Exploring Your Role in Early Childhood Education

Book excerpt: This textbook prepares early childhood educators (ages birth to age 8) for the variety of roles (advocate, facilitator, planner, mediator, etc.) they must assume in working with children, parents, colleagues, principals, administrators, and the community at large. This book addresses the critical issues in the field of early childhood education with an emphasis on the transformational roles of all early childhood professionals. Each chapter discusses these roles in depth so readers will be best prepared to face realities of the field, such as how to be accountable to standards, to collaborate with families, to develop intentional and meaningful curriculum and assessment, to teach children in a diverse and inclusive classroom environment, and to use developmentally appropriate principles and practices so that every child will learn and succeed.