You will research and make a detailed list of associations that promote professional practices for early childhood educators working with young children. Membership or participation with these professional early childhood education associations builds your connections beyond your current location, offers support, shares updated research and developmentally appropriate practices and provides abundant resources for your ongoing work with children and families.

Throughout this course the readings will refer toNAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). NAEYC is mentioned often in the ECE program, as it is the leading and largest ECE association in the nation.Locate professional associations that you could join as an early childhood educator and become a member.

Other ECE Association Examples

Zero to Three

Black Child Development Institute

(CEC) Council for Exceptional Children

Instructions:

• Go to theRasmussen School of Education Guide pageand locate the State Qualifications and Credentials- Professional Organizations tab. Scroll down to find information on professional organizations and review those that interest you.You may choose to conduct separate research on your own for organizations local to you.
• Select two or three early childhood associations (national, regional, state, or local) and research their websites thoroughly.
• Provide the following for each of the early childhood associations you chose to cover in this assignment:
• Name of association
• Web address and main office address and phone number
• Summary of what the association offers and who they serve in complete sentences
• Description of how to become a professional member of the association (how to complete and submit the application, the structure and cost of dues, etc.)
• Description of various opportunities and professional resources offered to the association's members
• Description of how this organization would help you in your current or future work with children