The NAECTE … part 2

The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) is found at www.naecte.org.  This is my second week discussing this organization and their website.  Check out the first week here. 

I was a bit disappointed on my further inspection of the organization because in order to get my hands on most things of interest, I need to be a member.  At this point, I am not able to afford the membership, so I am left not being able to see most of their resources for teacher educators.

The organization does offer something called ResearchNets to “facilitate scholarly pursuits on collaborative research projects.”  This is a community network to allow access to other’s research while you are working on your own, allowing for collaboration and conversation on the topics.  The two active ResearchNets are “Teacher Research” and “Technology in Early Childhood Education.” 

Other areas of the site that I can access are

• a listing of
books published by NAECTE members,

• awards and grants
presented by the NAECTE to its members,

• The NAECTE Foundation
which raises funds to advocate, support research projects, and offer scholarships,

•  Job Announcements (Which they currently have a great opportunity in Baltimore Maryland…), and

•  Links to related organizations

There is a page containing five documents, which are their position statements, by-laws, and policies.  Happily, the Position Statement reiterates everything that I have learned about early childhood appropriate practice and the importance of certification of our early childhood teachers. 

What I found interesting was their second document: The Early Childhood Teacher Certification Toolkit.  This toolkit is put together to help individuals or groups battle the powers that be in seeing appropriate laws and requirements be put in place to support the position statement.  While we all may not be fighting this particular battle, it is a great resource to read through (or skim), because it provides support and encouragement to persist and know that change happens, even if it seems like a grueling long process…. Something that I need to remember in my current state of unsurity of my future in early childhood.  Now I am going to get back to re-reading that first letter of the toolkit!

Taking a look at NAECTE … part 1

This is my first week sharing information with you about my selected organization.  The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) is found at www.naecte.org.  NAECTE was created and is sustained by members with a common interest in teacher education.  Their purpose is to promote professionalism, professional growth, advocate, discuss issues, share information, and provide a Journal and Conferences to support  growth and learning in the field. 

I first looked for a newsletter that I could subscribe to and found that they produce a newsletter quarterly.  I was disappointed because I wouldn’t be receiving weekly updates from the organization.  The most recent newsletter is dated Summer 2012 and its main focus is on preparation for the Professional Development Institute from the beginning of June.  The NAECTE meets during the NAEYC’s Professional Development Institute and the NAEYC’s fall conference. The newsletter also included highlights from 3 regional reports.  The highlight for me was the focus on Growing up WILD: Exploring nature with young children.  I had heard about this resource, but their information clarified the purpose of the resource in helping educators bring kids into nature and feel confident in the process. 

My next exploration into this site was their Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.  Through my studies already, I have used this journal in locating additional information.  The purpose of the Journal is to “provide a forum for consideration of issues and for exchange of information and ideas about research and practice in early childhood teacher education.”  Currently there is a call for papers for a special edition titled “Early Childhood Teacher Education: Why does it matter?  How does it matter?”  This may be one that I need to get my hands on when it comes out!

The primary issue or trend that this organization is focused on is the development of quality teacher education programs.  There are three policies that they state should be included in every certification agency and school district. 

1.      Require an early childhood certificate and/or endorsement for those teaching in classrooms for children five years old and younger in state funded pre-kindergarten and in kindergarten programs.

2.      Give priority in hiring and placement to teachers with an early childhood certificate and/or endorsement for public school classrooms for six, seven, and eight-year-olds (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades).

3.      Require that early childhood certification and/or endorsement be based on completion of teacher preparation programs that meet professional preparation standards consistent with those established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Stay tuned for more information about this organization in future blog posts!  AND – I did find a professional contact!  Next week I hope to share some information with you from a home-child-care provider in England.