Professionalism in the context of early care and education has received considerable attention in recent years (Caulfield, 1997;Harte, 2011;Tigistu, 2013). According to the 2010 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards for Initial & Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs, teacher candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs should identify and conduct themselves as members of the profession, know and use ethical guidelines and utilize other professional standards related to early childhood practice (NAEYC, 2012). In their final journal entry for a student teaching practicum course, teacher candidates in an accredited early childhood program reflected on what it means to be an early childhood professional. In alignment with the 2010 NAEYC Standards, teacher candidates appeared to recognize that being an early childhood professional means having an understanding of the specialized knowledge required to be effective in early childhood education. They also appeared to be aware that providing responsive, supportive curricula, which acknowledges and respects the whole child and family and their cultural backgrounds, is an integral aspect of the early childhood profession. Implications from this inquiry suggest that the early childhood program should ensure the fidelity to the NAEYC Standards by aligning assignments that incorporate the language and expectations of the Standards.
Learning trajectories (routes, curves) in preschool and how they helped a teacher develop goals and objectives for her students' mathematical knowledge. Learning trajectories have three parts: a mathematical goal, a developmental path, and a set of activities matched to each of those levels. Activities and a teacher's explanation are included.
To build on and encourage children's natural curiosities about shapes and their connection to the real world, early childhood learning environments should be constructed to support geometric thinking. Adults can provide opportunities for children to explore materials, engage in activities, and work in collaboration with peers and teachers to construct their own knowledge of the world around them.
To guide and support teacher candidates in developing the knowledge and skills they need in the classroom, teacher preparation programs must prepare students in acquiring the experience and expertise needed to demonstrate mastery of general knowledge in the specific subject or content area. In addition, teacher preparation programs must support candidates in maintaining knowledge of professional preparation and education competence that will guide student development. Therefore, faculty in teacher preparation programs are critical in supporting pre-service teachers in acquiring and developing the knowledge and skills in order to be effective and efficient in the classroom and to meet licensure requirements. To support the alignment of early childhood coursework in a teacher preparation program with a Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), the purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a redesigned course assignment that was intended to support the edTPA. The findings indicated that there are opportunities for candidates to develop their practice through course assignments that are aligned with the language and expectations of the edTPA.
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