Professional Standards and Competencies
Early childhood professional standards and competencies are guidelines for the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that early childhood educators need to have in order to provide high quality education to young children.
These standards help educators understand what they need to know and be able to do to provide the best possible learning experiences for children. They cover a wide range of topics, such as child development, curriculum planning, and cultural competence.
By meeting these standards, educators can ensure that they are providing high quality education that meets the needs of all children in their care. Professional standards and competencies also help to promote consistency and accountability within the field of early childhood education, which ultimately leads to better outcomes for children.
National Association for the Education of Young Children
In addition to the resources offered to members, there are many NAEYC resources and events that are available to non-members.
The NAEYC Annual Conference is an excellent opportunity for owners, employers and educator to learn from experts, network, and build their skills and understanding. The Annual Professional Learning Institute is a NAEYC event that focuses on the best practices in professional learning and building program quality. Locations for these events vary year to year.
NAEYC also has a process for programs to become a NAEYC Accredited program. This process supports programs and child care business to implement a set of research based standards. These standards include the topics curriculum, staff competencies, preparation and support, leadership and program management and families.
NAEYC has worked with educators, families, other early learning professionals, researchers and leaders to produce several positions statements. In Oregon, two of these statements are particularly useful to us. These are
Developmental Appropriate Practice (DAP) and
Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Position Statement.
NAEYC has also worked with many to produce a list with descriptions of
profession standards and competencies of early childhood educators. This recently updated sets describe behaviors, skills and knowledge that will help educators, owners and employer build strong programs and positive experiences for children and families. The Department of Early Learning and Care will be adopting these competencies for early educators into our professional learning system, and working with local CCR&Rs and other professional learning professionals to build trainings and session for educators, owners and employers.
In addition to the NAEYC competencies, the
ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™ provides further clarification and specification regarding competencies directly relating to the infant and toddler workforce. Training and support on the ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies™ is available through regional Childcare Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies across Oregon. To find out more about training and supports available on the ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies™, contact your local
CCR&R.
Oregon has a state affiliate of NAEYC-
Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC). ORAEYC provides trainings, conferences and resources to Oregon early learning professionals.