Sharing Web Resources

The National Association for the Education of Young Children

www.naeyc.org

            The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional organization that believes in promoting high-quality education for children, birth to age eight.  They promote high-quality effective programs by making connections between early childhood practice, policy, and research.  The organization is designed to support all individuals who touch the lives of young children.  NAEYC has made a commitment to their work with children with a vision statement, mission statement, and have set core value and beliefs that guide their practices in supporting young children and professionals.

            They envision that “All young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.” The mission of the NAEYC “Promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.”  The following are the listed Core Values and Beliefs of the NAEYC organization:

Core Values

• Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the human life cycle.
• Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn.
• Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family.
• Recognize that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture, community, and society.
• Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague).
• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues.
• Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust and respect.

Core Beliefs

• Excellence and Innovation—We are imaginative risk takers willing to challenge assumptions while being accountable to our mission and fiscally responsible.
• Transparency—We act with openness and clarity.
• Reflection—We consider multiple sources of evidence and diverse perspectives to review past performance, note progress and successes, and engage in continuous quality improvement.
• Equity and Opportunity—We advocate for policies, practices, and systems that promote full and inclusive participation. We confront biases that create barriers and limit the potential of children, families, and early childhood professionals.
• Collaborative Relationships—We share leadership and responsibility in our work with others. We commit time and effort to ensure diverse participation and more effective outcomes. We act with integrity, respect, and trust.

Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/people/mission-and-strategic-direction

Since subscribing to receive electronic information from the NAEYC organization, I have received multiple emails within a week’s period with various topics of information provided.  An email, subject titled “#LikeABoss: Advocates Leading the Way at the 2018 Public Policy Forum”, provided information about a public policy forum that was recently presented by the NAEYC in the last month in Washington, DC.  They listed features of why and how NAEYC participated in the forum, with links to gain more information directly from their website about the event.  The email also concluded with quotes from early childhood professional participants from the event to support advocation in the EC field, such as:

“Highscope is honored to be a sponsor of NAEYC’s 2018 Public Policy Forum and contribute to the shared voice bringing unparalleled attention, energy, and power to the Early Childhood Education profession.  We believe in the strength of our collaborative efforts to educate the leaders of our country to responsibly act on opportunities to support the well-being and educational needs of our nation’s children and families.  We are grateful to the NAEYV staff and leaders around the country that come together to take action, participate in the national conversation on Early Childhood Education, and advocate on behalf of all children. The future is bright!”

–Christine Snyder,

Early Childhood Specialist, HighScope Educational Research Foundation

Chair, Council for NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs

          

            Within one week of participating in receiving electronic information from the NAEYC organization, I have already gained information in the early childhood profession that I would not have been exposed to before.  I am learning that EC professionals must seek out their professional information through networking with professional organizations and individuals, not just wait for it to come to them.  I am very excited to see what else I will learn in the next few weeks!