Understanding Trauma-Informed Early Education and Care Insights from a National Survey that Inform Teaching Education, Policy, and Practice

This presentation delves into trauma-informed practices in early education and care, drawing from a national survey to explore theoretical frameworks and practical insights. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of trauma's impact on young children, examining survey methodologies and key findings. Implications for policy, practice, and future research highlight the need for supportive environments. The session aligns with the conference theme of ethical complexities in early childhood teacher education, offering critical strategies for integrating trauma-informed principles. Additionally, it supports NAECTE's mission by promoting high-quality, culturally responsive teacher preparation to create equitable learning environments for all children, particularly those affected by trauma.

Ethical Imperative of Trauma-Informed Care in Early Childhood Teacher Education

The imperative for integrating trauma-informed care (TIC) into early childhood teacher education stems from the increasing recognition of trauma's profound effects on young learners' development and learning. This presentation will explore the ethical dimensions of preparing future educators with the competencies to recognize and respond to trauma-exposed children in a sensitive and supportive manner. Through this approach, educators can create nurturing educational environments that address the holistic needs of all children, particularly those impacted by trauma, thereby fostering resilience, enhancing learning outcomes, and upholding the ethical commitment to do no harm.

 Constructionism and Play in Higher Education 

Early childhood educators have ethical responsibilities related to the use of technology in classrooms that respects children’s dignity and their contributions in a playful setting.  This participatory research study (Lune & Berg, 2017) presents a theoretical framework from the work of Seymour Papert’s (1993) ideas of constructionism to examine an understanding of primary grade children as agents and decision makers.  Teacher candidates used hands on tangible objects to provide primary grade students with hands-on play to build skills to use the engineering design process and technology. It is an attempt to provide young children playful technological tools to develop healthy minds and bodies.  The current climate in many primary classrooms (K-3rd Grade) often denies children opportunities to play which can be harmful their development.  The main goal of this study with teacher candidates is to provide evidence that playful learning can be provided in primary classrooms.  Specifically, the study investigated the following research questions: In what ways can teacher candidates support primary students’ use of the engineering design process (EDP) to create playful activities?  In what ways do child engineers use constructionism and 21st Century skills during engineering design play?

Effects of Preservice Teachers Observing Children’s Play in a Free Play Lab

Presenters will describe how one early childhood education teacher preparation program involved preservice teachers (PST)s in a children’s free play laboratory experience. Implications for PSTs observing  children in a free play lab space to support the use of play in early childhood and elementary classrooms and the importance of play for trauma-informed practice will be explored.

Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Whose Voices are Elevated or Silenced?

his research examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, flooding classroom settings at a rapid pace. Educators are experiencing a paradigm shift with student use of ChapGPT and other generative AI tools to write Learning Stories, a narrative formative approach in higher education. With the fast-changing landscape of AI in-academia, educators are reexamining their teaching practices, questioning if it is a help or hinderance, and the impact on diverse adult learners. Recommendations will include ethical considerations and opportunities for learning when using AI in writing Learning Stories.

Engaging Them With The Machines: Case Study Assignments in a Early Childhood Technology Course  

The presentation delves into the integration of technology in early childhood teacher training through a case study assignment. While technology has many benefits in theory, many early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs) are hesitant to embrace technology integration in their classrooms fully. This presentation explores how a case study assignment challenges PSTs’  perceptions by exploring real-world content for technology integration. Emerging themes reveal perceptions of technology as negative, yet potentially transformative when viewed using a specific technology (virtual reality). The presentation focuses on how to use case studies with PSTs and what teacher educators can learn about PSTs' philosophies of technology.

Beisly, A.H.  & Abeyrathna, D. (2024, June). Engaging them with the machines: Case study assignments in an early childhood Technology course. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators’ Summer Conference, Virtual.

Navigating Ethical Responsibilities When DEIJ Initiatives and State Legislation Conflict

This presentation will feature discussion from three early childhood teacher educators working in the Southeastern United States. We will share our experiences navigating increasing anti-DEIJ legislation and policy focused on early childhood education, K-12, and higher education, while trying to maintain our ethical responsibilities to our students, inservice teachers, children, and families. The presentation will include time for participants to reflect upon their own experiences and for us to consider strategies for ongoing advocacy in our own contexts.

Preparing Early Childhood Professionals to Implement Ethical, Equitable Services

When used together, the ECE and EI/ECSE Standards support the preparation of early childhood professionals to implement ethical, equitable services. A crosswalk of the ECE and EI/ECSE Standards was developed to support preservice programs in developing or revising blended curriculum. After a brief introduction to the crosswalk and its development, discussion will focus on the cross walked competencies for professionalism and ethical practice. Resources for preservice courses and field work designed to facilitate candidates’ acquisition of competencies specific to ethical, equitable practice will be reviewed. Time will be allowed for brainstorming additional resource needs.

Stayton, V. D., & Kemp, P. (2024, June 10). Preparing early childhood professionals to implement ethical, equitable services. National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators Summer Conference, Virtual, United States. 

Bridging Language Identities: The Role of 'Language Portraits' in Developing Linguistically Responsive Early Childhood Teachers

This paper presents a study on enhancing early childhood education by preparing teachers for diverse linguistic environments. It focuses on translanguaging, a practice that values students' entire linguistic repertoires. The study, grounded in theories of linguistically responsive teaching, uses qualitative methods such as "Language Portraits" and interviews to understand pre-service teachers' perspectives. Preliminary findings reveal these methods increase awareness of linguistic biases and validate translanguaging's effectiveness. Implications include the need for experiential learning in teacher preparation and calls for educational reforms to embrace multilingualism in teaching practices.

"The Tortoise and the Hare": Using 'Teaching Tales' to Foster Discussions on Ethics and Inclusivity

In this session, we will explore how 'teaching tales' such as the fable and folktale can inspire rich discussions on such themes as ethical behavior and inclusivity for all.  These stories, embedded as they are with morals and 'lessons,' invite all of us to think and wonder aloud about decision making, imaginative dilemmas, and ways to brainstorm, peacefully, resolutions to daily conflicts.  Please join us as we practice interactive storytelling strategies such as narrative role play and, as an extension of the storytelling experience (paralleling what we might do with our pre-service teachers) delve into social-moral and ethics-based reflection.

Ethical Decision-Making: Listening to Voices in the Field

Teachers must make ethical decisions each day that affect the lives of children in their care, their families, and their colleagues. Yet teacher preparation programs rarely provide robust instruction in ethics for teachers and most teachers make ethical choices based on their own beliefs or past experiences. This spring 2024 research study (currently in progress) will identify how practicing teachers view their ability to recognize and respond to ethical issues and what aspects of their education were most useful or would have been useful in preparing them.

"How Do I Answer This?": Using Inquiry to Explore Challenging Questions New Teachers Confront In The Field

To provide my graduate and undergraduate students with a concrete example of inquiry-based learning, I engaged them in an inquiry project around the theme “Teaching Social Studies in Today’s Schools.” What emerged both reinforced the power of inquiry and led us through a deep, reflective, and productive exploration into how EC educators can address “difficult” societal questions with young children. Join me as I share the outcomes of this inquiry project, which provided my students with the space and time to deeply consider the ethical dilemmas that arise when young children raise questions that appear difficult, and potentially “controversial,” to answer.