The Key Elements for a High Quality Early Care and Education Program

Here are key elements that should be present in a high quality early care and education (ECE) program that any parent should be looking for when selecting their child care arrangement:

Qualified ECE teachers.

There is a stimulating and dynamic classroom environment where children are viewed as competent learners.

A developmentally appropriate curriculum is used based upon the assessed individual needs of children.

Opportunities for families and staff to get to know each other.

Families receive information on their children’s progress regularly using a formal process.

Early childhood educators encourage children to communicate.

Early childhood educators encourage children to develop reasoning skills.

Early childhood educators listen attentively when children speak.

Early childhood educators speak warmly to children.

About Dr Fiene

Dr. Rick Fiene has spent his professional career in improving the quality of child care in various states, nationally, and internationally. He has done extensive research and publishing on the key components in improving child care quality through an early childhood program quality indicator model of training, technical assistance, quality rating & improvement systems, professional development, mentoring, licensing, risk assessment, differential program monitoring, and accreditation. Dr. Fiene is a retired professor of human development & psychology (Penn State University) where he was department head and director of the Capital Area Early Childhood Research and Training Institute.

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