Introduction
How I came to write this book
Why address this topic now?
A note to college teachers and trainers
1. What is a Profession?
Origins of professions
What do the terms mean?
Criteria for determining if an occupation is a profession
A continuum of professions
How should professionals behave?
Issues regarding professions
2. Is Early Childhood Education a Profession?
Historical influences on the field of ECE
How does early childhood education meet the criteria for a profession?
Where do we stand?
Do we want to be a profession?
Which way should we go from here?
3. Personal attributes
What should early childhood educators be like?
What you bring into the world
Who you are as a person
Who you are as an educator
Knowing yourself
Final thoughts
4. Knowledge and Skills
Historical influences on knowledge and skills needed to teach young children
The current landscape
What should early childhood educators should know and be able to do?
How do these things come together in practice?
Final thoughts
5. Professional Behavior
Characteristics of professional conduct
Doing what is right. ethics and advocacy
Performing the job
Final thoughts
6. Aspiring to do your Best
Looking backward
Early childhood education as a "calling"
A developmental perspective
Basics and beyond
Looking forward
APPENDICES
A: Self Assessments
B: Professional development plan
C: Recommended reading
D: NAEYC CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT
