and encourages methods of inquiry by linking new ideas to familiar ones and to prior experiences; provides opportunities for active engagement, manipulation, and testing of ideas and materials; engages young children in research and hypothesis testing; and develops curricula that encourage young children to see, question, and interpret ideas from diverse perspectives.

7. Uses the state's proficiency guide and evaluates resources and curriculum materials for their reliability, accuracy, and usefulness for representing particular ideas and concepts.

8. Assesses how to achieve learning goals, how to choose alternative teaching strategies and materials to achieve different instructional purposes, and how to meet the needs of all young children in a group.

9. Selects and evaluates topics of study in terms of conceptual soundness, significance, and intellectual integrity.

10. Promotes positive strategies of conflict resolution, facilitates the development of personal self-control, and promotes positive social interactions among all young children in the group.

Knowledge

1. Understands that overall development influences learning and instructional decisions for all young children.

2. Understands how young children construct knowledge and acquire skills and how to use instructional strategies to create a child-centered environment that promotes student learning.

3. Understands how to highlight basic concepts, make connections, and guide the mastery of fundamental skills.

4. Knows about areas of exceptionality, different learning styles, and different performance modes and knows how to use this information to design instruction that encourages use of young children's strengths as the basis for growth.

5. Understands advantages and limitations associated with various instructional strategies.

6. Knows how to enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of resources.

7. Knows how to plan instruction to meet the goals in the state's proficiency guide and to create an effective bridge between those curriculum goals and young children's experiences.

8. Knows about the process of acquiring a new language and about strategies to support the learning of students whose primary language is not English.

9. Knows when and how to ask questions and stimulate discussion in different ways (e.g., helping children articulate their ideas and thinking processes, promoting risk taking and problem solving, encouraging convergent and divergent thinking, etc.).

10. Knows when and how to access appropriate services or resources to meet the needs of all young children.

Dispositions

1. Commits to making the curriculum meaningful to the everyday lives of all young children in the classroom environment.

2. Believes the teacher's role is one of facilitator who accepts children as they are and affords them opportunities to take risks as they learn.

3. Values curriculum planning and delivery of instruction as a collegial activity.

4. Believes that young children's growing need for mastery and autonomy is best fulfilled by facilitating mastery of certain concepts and skills.

5. Believes in setting limits for young children in such a way as to safely contain disruptive or potentially dangerous behaviors and to help children learn self-regulation while at the same time encouraging free and active exploration.

Standard #5: Family, Culture, and Community.

The early childhood education professional understands the influence of the family, community, and culture on the learning and development of the young child.

Performances

1. Integrates authentic experiences that reflect the diverse cultural characteristics, traditions, and viewpoints represented in the community beyond the school in the everyday early childhood environment.

2. Models respect for all individuals.

3. Involves families in assessing and planning for their young children.

4. Communicates in ways that demonstrate a sensitivity to differences in family structure, culture, and gender.

5. Accommodates family work schedules and other unique circumstances.

6. Links families to community resources.

7. Communicates effectively with parents and other professionals concerned with young children's well-being and overall healthy growth and development.

8. Develops and implements an integrated curriculum that focuses on young children's needs and interests and takes into account culturally valued content and young children's home experiences (e.g., language, religion, traditions, etc.).

9. Demonstrates the ability to involve families in a number of family education experiences (e.g., classes, workshops, conferences, etc.).

Knowledge

1. Understands young children's relationship to their families, cultures, and communities, and uses this information as a basis for connecting instruction to young children's experiences (e.g., drawing explicit connections between subject matter and community matters, planning activities that can be related to young children's experiences and cultures, etc.).

2. Understands that open communication and partnerships with families are essential to the healthy growth and development of all young children.

3. Understands cultural diversity and its impact on education.

4. Knows the cultural dynamics of the wider community.

5. Understands how gender differences can affect instruction and learning in the environment.

Dispositions

1. Respects the values of the families and cultural groups within the community beyond the school.

2. Respects the family's goals for their young children and believes in open communication with families about curriculum and children's progress.

3. Values all young children for their unique contribution in a diverse society.

Standard #6: Observation and Assessment.

The early childhood education professional is knowledgeable about methods of assessment and evaluation and uses assessment information to plan appropriate curriculum and to provide feedback for families.

Performances

1. Selects, develops, and uses performance-based assessments which are relevant to learning for the purpose of planning appropriate programs, environments, and interactions for all young children.

2. Selects, develops, and uses formative and summative evaluation of the overall curriculum to insure the general appropriateness and comprehensive quality of the total environment for young children, families, and the community.

3. Solicits and uses information about children's experiences, learning behaviors, needs, and progress from parents, colleagues, and the young children themselves for the purpose of planning curriculum and for assessing progress.

4. Conducts active classroom research and collaborates with colleagues to implement effective assessment.

5. Evaluates the effect of the environment on the group as well as individuals.

6. Uses self-assessment activities to help the children become aware of their strengths and to encourage them to set personal goals for learning.

7. Monitors own teaching behaviors in relation to young children's progress in order to modify instructional approaches.

8. Maintains useful records of young children's work and can communicate children's progress in meaningful ways to students, families, and colleagues.

Knowledge

1. Knows basic principles of measurement theory and how to select, administer, and interpret assessment strategies and instruments appropriate to the learning outcomes being evaluated.

2. Understands the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of different types of assessments (e.g., criterion-referenced and norm-referenced instruments, standardized tests, performance-based assessments, observation systems, artifacts of children's work, etc.).

3. Knows how to use informal and formal assessment strategies to ensure the continuous overall development of all young children in the group.

4. Is familiar with current research knowledge and recommendations concerning assessment for all young children.

5. Knows how to interpret assessment data in relation to local norms and expectations as opposed to national results.

Dispositions

1. Values ongoing reflection as essential to the instructional process and recognizes that many different assessment strategies are necessary for monitoring and facilitating young children's learning.

2. Commits to identifying young children's strengths through systematic, continuous assessment in order to create optimal learning environments.

3. Desires the collaboration of families, colleagues, and other professionals in the development of appropriate methods of observation, evaluation, and assessment of young children.

Standard #7: Professionalism.

The early childhood education professional embraces and actively models professionalism, ethical behavior, and commitment to lifelong learning.

Performances

1. Models the legal and ethical principles of the profession.

2. Advocates for equal access and the improved quality of programs, services, and living conditions for young children and their families, as well as for enhanced professional status and working conditions for early childhood education professionals.

3. Reflects on beliefs and practices, articulates a philosophy and rationale for decisions, and evaluates the effects of choices and actions on others.

4. Seeks out opportunities to remain current in the field by reading professional literature and by being aware of the available resources and professional organizations in the field.

5. Establishes and maintains positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, other professionals, paraprofessionals, volunteers, and families.

6. Protects the confidentiality of all young children and families with whom they work.

7. Sets short- and long-term goals for professional growth.

8. Contributes to the education profession through involvement in professional organizations and by engaging in activities that expand the early childhood education knowledge base whenever possible.

9. Promotes current best practices in early childhood education among other education professionals, policy makers, and the public.

Knowledge

1. Knows the legal and ethical principles which govern the profession.

2. Comprehends the importance of continuing education and professional growth.

3. Knows ways to examine, evaluate, and modify their own behavior.

4. Knows sources of assistance to enhance teaching and professional development.

5. Understands the importance of contributing to and participating in professional organizations and the professional growth of others.

Dispositions

1. Commits to upholding the profession's legal principles and code of ethical conduct.

2. Feels a passion for working with and guiding young children.

3. Values keeping abreast of current ideas and understandings in the field.

4. Commits to the ongoing process of reflection, assessment, and learning.

5. Respects the privacy and confidentiality of all young children and their families.

6. Values personal and professional growth.

7. Values working collaboratively with families and other colleagues.

Standard #8: Learning Environments.

The early childhood education professional promotes an environment that nurtures and encourages the physical, emotional, social, moral, aesthetic, language, and cognitive growth and development of all young children.

Performances

1. Involves all young children in the group in a smoothly functioning learning community in which the children assume responsibility for themselves and one another, participate in decision making, work collaboratively and independently, and engage in purposeful learning activities.

2. Implements a consistent yet not rigidly enforced routine that provides dependability and security for all young children in the group.

3. Creates an environment which encourages individual and group activities and promotes child-to-child and child-to-adult interactions.

4. Creates and modifies the environment and curricular experiences to meet the individual needs of all young children in the group.

5. Provides boundaries and expectations that all young children in the group understand.

6. Uses media communication tools and other learning technologies appropriately to facilitate learning.

7. Adapts the environment through the appropriate use of technology, including assistive technologies for children with disabilities.

8. Creates, evaluates, and selects developmentally appropriate materials and equipment for the environment.

9. Establishes and maintains a physically and emotionally safe and healthy learning environment for all young children in the group.

10. Organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space, and attention equitably for all young children in the group.

11. Creates and maintains a healthy, safe, clean environment and uses strategies to prevent accidents; promotes, models, and informs parents about nutrition for children at various ages; recognizes signs and symptoms of illness in children and actively works to prevent the spread of communicable diseases; and administers first aid and CPR as necessary.

12. Works with the administrator(s) to set up, maintain, and advocate for appropriate, safe, healthy environments for all children and their families.

Knowledge

1. Understands the relationship of the environment to learning.

2. Knows how to be a thoughtful and responsive listener and a careful observer.

3. Knows criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of materials, equipment, and physical space.

4. Understands how young children's social groups function and influence others in the environment.

5. Understands the role of peer and adult-to-child interaction in facilitating the construction of knowledge.

6. Understands that effective classroom management is based on the environment and knows strategies that promote positive relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom for all young children.

7. Understands the space and time requirements needed by young children for optimal learning and development.

8. Understands health (i.e., how to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and recognize when a child is ill), safety (including first aid, accident prevention techniques and strategies, CPR, and Universal Precautions), nutrition, and hygiene issues.

9. Knows how to use a variety of media communication tools to enrich learning opportunities.

10. Knows how to use a variety of assistive technologies and equipment for children with disabilities.

11. Knows how to communicate with and work collaboratively with administrator(s) in creating appropriate environments for young children.

Dispositions

1. Values both the active involvement of young children in shaping the learning environment and the teacher's role as facilitator.

2. Respects how the variability in children's activity levels, attention spans, health, and overall development affect the learning environment.

3. Commits to the expression and use of democratic principles in the classroom.

4. Values the many ways young children communicate.

5. Values the role of child-to-child, child-to-teacher, and teacher-to-family collaboration in establishing a climate of learning.

6. Believes that the environment must be open to adjustment based on needs and changing circumstances of all of the young children in the group.

7. Values an environment that affirms and respects young children's diversity.

8. Values the administrator's role in supporting appropriate early childhood environments in programs for young children and in facilitating the professional development of the professionals who work with the children.

Glossary

Draft/Not for Board Approval

All children or all young children in this document is a phrase that is meant to be inclusive and refers to all children who may be in an early childhood professional's classroom, including boys and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse groups, whether typically, atypically, or exceptionally developing.

All developmental domains, all areas of development, developmental domains, and overall development are terms used to refer to the consideration of growth and development in all areas including physical (small motor, gross motor, and physical), social, emotional, aesthetic, moral, language, and cognitive growth and development.

Core knowledge refers to fine arts, language, mathematics, science, technology, and social studies.

Developmentally appropriate or developmentally appropriate practices or DAP are terms that describe what is widely held as "best practices" for young children. DAP is a construct derived from research about child development and learning theories, teacher education, and real-life practice. DAP is not itself a curriculum but rather a philosophy or belief about how children learn that can be incorporated into a variety of curriculum models. Developmentally appropriate practices result from consideration of three main areas: (1) what is known about child development and learning (age appropriateness); (2) what is known about the strengths, interests, and needs of each individual child in the group (individual appropriateness); and (3) knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children live (cultural appropriateness) (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). Curricula that are DAP can be characterized as child-directed, yet teacher-framed.

Early childhood is the developmental period that includes children from birth through age eight.

The early childhood education professional, as described in this document, is an individual who achieves licensure for the purpose of practicing in a school accredited by the Indiana State Board of Education.

Whole Child is a phrase used widely in the early childhood field to indicate that all developmental domains (i.e., those listed above) are considered when addressing the needs of individual children rather than focusing exclusively on isolated skills in any one domain.