An Early Childhood Education (ECE) can be your precious asset if you are interested in pursuing an early childhood career. In fact, it is one of those few career options that let you get involved with the development and education of children under the age of 8, and help them learn about the world in an effective manner. In today’s » Read more: Early Childhood Education Salary Range
In today’s society, as more and more households require both parents to work, more children are cared for in early childhood programs. These programs must meet minimum basic requirements designed to ensure the safety and developmental well-being of children while in out-of-home care. Meeting the minimum requirements is just the beginning to fulfilling the developmental needs of a young child. As an industry we must work toward providing a quality environment for every child to develop healthy, happy, well adjusted children.
Licensing requirements and guidelines vary from state to state. These licensing requirements and guidelines range from extremely stringent to minimal requirements. It is the responsibility of every early childhood professional to become familiar with the minimum requirements established by local regulatory agencies and fulfill these minimum requirements on a daily basis. Child care professionals must decide whether standard regulations should only be regulated to meet the minimum standard, or if they should be regulated to go above and beyond the minimum.
Child care centers can use the requirements to create a positive early childhood environment that offers developmentally appropriate activities for each child. When minimum child care standards are practiced on a daily basis, regulatory visits are less threatening and result in a safe and developmentally appropriate environment for children.
Join the CCEI Discussion Thread and share the methods used in your school to maintain minimum standards and prepare for licensing visits. For more information, register for CCEI959 and learn about legal issues faced by center directors.
Visit ChildCare Education Institute to discover over 100 online child care training courses that meet the continuing education requirements of the child care industry. Register for a sample course and try online learning today!
By: Childcare Education Institute
Good communication between parents and caregivers in the early childhood setting is very important. Both parents and caregivers have a goal of providing children with the best learning and growing environments. Caregivers should strive to create trust between the parents and themselves so they can work together for the good of the children.
Creating trust between parents and caregivers involves using an open communication system that benefits the children, parents and caregivers. Caregivers are better able to help children learn when they communicate with the parents about the child. They learn from the parents about each child’s family, culture, home life, and language.
In the early childhood setting, we communicate with parents for a variety of reasons. In all our interactions with parents, we should create a positive and trusting environment by being respectful and honest.
After parents have decided to enroll their child, seize your chance to get to know them and encourage them to become involved in the classroom or at the facility. Greet parents at arrivals and dismissals. Make parents, who may be uncomfortable with the school environment, feel at ease.
Tell parents about yourself and your goals for the children in your class. Let them know when you are available for meetings with them. Explain the child care facility’s policies and answer any questions they might have. Inform them of any special events.
It may be hard to communicate with parents who have long work schedules. You may not even see many of these parents because they send another relative or a close friend to transport the child to and from the facility. Other parents may find it hard to get involved in special activities because of an evening work schedule. Keep these parents informed of classroom happenings and special events through written notes, telephone or email communication.
We communicate in various ways and with many different styles. When we practice methods of positive and open communication, we can get to know parents and encourage them to build a partnership with us. Children, parents and teachers all benefit from the partnership.
Learn more about encouraging parent participation. Visit ChildCare Education Institute to discover over 100 online child care training courses that meet the continuing education requirements of the child care industry. Register for a sample course and try online learning today!
By: Childcare Education Institute
