Chapter 3 Summary

Who are the children?

The children you will work with are as diverse as the people that work with them. Many programs are
divided by age groups, so that is one way to define “who”:
• Infants – from birth to about 12 months (1 year) of age
• Toddlers – from about 12 months (1 year) to 30 months (2 ½ years) of age
• Preschool – from about 2 ½ to about 5 years of age
• Pre - Kindergarten or T-Kindergarten – usually 4-5 year of age
• Kindergarten – 5 years of age
• Early Elementary (Grades 1-3) – 6-8 years of age

Who are their families?

Often, when we choose to work with children, we do not realize that by extension that means working
with families. The younger the children, the more they are connected to the people in their home, and
best practices for young children include partnerships between their two most important worlds, home
and school.
In Chapter 8 (Partnering with Families), we visit many aspects of working with families, so here we will
simply say, just as your family is important to you and taught you many things, so too it will be for the
children and families you work with. We need to conceptualize that families are a child’s first teacher,
and will be a strong and valuable teaching partner while their child is with us. They are entrusting us
with their most prized possession and expecting that we will cherish that child as they do. A privilege
indeed! Who are the teachers? As can be imagined, the people that are called to teaching are diverse
indeed. Each brings their own set of strengths, interests, beliefs, and experiences. There is no “one right
way” to teach; no magical guide you can refer to that will tell you exactly what to do in every situation.
Every teacher will approach circumstances differently and this is both the joy and the trial of teaching.
Your “why” will determine much of what you do. This will blend with your knowledge, experiences, and
dispositional traits to guide you on your teaching journey.

High Quality Teachers Here a list of dispositions and traits frequently noted as occurring in high quality
teachers:
• Reflective
• Compassionate
• Authentic
• Supportive
• Respectful
• Encouraging
• Safe
• Trustworthy
• Positive
• Shares control
• Focuses on strengths
• High, realistic expectations
• Kind
• Patient
• Dedicated
• Knows learners
• Engages learners
• Ethical
• Growth Mindset
• Approachable
• Present

One key factor successful teachers share is the ability to continually look inward through reflection. In
the yellow-green colored boxes, we have asked you to “Pause to Reflect.” Why? The Reflective Process
Learning occurs when we take risks, when we make mistakes, when we inquire, and when we experience
new things. All humans are unique and process their environment from their own unique perspective.
Our perspectives are informed by the interaction of nature (genetics) and nurture (environment) and
both have an impact on how we process relationships with our families, our friends, our colleagues, etc.
These interactions provide us with a foundation that shapes the way we view current and future
relationships. As we engage in relationships with children and their families, we use reflective practices
to learn more about ourselves, including our dispositions. As we learn more about ourselves, we have
the opportunity to develop broader ways to engage in relationships with the children and families we
serve. The experiences we afford children and families cannot happen without the layers of a healthy
relationship. Healthy positive relationships that guide and support children are the foundation of quality
teaching. Authenticity and compassion are ways of being that create supportive environments for
children to flourish. The strength of a teacher’s knowledge about themselves in relation to others creates
opportunities for the children and families they serve to have respectful and reciprocal relationships to
ensure that the child is always considered when making the multitude of decisions that are made
throughout the day. You may ask why it is so important for me to know more about myself in relation to
others. As the teacher, you are the primary force in the classroom. As the quote below indicates, you, as
the teacher, hold the key to creating an environment where children and their families either can flourish
or diminish. Being able to value every human comes from our deep knowledge about ourselves. This is
done through reflective practice. QWe reflect in many ways, both informally and formally, in private and
with others, during the experience and after, knowingly and unknowingly. All are valuable and we
encourage you to try many different ways until you internalize the process that makes the most sense for
you and moves you toward being an “instrument of inspiration”. Go back to the list of traits above. As
you look through it again, do you notice that almost all include relationships in some way? Relationships
are at the core of quality teaching. Relationships Build Connections in the Brain How can something as
intangible as a relationship affect learning and the brain? Relationships are connection, communication,
consideration. The brain is very much an active participant in recording, building, and shaping
relationships. Research in human brain mapping has recognized a Neuro-Relational approach that tells
us: “Experience, not simple maturation, changes the brain (neuro).” Moreover, “all learning happens in
the context of relationships (relational).” When a child shows distress, a caregiver who has a proven
relationship with that infant (or child) through appropriate response and respect can help the child
return to a sense of calm. This is shown by tracking brain patterns of distressed children who are being
monitored with brain imaging machines. The child’s brain pattern also has an effect on the caregiver’s
brain pattern, both regulating each other. Both the child and the caregiver’s stress response system
synchronize and return to a frequency that is conducive to learning. The knowledge that healthy,
positive, relationships are primary in creating an environment conducive to learning, helps us to
structure the emotional environment with supportive and loving exchanges where children and families
feel supported and appreciated. Science has shown us the link between body and mind. It has measured
emotions and how different emotions affect brain waves and brain development. We have learned that
children, who experience stress, have brains that are wired to react rather than respond. Dr. Bruce Perry,
a renowned psychiatrist, who has dedicated his career to the treatment of and research into childhood
mental health, has spoken out about how early traumatic experiences shape the brain and what we can
do to counteract the detrimental effects this has for life long mental health. The following are two recent
quotes from his presentation at a conference: “You can’t access the brain without relationships.” “Lack
of belonging activates the stress response. The cortex shuts down and learning can’t happen.
Connections are the superhighway to the cortex.” That, concisely, helps us to see the value of building
relationships that help children and families have that sense of belonging that they deserve to thrive in
our school environment.

What does that mean?

Like most fields, early childhood has terminology that it is helpful to know. Here is a “starter” list to get
you started:
• ECE (Early Childhood Education) and CD (Child Development): often used interchangeably to reflect the
science and study of how young children develop and learn.
• Chronological: actual age of a child (or adult) based on their date of birth.
• Program, Site, Center, School: all terms used to reflect early childhood educational locations.
• Pre-K (Pre-Kindergarten and T-K (Transitional-Kindergarten): programs for children the year before they
begin kindergarten.
• Teacher: a person who facilitates learning. Sometimes used as a specific label based on educational
criteria and other times used more broadly to include all people in a child’s life who facilitate that child’s
development and learning.
• Reflection: a growth mindset focusing on divergent thinking and analysis.
• Divergent thinking; brainstorming or broadly thinking of many solutions
• Convergent thinking: narrowing thoughts to one answer
• Whole Child: looking at all aspects of a child (physical, cognitive, emotional and social)
• Domains of development: a way of labeling the various aspects of a “whole child” (defined further in
Chapter 5)
• Observation: the primary means of understanding the children we work with to plan appropriate
interactions and experiences (defined further in Chapter 4)
• (DAP) Developmentally Appropriate Practices

What responsibilities will I have?

Preschool teachers play a central role in ensuring the preschool program is of high quality. They bring a
wide range of skills and qualities to the job of guiding young children’s learning and development. Since
one of them is constantly reflecting, we thought it might be helpful for you to see the basic teacher
responsibilities through the lens of a teacher evaluation. Evaluations are a formal way that teachers can
assess their strengths and areas for continued growth. The way teachers are evaluated will vary
tremendously, but in some way, teachers should be engaging in ongoing reflection on the following core
classroom responsibilities.

WHEN?
When are most programs open? There are many different types of programs and the hours of operation,
as well as options for attendance, vary. In general, you will find that most programs will operate some or
all of the days between Monday and Friday. Typical program hours include: • Full Day: Monday – Friday
from early morning (6 or 7 am) through evening (5 to 7 pm) • Half Day: Monday-Friday either morning or
afternoon. • Part Days: Usually 2 or 3 days Monday-Friday • Before and after school programs for
elementary school children usually follow a Full Day schedule when the children are not in school • Most
full day programs will include a rest time for children, most half days will not. • There may be very few
programs with evening or weekend options, but the traditional workweek is still the majority of when
programs operate. When will I be working? If you define a career as one’s life work, and a job as
something you do to make money during designated hours, working with children will most definitely be
a career. Inside the Classroom As seen in the assessment earlier in this chapter, early childhood
professionals take on a variety of tasks inside the classroom. During the workday, teachers will be
expected to: • Carefully plan the classroom environment. • Plan interactions and intentional learning
experiences. • Create warm, respectful relationships with children and families. • Know how to handle
conflict with others. • Plan a consistent, yet flexible daily routine. • Extend children’s development and
learning. • Acknowledge and support children’s accomplishments. • Respond, instead of reacting. • Find
meaningful ways to communicate and collaborate with families. • Be a positive role model. Advocate for
children and families. • Maintain an environment that supports health, safety, and nutrition. •
Collaborate with team teachers and other colleagues • Attend staff meetings • Adhere to ethical
practices

WHERE?
Where do early childhood programs take place? In Chapter 6 (Curriculum) and Chapter 7 (Learning
Environments), you will be introduced to different types of programs, which sometimes determines
where they occur. For now, here is a list of the most common places for young children to develop and
grow: • The child’s home - this is often a child’s first classroom and many important skills are developed
here • Someone else’s home - often-called home daycare or family childcare, there are a variety of types
of programs that are run inside caregivers' homes. • A church, synagogue, or similar establishment -
often built for their own programs that take place on the weekends, these are empty during the week
and can accommodate multiple uses. Programs operating in such locations may or may not be affiliated
with the establishment that owns the building. • A school setting - either specifically designed for the
age group served or modified to meet the needs of various ages. • A park or community center – some
community spaces are dedicated to serving children in a variety of ways. • Online - synchronously (at the
same time) or asynchronously (at different times independently)

Professional Pathways
The field of Early Childhood Education has multiple pathways for those who are interested in directly or
indirectly working with children and families. This section will explore the education needed to become
an early childhood professional, career options, and continuation of education and professional
development. Education There are many entrance points along the career path in Early Childhood
Education. This version of the text will provide a general overview of different options (with some
information that is specific to California). Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) While the CDA
has been around for 45 years, this is most recognized in states that do not have comprehensive higher
education systems in Child Development or Early Childhood Education. Here is some key information
taken directly from the CDA website: • The CDA is based on a core set of competency standards, which
guide early care professionals as they work toward becoming qualified teachers of young children. • The
Council works to ensure that the nationally transferable CDA is a credible and valid credential, recognized
by the profession as a vital part of professional development. • CDAs have knowledge of how to put the
CDA Competency Standards into practice and understanding of why those standards help children move
with success from one developmental stage to another. CDAs know how to nurture the emotional,
physical, intellectual, and social development of children.36 n For those who hold a CDA Credential, in
California, it can be used in the following ways in California: • Earn your California Child Development
Associate Teacher Permit (see permit matrix option 2 under Associate Teacher) • You can use them as
transferable units to a higher education program of study to continue with the additional units you
would need to work in a state-funded early education center Associate’s Degree & Certificates
Community colleges offer courses of study in Child Development/Early Childhood Education. These
courses can be completed to receive units necessary for licensing requirements and may results in
earning certificates. When paired with general education requirements, they may results in an
associate’s degree. In the California Community College System, colleges may offer transfer degrees that
guarantee acceptance into the California State University system allowing students to pursue their
bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s Degree Both public and private institutions of Higher Education may offer
Bachelor’s degrees for those pursuing a career in working with children. One of the best ways to choose
an institution is to find one that meets your financial needs and the needs you have as a student to be
successful. Master’s Degree As indicated above, the same is true for Master’s Degrees. Again, it is best to
find an institution that will work best for you and your career goals. Doctoral Degree Fewer higher
education institutions offer doctoral degrees in Child Development/Early Childhood Education. However,
in the state of California, a group of higher education faculty is currently working with institutions to
offer this degree. We know from this study - Transforming the Workforce 0 – 8, that the more knowledge
a practitioner has about how children grow and develop, the more prepared that practitioner is to
provide high quality environments that are supportive and responsive to the needs of children and their
families.