STANDARD # 6: Becoming a Professional

NAEYC standard # 6, Becoming a Professional, is about encompassing all the six of the
NAEYC standards to be a professional educator.. Being a professional means using my
knowledge of development, family, and community to influence the strategies and content of my
classroom. It also means that I maintain continuous observation and assessment to effectively
educate every child as a whole. Moreover, showing professionalism includes making ethical and
informed decisions. In addition, continue learning about the field of early childhood and
collaborating with other professionals is very important. Also, maintaining ethical guidelines by
referring to the NAEYC Code of Ethics is really important for showing professionalism when
standing and advocating for children.
The artifact that I chose to support the NAEYC standard # 6 is my case study project
from CHD 265, Advanced Observation and Participation. Working on my case study project for
more than two weeks gave me a step ahead on my professionalism. While I was doing my case
study, I used all the NAEYC standards to gather information about the child and design lesson
plans for her. I interviewed her parent and established a good relationship with them, observed
her and used those observations to implement strategies. This interview gave me the opportunity
to learn more about parents and their expectations. Also, the project I completed with a child
made me go back to the NAEYC standards to make sure that I planned accordingly.
It is very important for me to keep a commitment to professionalism and I try to set
myself as a good model. I truly enjoy working with young children in a group setting and I show
a positive on my role. I believe that children benefit most when their teachers have high level of
formal education and specialized early childhood professional preparation. I also feel that
teachers who have specific preparation, knowledge, and skills in child development and early
childhood education are more likely to provide high-quality learning environment. The NAEYC
standards and the NAEYC Code of Ethics will be my main resources and I will always go back
to them to ensure that my knowledge and skills reflect the professions changing knowledge
base. I also follow all the state/national guidelines and regulations and seek professional
development to learn as much as I can and prepare myself for this growing field.