ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

Broward County has had programs like these for years. (I have been teaching them for over 20). Because of all the budget cuts in education and the fact that the state does not recognize this vocational program in the equation for FCAT points; over 16 programs have been cut in less than 15 years. We have one of the best teacher preparation programs in the county with a brand new playground installed 2 years ago, now cut due to lack of true starting salaries to consider them valuable in Career Tech. majors. Auto Mechanics, Wood Shop, Culinary Operations, Horticulture, Nursing, and Business classes are all considered viable careers because they have an exit exam approved by the state. Early Childhood Education has more rigorous exit
criteria than a single exam. Students prepare a lengthy portfolio with 600 documented hours of work and teacher prep skills, yet the state does not find it a valuable enough career prep program to fund it or count it in the new FCAT equation that grades schools. The program is fabulous! It not only prepares young adults for needed careers, but prepares them to be better parents for our future generations.

Palm Beach County ‘s “preschool at high school” model has merits but needs improvement. It seems rigorous enough to train teachers who can provide quality early education and care. It encourages young people to work in child-related professions. It provides trained staff for child care centers. Unfortunately, using early education and care as a gateway to other child-related professions contributes to staff attrition. In order to solve these problem, the "preschool at high school" approach could be used as a gateway to academic credits and related job opportunities in college for students who are working toward an early childhood education credential, with a concentration on children ages 0-5. Hopefully, these credentialed teachers will provide quality early education and child care for a lifetime rather than a few years.

I love this - great training! AND, even if they don't end up teaching, they will learn some excellent parenting skills!

This is an excellent opportunity for students to better understand child growth and development, which would better prepare them as they became parents to positively impact children of their own as well.

I do agree with Donna.(above) The expectations of NAEYC and most state quality initatives regarding the education of staff seems to be taking a step backwards with qualifying highschool graduates the title of Lead Teacher. The maturity and additional education and experience that a college education provides is not just a nice idea, but very necessary in providing the high quality care and education that we now know is necessary for children to thrive later on in life. To say this would give you a better qualified Aide is okay, but let's not begin to think that 120 hours of classroom instruction qualifies a Lead Teacher.

I think you misinterpret why high schools are having these classes. There are so many young people having babies, that the high schools must offer these classes to train the parents of the children enrolled. In our center, lead teachers, need a bachelor's degree and I will not hire anyone for an aide possition without a CDA.
The first five years of life are essential, let us not underestimate the need for quality teachers in our schools. I doubt if anyone could get a job teaching French in a high school even if they took four years of French in high school.

I share the concerns of others who have posted about the maturity and life experience of 18 year-olds to be in a leadership role with young children and their families. 120 hours of instruction and 480 hours of classroom experience simply does not prepare someone to be able to plan and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum, observe and assess children's development, and guide children's behavior. These two requirements are only a part of the requirements that must be met by a CDA candidate. Florida has just set the bar for professional preparation lower than the minimum standards set by CDA. I do not think that CCIE should be applauding this step backwards.

Whether we prepare young people for careers in ECE or not, I believe that child & human development courses should be mandatory in either middle school or high school - to prepare them for parenthood and citizenship.

"Can be a lead teacher right out of high school!" These words are a little scary. New York State is working to join many other states in quality initiatives and this program would not meet the criteria. It sounds a lot like a CDA--a good program, but one always wants the teacher to have additional coursework to be a lead. An 18 year old, no matter how good the training, does not have the maturity to be a leader in guiding the development of a very young child. This sends the message: "It's only babysitting, anyway. Anyone can do it." If you believe this, maybe working in the corporate world is for you.

As much as I applaud the efforts to train high school students for the field, I am dismayed at the statement that a person can be "a Lead Teacher straight out of high school." Experience? Maturity? Being a Lead Teacher is a critical role - one that entails important judgement calls, dealing with parents, etc. We want to show society that we are a field filled with professionals - how many fields would put someone straight out of high school into a mid to top level position of such responsibility? A student who graduates from a metal vocational school still puts in FIVE years apprenticeship. We need to focus on promoting the professionalism of our field. This seems to be moving in the wrong direction...

While I think it is an excellent idea to teach
child development in High School, both to prepare
young adults for the responsibility of parenthood, and
also possible future careers with young children, to
extoll such a program because these teenagers can be
"a lead teacher right out of high school" exemplifies exactly
the lack of respect our country demonstrates, for what it takes to be an
intentional teacher in Early Education. Do you think there might
be some connection between the high turnover and the
lack of college education for teachers of young children in that state?

We've had this kind of program in our county for over 30 years. I've been teaching such a class for 17 years and love seeing so many of my former students are now teachers in our school system. It is also rewarding when my 'littles' come back in the high school as 'bigs!'

How can Exchange refer to this practice as a "good thing"? This program only works to destroy the efforts of those who have worked to elevate the teaching of young children to a profession and not just a job. While this sounds like an excellent step to credentialing assistant teachers, I question the quality of preschool programs hiring high school graduates as lead teachers. Empirical research has shown that quality is linked to the educational level of the teacher. No one will value our profession if those within it do not!

My daughter participated in a program her senior year. It is a great concept however I am concerned with what is really being taught to the high school student. Due to the nature of having 20 plus high school students and 30 plus preschoolers, they had to have a very structured day with no time for free choice center play. Also the activities were very product oriented and had very little exploration or creativity. I do not want this system creating child care workers that do not know what devolopmentally appropriate practice is.

I'm not sure that I see this as a "good" thing. The maturity level and perspective of teenagers isn't always conducive to best practices for young children. I agree that we need to foster interest into our field as a career, not just a passing fancy.

Why would you want to prepare young people for a career that will not provide a living wage. Economically speaking it is like preparing these students to be a worker in McDonalds or even worse, Walmart.

Why would you want to prepare young people for a career that will not provide a living wage. Economically speaking it is like preparing these students to be a worker in McDonalds or even worse, Walmart.

I am very concerned that the state of Florida feels that 120 hours of instruction and 480 hours of experience in addition to an exam adequately prepares a barely 18 year old to be a lead teacher! While high school experience in early childhood education is a very effective leader into the field, that alone does not prepare one for professional practice at that level. With the importance we have come to realize of preschool education, particularly when children may be at risk, this is certainly not the trend of the NAEYC and other states who are expecting a bachelor's degree in the near future to hold the position of lead teacher for optimum benefit to the children. So my issue is not at all with high school level vocational education, it is with what Florida credentials these students to do with such minimal preparation. I'm not seeing it as "good news" on that front - it just perpetuates so much that is wrong in early childhood education.

This is not a brand new concept, however it definitely takes becoming a preschool and early childhood professional to a higher level because of the exam and high number of contact hours with young children. One obvious benefit, however, that is not pointed out in the article is that participating in this program creates informed consumers of child care, informed voters in the importance of early childhood funding and issues, and the age-old benefit that I've heard said many times..."There ought to be a course required before becoming a parent!" and these high school kids will be better and more educated parent when they make the decisions to start their families.