The History of NAEYC By: Katie A. Wnukoski ECED 776 Dr. Shaffer 10/13/2016 Throughout our career as childhood educators, we observe the significance of the National Association for Young Children or NAEYC. It is recognized as “the nation’s premier organization for early childhood professionals-setting research based standards and providing resources to improve early childhood program quality” (Copple & NAEYC, 2001) for teachers, students, and families. Despite exercising the knowledge of what NAEYC means for our classrooms and the students in them, some may not know who or how the organization was founded. Knowing the background of NAEYC is important because it has a reputable history of providing universities and educators with high quality, researched, information. In order to ascertain a further purpose to why these standards matter and the importance of NAEYC in education, we must learn its history and its founders. The standards written for NAEYC have been chosen through the appropriate research, to suite multiple situations and practices. By learning more in depth of the theorists and researchers that have made NAEYC what it is today, allows us to see origins of each standard and how they have developed from theory, into a standard in today’s education. Through learning its history, we can fully understand the connotation of seeking the best solutions for achieving successful educational outcomes through research and observation of needs. The
Bruno (2009) notes “when adults take responsibility for healthy and safe environments, children are free to discover their world without barriers to impede them” (p. 180). As early childhood professionals, we have a tremendous duty of ensuring that all children, their families, and staff members engage in a safe and healthy learning environment. Ensuring health and safety determines the quality standards of an early childhood education and care program. The NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards (Health Standards 5 A-C) and the NACCP’s Components of NAC Accreditation Standards Health and Safety Standards (F1-8) provides guidelines that ensure consistent health and safety practices within early childhood programs. This short composition will compare and contrast the NAEYC and NACCP standards, discuss how the standards impact children’s social/emotional and academic development, and discuss the most important components of the standards.
The state of the early childhood profession has been discussed on the basis of the following key points in terms of the characteristics, complexities, strengths, challenges and the impact of the policies, trends and movements.
Chapter two discusses various theorists that helped to mold and shape early childhood education to where it is today. There are several different theorists that contributed to the development of early childhood education. Some of these theorists include Alfred Adler, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and John Dewey. Each theorist developed a unique theory that has caused early childhood guidance and education to flourish like it has today. Without learning and building on these theories, early childhood guidance and education would never develop or change. The chapter explains how some theories may seem strange to the contemporary families, but these theories are the foundation of how early childhood education got to where it is today. The book goes
The program’s philosophy is based on the NAEYC’s guidelines on developmentally appropriate practices and Froebel, Piaget, and Gardner’s early learning theories. We believe that every child can learn and grow with the proper care and instruction. The NAEYC defines practices as developmentally appropriate when they consider age and stage related differences, individual differences in learning style and preferences, and social and cultural differences among children (Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren, 2011). For this reason we believe that the best way to ensure positive development is to adapt the materials, activities, and the mode of demonstrating learning to meet the varied needs of our students.
For this presentation, imagine you are part of a team of teachers at an early childcare setting working toward accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). As part of this lengthy process, you have been tasked with
My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process
Education has come a extensive way from the times of Plato and Aristotle, but from each new era came a person with a concept that effected the world of education eternally. Sisters, Margaret and Rachel McMillian influenced education through their development of the Open-Air Nursery School in more way then one. Not only had they introduced the idea of starting education at a younger age then the fledgling kindergarten program, but their school was devised for kids from low- income areas that needed the extra care as well. A unique concept of the time that grasped my interest and made me want to discover more about their program and it’s effect on Early Childhood Education.
In order to respond this question, we must first review the history of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and Early Childhood Education (ECE). Although ECE has been around since the creation of kindergarten in the 1800’s, the decade of the 1980’s was an important period for ECE. “By the 1980’s, meta-analysis of the well-designed US projects offered compelling evidence on the positive outcomes of [early childhood education and intervention]” (Woodhead, 2007). Therefore, there was much pressure to improve the state of education, including ECE. “The decade of the 1980’s saw numerous calls for widespread school reform, with changes recommended in teacher education, graduation requirements, school structure, and accountability measures” (S. Bredekamp, R.A. Knuth, L.G. Kunesh, and D.D. Shulman, 1992). At this time, there was an increasing concern about the quality of early childhood education for the influx number of families that needed it. This led the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to “begin planning a national voluntary accreditation system for early childhood programs”(NAEYC, 2014). With this planning came a need for a more specific description with regards to accreditation guidelines. Therefore, NAEYC issued a formal statement defining DAP.
The NAEYC statement on developmental practice indicates change and continuity and change in the early childhood education field is vital due to the fact that their main commitment is excellence and equity. Nevertheless, all new knowledge gained over time has been advanced and increased. This means that with understanding, it has allowed us to revise and refine ideas for promoting children's development and learning. With developmentally appropriate practice, meeting and enabling the children are required. This means that teachers should get to know them well and push them to reach goals that may be a challenge but are achievable for them.
We are grateful for the support of J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation and Jeff Schoenberg. Jeff saw our potential early on and encouraged us to adopt a strategic member recruitment approach, which would allow MISSION: READINESS and SHEPHERDING THE NEXT GENERATION to recruit and engage advocates who educate the public and key policy-makers and win investments for early childhood education. In both the number of members recruited and the quality of our response to advocacy efforts, adopting Jeff's strategy allowed us to effect a quality expansion and win significant investments for children across the states. Now, six years later, Jeff is calling it right again in encouraging us to establish our presence in all 50 states to ensure that
One state policy in Loiuisiana is a call for excellence in early childhood education through NAEYC. The plan consists of all children having access to safe and high-quality learning. It also consist of professionals being supported in their career ladder as well as all families having access to early care and education programs that are affordable . Nevertheless, holding communities accountable for the quality of early childhood programs. This vision has already begun in the state of Louisiana. It is already in place that all staff working in early childhood is certified or holds a CDA endorsement. The state is tired of early childhood settings just babysitting and not following the purpose of early childhood in preparing our children to
Parents and society as a whole are realizing the importance of the first five years. They are realizing that “school readiness” is important and that we can do better for our children. As an industry, that has given early childhood the opportunity to grow both in a business sense and in an educational sense. It has given schools, like Lily Academy, the opportunity to grow the brand and has also forced all early childhood educators to reevaluate their mission and their vision for what they do and how they do it. Because of the demand for early childhood education by parents, the industry continues to grow.
Throughout the ECCE 1101 Introduction to Early Childhood course at Savannah Technical College there were several theorists introduced in the course that had a major impact on molding the foundation for an understanding of early childhood as a whole. Although the scope covered a broad spectrum of early childhood, majority of the main focus was on early education. The work of Lev Vygotsky greatly influenced the field of early education. This paper will include a brief summary of Vygotsky’s life, a description of his major ideas, and how those ideas impact early education today.
National Association of the Education of Young Children- promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8 by connecting practice, policy and research. Together, we work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential (NAEYC,2005). NAEYC provides educational childhood accreditation. It is the golden standard for early childhood programs. NAEYC promotes a shared vision of excellence with early childhood professionals.