The development of children is a specialized area of education that teachers working with young children should be certified in.
Early childhood teaching certification provides a basis and framework for educators working in environments with children up to age 8. According to the U.S. Department of Education, children form most of their learning behaviors before the age of 5. The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) says that educators working with young children need to be familiar with the developmental and learning characteristics of early childhood to be able to accurately prepare for and manage classes with appropriate techniques. They should be able to apply this knowledge to assessments and interventions with individual students. States vary in the requirements for early childhood teaching certification, but most certifications involve studies in child development, psychology, curriculum development, assessment and supervised practical experience.
Development
The study of childhood development involves looking closely at the social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional aspects of child behavior. According to NAECTE, a qualified early childhood education (ECE) teacher is familiar with various models of child development that have been used to understand child behavior. Generally, the theory of childhood development breaks the process down into stages, with each stage requiring a different set of techniques and skills for optimal educational results. For example, 4-year-old children are at a different language development stage than 8-year-olds, so an ECE teacher needs to know the best communication techniques for each age group.
Psychology
According to Eva Essa, author of "Introductory Early Childhood Education," understanding how the child's brain develops with respect to emotions and cognitive development can greatly enlighten ECE teachers' approach to effectively delivering education and improving education in the classroom. Further, because the types of conflicts and emotional responses that children exhibit vary by age, qualified early-childhood educators are familiar with practices in conflict resolution, emotional management and effective learning for each of the stages of childhood development.
Curriculum
According to Diane Trister Dodge & Toni S. Bickart in their article "How Curriculum Frameworks Respond to Developmental Stages: Birth through Age 8," a curriculum in early childhood education provides the educator a framework for make appropriate educational decisions based on achieving a certain vision. They go on to emphasize that designing effective curricula requires the educator to be intimately familiar with child development to prepare relevant and engaging content, develop useful processes and objectives and optimize the learning environment. Because of this, curriculum study is often a component of early childhood teaching certification.
Assessment and Intervention
Charles R. Greenwood at the University of Kansas suggests that teachers of young children should be familiar with the application of childhood development in assessing a student's skills, making educational decisions and determining if any specific interventions are necessary. Although an ECE teacher is not a child psychologist, it is still important for teachers working with young children to recognize the early signs and symptoms of developmental disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder or autism. According to Greenwood, early intervention with developmental difficulties can greatly improve a child's chances for improvement.
Practical Experience
According to the "Teacher Education Programs in the United States: A Guide" published by Modoc Press, most early childhood teaching certifications include a practical component that places the learner under the supervision of a qualified teacher. Working directly with children allows the educator to practice the theoretical knowledge learned through the certification with the help and guidance of a professional. The practical experience involves observing the qualified teacher conduct lessons, assisting the teacher with day-to-day tasks, working with individual students and preparing and executing the curriculum. These placements are often unpaid and temporary internships.
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