Certification Procedures

child initiated

the child chooses an activity or creates an activity within a supportive learning framework created by the teacher.

child interactive

the child talks to/responds in some way to an activity and is listened to/observed, but not corrected.

developmentally appropriate

programming, activities, equipment and adult interactions are matched to the child's growing patterns, interests, strengths, and experiences being neither too easy or too difficult. Programming takes into account regular observations of the child. Activities are open-ended in that they allow for more than one correct response or way of achieving a result, with an emphasis on process rather than product. Developmentally appropriate practice would "recognize that each child is unique and has an individual personality, learning style and family background." (NAEYC, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age Eight, Expanded Edition, Sue Bredekamp, ed.)

didactic

teacher transmits spoken and written information to children and, through questioning, worksheets and tests, checks to make sure the information has been received (also see "teacher directed").

facilitate

to offer stimulation to individual children or small groups of children as their natural activity suggests, extending ideas and supporting their efforts to explore, think and to empathize with others.

Facilitator

is a certified member of the Certification Council and is the candidate guide through the certification process. The Facilitator will:

• have an initial meeting with the triplet to answer questions, etc;
• phone each member of the triplet on a regular basis to keep in contact and facilitate any problems;
• visit each member of the triplet at their centre during working hours at least once during the certification process;
• may make a surprise visit!
• check criteria forms to see they are correctly and fully filled out;
• have meetings with triplet whenever they feel it is necessary;
• write a report on how each member of the triplet handled the certification process;
• conduct the final meeting to review all papers.

grievance

a cause of complaint concerning the certification process that was not solved satisfactorily during the certification process.

Grievance Committee

a committee made up of certified early childhood educators that has a set procedure in place to investigate and present complaints and possible solutions to the executive of the Council.

non-sexist

attitudes and behaviours that do not simplify children's attitudes or behaviour according to their sex. There is no over generalizing a child's skills or behaviour based upon an inequitable standard of sex differences.

non-stereotyping

attitudes and behaviours that do not oversimplify children's attitudes or behaviour according to their sex, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. There is no over generalizing a child's skill or behaviour based upon an inequitable standard of sex, ethnic or cultural differences.

overly fragmented

the program is broken up into too many small parts, with not enough time allowed for any one particular activity, so children seem to be "bouncing" from one activity to another. e.g.

9:00 - 9:10: Welcome

9:10 - 9:30: art

9:30 - 9:35: clean up

9:35 - 10:00: outdoor activity

10:00 - 10:15: snack

10:15 - 10:30: circle time, etc.

That is too many transitions and no long periods of uninterrupted play.

overly managerial

teacher initiates all the activities and children initiate none or few of them.

Registrar

a member of the Executive of the Council who is responsible for applications, distribution of information to interested applicants, answering questions pertaining to certification from candidates, facilitators, etc. and keeping the executive of the Council informed as to the progress of candidates through the certification process.

teacher directed

an activity that relies heavily on lectures, teacher centred discussions, and paperwork, e.g. worksheets, workbooks, crafts that entail following a model.

transition

a change of activity or movement from one place or activity to another, e.g. free play to snack.

triplet

three (3) early childhood educators who have applied to and have been accepted by the Certification Council to go through the certification process and who are working together with the manual/criteria, visiting and observing at each other's centres and giving feedback on their observations of each other.

unduly fragmented

see overly fragmented.

validation

the process which the candidate goes through, on completion of the triplet observations, with the validator to confirm the observations recorded during the process, and to further extend the candidates awareness of their professional behaviour; plus set goals, discuss and clarify philosophy and methods.

Validator

a member of a professional institution well recognized in the Early Childhood Education field and who has experience in supervising early childhood practicums. This person will:

• thoroughly read all paperwork pertaining to the candidate on certification;
• phone to set up a visit;
• visit the candidate for at least three-to-four hours (including interview);
• write a report on their observations;
• forward report/documentation to the Council, with a recommendation, not a decision, about certification.

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This excerpt is from Certification Procedures, published by the Certification Council of Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia.

Posted by the Certification Council of Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia, July 1997.

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