In Degrees in Context: Asking the Right Questions about Preparing Skilled and Effective Teachers of Young Children (April 2011, Issue 22), a new policy brief developed by the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) and the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE), authors Marcy Whitebook and Sharon Ryan argue that there has been too much focus on debating the baseline qualifications required of preschool teachers (AA vs. BA degrees).
The authors assert that equally important to teacher credentialing is the consideration of 1) the nature of the education teachers receive en route to degrees, 2) supports for ongoing learning, and 3) the effects of workplace environment on teaching practice. They conclude that in order to resolve the mismatch between the expectations for early childhood professionals (and the quality and relevance of available preparation, supports for on the job learning, and compensation and benefits provided to them), we must generate new policy solutions that both expect and require more of teachers while also rewarding the early childhood workforce with employment practices and salaries commensurate with their education.
