The Importance of Standards and Position Statements
Consistent standards provide teachers, parents, and students clear expectations to ensure that all students have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed regardless of the setting. Effective early learning standards include all domains of development and learning, describe desired outcomes, and are meaningful to a child’s current development and later learning. They assist in defining age-appropriate expectations when designing developmentally appropriate teaching and learning experiences. Developmentally appropriate practice defines the materials, equipment, skills, and strategies necessary for quality early learning and caring experiences (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). Position Statements are helpful in considering the big picture of implementing standards in ways that are meaningful to young children and align with developmentally appropriate practice.
Below are links to standards and position statements the Iowa Regents' Center for Early Developmental Education uses to guide the development and implementation of its integrative STEM experiences.