DEC/NAEYC Joint Position Report

Parental involvement is crucial in early childhood education. That is why it is essential that a great deal of effort be made to ensure “that ongoing and effective communication and partnerships be established and maintained with parents” (Sanabria-Hernandez, 2008, par. 1). Fortunately, most parents participate in at least one way. However, there is frequently a smaller percentage of parent participation from parents in the diverse community (Jaworski, 2017). This may be attributed to the fact that some families may have challenging circumstances, such as language differences or financial difficulties that impede their ability to reach out to school staff. Having diversity in schools not only helps children learn and think differently, but also prepares them for the real world and interacting with those of different cultures in the workplace and in daily life (Jaworski, 2017). Preschool programs need to reflect, acknowledge, and celebrate diversity and their curriculums should utilize children’s funds of knowledge to help children connect their world with their learning environment. “When schools, communities, and cities begin to understand the importance of diversity and inclusion, our children have better educations, we have better workplaces, and everyone benefits” (Lynch, 2016, par. 1).

For my field experience, I had the opportunity to observe a four-year-old pre-kindergarten classroom on November 5th and 12th at Bushwick United Head Start program. The school is located at 136 Stanhope street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Majority of the families the school serve are Hispanics, and as a result, the student body entails mostly ELL students. There are approximately 130 students enrolled in the program, and out of that 130, about 10% speaks English. The school uses an additive model of English Language to support both the student’s home language and foster and support English language acquisition. The classrooms are staffed with teachers who speak the children’s home language, who can apply some use of the home-language within the classroom and providing hands-on experiences for students. Additionally, to support students with disability, the school also partnered with United Community Services (UCS), a program that offers speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy to students. The school uses the evidence-based Creative Curriculum. The Creative Curriculum is aligned with Head Start Performance Standards, NAEYC guidelines and the NY State Prekindergarten Common Core Standards.

The amount of young children who are acquiring English as a second or even third language in the early care and education (ECE) setting as well as K-12 public classrooms have amplified across the United States in recent years (Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). These young children that are acquiring two or more languages concurrently, or learning a second language along with refining their native language are considered dual language learners (DLLs) (Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). The number of DLLs has multiplied tremendously and now accounts for 25% of all children living in the United States (p. 40). The Office of Head Start (2011) state that fifty-nine percent of the children enrolled in the Head Start Programs were from racial or ethnic minority families, 37% were Hispanic/Latino and more than 30% were dual language learners (as cited in Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). Unfortunately, starting from the preschool stage and throughout high school, the educational achievements of DLLs tend to

My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process

Section 3 through 5 provide excellent information on respecting cultural diversity when gathering information. The process of initial contact with the family is an important first step in the early intervention process. The area of assessment is another critical area when working with families in the early intervention system. The fourth section of this book provides much helpful information and many tools when preparing for and collecting information about the child's interests, strengths, abilities and personality characteristics. The final section addresses considerations in

There is a significant importance placed on educators abilities to understand and implement diversity within educational centres, both Mary and Julie seem to have an in depth understanding of what diversity is and why it is so essential in early childhood settings. Mary and Julie share a common perspective about diversity established by their words such as individual, different, recognise, respect, value and promote. Holman (1998) believed that by accepting the differences of those surrounding us, we recognize and uphold the strength of those differences.

The NAEYC statement on developmental practice indicates change and continuity and change in the early childhood education field is vital due to the fact that their main commitment is excellence and equity. Nevertheless, all new knowledge gained over time has been advanced and increased. This means that with understanding, it has allowed us to revise and refine ideas for promoting children's development and learning. With developmentally appropriate practice, meeting and enabling the children are required. This means that teachers should get to know them well and push them to reach goals that may be a challenge but are achievable for them.

The Early Years Learning Framework’s Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contributed to their world, provides strategies educators can use to help children respond to diversity with respect. Educators can promote this by:

The NAEYC Initial Standard #4: using developmentally effective approaches focuses on using positive interactions to develop trusting relationships with all children and their families. Efficient early childhood education (ECE) professionals must use a broad range of approaches to create developmentally and age appropriate pedagogy that supports student’s needs, interest, readiness levels, abilities, disabilities, and overall cultural identities. ECE professionals must also reflect upon their practice to ensure

Further schools must develop strategies to include all families of youth within the collaboration, planning, and implementation of secondary transition-related activities, including CLD families. Olivos, Gallagher, and Aguilar (2010) developed a research-based framework for building a welcoming school environment for CLD families of students in special education. Including locating English language proficiency programs to assist clients who do not speak English as their primary language. An illustration of utilizing multicultural counseling competencies includes asking clients open-ended questions and encouraging families to elaborate on their belief system towards disability. Hernandez et al. (2006) also recommend that rehabilitation counseling agencies have bilingual rehabilitation counselors available to provide adequate services to clients whose first language is not that of the dominant culture, in addition to having forms and resources that are printed in various languages (Hernandez Cometa,., Rosen, Velcoff,, Schober,, & Luna,

The importance of every student being able to get ample opportunity in the classroom is very imperative. However, there are times when teaching and educating in the class does not give everyone that same opportunity thus creating a problem or difficulty for students to all feel included. Inclusion in the early childhood setting is considered exemplifies the qualities, approaches, and rehearses that bolster the privilege of each newborn child and youthful kid and his or her gang, despite capacity, to take part in an expansive scope of exercises and settings as full individuals from families, groups, and society. The coveted results of comprehensive encounters for youngsters with and without incapacities and their families incorporate a feeling

Child development is the foundation upon which early childhood practice is based. Because the psychomotor, socioemotional, cognitive, and linguistic developmental domains are inter-related, early childhood professionals in all types of programs (e.g., family child care homes, early childhood education centers) must comprehend both the processes of development and the adult’s role in supporting each child’s growth, development, and learning. (p. 1)

The Early Childhood Education program at Carlow University focuses on educating children from birth to grade four in any context—school, family, or community. As a signature mark of the program, students learn how to honor diversity and form strong inclusive relationships between child and caregiver/teacher. They learn that a child’s environment needs to be rooted in trust; physically and psychologically safe. They learn that the caregiver/teacher relationship needs

Culturally responsive family partnerships ensure that the children are subjected to a routine and as such are integral in promoting early childhood Special Education. According to Jennings Hanline & Woods

Early childhood education has not always been the top priority in the education world. Although, research has proved that it should be the top priority as the benefits of Early Childhood Education are innumerous. Extensive neuroscience research has discovered that the brain is build over time and it is built from the bottom up. Early childhood experiences directly affect the quality brain development. Establishing a sturdy foundation through a high quality early childhood education experience, will dramatically develop child's brain. As a result, they will have a brighter future. In this essay, I will propose a plan for the children of 2020 and how to ensure the best early childhood education experience. I personally believe that racially, culturally, linguistically and developmentally responsive practices parental involvement are critical to the sturdy foundation that is essential to the positive early childhood experience.