Introduction
Teachers have an immense impact on children, their development, and their future. The quality of the education provided shapes children’s abilities and outlook on the world, influencing the landscape of the future world. To provide children with the utmost quality of education, teachers should focus on developing not only the skills and knowledge of the pupils, but also their own. To make classroom work thorough, impactful, and powerful, teachers must be aware and well-versed in childhood education standards.
Competencies in NAEYC Standard Six
Identifying with and Participating in the Early Childhood Profession
Standard six of the NAEYC professional standards is divided into five subsections called competencies. Each of the competencies is extremely important for children’s future development (NAEYC, 2019). The first competency instructs them to identify and become involved in the early childhood field. This means that teachers should take an authentic and empathetic approach to the pupils, fostering an understanding of what children need and want, and what they should be protected from.
Ethical Conduct and Professional Guidelines
The following competency is to know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines. Children cannot articulate their needs and rights at the early stages of their development, making them vulnerable. Here, educators must use their professional knowledge of local, state, and national policies to defend the children’s interests. In addition, the teachers should be able to use ethical guidelines to resolve professional and personal ethical dilemmas successfully.
Continuous, Collaborative Learning and Technology Use
The third category is engaging in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice and using technology effectively with young children, peers, and as a professional resource. In today’s world, many disciplines, including education, are developing incredibly. It is the teachers’ obligation to keep up with new developments and accurately implement them in the classroom, which is made easier by engaging in collaborative learning. Introducing new technology into education allows teachers to enhance and improve the classroom experience.
Reflective and Critical Perspectives
The fourth competency is integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education. In order to develop critical thinking in children, teachers need to possess and cultivate these skills regarding the sources and methods of education. Furthermore, teachers need to be able to use feedback from peers and superiors to reflect on their work. This would allow teachers to improve or modify the work done in the classroom.
Advocacy for Children and the Profession
The last competency states that teachers should serve as informed advocates for young children, families, and the profession. This means that teachers have the responsibility to educate themselves regarding the inequality within current society and how it affects people, relaying this information to children comprehensively. Furthermore, the teacher should advocate for marginalized groups, promoting equal treatment and mutual understanding among various social groups. Lastly, teachers should practice their rhetoric by employing and supporting equality in their profession and personal lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, teachers should adhere to several education standards to ensure the quality of education. Standard six provides much advice on becoming a professional in the early childhood field. It shows that teachers must understand children, reflect on their work by accepting feedback, and learn in collaborative environments. In addition, it states that teachers should promote equality and be well-versed in ethical and political guidelines.
Reference
NAEYC. (2019). Professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators. Naeyc. Web.