Area of Study 4.0: Education and Early Childhood: Grades 6-12

Integrate knowledge, skills, and practices required for careers in early childhood, education, and services

Analyze career paths within early childhood, education & related services.

Analyze developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive practices to plan for early childhood, education, and services.

Demonstrate integration of curriculum and instruction to meet developmental needs and interests of children, youth and adults, considering gender, ethnicity, geographical, cultural, and global influences.

Demonstrate a safe and healthy learning environment for children, youth and adults.

Demonstrate skills for building and maintaining positive collaborative relationships with children, youth and adults in their family and community environments, considering gender, ethnicity, geographical, cultural, and global influences.

Demonstrate professional practices and standards related to working with children, youth and adults, including diverse populations.

Explain the roles and functions of individuals engaged in early childhood, education, and services.

Analyze opportunities for employment, entrepreneurial endeavors, and emerging careers.

Summarize education and training requirements and opportunities for career paths in early childhood, education, and services.

Analyze the impact of early childhood, education, and services occupations on individual/family, local, state, national, and global economies.

Create an employment portfolio to communicate education and early childhood knowledge and skills. 

Analyze the role of professional organizations in education and early childhood.

Analyze child development theories and their implications for educational and childcare practices.

Explore assessment tools and methods to observe and interpret children's growth and development and apply to assess growth and development across the lifespan. 

Analyze cultural and environmental influences when assessing development of children, youth and adults.

Address specific developmental needs of children, youth and adults based on assessment of their abilities. 

Analyze strategies that promote growth and development of children, youth and adults. 

Analyze a variety of curriculum and instructional models.

Implement learning activities in all curriculum areas that meet the developmental needs of learners. 

Implement an integrated curriculum that incorporates a learner's language, learning styles, early experiences, and cultural values. 

Demonstrate a variety of teaching methods to meet individual needs of learners.

Arrange the classroom environment to provide for learners' exploration, discovery, development, and reflection through multiple methods including learning centers.

Establish effective activities, routines, and transitions for various age groups.

Manage physical space to maintain a learning environment that is safe and healthy and encourages physical activity.

Apply safe and healthy practices that comply with local, state, and federal regulations to assure learners' safety. 

Implement strategies to teach health, safety, and sanitation habits. 

Plan safe and healthy meals and snacks that meet USDA standards.

Document symptoms of abuse and neglect and use appropriate procedures to report suspected abuse or neglect to the designated authorities.

Implement basic health practices and prevention procedures for workers and learners regarding illness, communicable diseases, accidents and trauma.

Demonstrate security and emergency procedures.

Apply developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive guidelines for behavior. 

Demonstrate problem-solving and decision making skills when working with children, youth and adults.

Demonstrate interpersonal skills that promote positive and productive relationships with learners.

Implement strategies for constructive and supportive interactions between children, youth and adults and their families and communities.

Analyze learners' developmental progress and summarize developmental issues and concerns.

Explore opportunities for continuing training and education.

Apply professional ethical standards as accepted by the recognized professional organizations.

Implement federal, state, and local standards, policies, regulations, and laws that affect programs for children, youth and adults and their families.

Demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative, and commitment to program goals and improvements.

Examine entrepreneurial and management skills to planning businesses in early childhood, education, and services.

Identify ways educators can advocate to influence policies, agencies, and institutions for the benefit of children, youth and adults and their families.