NAEYC Standard 6

Brief Description of Evidence:

​

During the fall semester of 2021 in my ECED 230-The Exceptional Child course I had the opportunity to work one on one with a family with a child who had an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). From there, I was asked to create a fictional child with an exceptionality, do in-depth research on the exceptionality, create a lesson plan including children with this exceptionality, create a presentation and write up an IEP for this child.

​

Analysis of What I Learned:

​

Meeting with the family of a 5-year-old boy with the exceptionality of speech impairment was eye-opening for me. I was able to look over his IEP and see how long this program has been apart of his life, his progress and his goals. I went into the meeting being as open and empathetic as I knew how to be. The family was very caring and didn't mind to share information with me. Understanding that this exceptionality has caused the child frustration as he has struggled to enunciate. Learning the process and working parts of the. IEP program was intriguing. The child and parent met for an initial assessment and from there has worked with school staff and speech pathologists to design an individualized educational program that he can thrive and grow in as he works toward goals for speech.

Unlike some different exceptionalities, this child's support team is working toward a thorough improvement in his speech with hopes to no longer need to be in an IEP in the future.

This is similar to the Behaviorism theory by B.F. Skinner. By taking a scientific approach based on lengthy observations, students should be able to improve through the IEP program. 

From this meeting, I learned what an IEP was, the process of obtaining an IEP and working through one. Therefore, when I created my fictional child with the exceptionality of generalized anxiety, I was able to create an IEP program that fit her needs. Moving forward, all my lesson planning and classroom designing will be created with inclusivity. 

​

How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:

​

Working with a family of an exceptional child boosted my confidence in my early childhood profession because it required more from me. It required me to think on a different level and understand that every child learns differently. Seeing the stress that the exceptionality caused the child and parent and being able to provide comfort and listen to the child's growth was amazing. This family saw me as an educator and listened to what I had to say.

The meeting with the family really granted me the confidence to be able to create and work with IEPs in this profession.

Through learning about IEPs I was able to grasp the ethical portion of the program. I used the NAEYC Code of Ethics as a guide in this project. The Code of Ethics helped me to understand how to approach exceptionalities with care and respect as well as how assessment should be used for growth. As a professional I am held to a standard. The family must feel safe working alongside me to reach goals. I must be empathetic while also holding individuals accountable. Knowing what information to share and what information is confidential is also important. Lastly, working through an IEP with a team, I must remain professional and with the child's best interest in mind and at heart. No two children are alike and I must create an individualized learning plan each child. This requires me to always be prepared, be open to learning new methods and being flexible.

Advocating for children with exceptionalities, I must be able to offer insight on goals, plans and progress using what I know as an early childhood educator and being sure that the child is meeting foundations and standards through lesson plans associated with the IEP program. To do this, I must stay up-to-date on trainings, ask questions and do my research.