NORTHERN BUKIDNON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Kihare, Manolo Fortich, 8703 Bukidnon

(0917-142-6080) nbcc.2005@gmail.com

TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

PSEd 117: TRENDS AND ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

Name: Dianne B. Ducos Instructor: Merasol P. Yunker, Ph.D.

Year & Section: December 6, 2020

REPORTING FOR PSED 117

Goal: Take a video while doing a report about the topics assigned to you. Also,
make a module about it. Make sure to have your instructional materials, be it
powerpoint or something that is tangible. This will be the basis for your final term!
This is a one-time deal, so; do well and give your best shot.

Discussion
Lesson 6: The Professional and Social Status of the Early Childhood Educator
A. The Professional of the Early Childhood Education and Social Status
First of all, an early childhood professional is someone who has the personal characteristics, knowledge and
skills necessary to provide programs that facilitate children's learning. An early childhood professional is someone
who promotes high standards for themselves.

Members of the Early Childhood Education Profession are responsible and accountable for:

1. Planning and implementing intentional, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that advance the
cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of children
2. Establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment
3. Developing reciprocal relationships with families and communities
4. Advocating for the needs of children and their families
5. Advancing and advocating for the early childhood education profession

These responsibilities and accountability are consistent across early education settings including elementary schools,
centers, and home-based businesses.

THE PARADOX OF PROFESSIONALISM

 A professional status for the field of early childhood education does not now exist. The field reflects an
outgrowth of “commonsense” approaches that more nearly comprise an occupation rather than a
profession.
In addition, a practical distinction exists between professionals who serve individuals, such as physicians,
and those who engage in a “public service profession,” such as teachers and social workers (Howe, 1980).
This distinction has its roots in historical events, public ideologies and perceptions, and sociopolitical and
economic considerations.

A WORKING DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONALISM

This chapter takes the position that the difference between a professional person and a technician resides in
the confluence of the six factors discussed below. The professional is an expert who can assess, plan, adapt,
and act with flexibility, based upon access to a broad field of alternatives (Gibboney, 1998).
The early childhood professional has a high tolerance for ambiguity. It is the scope and depth of
understanding as well as the capacity to see patterns and flexibly juggle alternatives, however, that
differentiate the functionary from the professional.
Professional practice involves six distinct characteristics:
 (1) ethical performance that is fair;
 (2) a high level of “essential” expertise and skill (Katz, 1987, p. 3) combined with “sensitivity” to
meaningful patterns and the capacity to use “varying levels of flexibility in their approach to new
situations” (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999, p. 19);
 (3) a body of deep knowledge and skills that laypeople do not possess (Wise & Liebbrand, 1993);
 (4) considerable autonomy in practice and control of entry into the profession;
 (5) commensurate compensation; and
 (6) a professional organization. Each of these characteristics will be discussed in detail.

Ethical Performance

Early childhood education needs to be a distinctly ethical profession because the clientele are vulnerable
and relatively powerless.
Young children tend to want to please adults. That they can please adults by conforming to adults’ wishes
does not mean that they should be expected to conform to those expectations that are not in the best
interests of the children or of society.

Within the early childhood field, when “professionalism” defines longer periods of costly preparation, it may
disadvantage the already employed, low-income, often minority-group child-care personnel, most of whom are
women. An industry of community-based organizations has grown up to serve this population with isolated
workshops and conferences that fulfill fragmented social service or health agency regulations for clock hour staff
development contacts. The professional is an expert who can assess, plan, adapt, and act with flexibility, based upon
access to a broad field of alternatives.

Commensurate Compensation

Early childhood educators are underpaid, particularly those employed outside the public schools. Public
school early childhood teachers tend to be compensated at the same rate as other teachers with credentials
that include at least a bachelor’s degree.
In nonpublic settings, however, early childhood program directors, with or without a bachelor’s degree,
often earn less than the base salary of a new public school teacher.
It is not uncommon to find early childhood personnel, often with a high school diploma and sometimes
with a 2- or 4-year college degree, employed at or close to the national minimum wage level.
 These people have been compensated at so low a rate that a personnel turnover rate between 26% and 41%
(compared with a 5.6% public school turnover rate) is typical.

 Teachers today should expect to deal with the realities of predictable unpredictability, which describe the
nature of each early childhood group setting that takes an ethical stance in relation to children.
 Professional teachers, of course, prepare ideas and materials for flexible use with the children based on
their assessment/professional judgment of what will have meaning to the children.
 To work from this perspective, teachers need preparation and encouragement in risk taking, being
comfortable with ambiguity, and connection making.
 It makes sense to support highly skilled and caring early childhood teachers who can provide children with
multiple forms of representation, long blocks of time, and a reasonable variety of choices.
 The scarcity of a sufficient number of such professionally prepared early childhood teachers suggests that a
massive effort of staff development is needed.
 At the same time, the preparation of master teachers who can work with preservice teachers is a next step in
professionalization.

Resources
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276120403_Social_Status_and_Professional_Development_of_
Early_Childhood_and_Preschool_Teacher_Profession_Sociological_and_Pedagogical_Theoretical_Fram
e_
http://dspace.fudutsinma.edu.ng/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2268/Major%20Trends%20and
%20Issues%20in%20Early%20Childhood%20Education_%20Challenges
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1227825.pdf