The Application of Early Childhood Professional Teaching Standards in the U.S.: A Comparative Study of a Preschool and an Elementary School Teacher

Abstract

Although interpreting and applying the professional teaching standards is a complex and active cognitive process influenced by teachers’ knowledge and teaching context, there is a lack of in-depth research into how early childhood teachers’ cognition impacts the way teachers change their beliefs and practices. With a cognitive framework, this study focuses on a preschool teacher and an elementary school teacher’s changing beliefs and practices as they apply Early Childhood Generalist(EC-GEN) Standards during and after the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards(NBPTS) process. The findings from a qualitative comparative study suggest that EC-GEN Standards guided teachers to reflect on child-directed learning, personalized, more meaningful and intentional teaching. Additionally, there were several similarities and differences in how teachers make sense of the EC-GEN Standards by grade/age levels due to their different approaches to teaching. Implications for reinforcing teachers’ professional development and utilizing professional teaching standards as a linkage for Pre-K to grade 3 continuities are discussed.