Introduction
Purpose of the Paper
There exist numerous requirements for early childhood professionals (ECPs) related to their personal and professional qualities (Colker, 2008; NAEYC, 2010a; NAEYC, 2010b). The purpose of this paper is to study the standards related to ECP activity and provide questions that could be asked for an ECP to help learners better understand these standards.
Short Summary
The first section of the paper summarizes one of the standards for ECP activity and justifies the choice of this standard. The second section provides five questions about the standard. The third section supplies contact information of an ECP that could answer these questions, and an explanation of the purpose of asking these questions.
Summary of Standard Five and Justification of Choice
Summary of the Standard
According to the Standard Five, ECP should employ their knowledge in a variety of disciplines (including language, mathematics, science, social studies, and numerous arts such as dance, music, visual arts) to teach children these disciplines, understand their crux, and positively develop (NAEYC, 2010a, pp. 35-37; NAEYC, 2010b, p. 2).
Justification of Choice
ECPs are required to use a variety of knowledge and skills while caring for children (Durden, Mincemoyer, Gerdes, & Lodl, 2013). Knowing about the standard on this will allow me to understand more about the professional requirements of ECPs. In my personal life, it will let me realize what my children need, and help me provide better education for them. In my professional life, it may help assess ECPs (if, e.g., clients have issues against the ECP working with them).
Finally, it will let me advocate for children by promoting better funding for ECPs; it is stressed that they earn much lower wages than e.g. K-12 teachers (Feeney, Galper, & Seefeldt, 2008), which, undoubtedly, may cause a shortage of ECPs and a worse quality of their preparation, for the best professionals are likely to seek employment elsewhere.
Questions and Corresponding Rationales
Question 1 and Rationale
What difficulties did you face while obtaining the knowledge, skills, and educational background necessary for ECPs?
Understanding the nuances and difficulties involved in getting the necessary knowledge and skills will, as was stated, allow me to promote better funding for ECPs, increasing the quality and availability of ECP service on the macro level.
Question 2 and Rationale
What methods and guidelines do you employ when creating a curriculum for young children?
Realizing what nuances ECPs take into account while creating curricula will help me better comprehend the needs of particular children, and advocate for them in a more efficacious way.
Question 3 and Rationale
What content do you include in your curricula?
Knowing the contents of the curricula will let me better realize what is required by the standard, and will help me assess curricula created by other ECPs should their customers have issues with them.
Question 4 and Rationale
What methods do you employ to diversify the care and education you provide for children?
Knowing how to diversify education for children will not only help me to advocate for a more varied education for children but also to provide my kids with better training.
Question 5 and Rationale
What strategies do you utilize to comply with the need for lifelong learning?
Being aware of the strategies of an ECP’s lifelong learning will let me know how particular ECPs address the need to supply children with innovative knowledge so that I may more effectively deal with this need of children that I will advocate for.
Explanation of the Purpose of the Assignment for the Request
To become a more efficacious advocate for children, I need to more clearly understand the standards of the activity of early childhood professionals. In particular, I would like to know more about the Standard Five related to the use of knowledge by childhood professionals to create a better curriculum (NAEYC, 2010a, p. 35; NAEYC, 2010b, p. 2). I would appreciate it if you could provide me with answers to some questions related to this standard.
Conclusion
Summary
We explored the Standard Five related to the activity of ECPs, provided five questions that could be asked about this standard, and offered a way to write to an ECP and ask them these questions.
Next Steps
The next steps may include finding more ECPs and interviewing them on how they implement the standards supplied by NAEYC (2010a; 2010b) in their professional life.
References
Colker, L. J. (2008). Twelve characteristics of early childhood teachers. Web.
Durden, T. R., Mincemoyer, C. C., Gerdes, J., & Lodl, K. (2013). Extension’s capacity to deliver quality early childhood professional development. Journal of Extension, 51(5), 1-17. Web.
Feeney, S., Galper, A., & Seefeldt, C. (2008). Continuing issues in early childhood education (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. Web.
NAEYC. (2010a). 2010 NAEYC standards for initial and advanced early childhood professional preparation programs. Web.
NAEYC. (2010b). 2010 Standards for initial early childhood professional preparation. Web.