The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards are professional guidelines used in early childhood education to help teachers provide high-quality learning experiences for young children. They are commonly used in teacher preparation programs and childcare accreditation to ensure educators support children’s growth, learning, and well-being.
NAEYC Standard One: Promoting Child Development
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs and of the multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.
*Refer to work sample from CHD 120
NAEYC Standard Two: Building Family & Community Relationships
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that successful early childhood education depends on partnerships with children’s families and communities. They know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.
*Refer to work sample from CHD 118
NAEYC Standard Three: Observing, Documenting and Assessing
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence the development of every child.
*Refer to work sample CHD 165 or CHD 265
NAEYC Standard Four: Using Developmentally Effective Approaches
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teaching, and learning occur. They understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Students know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
*Refer to work sample from CHD 210
NAEYC Standard Five: Building a Meaningful Curriculum
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs use their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for each and every young child. Students understand the importance of develop-mental domains and academic (or content) disciplines in early childhood curricula. They know the essential concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas, including academic subjects, and can identify resources to deepen their understanding. Students use their own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula that promote comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for every young child.
* Refer to work sample CHD 216
NAEYC Standard Six: Becoming a Professional
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, and informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
*Refer to work sample CHD 270