National Association for the Education of Young Children
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National Association for the Education of Young Children
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a nonprofit organization of early childhood professionals and others who are dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education. More than 100,000 members strong, the association comprises a network of more than 400 affiliated local, state, and regional organizations, which share the belief that children's high-quality experiences at home and in child care, schools, and after-school programs lay the foundation for school readiness, academic success, and adult achievement.
Since its founding in 1926, NAEYC has promoted a vision of excellence in early childhood education that focuses on supporting the rights and needs of children. The association works with parents, teachers, business leaders, and policymakers to bring high-quality early education and care to all young children, from birth through age eight. NAEYC is best known for raising the quality of child care and other early learning programs. The association's voluntary national accreditation system helps improve early childhood education and recognizes high-quality programs so that parents and other decision makers can make informed choices. Its position statements, which are informed by research and practice, have addressed a wide range of topics: for example, developmentally appropriate teaching practices; the teaching of reading, writing, and mathematics in the early years; program licensing to ensure health and safety in child care settings; the role of early childhood professionals in preventing child abuse and neglect; and the support of diverse families.
NAEYC focuses on professional preparation, resources, and training for individuals who educate children birth through age eight. Working with higher education institutions to set standards for preparing teachers, NAEYC provides guidelines for appropriate teaching strategies, curriculum, and assessments for children in preschool through third grade. NAEYC promotes comprehensive training opportunities, high professional standards, and equitable compensation and working conditions so that qualified early childhood educators will stay and grow in the early childhood profession. The NAEYC annual conference is one of the largest educational meetings in the nation, bringing together 25,000 people each year for more than 1,000 seminars, workshops and other professional development opportunities.
NAEYC is a leading publisher and distributor of a wide range of books, videos, and other professional resources to help early childhood teachers and other professionals improve their knowledge and skills. NAEYC also publishes Young Children, an award-winning journal that combines the latest in early childhood research, theory and practice, with a readership of more than 250,000. The association also publishes the highly respected Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
To increase understanding and support for high-quality early childhood education. NAEYC works among policymakers and the public through its education, advocacy, and public awareness activities. NAEYC also sponsors the Week of the Young Child each spring to focus public attention on the rights and needs of young children.
A board of directors elected by the membership governs the association, and the executive director, responsible for the association's administration and management, sits on the board as an ex officio member. NAEYC is a private membership organization, supported primarily through fees for products and services. The association also accepts philanthropic support for projects that are aligned with its mission and goals and that further its strategic objectives.
In 1926 Patty Smith Hill and Lois Meek Stolz founded the NAEYC's precursor, National Association for Nursery Education, out of their concern about the proliferation of educational programs for preschool children staffed by individuals without adequate knowledge about child development and effective strategies for teaching young children. NANE was maintained primarily through the efforts of stalwart volunteers, who believed deeply in the association's mission. In the early 1960s a headquarters office was established in Washington, D.C., when the association was reorganized as the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The naming of a full-time executive director in the mid-1960s coincided with the creation of the federal Head Start program, designed to provide educational and social enrichment to preschool children living in poverty. Head Start not only focused public attention on the importance of early education, but also nurtured the early childhood profession by providing numerous opportunities for careers in teaching, program administration, and professional preparation and development.
NAEYC continued to grow in size and scope in the 1970s and 1980s, reaching a membership of 45,000 by 1985. That year, the Association created the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs to accredit childcare centers, preschools, kindergartens, and before-school and after-school programs, again responding to the tremendous growth in the number of children attending preschool and childcare programs. Between 1985 and 2001, the association's membership climbed to more than 100,000, as more than 8,000 early childhood programs achieved accreditation and thousands more enrolled in the process.
By 2001, NAEYC completed major restructuring efforts to revitalize its membership and affiliate structure and to reinvent its accreditation process to meet the challenges of successful growth. In the early twenty-first century, NAEYC is poised for continued growth and success in promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young children and their families.
Bibliography
Smith, Marilyn M., ed. 2001. NAEYC at 75: Reflections of the Past; Challenges for the Future. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Internet Resource
National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2002. www.naeyc.org.
— BARBARA WILLER
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National Association for the Education of Young Children
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| National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Founded | 1926/1929 (Washington, DC) by Patty Smith Hill |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC |
| Approximate Membership | Nearly 80,000 [1] |
| President | Stephanie Fanjul |
| Annual Conference | 2011 NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo
November 2-5, 2011 in Orlando, FL [2] |
| Institute | 2012 NAEYC National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development
June 10-13, 2012 in Indianapolis, IN [3] |
| Publications | "Young Children," "Teaching Young Children (TYC)," and "Early Childhood Research Quarterly" |
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the largest nonprofit association in the United States representing early childhood education teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, policy makers, and advocates. [4] NAEYC is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8. NAEYC is committed to becoming an increasingly high-performing and inclusive organization.
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Contents
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History
In the 1920s, concern over the varying quality of emerging nursery school programs in the United States triggered Patty Smith Hill to gather prominent figures in the field to decide how to best ensure the existence of high-quality programs. Meeting in Washington, DC, the group negotiated the issue of a manual, called "Minimum Essentials for Nursery Education," that set out standards and methods of acceptable nursery schools. Three years later, the group cemented the existence of a professional association of nursery school experts named the National Association for Nursery Education (NANE). NANE changed its name to NAEYC in 1964.
The association has existed for over 80 years. [5] Its holds two national early childhood conferences per year, the NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo and the NAEYC National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development. [6] The NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo is the largest early childhood education conference in the world. [7] The association publishes periodicals, books, professional development materials, and resources, all of which relate to the education of young children. The association is also active in public policy work. The association is well-known for accrediting high-quality child care/preschool centers, and more than 10,000 centers, programs and schools have earned NAEYC Accreditation.
Mission Statement & Goals
NAEYC's mission is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources (NAEYC Bylaws, Article I., Section 1.1).
NAEYC's mission is based on three major goals: Bettering well-qualified practitioners and improving the conditions these professionals work in, improving early childhood education by working to deliver a high-quality system of supporting early childhood programs, and encouraging excellence in childhood education for all children by constructing an extaordinary, all-around organization of groups and individuals who are committed to promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young children.[8]
Accreditation
NAEYC accredits early childhood programs according to health, safety and education standards it first launched in 1985 and reinvented and released in September 2006.[9][10] The new standards were intended to provide a more reliable and accountable accreditation system and to encourage the field of early childhood education to strive for a new level of excellence.[11]
NAEYC also accredits academic degree programs for early childhood educators.[12]
Structure
NAEYC has a structure of state and local Affiliates that are semi-autonomous but that are required to contribute part of the membership dues to the national organization. The Office of Affiliate Relations provides direct services to NAEYC State Affiliates, Local Affiliate Chapters, and Affiliate Alliances to support them in their efforts to build capacity and become high-performing, inclusive organizations.[13]
Current Programs
NAEYC provides many different programs to assist professionals who work to educate young children. They are a leading publisher of educational resources, which include books, videos and posters that can assist in the teaching of young children. NAEYC also publishes two scholarly journals to help early childhood professionals and parents stay informed about the latest research on educating children age 0-8. These journals are Young Children and Early Childhood Research Quarterly. In 2007, NAEYC also developed Teaching Young Children, a magazine written for preschool teachers. The magazine provides useful, research-based ideas that teachers can use in their classrooms. Every year the NAEYC offers several conferences where participants can learn about and receive professional development in their field as well as focus on the improvements that have been made in the practices, policies and research.
NAEYC goes beyond publications, conferences and videos, and offers a program called “Supporting Teachers, Strengthening Families” that is designed to assist in the fight to prevent child abuse and promote healthy social and emotional development in young children. This program works by teaching the educators how to better communicate with the families of their students. Another important program sponsored by the NAEYC is the “Week of the Young Child”. This is a week-long promotion every spring that brings public awareness to the importance of early childhood development and education.
Policy and Advocacy
NAEYC encourages its supporters to be informed of current issues and legislation that affect the lives of young children. At the NAEYC Children's Champions Action Center,[14] individuals can find information about the federal legislative process, learn how to contact members of Congress, and see the daily agenda for the House and the Senate.[1]
NAEYC believes that our nation is at a crossroads. An integrated system of early childhood care and education that includes comprehensive approaches that directly involve families and communities in program design, implementation, and evaluation must be developed. NAEYC believes Americans can invest now in our children and families and enjoy long-term savings, with a more vibrant nation of healthy, achieving children and more stable families. Or, they can fail to make the investment and pay the price: increased delinquency, greater educational failures, lowered productivity, less economic competitiveness, and fewer adults prepared to be effective, loving parents to the next generation of children.
Federal, state and local government, communities, parents, and the private sector must share in the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of children and families.
Journals and Publications
The following publications are released and sponsored by NAEYC:[15]
Young Children
Young Children is a peer reviewed journal published bi-monthly by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In this journal, issues are organized around topical clusters that devote special attention to issues in the field of early childhood education. [2]
Teaching Young Children
Teaching Young Children is a magazine specifically designed for preschool teachers. It highlights current thinking on best practices in early childhood education, innovations in the field, research and its implications, and interesting ideas for and from preschool teachers. The articles and other features reinforce the accreditation criteria for the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards on Relationships and Teaching and encourage effective teaching in the preschool years. [3]
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Early Childhood Research Quarterly is a research journal that is published four times a year, and contains current research in early childhood. [4]
Presidents of the NAEYC Governing Board
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Evangeline H. Ward | 1972-1974 |
| D. Bruce Gardner | 1974-1976 |
| Bernard Spodek | 1976-1978 |
| Jan McCarthy | 1978-1980 |
| Barbara T. Bowman | 1980-1982 |
| Bettye M. Caldwell | 1982-1984 |
| Docia Zavitkovsky | 1984-1986 |
| David Elkind | 1986-1988 |
| Ellen Galinsky | 1988-1990 |
| Lana Hostetler | 1990-1992 |
| Lilian G. Katz | 1992-1994 |
| Jerlean Daniel | 1994-1996 |
| Richard M. Clifford | 1996-1998 |
| Sharon Lynn Kagan | 1998-1999 |
| Kathy R. Thornburg | 2000-2001 |
| Jane Wiechel | 2002-2004 |
| Dwayne Crompton | 2005 |
| Josue Cruz, Jr. | 2005-2006 |
| Anne Mitchell | 2006-2008 |
| Sue Russell | 2008-2010 |
| Stephanie Fanjul | 2010-2012 |
See also
Footnotes
- ^ NAEYC. Membership. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/membership
- ^ NAEYC. Conference. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/conference/
- ^ NAEYC. Institute. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/institute/
- ^ NAEYC. About NAEYC. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/content/about-naeyc
- ^ NAEYC. About NAEYC. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/content/about-naeyc
- ^ NAEYC. Conferences Overview. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/events>
- ^ NAEYC. Conferences Overview. Online July 2011. http://www.naeyc.org/events>
- ^ NAEYC. Missions and Goals.Online October 2007. http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission
- ^ NAEYC. Accreditation.Online March 2009.http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/
- ^ "NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation". NAEYC In 1985, NAEYC established its accreditation system to set professional standards for early childhood programs and to help families identify high-quality programs. NAEYC Accreditation is a voluntary system. http://www.naeyc.org/academy/. Retrieved 2008-06-09. "Today, more than 7,000 NAEYC accredited early childhood education programs serve families around the nation."
- ^ Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation - NAEYC
- ^ "Promoting Quality through Accreditation". NAEYC. http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/. Retrieved 2008-06-09. "NAEYC has launched a new accreditation system to recognize high-quality Associate Degree Programs that prepare early childhood educators....NAEYC also recognizes high-quality Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs,..."
- ^ http://www.naeyc.org/affiliates List of Affiliates
- ^ NAEYC Children's Champions Action Center. http://capwiz.com/naeyc/home/
- ^ http://www.naeyc.org/publications
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