1. Continuity and Change in Early Childhood Education
Chapter 1 – part B

2. Importance of Quality in Early Childhood Education

3. What is Quality?
Child Care Licensing Standards – minimum level, varies considerably
Quality Rating and Improvement System – STARS
Accreditation Standards ~ NAEYC
Voluntary,
Relationship among the standards
Focus on Children and teachers, partnership with families/communities, and administration
Military Child Care Act – significantly improved quality and learning outcomes
Head Start Performance Standards – comprehensive services

4. Measuring Quality Quality includes two interconnected factors:
Structural – features of an ECE program that are relatively easy to measure
Process – Quality of the relationship and interactions among teachers and children and their appropriateness
Development of observation tools
ECERS-R – Environmental rating scale
CLASS – instructional strategies
!!High score = Higher scores on measures of language, literacy , mathematics and social-emotional abilities

5. Effective, Intentional Teaching
Purpose for everything they do
Can explain that purpose
Multifaceted, multidimensional concept that conveys many of the personal qualities of an early childhood educator.
Caring and committed
Enthusiastic and engaged
Curios and creative
Respectful and responsive
Passionate and patient
Purposeful and playful
Focused and flexible
Aware and Accountable
Informed and effective
Listening and learning

6. Culture of Early Childhood Education
Culture is the rules and expectations for behavior of members of a group that are passed on from one generation to the next
Shared vocabulary
Shared identity
Shared values (21) - eg. play
Shared beliefs

7. The Positive Effects of ECE
Positive experiences in the early years – literally grow babies’ brains
Negative experiences such as prolonged stress, physical or sexual abuse or exposure to violence can have dire consequences for brain development.
Early intervention including intensive early education and comprehensive support services for families – the earlier and more intensive the better -- can ameliorate the negative effects
!! Critical importance of early intervention

8. Closing the Gap Right from the “starting gate”
At age 4 – children who live below the poverty line are 18 months below what is considered normal for their age group
Children in the lowest socioeconomic group have average cognitive scores that are 60% below those of the most affluent group
Inequality in socioeconomic status is the most important predictor of children’s cognitive skills
Children living in poverty – less likely to have access to high- quality programs; Encounter poor elementary schools
Start behind – stay behind

9. Current Trends in ECE Universal Prekindergarten Movement
Standards and Accountability: What? How?
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – public schools accountable for eliminating the persistent gaps in achievement between different groups of children
Report student progress; use scientifically based instructional practices
Alignment of Preschool and K-3
Higher Teacher Qualifications

10. Continuity and Change Chapter 1 Concertina Internet Search Chapter 2
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Table 1.3 – Review
Chapter Summary
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Chapter 2
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