Originally Posted by TomCopeland:
I think you are missing something here. Plenty of research shows children have the greatest brain development before they enter kindergarten. The research also shows that high quality preschool programs make a significant impact on the development of preschool children. Low quality preschool can harm children. The point here is that society should be concerned about how we are teaching preschool children. If we only care about what children are learning after they enter kindergarten then we will fail our children. I assume that all family child care providers know this and that's why you work so hard at what you do. To recognize as "teachers" on those who teach school age children is a mistake.
When Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts (and many other businesses) makes a distinction between teachers and preschool teachers it reinforces the false message that children only start learning when they enter kindergarten. And it says that all teachers of school age children are valued (no matter how good or bad they might be individually) and all preschool teachers are not valued (no matter how qualified and excellent they may be individually).
No matter how many credentials a preschool teacher might have (NAFCC accredited, former school age teacher, PhD in Education) Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts won't recognize them as teachers. It's not about their credentials, it's about the fact that they teach preschoolers. The message here is that society doesn't care about what happens to children before they enter school and those who care for them are worthy of support. That's why society provides so little financial support for preschool while we invest heavily from the moment they enter kindergarten through college.
By the way - the criteria you cite for NAFCC accreditation is what a person must meet before they can apply for NAFCC accreditation! It's not the qualifications of someone who is accredited!