The framework combines what an early childhood educator needs to know about research and theory alongside the skills and abilities needed to work effectively in the field. The framework is aligned with the early childhood teacher standards used in early childhood teacher preparation programs in Minnesota's colleges and universities.
The competencies are arranged in broad content areas, such as:
- Child development and learning
- Developmentally appropriate learning experiences
- Assessment, evaluation and individualization
Each content area has three levels of competency. Each level includes and builds on the competencies of the level before it.
- Level 1: Explores
- Level 2: Implements
- Level 3: Designs and leads
There are three versions: one focused on infants and toddlers, one on family child care providers, and one on preschool-aged children in center and school programs. All versions include the skills needed to work with young children, with more specific skills added for the area of specialization.
Each version of the framework has a corresponding companion guide that combines key concepts found in the framework with suggestions and examples of what it might look like in an early childhood setting. It is intended to help people working with young children have a beginning understanding of what to do. The companion guides do not replace the original framework but support it.
Frameworks and companion guides
