Sharing Web Resources: NAEYC

What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?

As we talk about Issues in the early childhood education programs of America the issue of quality and the gaps in quality are on the spotlight.  The availability of a high-quality early childhood program is a necessity in America and many people do not have access.  NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) is an association that has standards and a positional stake in the issue of the early childhood education, thus making them a program that is a pillar in the early childhood field.  Their accreditation validates programs all over the country.  In order for early childhood programs to be high-quality they need to hire and sustain teachers who are high-quality and involved in constant professional development.  Professionals need to be aware of issues and trends in their communities, have a deep understanding of pedagogy and up to date teaching strategies.





 
Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?

NAEYC posted "A Call for Excellence in Early Childhood Education" (http://www.naeyc.org/policy/excellence).  This call includes guidelines for advocacy for students, holding teachers, PARENTS, and students accountable, and also a call for early childhood access in general.  A child's early experiences are a critical dimension to their development and the proper support for families and their young children is an investment that will be returned to society through a "vibrant nation of healthy, achieving children and more stable families" (http://www.naeyc.org/policy/excellence).







The NAEYC website offers a plethora of information to professionals and parents that can help each to understand early childhood education, its stance on issues and topics, and what each can do to get involved.  I looked up information on their stance for Play which is a controversial topic because of the push-down for American students to achieve higher, I found information on developmentally appropriate practices for young children and all the initiatives NAEYC is a part of for the advocacy of young children and their families.