Standards and accountability policies have grown over the years to include early childhood programs. There are national reports and public policy statements that have confirmed the need for standards within early childhood curriculums. Standards provide guidelines by which early childhood administrators and teachers can incorporate developmentally appropriate practices and standards into their curriculum. Early childhood standards when incorporated with a developmentally appropriate curricular are beneficial in the growth and development of young children. Standards in early childhood are necessary to evaluate where young children are developmentally based on their age. Standards should intertwine with the curriculum. Standards should be utilized to address both child directed and teacher lead activities. This will allow children the opportunity to learn through exploring their environment.
Standards should be utilized by teachers to provide an age appropriate learning environment for children in the areas of: social and emotional, physical growth, cognitive development, and language and literacy development (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). Educators utilizing developmentally appropriate curriculum will provide opportunities for children to learn individual skills within the classroom environment and these skills will be developed through age appropriate activities.
Educators utilizing standards and curriculum should regularly assess the effectiveness of the teaching materials. This continuous assessment will assure that the developmental needs of the children are being addressed and that each child is provided with an adequate opportunity for growth and development. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate an assessment tool to ensure that standards are instituted in a way that addresses the individual needs of each child in care.
Early childhood programs that incorporate standards into their curriculum for young children will provide readiness skills which are especially crucial in low income areas. Where standards are important and beneficial; early childhood teachers should only utilize standards as a guideline and not as a teaching tool.
Reference
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 3. (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.