how children develop. Graduates of
either program can earn licenses that
enable them to teach in kindergarten
and the early grades.
The Preparation Problem
Disparate preparation of early-grade
teachers has set up an either/or scenario:
Young children either have a teacher
who understands how they learn but
lacks subject-area expertise, or they
have a teacher who understands what
knowledge and skills they need but
No educator should
have to face a roomful of
young children without
the knowledge and
skills to engage them
and help them succeed.
Why not?
In an in-depth investigation, the
New America Foundation found two
reasons for this predicament: weak
preparation for K– 3 teachers and an
inconsistent licensing structure for these
grades (Bornfreund, 2011). As it stands
now, potential elementary teachers can
take one of two paths: They can enroll
in early childhood degree programs,
which typically focus on developing
and teaching children age 3 through
grade 3 and emphasize such concepts
as how young children grasp new ideas
and how to engage families in literacy
activities, with less attention given to
content areas like science, history, and
math. Or they can enroll in elementary
degree programs, which stress teaching
specific subjects like math and science
in grades K– 5, with more emphasis on
upper elementary grades and less on
© SUSIE FITZHUGH
lacks insight on how they soak up new
knowledge and skills. Either way, these
teachers are missing important pieces of
what they need to be effective.
According to a survey by the National
Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE, 2010), 20 percent
of NCATE-accredited schools do
not offer a specific course on child
development. Among those that do, the
most frequently used textbook in early
childhood and elementary programs
covers the stages of development but
does not explain how this information
should inform instruction. Worse,
these courses are usually offered during
the freshman and sophomore year as
a prerequisite for entering a preparation program, meaning they are not
