1. ECED 263 Foundations of Early Childhood Education
Dr. Patricia Pinciotti

2. Becoming an ESU Pre K-4 Teacher
Syllabi
Admittance to Pre K 4 Program
Beginning Educator Portfolio – Next Tuesday
Materials
1 ½ Binder, 5 dividers, Plastic sleeves (10-20)
Copy in a Plastic Sleeve:
Student Evaluation,
PRAXIS I,
3 Clearance, TB

3. Housekeeping Assignments: For Tuesday Reading: Essential!
Chapter One & Chapter Two
Check it out!
Find two interesting items on each website
Place them in Concertina Book
ESU College of Education
NAEYC – check out website
National Head Start website
Pennsylvania State Aligned System - PASAS

4. Continuity and Change in Early Childhood Education
Chapter 1

5. ECE ~ A rewarding profession
Why are you here?
People Search
Why do ECE Educators stay in the field?
They know their work makes a difference in the lives of children and families

6. What is Early Childhood Education?
Highly diverse field that serves children from birth through age 8
In PA – Birth through grade 4
ECE teachers are professionals
They make decisions based on a specialized body of knowledge
Continue to learn through their career
Committed to providing the best care and education possible for every child

7. A Field on the RISE… Early childhood benefits from
Increasing public recognition
Respect
Funding
7 out of 10 voters wanted state and local government to provide prekindergarten for all children
ECE programs essential for school readiness and long- term success in life

8. The Landscape of ECE
ECE language consistent with National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC)
Founded in 1962, located in Washington DC
Mission is to act on behalf of the needs, rights, and well- being of young children from birth to age 8.
Early Childhood Education Standards
Preparation of Teachers at every level
Administration of an Accreditation system
Professional Development: Resources, Publications, Conferences

9. Early Childhood Educators
NAEYC ~ Work with various groups:
Infants and toddlers: birth to 36 months
Preschoolers: 3-4 year olds
Kindergartners: 5-6 year olds
Primary grades 1, 2, and 3: year
olds
PA ~ Work with various groups:
Primary grades 1, 2, 3 and 4: year olds

10. Head Start/Early Start Family Child Care Homes
Types of Early Childhood Settings
Schools
K – 4th
Public
Charter
Private
Head Start/Early Start
3-4-5 year olds in centers & homes-based programs
Infant-toddlers & families
Income –eligible families
Preschools
3, 4, & 5 year olds
Private or public
Pre Kindergarten
Parent cooperative
Laboratory school
Family Child Care Homes
Birth – school-age
Caregiver’s Home
Individuals and groups
Child Care Centers
For-profit or nonprofit
Infants/toddlers
Ages 3, 4, & 5
Before-and after school for school-aged children

11. Child Care
Typically refers to care and education provided for young children during the hours that their parents are employed
Type types of group programs:
Child care centers
Family child care homes
Before and after school care
Infants through age 9
Funded by parent tuition or subsidized for low-income families

12. Preschool Serves children 3 & 4 prior to kindergarten Operators:
Churches, temples, or other faith-based organizations
Parent cooperatives
Laboratory school
Other names:
Nursery school, Pre Kindergarten, Child Care Center
Funding:
Parent tuition – more middle-upper income families
Public funding- more low income families
Public Pre K programs and Head Start and

13. Public Prekindergarten
Pre K – preschools funded by the state and local departments of education
Fastest growing sector of the field
,000 preschoolers
By 2005 increase of over 1 million children
Primary purpose: To improve schools readiness
National Education Goals Panel, 1995 include:
Physical development, health and safety
Social-emotional development and learning
Cognitive development & general knowledge (math/science)
Positive approaches to learning - curiosity and motivation
Language development and early literacy skills including the arts

14. Head Start
Federally funded, national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children ages 3, 4, & 5.
Provides educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to the nations poorest children and families
Parent involvement essential component - volunteering, governance, move out of poverty
12% of Head Start enrollment is children with disabilities; 33% speak a language other than English
Early Head Start (1995) serves low-income pregnant mothers, infants and toddlers & healthy family functioning

15. Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
Serves children with disabilities or special needs who meet eligibility guidelines that are determined on a state-by-state basis, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Early Intervention – services for infants and toddlers who are at risk of developmental delay and their families
Inclusion – Participation and services for children with disabilities and special needs in programs and settings where their typically developing peers are served.

16. Kindergarten and Primary Grades
Kindergarten – first year of formal schooling
Enrolling 5 & 6 year olds; legal entrance age varies
Primary Grades – first, second and third (fourth in PA) where they acquire the fundamental abilities of reading and mathematics along with the foundation of other academic disciplines
Good foundation = less likely to struggle
Learning to read….then read to learn
Choice: within districts and in Charter Schools

17. Early Childhood Expansion
1965 – 60% of 5 year olds went to school; Today 95%
1960 – 10% of 3 & 4s enrolled in ECE programs; – 60% are in some type of preschool program
Increased demand: Preschool is now the beginning of school whether mothers are employed or not
Related to increased demand for working families
63% of women/child under 6 in labor force
59% of women/child under 3 in labor force

18. Access to ECE programs
Young children who live in poverty – less likely to attend preschool than middle or higher income families
89% ($100,00) compared to 55% ($20,000-30,000)
Head Start and state funded Pre K programs increased participation rates for low income families – serve only about 60%
Variations in Participation
Mothers education – 87% of college grads vs 55% high school dropouts
Ethnicity of 4 year olds: 75% African Americans, 69% white children; 59% Hispanic