Early childhood—the period from birth through age eight—is the critical stage in development when young children build foundational academic and social skills that affect lifelong learning.1 Research shows teachers can positively influence student achievement when they effectively apply their knowledge of child development in a manner consistent with the developmental period taught. NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs reflect this specialized knowledge and can be used in a variety of ways to promote the early childhood education profession, including for national accreditation of professional early childhood preparation programs, state approval of early childhood teacher education programs and state certification of early childhood teachers.
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