Article title: Editorial
Author: Karen La Paro
Journal: Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2023.2282258
This article was initially published with an incomplete information on page 625. This has been corrected, and the updated version of author information is given below:
Reflections
Doris P. Fromberg
Professor Emeritus Hofstra University
The NAECTE was born in 1977 out of a need for each childhood education professor to form a professional community, typically not represented in IHEs or in national organizations. The ECTE profession has been strengthened through collegiality, sharing research, and advocacy initiatives during conferences. .Creation of the JECTE profoundly fleshed out the definition of a profession. Now, the Journal’s transition to on-line access might reach a broader audience to support the knowledge base that is so important for advocacy work.
My professional passion has been to support advocacy for high quality early childhood teacher education in order to serve high-quality early childhood education. During my tenure as a founding member of NAECTE and the Foundation, regional representative, vice-president for program, and president, we expanded dialogue and developed proposals to improve early childhood education and early childhood teacher education. We lobbied elected officials and collaborated with the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Education Departments. One of our significant position statements (1993), the result of years of heavy lifting, also was endorsed (2003) by ACCESS, AECI, NCCCC, and AACTE*. Key position principles include the following:
·Early childhood teachers need a baccalaureate education and specialized professional preparation;
·All states need an early childhood teacher certificate (birth-8years) separate from elementary or secondary teacher certification;
·Initial preparation of building principals and school district administrators includes study and experiences to initiate and support early childhood teachers and programs.
The position statement also includes research-based findings and recommendations within the profession with suggestions for dissemination to policy makers and resource people. In 2023, it is apparent that the full professionalization of early childhood education remains to be carried forward with the leadership of NAECTE along with the JECTE.
*The American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators; Association for Childhood Education International National Association for the Education of Young Children for Campus Children’s Centers; and American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. NAEYC has a separate statement.