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NEW JERSEY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOR EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION

Press Release
February 15, 2001

Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Symposium Hosted by the New Jersey Professional Development Center for Early Care and Education

On Friday, February 9, 2001, the New Jersey Professional Development Center fore Early Care and Education (NJPDCECE) hosted an Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Symposium for over 100 participants at the University Center of Kean University. Among the participants were faculty and administrators of two- and four-year colleges and universities, representatives of private agencies that provide training to early childhood practitioners, and government officials. This one-day event featured a welcome and introductory remarks by Dean AnaMaria Schuhmann. Guest speakers were Beverly Lynn, Child Care Administrator, New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development; Lois M. Smith, Coordinator of College Programs, New Jersey Department of Education; and Jeanne Oswald, Deputy Executive Director, New Jersey Commission on Higher Education.

The NJPDCECE is a project funded by the New Jersey Department of Human Services through a grant to Kean University. Odessa Davis, Director of the NJPDCECE Office of Professional Standards and Articulation, reported that the idea for the symposium came from New Jersey Sows the Seeds for Growth, a 5-year plan to establish a statewide professional development system for early care and education practitioners. To support these efforts a working committee was established to provide stakeholders from higher education and early care and education with a forum for recommendations that would lead to improvement in the current professional development system, including the preparation of teachers for licensure. The NJPDCEC Articulation Working Committee recently released "A Position Statement on Articulation: Background, Barriers and Objectives." This statement is available by calling the NJPDCECE office at extension 6450 or from their website, www.njpdc.org.

Following the morning presentations small group discussions focused on entry issues for incoming students, common threads in course content, student support through advisement and counseling, and access to teacher preparation programs. Dr. Florence Nelson the NJPDCECE Executive Director stated, "We hope that this meeting will be the beginning of on-going dialogue among the 2- and 4-year institutions on how to better prepare the early childhood teachers of today and tomorrow."