Master Teachers

Master teachers in early childhood settings include those who teach and care for infants, toddlers, and children younger than 5 years old. Frequently, these educators and caregivers work outside public schools, most often in child care, Head Start, or nursery school settings. Notions of mastery in early childhood care and education settings go beyond proficiency in academic disciplines to include a knowledge base in developmental psychology, family systems, and curriculum development while understanding how to meet the needs of diverse populations through observation and assessment of young children’s behaviors. The master teacher is also considered a leader and a mentor to his or her peers.