Chapter 1: An Overview of the Field of Early Childhood Education
Overview
In Chapter 1, we introduced the term teaching practice and referred to the “field” of early childhood education (ECE). In the last two decades, much attention has been paid to the difference between a field and a profession of ECE (Goffin & Washington, 2007). The intensity of attention about defining ECE as a profession has increased considerably, but this attention is far from new. As early as the mid-1960s, Bettye Caldwell wrote about the limited concern for defining the field (1967). In this chapter, you will explore the definition of “profession” and consider whether ECE fits that definition. You will learn about a recent effort by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and partners to position ECE to be recognized as a profession. You will also become aware of the currently used and various systems of standards and codes that define the professional behavior and conduct of the ECE practitioner. This chapter aims to addresses the expectations of a professional early childhood educator as you prepare to move into that role.
Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
- Define professionalism using widely accepted criteria.
- Describe the ways in which early childhood education meets the criteria of a profession.
- Describe the process undertaken in the Power to the Profession initiative and the intended goal of the initiative.
- Describe the main issues the Power to the Profession initiative took on.
- Describe standards used to define and regulate the work of early childhood educators, including
- The Washington Administrative Code
- Washington State Core Competencies
- NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
- NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct
- Define advocacy and describe how this activity is part of professionalism in ECE.
Key Terms
- Advocacy
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Educator
- ECE Field
- Ethical Conduct
- Ethical Dilemma
- Ethical Finesse
- Ethical Ideals
- Ethical Principles
- Ethical Responsibility
- Field of Practice
- NAEYC
- Personal Advocacy
- Profession
- Professional
- Public Advocacy
- Scope of Practice
- Stackable Certificates
- Unifying Framework
- WAC
Attributions
- Chapter opening image: Preschool Teacher Reads to Class by Allison Shelley for EDUimages is released under CC BY-NC 4.0
