NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATORS

I chose the website for the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators, http://www.naecte.org, because I do believe in national standards for early childhood educators.  I think all our children deserve a well-rounded education providing culturally diverse activities and promoting brotherly love.  This goals of this organization seem to align with my own viewpoints.  

I focused primarily on the position statement for early childhood education this week.  I really respect their beliefs as to what the requirements for early childhood educators for children ages 3-8 should be.  They state, "The goal of teacher certification/endorsement requirements must be to assure that children receive instruction from teachers with the best possible teacher preparation rather than using certification to accomplish the most flexible placement of teachers. This means assigning teachers with preparation focused on the developmental and educational needs of the age group taught. A teacher of children eight years old or younger cannot be considered highly qualified without specialized early childhood preparation." (NAECTE, 2012).

I really think this is important.  Within our preschool we have currently changed our qualifications to require teachers to hold a minimum of a BA or BS degree with a certification encompassing prekindergarten.  This has been something we have wanted to do for a long time, however, not many people focus on early childhood  because that is not where the money is.  It is extremely important teachers are trained to work with young children because the techniques and style of learning greatly differs from that of older children.  I think more and more, teachers will be pursuing early childhood degrees due to the rise in standards.  I hope providers are able to compensate teachers based on their qualifications.

I have not subscribed to their newsletter because you must be a paying member to do so.  There are, however, two E-Letters posted on the site per year.  These are filled with updates on current information and at the bottom of each letter their purpose is listed.  See below:

OUR PURPOSE
 To promote the professional growth of our membership.
 To discuss educational issues specific to our membership.
 To advocate for improvements in early childhood teacher education.
 Provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher
educators.
 Provide a communication network for early childhood teacher educators.
 Facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice.
 Use, as vehicles, the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, conferences, resolutions, position
papers, and other publications.
 Cooperate with other national and international organizations concerned with the study and education of
young children.

So far, the only thing I have found in relation to "culture" was in their definition of early childhood.  See below:


Early childhood - Early childhood is the period between birth and eight years of age, a definition based on
documented intellectual and emotional development milestones. This definition is grounded in an extensive body of research that documents that young children’s ways of knowing differ considerably from those of older children and adults regardless of culture.

Although it's simply stated and at the end of the definition, this proves to me they do believe all children learn the same no matter what culture they come from.