PEA#1: Belief Statement

· LO2Define the essential attributes of becoming a professional teacher, including professional preparation standards and upholding ethical standards of behavior.

· LO3Demonstrate collaboration skills for team teaching interactions and proficiency in positive team relationships.

· LO4Understand how assessments relate to best teaching practices and professional development.

· LO5Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of field experience and articulate the value of supervised teaching

Competency Areas

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Standards for Professional Development

The following NAEYC Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation are addressed in this chapter:

· Standard 1 Promoting Child Development and Learning

· Standard 2 Building Family and Community Relationships

· Standard 3 Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families

· Standard 4 Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect With Children and Families

· Standard 5 Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum

· Standard 6 Becoming a Professional

· Field Experience

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Code of Ethical Conduct

These are the sections of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct that apply to the topics of this chapter:

1. Responsibility to coworkers

Ideals:

· I-3A.1

To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and cooperation with coworkers.

· I-3A.2

To share resources with coworkers, collaborating to ensure that the best possible early childhood care and education program is provided.

· I-3A.3

To support coworkers in meeting their professional needs and in their professional development.

· I-3A.4

To accord coworkers due recognition of professional achievements.

2. Responsibilities to employers

Ideals:

· I-3B.1

To assist the program in providing the highest quality of service.

· I-3B.2

To do nothing that diminishes the reputation of the program in which we work, unless it is violating laws and regulations designed to protect children or is violating the provisions of this Code.

Principles:

· P-3B.1

We shall follow all program policies. When we do not agree with program policies, we shall attempt to effect change through constructive action within the organization.

· P-3B.2:

We shall speak or act on behalf of an organization only when authorized. We shall take care to acknowledge when we are speaking for the organization and when we are expressing a personal judgment.

· P-3B.4:

If we have concerns about a colleague's behavior, and children's well-being is not at risk, we may address the concern with that individual. If children are at risk or the situation does not improve after it has been brought to the colleague's attention, we shall report the colleague's unethical or incompetent behavior to an appropriate authority.

5-1Today's Early Childhood Teachers

The field of early childhood education (ECE) attracts a wide range of teachers who come from a variety of backgrounds:

· Gloria married and raised her children before she returned to college to study for a bachelor's degree in child development. She became a head teacher in a local transitional kindergarten program.

· Natalia came to the local community college to learn how to start a family child care program in her home. As a new, young mother, Natalia wanted to be at home with her child while she contributed to the family's well-being.

· Juanita is the first member of her immigrant family to attend college. She is enjoying her courses in child development/early education and intends to pursue an advanced degree in special education after she gets her associate's degree. She has a part-time job in the campus child care center while she is in school.

· Rocky loves working with children and has enjoyed directing a parent cooperative nursery school. He especially enjoys the interactions with parents and has thought about pursuing a counseling degree. Right now, he is debating whether he can afford to stay in the field he loves. He needs a salary and benefits that will support him and his potential family.

These teachers had different motivations, yet they all were drawn to the early childhood classroom. They teach in different settings and have different interests. What they share is a commitment to teaching young children and knowing that the work they do is important.

Meeting together helps teachers maintain quality in their programs and reinforces their professional roles and responsibilities.

5-1aComparison with Teaching in Other Educational Settings

The nature of teaching in the early years is unlike that of other age groups. At first glance, the differences in teaching preschool and older children may outweigh any similarities. Common elements, however, link the two:

· Early childhood teachers teach what other teachers teach. The curricula in the early years are rich in math, science, social studies, history, language, art, and geography, as they are in any other grade.

· Early childhood teachers and their elementary and high school counterparts share many of the frustrations of the teaching profession—long hours, low pay, and a people-intensive workplace.

· However, they also share the joy of teaching—the opportunity to influence children's lives and the satisfaction of meeting the daily challenges that teaching children provides.

Figure 5-1 highlights the similarities and differences between early childhood teachers and others.

Figure 5-1

The nature of teaching in the early years is unlike that of other age groups.

Early Childhood Teachers: Differences and Similarities

Elements of Teaching and Learning	Early Childhood Settings	Elementary and High School Settings
How teaching and learning occur	Through teacher–child interactions and concrete use of materials Guides children toward discovery	Through lectures and demonstrations that are often teacher-dominated Teaches subject matter
Play opportunities	Primary learning medium is play	Usually just at recess
Opportunity for child to make choices	Many choices throughout the day, both inside and outside	Few options—all students do the same activity most of the day
Classroom environment	Abundant floor space, many activity centers, variety of materials for play	Rows of desks and tables
Daily schedule	Large blocks of time for unlimited exploration of materials and for play	45-minute to 1-hour periods on each of the various subjects
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 they are in the classroom	Others usually supervise the play yard— little direct teacher interaction
Parent relationships	Frequent, if not daily, contact	May see them once a year as the child grows older
Working with other adults	Often works with aides, assistant teachers, and parents	Usually teaches alone or with a part-time aide
Educational materials	Toys, games, natural materials, blocks	Textbooks and worksheets
Evaluating students	Observational and anecdotal assessments, portfolios Emphasis on growth of the whole child	Grades, tests, and report cards Standardized academic assessment
Age range of students	May have two- to two-and-a-half-year age span or greater	Usually most students are the same age
Art, music, and physical education	Available throughout the day as an ongoing part of curriculum	Restricted to a special class, time, or teacher
Teacher training	Strong child development foundation	Emphasis on subject matter

Enlarge Table

Diversity

Can You Speak Spanish? Chinese? Arabic?

How about Tagalog or Vietnamese? French? Korean? If so, you are a prime candidate to teach in today's early childhood programs. A record 61.8 million people living in the United States speak a foreign language, an increase of 2.2 million since 2010 (Zeigler & Camaroto, 2014). More than 1 million each speak Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Korean, and Arabic. The greatest increase has been in those speaking Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015) notes that in 2012, nearly 20 percent of those employed in the child care field were Hispanic or Latino; over 15 percent were Black or African American; and nearly 4 percent were Asian. Clearly, the early childhood field is not attracting broadly diverse teaching candidates.

These statistics reflect a stunning view of diversity of the nation's population, and the questions for those of us in the early childhood profession become: How do we teach the children of this great mix? Who are the teachers now, and who will be the teachers in the future? What is being done to ensure that all children, especially those who are vulnerable because they are linguistically and culturally diverse, will receive high-quality care and education?

As we know, children play an active part in their learning, and without teachers who can communicate with them and build supporting relationships, they will not benefit from their first experience in a school setting. The stakes are high and the challenge to all early childhood professionals is to advocate locally and nationally for teachers who look and talk like the children they teach.

5-1bThe Early Childhood Teacher's Role: Professionalism in Action

The variety of roles that early childhood teachers perform has been described in many ways:

· Storyteller

· Custodian

· Carpenter

· Adult educator

· Purchasing agent

· Staff supervisor

· Personnel

· Director

· Psychologist

· Traffic director

· File clerk

· Poet

· Parent

· Resource

· Nurse

· Business manager

· Employee

· Sociologist

· Conflict mediator

· Mediator

· Plumber

· Musician

· Faculty member

· Program planner

· Treasurer

· Employer

· Scientist

This diversity is what makes teaching in the early years so appealing. The multiple roles that a teacher plays add challenge to the job and underscore the importance of teachers who are well grounded in developmental and learning theory. Knowledge and experience enhances the teacher's ability to think on their feet as they collaborate and interact with children during the intense activity of the classroom. Collaboration reinforces the notion underlying many definitions that teachers are, first and foremost, lifelong learners. The teacher as collaborator is a significant part of the definition of the teacher's role in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy (see Chapter 10 ).

Let's look at the larger role of the early childhood teacher in and out of the classroom.

Interacting with Children

Teacher–child interactions—the spur-of-the-moment crises, on-the-spot decisions, caring and nurturing—bring both satisfaction and challenges. Helping Rhonda separate from her grandmother, soothing Josh and Benno after they bump heads, and talking with Alexa about her science project are examples of what lies at the heart of teaching young children. These encounters help to establish good relationships with the children. It is during these spontaneous, anything-can-happen-and-probably-will times that teachers display their craftsmanship and professionalism.

The art of teaching comes alive on the floor of the classroom. Teachers intuitively use their knowledge base, experience, and proven techniques as they reach back in their minds for all those things they know about children. Throughout the school day, they apply that combination of knowledge and know-how. Good classroom management depends on how teachers spend their time away from the children and give added depth and strength to the program after children leave.

Managing the Classroom

Being a classroom manager is a little like being a juggler. Both roles require the ability to think about and react to more than three things at once. With a simple gesture, a significant look, or merely moving nearby, the teacher maintains the ongoing activity.

Anticipating a clash between Nathan and Julie, the teacher, Miriam, intervenes, redirects them, and moves away. At the same time, she has kept a watchful eye on Bobby at the bathroom sink. Passing close to Francie, she touches the child's shoulder in brief acknowledgment, smiling down as Francie struggles with her story writing. Miguel and Lea run up to her, grab her by the skirt and hand, and pull her toward the science display. They need to ask her something about the snake . . . now! Jake, the handyman, has come into the classroom wanting to know exactly which of the climbers needs repair. Sarah, the parent volunteer, waves to Miriam: It's time to check on the corn bread baking in the kitchen. Miriam files a mental note of the names of the children who accompany Sarah to the kitchen. As she reaches for a copy of Ranger Rick (the book with the great snake pictures in it), she observes Angie and her father entering the room. They both look upset. Telling Miguel and Lea she will return, Miriam walks over to greet the latecomers. As she moves past Doug, the student teacher, she comments on how well his language game is going and suggests he continue for another five minutes. Glancing at the clock, she realizes it is almost cleanup time. Assistant teacher Cheryl watches Miriam and a nonverbal signal passes between them. Without a word, they both understand that snacks will be a little late today. Angie's father begins to explain their delay as Miriam bends down to invite the child to come and look at the new snake cage with her.

In this setting, the teacher's role is to supervise a number of people, all of whom add to the richness of a program. Miriam is the one who coordinates and supervises their various functions. Her role as a supervisor and manager includes:

· Caretaker in charge of maintaining a safe environment

· Observer of and listener to children

· On-the-spot teacher trainer for students, aides, and volunteers

· On-site supervisor for student teachers

· Liaison and communicator with parents

Teachers model learning, listening, and loving.

Setting the Tone

From the moment the teacher steps into the classroom, she sets the emotional framework . The use of body language, tone of voice, facial expressions, and verbal and nonverbal communication set the tone for teaching and learning.

Children are sensitive to adult moods and attitudes. When you exude calm, confidence, strength, support, the result is a more relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. When the mood is tense, the tone of the classroom is as well. When you believe that children deserve respect and are intelligent, capable human beings, the learning atmosphere is lively and supportive.

Tantrums, crying, resistance, curiosity, impatience, emotional swings, noise, and self-centeredness are typical behaviors in the early years as children strive to achieve a sense of their separate selves. The atmosphere that a teacher creates in the classroom is a key element in helping them through that process.

Planning and Evaluating Curriculum

As teachers move through the school day interacting with children, managing the classroom, and sensing the tone, they consciously or unconsciously evaluate what is happening:

· The relay race outdoors produced more tears than cheers; most of the children were interested in participating when the game started but drifted away. Why?

· The clay was not used today. How can we make this a more inviting activity?

· The toddlers are beginning to participate fully in the “Eensy Weensy Spider” finger play. What might they like to learn next?

· Several children have asked about Sasha's accent. When would be a good time to have him teach the class a few words in Russian?

The teacher notes where and how children played, the quality of their interactions, and possible next steps in the curriculum. These observations are discussed with other staff members at the end of the day or in weekly planning sessions. This process has its roots in constructivist theory: teachers watching and observing children to give meaning and support to their learning. Early childhood teachers use their observation skills, collect data as they work with children, and build emergent curricula around their knowledge of actual classroom practice and behavior. Effective ways to develop curriculum planning are discussed further in Chapter 10 .

Record Keeping

The type and variety of records vary from program to program. Report writing and record keeping are essential to any good early childhood program. Record keeping is based on a number of factors:

· The purpose for which the records are used. In programs that rely on government funding, record keeping is not optional. Children's progress, the teacher's performance, and the program itself must be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure continued funding.

· The philosophy of the school. In many programs, but especially in laboratory schools and teacher-training centers, teachers write periodical progress reports on the children to guide them in planning and to share with families.

· As part of a teacher-training process. Documentation is necessary in some early childhood training programs. Child Development Associates (CDA) candidates submit a written portfolio of their experiences in the classroom as supporting evidence of their competency as teachers of young children.

· As part of an accreditation process. The accreditation procedures of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) require documentation of the school's operation, ranging from governance and management issues to teacher effectiveness, space usage, parent involvement, school philosophy, and curriculum.

· As a commitment to quality and developmentally appropriate practices. A brief note taken on the run, a thoughtful anecdote written after class, or a checklist of the child's playmates for one day give teachers information and insights for a greater understanding of the children's needs and development.

· As a means of family information and education. Recorded observations, notes, and similar data may show that Abraham is not participating in any strenuous physical activity and avoids activities that involve balancing and climbing. This information, when shared with parents, could lead to a medical evaluation and diagnosis of possible perceptual problems.

· As a means of developing curricula. Emergent curriculum plans and learning activities sprout from such reports and records. It was not until such data were collected for entry into first grade that the kindergarten teacher realized most of the children in the class were not sufficiently proficient with scissors. A project approach remedied the need and the class learned a necessary skill.

Brain Research Says …

Staying the Course/Shaping Young Minds

Developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) are the basis for high-quality early education programs. We know that children are active learners who enjoy hands-on experiences and who learn best in environments that provide opportunities, choices, and challenges for growth. We base our teaching on sound child developmental theory and principles. We recognize that play is fundamental to children's learning. But are our basic tenets compatible with brain research findings?

Several researchers have linked some of the defining elements of DAP with neuroscience in a way that demonstrates the compatibility of what we believe to be best practices and what brain research tells us about how learning takes place. What follows is NAEYC's position statements on DAP and brain research principles (Rushton, Juola-Rushton, & Larkin, 2010), with our added applications for classroom use.

1. DAP: Development in one domain influences and is influenced by development in other domains.

Brain-Based Research: Each region of the brain consists of a highly sophisticated neurological network that interconnects one portion of the brain to another.

Classroom Applications: Use integrated curricula to allow for individual differences; use the five senses and Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory as much as possible.

2. DAP: Development proceeds at varying rates in each child, as well as unevenly within different areas of each child's functioning.

Brain-Based Research: Each brain is unique; learning new skills and knowledge changes the brain's structure; a spread in differences up to 2 or 3 years is normal in a developing brain.

Classroom Applications: Give children choices that meet their developmental needs; make time for discussion, movement, and active learning; encourage mixed-age groups or looping.

3. DAP: Optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning.

Brain-Based Research: “Windows of opportunity” exist in the brain, and the brain's plasticity allows greater information to be processed and stored.

Classroom Applications: Repeated experiences in various activity centers help develop problem-solving skills and long-term memory: large blocks of time give children time to absorb both new and familiar information; class and group discussions allow children to interact with each other on a regular basis.

4. DAP: Children are active learners, drawing on direct physical and social experience, as well as culturally transmitted knowledge to construct their understanding of the world.

Brain-Based Research: Learning does not take place as separate and isolated events in the brain.

Classroom Applications: Learning environments must include opportunities for children to interact with diverse people of all ages and cultures; field trips, guest speakers, and multicultural curricula help children better understand society and themselves.

Questions

1. What other elements of DAP reflect what you know about brain research?

2. How important do you think brain-based research is? Why?

3. How does this information linking DAP with brain research help you respond to those who promote a more academic structure to young children's learning?

Attending Meetings

Teachers need to communicate with the other people who are involved in the lives of the children, as well as attend professional meetings. Figure 5-2 lists the most common types of meetings.

Figure 5-2

Teachers attend many different types of meetings, which help them create better programs, learn more about children, and learn how to become better teachers.

Common Types of Meetings

Staff Meetings

Held usually once a week for individual teaching teams. Purpose is to plan curricula, set goals, and discuss children's progress. Faculty meetings for all school personnel may be held less frequently.

Parent–Teacher Conferences

May be offered on a scheduled basis, or they may be called by either parents or teachers as needed. Each school defines its own policy as to the number and frequency of parent contacts.

Parent Education Meetings

Many schools offer evening programs for parents. Teacher attendance may or may not be required.

Professional Meetings

Attendance at workshops, seminars, in-service training. Local, state, and national conferences are sponsored by the NAEYC, ACEI, and Child Care Coordinating Council.

Student–Teacher Conferences

In schools used as training sites, teachers arrange time with individual students assigned to their classes.

Home Visits

May or may not be optional. Some schools schedule them before opening day. Otherwise, teachers must arrange them on their own time.

Organizing and Collecting Materials

Some of a teacher's after-hours activities fortify and vitalize the classroom by adding additional materials such as photos for the bulletin board, replenishing curriculum materials, new books from the library, and researching a field trip to the organic farm. In some programs, teachers serve on committees and assist with ordering supplies and materials. All of these responsibilities fall to the family child care provider.

Making Contacts

Teachers may call or e-mail families to check on children who are sick or absent, return calls from parents and colleagues, or update a parent about a child's progress. For children with special needs, teachers may need to contact doctors, therapists, and other specialists. The popularity of e-mail has made some of the process of communicating with families much faster and easier.

Working with Families

Working with families may include working on multicultural events and curriculum or organizing class fairs or school fund-raising events. These duties are a part of the job of teaching young children, but many will be shared with staff. Though time-consuming, these responsibilities add to the creativity and care that teachers express for the children and their families. Chapter 8 discusses the teacher–family relationship in depth.

Sharing insights with colleagues helps the early childhood professional become more self-aware.

5-1cPersonal Attributes of Early Childhood Educators

All good teachers have dedication, compassion, insight, a sense of humor, flexibility, patience, energy, and self-confidence. Other hallmarks of a true professional are physical and mental well-being, a sense of ethical responsibility, and reliability. Well-rounded teachers also know that their interest in the world at large transmits itself to children. The following sections describe some other essential characteristics.

Self-Awareness

How do I make a difference in the lives of the children I teach? Asking that question, you have taken the first step toward self-awareness . Reflective and critical thinking about your teaching experiences gives you insights that foster your growth and learning. Implicit in the NAEYC's standards (see Figure 5-2 ) is that early childhood professionals are lifelong learners, pursuing the skills and knowledge they need through coursework, professional development, degree programs, training, and licensing. You have a greater appreciation of learning when you have a sense of it in your own life. You affect children's lives when you know the answers to these questions:

· Do I see myself as a learner? Where does my learning take place? How?

· Do I learn from other adults?

· Do I learn from children?

· What is my reaction, and what do I do when something is difficult or when I make a mistake?

Opening yourself up to the possibility of learning from students stretches your capacity to grow into relationships with children based on mutual respect and trust. This is especially important when teachers do not share the same cultural background or have no experience with a particular disability. Opening yourself to learning from other teachers creates a foundation for mutual support, collegiality, professional development, and deepening of friendships.

Self-knowledge—the process of examining values and personal qualities—takes courage and a willingness to take risks. Accepting oneself is where to begin in accepting children.

Attitudes and Biases

Values and attitudes weave their way into every relationship and reflect the ethical framework by which we live and teach. This can be both positive and negative. Personal beliefs concerning race, culture, gender, abilities, and economic status may negatively affect our teaching in ways we are not aware of. Facing prejudices about children and families based on long-held beliefs may be one of the most difficult things for a teacher to do. Most teachers will not have lived through the significant experience of adapting to a new culture, learning a new language, surviving on food stamps, or living in a wheelchair. They may be uncomfortable with people who have faced these challenges.

Personal histories are filled with biases. We have opinions of what is “good” or “naughty” behavior, about children who are messy, who have odors, whose clothes are too big or too small, who eat strange food, who don’t do what girls or boys are “supposed” to do. Some of these biases can be resolved, but only if a teacher takes the time to examine personal beliefs and biases.

In addition to working with children, teachers support parents when they keep in touch. A brief, friendly phone call can make a family feel included in their child's education process.

The anti-bias approach to teaching young children (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010) is an important teaching method. Widespread racial and ethnic prejudice is still prevalent in this country, and there is much concern about the harm they do to children's self-identity and self-esteem.

The anti-bias movement promotes the concept that all children are worthy of our respect and challenges teachers to examine beliefs, attitudes, and actions that might deny any child that unconditional respect. (See sections in Chapters 9 , 11 , and 15 for further discussion.) An anti-bias approach requires a shift from dominant culture thinking to a many-cultures approach by assessing the influence of the dominant culture's language, teaching style, curriculum, philosophy, and practices in early childhood settings (Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo, 2015).

The anti-bias approach affords teachers an opportunity to confront their own anxieties and biases through questions that promotes greater self-awareness, such as:

· Am I aware of my identity and its influences on my beliefs and behaviors?

· Do I have ethical beliefs that I follow? Is there a system of ethical behaviors related to working with children and families that I could learn?

· Do I foster respect for the value of those who are different from me? How?

· Do I examine my biases and look at ways that I can change my own attitudes? When? How?

· Do I show preference for children who most closely fit my own ethnic, cultural, and religious background? When? How?

· Do I somehow pass along my biases to the children I teach? When? How? With whom?

· Do I truly enjoy differences in human beings? When? With whom?

As you reflect on your answers and gain more insights into your teaching, you are enhancing children's cultures and families by learning to understand your own.

Teacher Burnout

Teacher burnout results when teachers are faced with a demanding workload, uncertain or inadequate rewards, and other pressures that prevent work effectiveness. Low morale, stress, and disillusionment occur too often in a profession in which staff quality is the most important single factor in program quality. At its most extreme, teacher burnout can drive a good professional out of the field altogether, a common situation in early childhood settings and one that creates one of the highest occupational turnover rates in the nation. Between 25 percent to 40 percent of child care workers leave the field each year (National Association of Child Care Resources and Referrals Agency, 2014). Figure 5-3 outlines some of the signs of teacher burnout.

Figure 5-3

Teacher burnout causes high rates of staff turnover which, in turn, affects the quality of an early childhood program.

Teacher Burnout: What Does It Look like?

Six signs that indicate you may be experiencing burnout are:

1. Exhaustion: being deeply and relentlessly tired

2. Extreme graveness: having no laughter or joy in your day

3. Anxiety: experiencing an unsettled feeling that seems to be pervasive

4. Being overwhelmed: feeling that you have no time to catch up

5. Seeking: wanting reflection time and productive collaboration

6. Isolation; the feeling of being alone, with appropriate professional support

(Adapted from Pillars, 2014)

Bloom (2005) cites 10 characteristics that produce a healthy and positive school climate that, in turn, promote high morale among the teaching staff:

· Friendly, supportive, and trusting staff relationships

· Emphasis on personal and professional growth

· Leadership with clear expectations who encourage and support staff

· Clearly defined roles and policies

· Fairness and equity regarding promotions, raises, and other rewards

· Staff involvement in decision making

· Agreement among staff on philosophy, goals, and objectives

· Emphasis on efficiency and good planning

· A physical environment that promotes responsible teaching and learning

· The ability to adapt to change and solve problems

Teachers' values and attitudes are reflected in the way they work with children.

Directors and staff must take the responsibility to work together to create the kind of climate that enhances success and satisfaction in the workplace. These issues are further explored in Chapter 15 .

-2Becoming a Professional: What You Need to Know

Becoming a professional teacher takes time and the integration of knowledge, training, and experience. The strengths and convictions that one has as a person blend with those values that one holds for working with children and their families. Professional standards and well-defined teaching attributes form the basis for the beginnings of professionalism.

5-2aProfessional Standards for Teacher Preparation

NAEYC has developed standards for the field of ECE to ensure that teachers receive the best possible professional preparation available. Highly trained teachers exemplify what quality is in early education. It is not the curriculum, assessments, or environmental setting that has the greatest effect on children's learning and development, but the quality of the teaching staff. These standards for professional preparation identify common expectations of what today's teachers should know and do as they pursue education, specialized training, and ongoing professional development. The standards parallel the professional values found in the Code of Ethical Conduct, including the diversity of age ranges and programs in the early childhood field and emphasizing a multidiscipline approach to educating teachers. On the inside covers of this book is a handy chart that shows where to find the standards in each chapter. Figure 5-4 outlines the aspects of NAEYC's professional standards . These standards are also correlated to each chapter's content in the front and back covers of this book.

Figure 5-4

What Today's Teachers Should Know and Do

[The Standards and Key Elements are from NAEYC, “NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation.” Position Statement. Washington, DC: NAEYC. Reprinted with permission from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).]

NAEYC's Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation

1. Promote child development and learning

· Know and understand young children's characteristics and needs

· Know and understand the multiple influences on development and learning

· Use developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments

2. Build family and community relationships

· Know and understand diverse family and community characteristics

· Support and engage families and community through respectful, reciprocal relationships

· Involve families and communities in their children's development and learning

3. Observe, document, and assess to support young children and families

· Understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment

· Know about and use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches

· Understand and practice responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child

· Know about assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues

4. Use developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families

· Understand positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundations of working with children

· Know and understand effective strategies and tools for early education

· Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning

· Reflect on your own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child

5. Use content knowledge to build meaningful curricula

· Understand content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines

· Know and use the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines

· Use your own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula for each child

6. Becoming a professional

· Identify and involve oneself with the early childhood field

· Know about and uphold ethical standards and other professional standards

· Engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice

· Integrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives of early education

· Engage in informed advocacy for children and the profession

5-2bEssential Attributes of a Professional Teacher

There are several essential attributes that shape the professional formation of a teacher. Each characteristic is echoed in the Standards for Professional Preparation and the Code of Ethical Conduct:

· Possess the knowledge and skills

· Abide by a code of ethics

· Participate in continuing education, professional development, and professional affiliations

· Have knowledge of career options

· Engage in reflective teaching

· Become culturally competent

· Advocate for children and their families

· Practice intentional teaching

Possess the Knowledge and Skills

There is a body of knowledge and educational foundation that is assumed to be possessed by anyone entering the early childhood profession, as noted in Figure 5-4 : the NAEYC Standards. Some basic teaching skills are also necessary. These include methods and techniques appropriate for teaching the very young child, the teacher's ability to relate to other adults, the quality of interactions with children, and skills in program planning.

The NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation outline other key elements that begin with having a common background with others that comes from studying child development and human behavior, family relations, parent education and development, and curriculum planning.

Teaching experience under the guidance of a master teacher is expected, as is familiarity with observation and recording techniques. Standard 3 provides the framework for professional development as teachers acquire further skills on the job, and Standard 5 encourages lifelong learning that advances teaching practices.

Becoming a professional teacher involves progressing along a continuum of development. The state you live in may or may not have regulations for early childhood teachers; some states offer a specialized certification for those in the early childhood field. Professional expectations mandated by the states provide some degree of professionalization of early childhood teachers.

Figure 5-5 is an example of the California statewide certification program. This career matrix has a number of levels, each with alternative qualifications for meeting the requirements. Within each level, there are a variety of teaching roles. Each state defines its own certification standards. Information is available through the state's department of education.

Figure 5-5

A combination of education and experience work together to form a career ladder for early childhood professionals in California who want a child development permit.

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 16 general education (GE) units	175 days of 3+ hours/day within 4 years
Master teacher	24 units ECE/CD, including 16 GE units 6 specialization units	350 days of 3+ hours/day within 4 years
Site supervisor	Associate's degree (or 60 units) with 24 ECE/CD units, including core + 6 units administration + 2 units adult supervision	350 days of 4+ hours/day, including at least 100 days of supervising adults
Program director	B.A. with 24 ECE/CD units, including core + 6 units administration + 2 units adult supervision	Site supervisor status and 1 program year of site supervisor experience

Enlarge Table

Professional Resource Download

Look back to the teachers you met at the beginning of this chapter. As each teacher sets goals for the next professional step, they may check with Figure 5-4 to see what other options they will have.

Experience and education work together to refine the skills and knowledge of the early childhood professional, as shown in Figure 5-5 . In addition, Figure 5-6 has some useful descriptions of the various roles that teachers have in early childhood programs. This chart also shows how the progression from teacher aide to master teacher is matched to increasing responsibilities and education.

Figure 5-6

There are many ways to reach the top of a career ladder. Each role has its own job description, which varies with the type of ECE setting. The qualifications are based on individual programs and their needs.

General Role Definitions for the Early Childhood Teacher

Title	Description	Minimum Qualifications
Apprentice/ Teacher Aide	Is responsible to the teacher for implementing program	Entry level , no previous formal training but enrolled in ECE classes
Assistant or Associate Teacher	Is part of the teaching team under the direction of the teacher; may implement curricula, supervise children, and communicate with parents	Child Development Associate (CDA) credential
Teacher	Is a coleader who plans and implements curricula, works with parents, and evaluates children's progress	Associate's degree in ECE or related field
Lead Teacher	Creates a model classroom, applies good ECE practices, supervises other team members, develops new curricula, provides leadership to team	Bachelor's degree in ECE or related field; supervised teaching experience; additional coursework work in family life, assessment, supervision, etc.

Abide by a Code of Ethical Conduct

Every day, situations arise with parents, children, other teachers, and administrators that cause genuine conflict about behavior. Some cases are clearly ethical dilemmas: suspected child abuse by a parent or teacher, talking about children and their families outside of school, or the firing of a staff member without due cause. Others may not seem as obvious. Some examples are:

5-2cWhen Parents

· Ask you to move their child into a reading group that you know the child is not ready for

· Want you to use discipline practices common to their family and culture but at odds with your own knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP)

· Attempt to gossip with you about another child, staff member, or family

5-2dWhen Another Teacher

· Suggests a private staff meeting outside of school with a select group of teachers to talk about the administrator or another teacher

· Refuses to take turns caring for the various pets

· Regularly misses staff meetings

· Disagrees with the school's educational philosophy and continues to teach in ways that differ from the approved methods in that setting

· Goes to the school administrator with a complaint about a staff member

5-2eWhen the Administrator

· Gives enrollment priority to a friend over the stated practices of first-come, first-served

· Makes personnel decisions based on friendship, not performance

· Backs a parent who complains about a teacher without hearing the teacher's side of the story

Doing what is right becomes difficult at times; knowing what is right may be elusive. Even identifying what is right—an ethical conflict—may not be obvious. Standard 5 points out that professionals are guided by an ethical code, such as the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (see Appendix A and the beginning of each chapter).

Ethics are the moral guidelines by which we govern our own behavior and that of society. We can strictly define ethics as the system that suggests that a personal code of ethics can be supported by a professional code of ethics. A code of ethics is a set of statements that helps us deal with the temptations inherent in our occupation. It provides collective wisdom and advice from a broad base in the profession. It states the principles by which each individual can measure and govern professional behavior. It says that a group or association has recognized the moral dimensions of its work. It provides teachers with a known, defined core of professional values—those basic commitments that any early childhood educator should consider inviolate. This protects teachers and administrators from having to make hard ethical decisions on the spur of the moment, possibly on the basis of personal bias. An established professional code supports the teacher's choice by allowing her to say, “I can’t do what you ask and neither can any teacher. It is against our profession's code of ethics.”

NAEYC's Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment includes four sections:

· (1)

ethical responsibilities to children;

· (2)

ethical responsibilities to families;

· (3)

ethical responsibilities to colleagues; and

· (4)

ethical responsibilities to community and society.

The Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment may be found in Appendix A at the back of this book. Figure 5-7 shows a basic list of core values that has emerged from this work.

Figure 5-7

These core values form the basis of agreement in the profession about standards of ethical behavior. See Appendix A for a full version.

Core Values of NAEYC's Code of Ethical Conduct

· Appreciating childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the human life cycle

· Basing our work with children on knowledge of child development

· Appreciating and supporting the bond between the child and family

· Recognizing that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture, community, and society

· Respecting the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague)

· Respecting diversity in children, families, and colleagues

· Recognizing that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust and respect

Professional Resource Download

Participate in Continuing Education, Professional Development, and Affiliations

Creative and stimulating classrooms are the product of teachers who continue to learn more about how to teach. After the initial stage of teaching, many teachers begin to seek new challenges and new ways to improve the quality of their teaching. Usually, this search leads to some form of continuing education , such as participation in workshops, courses, or seminars. Standard 5 reinforces the concept of teachers as lifelong learners.

The Code of Ethical Conduct is shared with all members of the center or school staff.

A classic work by Katz (1999) describes four distinct stages of teacher development, ranging from survival to maturity. The beginning teacher often feels inadequate and ill prepared during the first year of teaching (survival) but soon begins to focus on individual children and specific behavior problems (consolidation). By the third or fourth year (renewal), the teacher is ready to explore new ideas and resources and, within another year or two, has come to terms with teaching and searches for insights and perspectives (maturity). At each stage, teachers need differing degrees of on-site support (mentoring), with increased exposure to professional conferences and organizations.

There are many ways to pursue continuing education:

· In-service training programs in the school setting. Special personnel may provide specific information about relevant topics and lead the staff in discussions about children's behavior, family relationships, assessment charts, science curricula, and creating multicultural classrooms.

· The teaching staff develops a program of their own, offering their expertise to fellow faculty at an in-service meeting.

· A computer specialist, art resource teacher, or multicultural expert visits the classrooms, instructing children and providing staff with some useful ideas and plans.

· A family therapist speaks at a staff meeting about strategies for supporting families in crisis.

· A library for teachers, stocked with professional books, journals (such as Young Children) , newspapers (such as Education Week) , and e-letters such as Exchange Every Day, provides the staff with the means to keep up with current trends and practices.

· Parents who are professionals in a variety of fields can be utilized whenever possible to enrich the knowledge and skills of the staff.

Look back at the career matrix ( Figure 5-5 ) and see how many opportunities there are for advancement with the right education and experience. As you achieve each level, there are challenges to be met. A course in group dynamics, cultural sensitivity, or adult assessment portfolios enhances your chances to move into more satisfying work and enlarge your contributions to those you work with and to the profession as a whole.

Standard 6 of the NAEYC Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation encourages professional development by joining one of the organizations related to the early childhood field. One of the largest, NAEYC, has local and state affiliate groups through which one can become a member. NAEYC offers a range of services to its members, including conferences and publications such as the journal Young Children. The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) has a similar function, whereas the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) focuses on child psychology, research, and development. Abundant resources are available from these groups, and their websites are at the end of this chapter.

Have Knowledge of Career Options

The need for quality programs for young children has never been greater, and the demand for early childhood specialists will continue, fostered by national attention to the issues of children and families. If you are considering a career in ECE, the options are many and varied. Several of the standards point to specific early childhood careers. For instance, Standard 1 suggests a teaching or consulting job, and Standard 2 may lead toward a calling as a family–child therapist or community organizer. Figure 5-8 lists some of the possibilities that exist in this profession.

Figure 5-8

There are many challenges in a variety of careers awaiting the early childhood professional.

Career Options in Early Childhood Education

Direct Services to Children and Families

· Teacher in early childhood program

· Director of child care facility nursery school, Montessori program

· Family day-care provider

· Nanny or au pair

· Foster parent

· Social worker/adoption agent

· Pediatric nurse/school nurse

· Family therapist/parent educator

· Pediatrician

· Parent educator

· Early intervention specialist

· Recreation leader

· Play group leader

· Home visitor

Community Involvement

· State/local licensing worker

· Legislative advocate

· Child care law specialist

· ECE environmental consultant

· Interior designer for children's spaces

· Government planning agent on children's issues

· Consultant in bilingual education, multiculturalism

· Nutrition specialist for children

· Child care referral counselor

Indirect Services to Children and Families

· Curriculum specialist

· Instructional specialist—computers

· Child development researcher

· ECE specialist

· Program consultant

· Consumer advocate

· Teacher trainer, two- and four-year colleges

· Consultant

· Resource and referral programs

· State and national departments of education and/or human services

Other Options

· Communications consultant

· Script writer/editor

· Freelance writer

· Children's book author

· Children's photographer

· Microcomputer specialist/program consultant

(Adapted from “Career Options in Early Childhood Education” by Dianne Widmeyer Eyer. In Beginnings & Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education, 3rd Ed., Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. )

Engage in Reflective Teaching

A reflective teacher stops, looks, and listens. Reflective teaching is the process of setting aside lesson plans to look more closely at the broader meaning of teaching. A reflective teacher ponders each experience, probing more deeply for a greater understanding of what you might have learned. How did this experience inform your self-knowledge? What new insights do you now have of yourself as a teacher? As you watch yourself grow and change, you begin to gain deeper insight into the relationship between self-understanding and its impact on educational practices.

Reflective teaching is the result of insightful examination, self-awareness, and self-assessment. Reflective dialogue with fellow students, colleagues, and coworkers, supervisors, and mentors provides the opportunity to challenge yourself and strengthen your professional knowledge and understanding of the meaning of teaching.

Become Culturally Competent

Throughout this text, you will be exposed to cultural awareness and sensitivity in many contexts: diversity, immigrant children, and class differences in Chapter 1 ; cultural sensitivity and family cultural influences in Chapter 3 ; culturally appropriate guidance in Chapter 7 ; the changing American family in Chapter 8 ; culturally appropriate curriculum, inclusive curriculum, multicultural curriculum, and culturally responsive teachers in Chapter 10 ; and multicultural education, bilingual education, the challenges for immigrants, class differences, equal play and gender issues, and sexuality in Chapter 15 .

The culturally competent early childhood professional must be aware of the issues addressed in those chapters. The population trends within the United States have changed dramatically over the past few decades, and the ability to adapt to a diversified group of families is the challenge for teachers in the 21st century. Today's teachers need to build strong family and community relationships (Standards 2, 4, and 5) across all types of cultural diversity.

Teaching with Intention

Practice Intentional Teaching

Intentional teaching means that everything you do as a teacher has specific goals and a purpose; that you have given your actions a great deal of thought; and that if anyone asks you why you have done something, you have a sound explanation (Epstein, 2014). Just as the teacher is deliberate in choosing furniture placement and specific guidance strategies, so does intentionality play a part in what creates the best kind of learning experience. We know that children can and should learn by choosing to work and play in an area of interest to them. We also know that there are concepts and content that is best learned through teacher-directed learning experiences. Both experiences are important to the growing child. Through intentional teaching, a teacher sets goals, plans the lesson, selects teaching strategies, and focuses on the most effective way to help children learn. As children react and get involved, the teacher maintains the focus and control on the experience.

Intentional teaching can and should be fun. It allows creative thinking on the part of the teacher and the class. Jim wants his kindergarten class to focus on creating and extending patterns as part of the math curriculum, to learn that math can be fun, and to involve the class in creating the next steps. He begins by laying out pattern cards and colored blocks to match, which is an activity that most of the children have mastered. Next, he adds textured squares to the activity and suggests that the children make up their own patterns. Several days later, Jim adds a box of shells. Lena and Tony have been intrigued with each addition to the activity and ask Jim, “What else can we add?”

At group time, Jim poses the question to the class: “What else would you like to add to the pattern table?” Jody wants feathers, Jesus wants bigger blocks, Mike wants string, and Paola wants spaghetti. As the children call out further suggestions, Jim adds them to the list he is making, and says that he wanted some beans. The children become more animated and make more suggestions of food. “Okay,” says Jim. “Those are great suggestions, but some of them seem more like lunch than math! Let's vote on four that you like the most.” The class votes and the four items are added to the math table. “My pattern is so pretty I want to keep it,” says Carly. The next day, Jim adds construction paper and glue to the table. At group time, the children share their patterns by describing them to the class. Ryan goes first: “I've got a brown shell, a red bean, a yellow spaghetti, and green string, and then I have it all over again.” As they finish group time, Jim asks them to think about what they would do if one of the choices for their pattern ran out. The next day, he finds out.

As Jim explained to one of his colleagues, part of his plan was to assess which children were grasping the concept of patterning and were ready for more challenges and to see what experiences other children might need to understand patterns further. This example presents intentional teaching at its best.

In each chapter of this book, you will find a “Teaching with Intention” box that expands the definition of intentional teaching.

Think about This

1. How does “teaching with intention” alter your teaching strategies?

2. What is the most comfortable style for you right now: child-guided learning or teacher-guided learning? Why?

3. Describe your own definition of “teaching with intention.”

Advocate for Children and Their Families

Children need advocates to speak for them and their families on issues ranging from health care to education to poverty to professional quality, staff, and wages. It is up to the early childhood professional to give voice to the issues concerning our young children and to educate the public about those issues. Public policy makers on the local, state, and national level need to hear from those who can speak out for those who cannot. Part of the role of a professional early childhood educator is to join the voices that support educational and teaching reforms as specifically stated in Standard 5. Volunteer with a local organization and make a difference in the lives of teachers and caregivers. Local NAEYC affiliates need volunteers to support “The Week of the Young Child” campaign each year and to monitor public policy at the local and state levels. Some early childhood professionals find it useful to sit on the boards of child care and health organizations.

5-3Team Teaching: A Professional Collaboration

Numerous adults are included in the early childhood setting. Some of these people may be:

· Other teachers, aides, and student teachers

· Volunteers

· Program directors and administrators

· School support personnel, such as clerical and janitorial staff, food-service workers, and bus drivers

· Families

· Consultants and specialists

That list defines the broader meaning of team teaching . The majority of classroom interactions, however, are with other teachers, and these relationships are among the most important a teacher can have. The beginning teacher may join a team of teachers or may teach in a small class alone. This depends on:

· The age level of the children

· Licensing or accrediting requirements

· The size of the classroom

· The school's philosophy and practices

Team teaching is defined as two or more adults working together in one classroom with one group of children (Browne & Gordon, 2009). The team approach is common in many nursery schools and child care centers where larger groups of children attend. Kindergarten and first- and second-grade teachers generally teach alone in self-contained classrooms, sometimes with an aide. In extended-day and after-school programs, high school and college students may make up the rest of the team.

5-3aTeam Composition

Most teams are composed of people with varying skills, experience, and training. A typical group has a lead or head teacher—someone who is trained in child development or ECE. Assistants with less experience and training add support. Student teachers, interns, and volunteers may round out the group. A resource teacher—someone who specializes in art, music, or physical development, for instance—may also be available on a part-time basis.

Many state regulations mandate a minimum number of adults in the early childhood setting, and this minimum varies with the ages of the children. In infant programs, for instance, there is a higher ratio of adults per child (NAEYC suggests an optimal ratio of 1:4), so it is more likely that there are several teachers in one classroom. Together, the teachers shape, direct, and participate in that program as a team of teachers.

The prescribed ratio of adult to children changes as the children mature and become able to function in more independent ways. (See Chapter 2 for more examples.)

5-3bRole Definition and Satisfaction

In order to function successfully, each person on the team must have a satisfying role to play and to be appreciated for the special something that he or she brings to the team. All teachers want to know how their special talents and experiences contribute to the success of this program.

A written job description helps teachers understand the scope of their own position, as well as those of other staff members. Clearly defined roles also serve as a guard against legal and ethical problems, especially if children are injured at school. A clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities a teacher has is essential for the teacher's own sense of well-being and for the smooth functioning of the program.

5-3cFlexibility

It is important to adapt to the varying needs of children, and equally important to respond to the needs of other staff members. Flexibility involves a willingness to offer and accept negotiation and compromise to preserve the effectiveness of the whole staff's effort. A professional teacher has a willingness to change with the changing needs of coworkers, to be open to new ideas proposed by others, and to help children become comfortable with flexibility and change.

5-3dOpen and Frequent Communication

The ability to communicate thoughts, concerns, and feelings to others honestly and openly is perhaps the most important factor in promoting good team relationships. Good teachers work at becoming better teachers by developing skills in interpersonal relationships with other adults, just as they promote good social relationships among the young children they teach.

Communication problems and conflicts arise in every teaching situation. The Code of Ethical Conduct provides a road map for navigating some of the issues that create conflicts. The Code outlines clear expectations for professional and collegial behavior among staff members and employers. Review them in Appendix A . Communication takes many forms: verbal and nonverbal, written and spoken, and body language.

The three basic reasons for developing successful communication links with others on the teaching staff are:

1. To share information—about children and their families (“Sheila's grandmother died yesterday”); about changes in the schedule (“The dentist is unable to visit today; who wants to conduct group time?”); and about child development strategies (“Remember, we are all going to observe Leah's gross motor skills this week”).

2. To contribute new ideas—teachers encourage one another to keep teaching fresh and alive when they share a recent article of interest, reports from a conference they attended, or a successful art activity.

3. To solve problems—accepting differences in opinions, approaches, personality, and style among people is part of the challenge of working closely with others. Open communication is an ongoing process in which people have honest and frequent discussions of their differences, respecting each other's feelings and integrity and working together for mutually agreeable solutions. If the problem relates to another staff person, Section P-3A.1 of the Code of Ethical Conduct states that when we have concerns about the professional behavior of a coworker, we let that person know of our concerns and attempt to resolve the problem in a collegial manner.

4. 5-3eWho Am I?

5. As noted earlier, self-awareness is a prerequisite to becoming a professional teacher. The kind of self-knowledge that contributes to success as a member of a teaching team is your knowledge of how your strengths and weakness complement or conflict with other team members. How you perceive yourself as a leader and your ability to follow others can affect team relationships. Be aware of what you have done lately that caused you to learn more about yourself, especially as a member of a teaching team.

6. 5-3fMutual Respect and Acceptance

7. Appreciating and accepting the individuality of each team member are as important to the success of the program as are appreciating and accepting the individuality of each child. The climate of trust created through mutual respect allows each staff member to contribute openly and innovatively to the program. It helps to know what you have in common with your coworkers, whether and how their teaching philosophies differ from you and from one another, and what values they hold dear. You want to be clear about what you want them to respect and accept about you as well. Section P-3B.1 of the Code of Ethical Conduct makes it clear that when we do not agree with program policies, we first work within the organizational structure to effect change.

8. Professional attitudes and behaviors enhance team teaching.

Professional attitudes and behaviors enhance team teaching.

11. Collegiality

12. A sense of being a team does not happen by accident, but by conscious effort. Every member of the staff must be committed to working together on a daily basis, as well as to the long-term goals of the program. Bloom (2005) defines collegiality as the extent to which a team is friendly, supportive, and trusting of one another. Teachers can find support from one another as they share planning problems and achievements and grow in admiration and respect for one another.

13. Sharing the Spotlight

14. Tension among staff members can arise from a sense of competition. Teams function best when members learn how to share their strengths in ways that support the team without creating a competitive atmosphere. There must be a feeling of shared success when things work well, just as there is a shared responsibility when problems arise. One of the challenges of working on a team is to deal with feelings that may come from judging another teacher's abilities and successes. It helps to know how you feel and react when a parent praises another teacher in front of you or a child prefers another teacher to you. Section P-3A.2 of the Code of Ethical Conduct reminds us to base our views regarding the personal attributes or professional conduct of others on firsthand knowledge and its relevancy to the children and the program.

15. 5-3gEvaluations

16. Evaluations are part of the privilege of claiming membership in the teaching profession. No teacher can become truly successful unless provisions are made for ongoing evaluations that provide a clear picture that confirms strengths and pinpoints areas for growth. The evaluation process is discussed in depth later in this chapter.

5-3hWhy Team Teaching Works

There are many reasons why teaching in teams is such an integral part of so many early childhood programs. The advantages are numerous:

· Variety of adult role models. Teachers who are male, female, disabled, young, middle-aged, older, and varying in ethnic backgrounds bring equally diverse attitudes, approaches to children, interests, skills, and knowledge to share. This teaches children to accept differences in people as they watch adults interact with others on the teaching team.

· Support for children. The absence of one teacher is not as disruptive when the children can count on other familiar faces. This enables children to learn to trust the teaching environment because someone they know is always there.

· Lightened workload. There is a sharing of all the teaching tasks, from curriculum planning and cleanup to parent conferencing and record keeping.

· Enriched program. Talents and resources of the team are used to best advantage so that team members teach to their strengths, adding richness to the program.

· 5-4Performance Assessment: Key to Improved Teaching Practices

· Teachers are the single most important factor in determining program quality, and annual performance assessments promote continual professional improvement and growth. Timely and objective feedback guides teachers toward more effective teaching in their work with children, coworkers, parents, and administrators.

· 5-4aPurposes for an Annual Performance Review

· Many programs require an annual assessment of the teaching staff. An evaluation is a professional expectation and reflects the NAEYC's standards for a well-prepared early childhood professional. Personal performance reviews lend support to self-awareness, lifelong learning, and reflective teaching. There are a number of purposes for a performance review, which are described next.

· To Define and Clarify Job Responsibilities

· A clearly defined job description outlines a teacher's duties and responsibilities and forms the basis for the evaluation. Assessing specific job responsibilities is a part of one's professional self-definition, as well as a clarification of actual duties. Studying ourselves helps us know who we are and what we do. Assessing job responsibilities aids in this process and holds us accountable for our work.

· To Monitor Teacher Effectiveness

· Once clear guidelines are set for teaching expectations, a method is needed to monitor teacher effectiveness. This process may vary from school to school. In some schools, teaching effectiveness is measured, in part, by child achievement, such as how children score on tests. Other centers may solicit the opinions of parents and coworkers. Direct observations while teachers are working with children form a significant part of the assessment.

· To Identify Strengths and Challenges

· Timely feedback about teaching practices and other job responsibilities is helpful to all teachers, whether beginners or experienced personnel. An assessment that offers teachers information about how to perform their job better contributes to job competence and satisfaction. By recognizing strengths, teachers receive positive feedback for high-quality work. By identifying areas of concern, they can begin to set realistic goals for improvement.

· Evaluations are professional responsibilities that help to clarify job performance, professional growth, and challenges.

Evaluations are professional responsibilities that help to clarify job performance, professional growth, and challenges.

· To Create a Plan for Professional Development

· One function of teacher evaluation is to foster professional development. Teachers do not become “good” and then stay that way for life without making an effort to maintain that level. Regardless of their stage of development, teachers need to establish annual goals to continually improve. To be effective, goal setting must be embedded into an ongoing system of professional development. Reflect back on Figure 5-4 , which shows how education and experience work together to form a career ladder that can be used for goal-setting purposes. Figure 5-8 outlines many career options as well.

· To Determine Employment

· An evaluation can also be used to decide whether teachers should be retained, promoted, or released. Assessment procedures are an administrator's most valuable tools in making that decision. A clear and effective evaluation tool enables the administrator to monitor performance and target specific areas for improvement. The administrator then has a fair and equitable way to determine the promotional status of each employee.

· To Meet Accreditation Requirements

· Many programs seek accreditation by organizations whose standards they embrace. NAEYC is the leading accrediting body for early childhood programs through its National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. The self-study aspect of the accreditation process includes a teacher's self-assessment, the director's assessment of the teaching staff, and the teacher's assessment of the director. The criteria in the self-study provide the standards by which these evaluations are made, providing concrete ways to measure quality.

· 5-4bComponents of an Effective Assessment

· An effective evaluation process helps to challenge methods and assumptions and to identify ways to provide support for growth and change. Certain elements are common to all evaluations, such as those found in Chapter 6 for child assessments and in Chapter 2 for program assessments. In the assessment of teachers, the important components are purpose (as described earlier), evaluators, type of assessment, follow-through, and cultural sensitivity.

5-4cWho Are the Evaluators?

Several models have been developed around the issue of who assesses teacher performance.

Self-Evaluation

Self-assessment encourages reflective thinking and self-awareness and can be an important step in the evaluation process. Your insights, perspectives, and self-identified strengths and challenges help you to define your goals and objectives for the coming year:

· Goals are the learning outcomes you want to achieve, such as improving your ability to help children resolve conflicts. They are broad-based challenges that improve your teaching practices.

· Objectives are observable and define how you will achieve your goals. Action might include practicing observation skills to become more aware of a potential crisis before it erupts and intervening earlier in children's interactions. Objectives provide the detail for achieving your goals.

Figure 5-9 is an example of a staff evaluation form, which can also be used as a self-assessment tool.

Figure 5-9

Evaluation Chart

Evaluation of Teacher-Self

Evaluation of Teacher-Self

Enlarge Image

Professional Resource Download

A teacher's self-evaluation provides an opportunity to improve his or her effectiveness with children.

Supervisor Evaluation

Job performance and assessment is an administrator's responsibility.

Supervisors often use a single form combining a teacher's self-assessment and the supervisor's evaluation, such as Figure 5-9 . This kind of form assures the teacher and supervisor that both are using the same criteria for evaluation and includes appropriate categories for assessment, as noted in Figure 5-9 . In some programs, videotapes and portfolios add to the assessment process.

The assessment process is only as effective as the level of trust that is nurtured between the supervisor and the staff. Productive and satisfying evaluations are individualized to reflect the personality and teaching style of the teacher. Evaluations are backed up with a system of support that allows teachers to grow and learn to be more successful (Sciarra et al, 2016).

5-4dTypes of Assessments

Many evaluations are based on observable, specific information about a teacher's activities and responsibilities. This is known as a performance-based assessment . Figure 5-10 is an example of performance-based assessment with regard to a teacher's work with children. When paired with specific goals and expectations, this system is known as competency-based assessment .

Figure 5-10

Performance-based assessment ties the goals of the program to the teacher's work. This example asks the teacher to do a self-assessment; a director, parent, or peer could observe and make a second assessment.

Performance-Based Assessment

Teacher Goal	Example
To help each child develop a positive self-concept	I greet each child with a smile and a personal comment.
To help each child develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically	I have goals for each child in each developmental area in the fall and spring.
To help provide many opportunities for each child to be successful	My parent conference sheets have examples; for instance, Charlie didn’t want to come to group time, so I had him pick the story and help me read it—he comes every day now!
To encourage creativity, questioning, and problem solving	This is my weak point. I tend to talk too much and tell them what to do.
To foster enjoyment for learning in each child	I do great group times and give everyone turns.
To facilitate children's development of a healthy identity and inclusive social skills	I participated in our center's self-study and am taking an anti-bias curriculum class.

Enlarge Table

Competency-based assessments outline exactly what teachers must do to demonstrate their competency or skill in their job responsibilities. Criteria are set and areas are targeted that pinpoint what knowledge, skills, and behaviors the teacher must acquire.

The evaluation tools or format determine the validity of the gathered information. Informal techniques may result in unreliable conclusions. A process that is formalized and systematic, related to goal setting and professional development, has a greater chance of success. Although it is important to select an appropriate method and assessment tool, keep in mind that it is the process through which the evaluation is conducted that matters most.

Creating a portfolio is a DAP that reflects your professional growth and your insights about the nature of teaching young children. The DAP box describes how to build a portfolio.

DAP

Portfolio-Based Assessment

Portfolio-based assessments are a popular tool for helping teachers consolidate the experiences that help them become better teachers. A portfolio is not an assessment tool in and of itself. Rather, it is the display or collection system used to demonstrate evidence of professional growth. Folders, boxes, files, and binders are all used to house the collection of data. It is an intentional compilation of materials and resources collected over a period of time that provides evidence of your professional growth. Documentation is an important part of creating a portfolio because it provides concrete evidence of how you understand and implement developmentally appropriate practices and how you translate theory into action.

Your portfolio is ever changing and reflects your individuality by virtue of what it contains. As an assessment tool, a portfolio is useful in many ways. It helps you clarify your values, keeps you focused on the goals you have set, provides an avenue for self-reflection, and demonstrates growth. By what is included and what is omitted, a portfolio shows an evaluator tangible evidence of your abilities, provides a framework for setting new goals, and gives a more personal sense of your commitment and professionalism. A portfolio may include but is not limited to the following:

· Materials developed by you for use in the classroom

· A videotape of your teaching performance

· Lesson plans, with an evaluation of a specific activity

· Samples of conference handouts and programs, notes from in-service training, articles, and other materials you use as professional growth

· Articles written for newsletters and for families and colleagues

· A journal of teaching experiences

· Photos of field trips or projects

· Self-reflective notes on your teaching

· Professional articles

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008) is an observation tool that evaluates teachers on two critical aspects of performance. CLASS measures the emotional climate, and as noted earlier in this chapter, setting the tone (aka the emotional climate) is the teacher's responsibility. A supportive and positive climate fosters children's learning. CLASS also focuses on a variety of teaching strategies and how they set the stage for optimum learning.

Follow-Through

What follows an evaluation is critical to the overall success of an evaluation process. The important thing to remember is that assessment should be a continuous process because without follow-through, long-lasting improvement is unlikely to occur. Figure 5-11 shows how the circular process works in a feedback loop . Data are collected on teacher behavior and given to the teacher in person. Goals are set to improve teaching. A follow-up check is done periodically to see how—and if—goals are being met. Teaching improves as recommendations are put into practice.

Figure 5-11

A feedback loop is a continuous cycle in which teacher behavior is observed for a performance evaluation. The evaluation is offered through growth goals, which are set in order to affect teacher behavior. Thus, the circle is continuous, with each part helping the next.

Follow-through makes the feedback loop complete as information about improvement is communicated.

Evaluations take hard work, time, and dedication to a higher quality of teaching. It is also a shared responsibility. The supervisor must be explicit about a teacher's performance and be able to identify for the teacher what is effective and what is problematic. Teachers themselves must value the process and understand its implications for their professional growth.

Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity affects how a teacher interacts with others, and this needs to be taken into consideration when assessing a teacher's performance. Insight about a teacher's social and cultural background is particularly useful if the evaluator is a member of the majority population and the teacher is not.

There are five specific cultural factors that can affect communication, particularly where supervisors and staff members are concerned (Caruso & Fawcett, 2006). They are:

1. Time sense. Being on time and doing tasks in a timely fashion are high priorities for many people raised in mainstream American culture. Each culture has its own concept of time, and the teacher who is always late for meetings may be reflecting the cultural context in which he or she was raised.

2. Space. How close you get to someone while talking is also a function of cultural context. In some cultures, invading another's personal space (the “comfort zone”) is considered rude. If a teacher backs away, she may be considered cold and unfriendly; whereas if the teacher is the one getting too close, he may be seen as forward and aggressive. These perceptions may be innocent reactions based on their cultural sensibilities and should be considered in that light.

3. Verbal and nonverbal communication. Eye contact is seen in some cultures to be disrespectful if prolonged; to others, it may be a sign of interest and attentiveness. Other facial expressions, such as smiling (or not), gestures, and body language, communicate different things from culture to culture. Silence, too, is used in different cultures in a variety of ways, with an assortment of meanings. Speaking loudly may be a cultural norm, or it may communicate anger and accusation. Teachers and their supervisors need to learn each other's communication styles and be particularly aware of those that are culture-bound.

4. Values. Our values drive our behavior and responses. If a teacher comes from a background that emphasizes dependency in the early years and the school philosophy is one that encourages early independence, a cultural conflict can erupt and affect a teacher's evaluation adversely. Supervisors and teachers must understand each other's value system and what causes each of them to make certain decisions.

5. Concepts of authority. The way people deal with authority is also culture-specific. Early childhood professionals who supervise and evaluate staff members from cultures different than their own need to be aware of what cultural expectations surround the issue of authority. In some instances, authority figures are often male, and females are raised not to question authority. A “correct” answer may be more culturally appropriate than expressing one's true feelings or ideas. The supervisor can avoid misunderstandings if he or she is aware that the teacher is used to an authoritarian style of leadership from supervisors and gear the conversation accordingly.

Evaluators have a rare opportunity to create bridges of understanding between and among many cultures. Within their school community, they can create a two-way interchange about culturally relevant issues.

5-5Field Experience: Practice What You Teach

Professional preparation standards either require or recommend at least one practicum, or field experience of supervised work with young children in a group setting. For some students, a practicum may be the first hands-on opportunity to work with children.

5-5aLearning through the Practicum Experience

The student practicum experience provides opportunities to test yourself as a teacher. Through this professional preparation, you learn to:

· Connect knowledge and theory with classroom experience: Children's behavior exemplifies the child development principles learned in textbooks. Theory becomes alive as you observe children play and learn.

· Discover how children function in groups and with other children and adults: The range of children's social skills is apparent as they interact with peers and teachers. You notice how differently children behave as they work alone, in small groups, or in large groups.

· Collaboration techniques for working as a team member: Learning to be part of a team takes patience and practice. You learn to work with a variety of adults who have different skills and who model diverse teaching strategies.

· Intensive self-searching through self-assessment and reflective dialogue: You come to understand more about yourself and your abilities as you explore the broader meaning of teaching. You gain new insights as you take time to think about your role, attitude, behavior, and responses to the children you teach.

· Work with an on-site supervisor or mentor teacher: You and your supervising teacher will forge a working relationship based on goals that the two of you set for your practicum experience. Your supervisor observes, guides, and evaluates your experience, as well as encouraging and supporting your progress.

· Conduct group times and plan curricula: Your first opportunity to plan curricula is both exciting and challenging. Your knowledge of child development helps you create activities that are meaningful learning experiences. As you evaluate the activity with your supervising teacher, you gain greater understanding of the children you teach and your own skills as a teacher.

· Gain insights into yourself through ongoing feedback: Throughout your practicum, you receive feedback from your supervising teacher that helps you identify the strengths you bring to the teaching experience and the areas in which you need to improve. Evaluations and feedback promote reflective teaching, increase your skills, and tell you what progress you are making in meeting your goals. Feedback increases your confidence and promotes the standards of the early childhood profession.

· Approaches and strategies for developing relationships with children: The teachers you work with model highly polished skills as they relate to children. As you observe them and gain experience, you learn to help children solve conflicts, lead them in group discussions, and soothe their hurts. You also learn to ask a lot of questions of the teaching staff to find out why this approach didn’t work and that strategy was successful.

· Engage in DAP: Your practicum experience should lead you to a greater understanding of DAP. You see how teachers plan reasonable goals for each child based on the individual's developmental levels. You come to see that DAP is more than a definition of what to do; it is a way to meet children where they are.

· Appreciate the role of families in their children's development and learning: Through the family, we gain greater knowledge and understanding of the individual child. You learn how teachers build strong relationships with families in order to strengthen the bond between home and school. You also find a broad definition of “family” as it pertains to the diversity of the children in the classroom.

Source: Based on Browne and Gordon. (2013). Early childhood field experience: Learning to teach well. New York: Pearson.

A field experience can be a productive and valuable asset to your professional growth. Theory evolves into practice, knowledge and skills are polished, and the living laboratory provides rich opportunities to focus on professional preparation.

Through experience, teachers learn how to handle large groups of children. Learning to develop story time and reading skills is an ongoing process.

PEA#1: Belief Statement

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