REFLECTIVE CONNECTION
 

5a: This NAEYC standard ensures that early childhood educators provide evidence to support the understanding of content knowledge— the central concepts, methods and tools of inquiry, and structure—and resources for the academic disciplines in an early childhood curriculum.  My Philosophy of Education Statement exhibits my knowledge and ability to articulate/defend central concepts and purposes of education, develop instructional methods and effective strategies, as well as support the teacher/student relationship in an early childhood curriculum. The Transformation of Teaching and Learning assignment illustrates how implementing central concepts and various methods of instruction have deepened my understanding of the learning principles and theories for early childhood education.   
 

5b: This NAEYC standard ensures that early childhood educators provide evidence to support the pedagogical content knowledge—how young children learn in each discipline—and how to use the teacher knowledge and practices described in Standards 1 through 4 to support young children’s learning in each content area. The Literacy Observation Evaluation assignment shows my capability to understand curriculum practices as they relate to teaching topics that include the early literacy continuum and scaffolding young children's language development.  My Math, Science, Technology Observation assignment exhibits my understanding of the cognitive foundations of early learning in the areas of effective mathematics and science curriculum and instruction as well as the use of technology in the early childhood classroom. 
 

5c: This NAEYC standard ensures that early childhood educators provide evidence to support the ability to modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating, and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge. The Action Research Project exhibits my capability to recognize issues within a community and implement a type of research design used in classroom studies to help resolve issues. My Teaching Philosophy assignment has shown how my teaching philosophy and continuously examining, testifying, and verifying my teaching belief can lead to a change in teaching behaviors and ultimately enhance professional and personal growth.  The Learning Plans were created to demonstrate my ability to develop mini-lessons based on an early learning standard that integrates content knowledge that is developmentally appropriate in the early learning setting.