51吃瓜网

ability鈥擳he means or skills to do something. In this position statement, we use the term 鈥渁bility鈥� more broadly than the traditional focus on cognition or psychometric properties to apply across all domains of development. We focus and build on each child鈥檚 abilities, strengths, and interests, acknowledging disabilities and developmental delays while avoiding ableism (see also听disability听below).

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)鈥斺�淧otentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Also included are aspects of the child鈥檚 environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding.鈥�⁷⁹

agency鈥擜 person鈥檚 ability to make choices and influence events. In this position statement, we emphasize each child鈥檚 agency, especially听a child鈥檚 ability to make choices and influence events in the context of learning activities, also referred to as autonomy or child-directed learning.⁸⁰,听⁸¹

assessment鈥擜 systematic procedure for obtaining information from observations, interviews, portfolios, projects, and other sources, which is used to make informed judgments about learners鈥� characteristics, understanding, and development to implement improved curriculum and teaching practices.⁸²

• authentic assessment.听Age-appropriate approaches and culturally relevant assessment in a language the child understands鈥攆or infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children in early grades, across developmental domains and curriculum areas.
• formal and informal assessment. Formal assessment is cumulative and is used to measure what a student has learned. It includes standardized testing, screenings, and diagnostic evaluation. Informal assessment is ongoing and includes children鈥檚 work samples and quizzes and teachers鈥� anecdotal notes/records, observations, audio and video recordings.
• formative assessment and summative assessment. Used to inform and modify real-time instruction to improve student outcomes, formative assessment refers to the teacher practice of monitoring student learning. Summative assessment takes place at the end of the instructional period to measure student learning or concept retention.

bias鈥擜ttitude or stereotypes that favor one group over another:

• explicit biases.听Conscious听beliefs and stereotypes that affect one鈥檚 understanding, actions, and decisions.
• implicit biases.听Beliefs that affect one鈥檚 understanding, actions, and decisions but in an unconscious manner. Implicit biases reflect an individual鈥檚 socialization and experiences within broader systemic structures that work to perpetuate existing systems of privilege and oppression.
• anti-bias.听An听approach to education that explicitly works to end all forms of bias and discrimination.⁸³

candidate鈥擱efers to a student who is a candidate for completion in an early childhood educator professional preparation program. In some cases, these candidates are also candidates for professional licensure or certification.

child observation鈥擮bservation of a child to gather information on the child鈥檚 development, behavior, levels of learning, interests, and preferences.

commonality鈥擳he current research and understandings of processes of child development and learning that apply to all children, including the understanding that all development and learning occur within specific social, cultural, linguistic, and historical contexts.

competencies鈥擳he knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to support high-quality practice across all early childhood education sectors, settings, and roles.⁸⁴

content knowledge鈥擳he knowledge of subject areas in the early childhood curriculum to be taught and the ability to implement effective instructional strategies.

context鈥擳he conditions in which something exists or occurs.听This position statement recognizes the interconnectedness of many contexts (e.g. societal, cultural, historical, family, learning environments) and their influences on young children.

continuity of care鈥擜 term used to describe programming and policies that ensure that a child and his or her family are consistently engaged in high-quality early learning experiences through a stable relationship with a caregiver who is sensitive and responsive to the young child鈥檚 signals and needs.⁸⁵

culture鈥擯atterns of beliefs, practices, and traditions associated with a particular group of people. Culture is increasingly understood as inseparable from development.⁸⁶听Individuals both learn from and contribute to the culture of the groups to which they belong. Cultures evolve over time, reflecting the lived experiences of their members in particular times and places.

culturally relevant鈥擟ulturally relevant curriculum and practice emphasize content and interactions that are meaningful to the social and cultural norms, traditions, values, and experiences of the learners.

culturally responsive鈥斺�淎 culturally responsive teaching approach values all children鈥檚 cultures and experiences and uses them as a springboard for learning. A culturally responsive early childhood teacher learns about others鈥� values, traditions, and ways of thinking.鈥�⁸⁷

curriculum鈥擳he knowledge, skills, abilities, and understanding children are to acquire and the plans for the learning experiences through which their acquisition occurs. In developmentally appropriate practice, the curriculum helps young children achieve goals that are developmentally and educationally significant.

developmentally appropriate practice (DAP)鈥擱efers to a framework of principles and guidelines for practice that promotes young children鈥檚 optimal learning and development. DAP is a way of framing a teacher鈥檚 intentional decision making. It begins with three Core Considerations: (1) what is known about general processes of child development and learning; (2) what is known about the child as an individual who is a member of a particular family and community; and (3) what is known about the social and cultural contexts in which the learning occurs.

disability or developmental delay鈥擫egally defined for young children under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), disabilities include intellectual disability; hearing, speech or language, visual, and/or orthopedic impairment; autism; and traumatic brain injury. Under IDEA, states define developmental delays to include delays in physical, cognitive, communication, social or emotional, or adaptive development. These legal definitions are important for determining access to early intervention and early childhood special education services. The consequences of the definition can vary based on the degree to which they are seen as variations in children鈥檚 assets or the degree to which they are seen as deficits. (See also听ability.)听⁸⁸

dispositions鈥擨ndividual attitudes, beliefs, values, habits, and tendencies toward particular actions. Professional dispositions are considered important for effective work in a specific profession and are expected of all members of that profession. Critical dispositions for educators have been defined in the CCSSO鈥檚 Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards (CCSSO, 2013) and in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). NBPTS dispositions for early childhood educators include collaboration, respect, integrity, honesty, fairness, and compassion; educators with these characteristics promote equity, fairness, and appreciation of diversity in their classrooms (NBPTS 2012).⁸⁹

diversity鈥擵ariations among individuals, as well as within and across groups of individuals, in terms of their backgrounds and lived experiences. These experiences are related to social identities, including race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, social and economic status, religion, ability status, and country of origin. The terms听diverse听and听diversity听are sometimes used as euphemisms for non-white. 51吃瓜网 specifically rejects this usage which implies Whiteness is the norm against which diversity is defined.

early childhood鈥擳he first period in child development, beginning at birth. Although developmental periods do not rigidly correspond to chronological age, early childhood is generally defined as including all children from birth through age 8.⁹⁰

early childhood education (ECE)鈥擜 term defined using the developmental definition of birth through approximately age 8, regardless of programmatic, regulatory, funding, or delivery sectors or mechanisms.

early childhood educator鈥擜n individual who cares for and听promotes the learning, development, and well-being of children birth through age 8 in all early childhood education settings, while meeting the qualifications of the profession and having mastery of its specialized knowledge, skills, and competencies.

early childhood education profession鈥擬embers of the profession care for and promote the learning, development, and well-being of children birth through age 8 to establish a foundation for lifelong learning and success. Early childhood educator professional preparation programs prepare educators to be accountable for the following responsibilities:⁹¹

• Planning and implementing intentional, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote the social and emotional development, physical development, health, cognitive development, and general learning competencies of each child
• Establishing and maintaining a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy learning environment
• Observing, documenting and assessing children鈥檚 learning and development using guidelines established by the profession
• Developing reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships with children鈥檚 families and communities
• Developing strong positive relationships with the young children they serve
• Advocating for the needs of children and their families
• Advancing and advocating for an equitable, diverse, and effective early childhood education profession
• Engaging in reflective practice and continuous learning

early learning settings鈥擳hese include programs serving children from birth through age 8.听Setting听refers to the locations in which early childhood education takes place鈥攃hild care centers, child care homes, elementary schools, religious-based centers and many others.

equity鈥擳he state that would be achieved if individuals fared the same way in society regardless of race, gender, class, language, disability, or any other social or cultural characteristic. In practice, equity means all children and families receive necessary supports in a timely fashion so they can develop their full intellectual, social, and physical potential.

Equity听is not the same as听equality. Equal treatment given to individuals at unequal starting points is inequitable. Instead of equal treatment, 51吃瓜网 aims for equal opportunity. This requires considering individuals鈥� and groups鈥� starting points, then distributing resources equitably (not equally) to meet needs. Attempting to achieve equality of opportunity without considering historic and present inequities is ineffective, unjust, and unfair.⁹²

funds of knowledge鈥擡ssential cultural practices and bodies of knowledge embedded in the daily practices and routines of families.⁹³

inclusion鈥擡mbodied by the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and their family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to help them reach their full potential. Although the traditional focus of inclusion has been on addressing the exclusion of children with disabilities, full inclusion seeks to promote justice by ensuring equitable participation of all historically marginalized children.⁹⁴

individuality鈥擳he characteristics and experiences unique to each child, within the context of their family and community, that have implications for how best to support their development and learning.

interactive media鈥擠igital and analog materials, including software programs, applications (apps), broadcast and streaming media, some children鈥檚 television programming, e-books, the internet, and other forms of content designed to facilitate active and creative use by young children and to encourage social engagement with other children and adults.⁹⁵

microaggressions鈥擡veryday verbal, nonverbal, or environmental messages that implicitly contain a negative stereotype or are in some way dehumanizing or othering. These hidden messages serve to invalidate the recipients鈥� group identity, to question their experience, to threaten them, or to demean them on a personal or group level. Microaggressions may result from implicit or explicit biases. People who commit microaggressions may view their remarks as casual observations or even compliments and may not recognize the harm they can cause.⁹⁶

norm, normative鈥擳he definition of certain actions, identities, and outcomes as the standard (鈥渢he norm鈥� or 鈥渘ormal鈥�), with everything else as outside the norm. For example, the terms听White normativity听or听heteronormative听refer to instances in which Whiteness and heterosexuality are considered normal or preferred. Such norms wrongly suggest that all other races, ethnicities and sexual orientations are outside the norm or are less preferable. Art activities focused on filling out a family tree, with designated spaces for 鈥渕ommy,鈥� 鈥渄addy,鈥� 鈥済randma,鈥� and 鈥済randpa,鈥� for example, may assume a two-parent, heterosexual household as the normative family structure. (While some research-based norms provide guidance regarding healthy child development and appropriate educational activities and expectations, these norms have too often been derived through research that has only or primarily included nonrepresentative samples of children or has been conducted primarily by nonrepresentative researchers. Additional research, by a more representative selection of researchers and theorists, is needed to develop new norms that will support equitably educating all children.)

pedagogical content knowledge鈥擪nowledge of academic disciplines and the ability to create meaningful learning experiences for each child by using effective teaching strategies.

play鈥擜 universal, innate, and essential human听activity that children engage in for pleasure, enjoyment, and recreation. Play, solitary or social, begins during infancy and develops in increasing complexity through childhood. Play integrates and supports children鈥檚 development and learning across cognitive, physical, social, and emotional domains, and across curriculum content areas. Play can lead to inquiry and discovery and facilitate future learning. While there are multiple and evolving theories about the types and stages of play, as well as about the teacher鈥檚 role in play, the professions of developmental psychology and of early childhood education have long recognized play as essential for young children鈥檚 development of symbolic and representational thinking, construction and organization of mental concepts, social expression and communication, imagination, and problem-solving.

position statement鈥擜dopted by the Governing Board to state the 51吃瓜网鈥檚 positions on issues related to early childhood education practice, policy, and/or professional development for which there are controversial or critical opinions. Position statements are developed through a consensus-building approach that seeks to convene diverse perspectives and areas of expertise related to the issue and provide opportunities for members and others to provide input and feedback. (51吃瓜网, About Position Statements,听51吃瓜网.org/resources/position-statements/about-position-statements).

professional development鈥擜 continuum of learning and support opportunities designed to prepare individuals with the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions needed in a specific profession. Professional development for early childhood educators includes听both professional preparation and ongoing professional development; training, education, and technical assistance; university/college credit-bearing coursework, preservice and in-service training sessions; observation with feedback from a colleague and peer learning communities; and mentoring, coaching, and other forms of job-related technical assistance.

professional judgement鈥擳he application of professional knowledge, professional experience, and ethical standards in context with听understanding, analysis, and reflection.听Early childhood educators exercise professional judgement to听make intentional, informed decisions about appropriate practice in specific circumstances.

professional preparation program鈥擜 program that culminates in a degree, certificate, or credential that provides candidates with the appropriate level of mastery of the agreed-upon standards and competencies. Early childhood educator professional preparation programs are responsible for preparing educators serving children birth through age 8 across settings.

race鈥擜 social construct that categorizes and ranks groups of people on the basis of skin color and other physical features. The scientific consensus is that using the social construct of race to divide people into distinct and different groups has no biological basis.97

reciprocal relationships鈥擨n reciprocal relationships between practitioners and families, there is a mutual respect, cooperation, shared responsibilities, and negotiation of conflicts to achieve shared goals for children.

standards鈥擳he national standards formally adopted by a profession to define the essentials of high-quality practice for all members of the profession. They may be applied in the development of national accreditation, state program approval, individual licensing, and other aspects of professional development systems. They provide the unifying framework for core as well as specialized or advanced knowledge and competencies.

structural inequities鈥擳he systemic disadvantage of one or more social groups compared to systemic advantage for other groups with which they coexist. The term encompasses policy, law, governance, and culture and refers to race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, class, sexual orientation, and other domains.⁹⁸

technology鈥擝roadly defined as anything human-made that is used to solve a problem or fulfill a desire. Technology can be an object, a system, or a process that results in the modification of the natural world to meet human needs and wants. Additionally, technology includes digital tools like computers, tablets, apps, e-readers, smartphones, TVs, DVDs and music players, handheld games, cameras, digital microscopes, interactive whiteboards, electronic toys, non-screen-based tangible technology, and simple robots. Familiar analog tools found in early childhood classrooms include audio recorders, VHS and cassette players, record players, headphones, crayons and pencils, scissors, rulers, blocks, and magnifying glasses. Social media, email, video conferencing, cloud collaboration tools, e-portfolios, blogs, pod casts, and other methods of communication are used by young children.⁹⁹

tiered intervention approaches鈥斺�渁lso called response-to-intervention models, have been used to stimulate the learning of children in the areas of reading, mathematics, and socioemotional development. These approaches make use of ongoing formative assessment to determine which children have mastered specific skills or knowledge and which might benefit from additional, more intensive instruction and learning opportunities.鈥�¹⁰⁰

Universal Design鈥擜 concept that can be used to support access to environments in many different types of settings through the removal of physical and structural barriers. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) reflects practices that provide multiple and varied formats for instruction and learning. UDL principles and practices help to ensure that every young child has access to learning environments, to typical home or educational routines and activities, and to the general education curriculum.

young children鈥擱efers to children in the period of early childhood development, from birth through approximately age 8. Although developmental periods do not rigidly correspond to chronological age, early childhood is generally defined as including all children from birth through age 8.

---

View the full list of endnotes.