NAEYC’s online professional development introduces early childhood educators to core ideas from NAEYC’s position statements, books, journals, and more. Designed with busy educators in mind, our online resources provide self-paced, interactive learning that connects professional knowledge to daily practice through practical strategies that bolster best instructional approaches.
Get started today! Explore available courses below, plus, learn about group discounts, and discover how to get free professional development as an NAEYC member.
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Context: Understanding the Child, Educator, and Program (On Demand)
Join DAP thought leaders Susan Friedman and Lorena Mancilla as we focus on one of the 3 Core Considerations: Context.
DAP & The Nine Principles of Child Development and Learning (On Demand)
Hear from DAP thought leader, Dr. Iheoma Iruka as she shares her perspective on taking an equity-focused approach to understand and support child development.
DAP & Teacher Decision Making (On Demand)
Hear from DAP thought leaders, Sue Bredekamp and Barbara Willer, as they reflect on the importance of the core considerations to teacher decision making.
Emergent Curriculum and the Cycle of Inquiry (On Demand)
NAEYC’s Emergent Curriculum and the Cycle of Inquiry Approach course, is the first step on your journey to guiding children through an emergent curriculum.
Rethinking Circle Time: Effective Communication with Young Children (On Demand)
Rethinking Circle Time provides clear communication strategies, from a behavioral psychology perspective, to help teachers succeed and have a stress-free classroom.
Choose Your Topic!
Ampliando el Aprendizaje de los Niños a Través del Juego Guiado (A Pedido)
En este taller de 1 hora aprenderemos cómo el juego guiada amplía el pensamiento de los niños y las oportunidades de aprendizaje. También describiremos cómo los adultos guían el juego de los niños aplicando tres estrategias. Este módulo se presentó en el Instituto Virtual de NAEYC.
Costo para no miembros: $20
Classroom-Based Assessment (On Demand)
Classroom-Based Assessment is a 3-hour mini-course for teaching staff in center and school-based programs for preschool children (ages 3 to 5-years old). This mini-course provides vital information for educators and program administrators on evidence-based assessment, observation and documentation within the classroom.
The course is divided into three, 1-hour online modules that help to answer basic questions teachers have about classroom-based assessment, such as:
- What do preschool teachers need to know about assessment?
- When & how should preschool teachers collect work samples & photos as evidence of learning?
- How can teachers use assessment to guide decisions about curriculum & instruction?
Please note: this mini-course is not eligible for the professional learning member benefit.
Context: Understanding the Child, Educator, and Program (On Demand)
Join DAP thought leaders Susan Friedman and Lorena Mancilla as we focus on one of the 3 Core Considerations: Context.
Culturally Appropriate Positive Guidance (On Demand)
Culturally Appropriate Positive Guidance is a self-paced online module that includes an abridged version of the webinar, Culturally Appropriate Positive Guidance with Young Children.
This 1-hour online module covers:
- Classroom examples and practical strategies to enhance awareness of how cultural practices are deeply embedded in children and families behavior.
- A deeper understanding of culture in family practices (things families think, say, and do)
- Strategies to be more responsive to the diverse families and children in our programs
DAP: Focus on Infants & Toddlers (On Demand)
DAP: Focus on Infants & Toddlers is a self-paced, 1-hour online module that provides an overview of DAP for children ages 0 - 2 years through exploration of key concepts such as:
- Core considerations,
- Guidelines for effective teaching,
- Principles of child development
- 10 teaching strategies
This module includes narration, interactive knowledge checks, and sample classroom scenarios for educators of infants & toddlers.
DAP: Focus on Preschoolers (On Demand)
DAP: Focus on Preschoolers is a self-paced, 1-hour online module that provides an overview of DAP for children ages 3-4 years through exploration of key concepts such as:
- Core considerations
- Guidelines for effective teaching
- Principles of child development
- 10 teaching strategies
DAP: Focus on Kindergartners (On Demand)
DAP: Focus on Kindergartners is a self-paced, 1-hour online module for educators of children ages 5 - 6 years. This module uses narration, interactive knowledge checks and sample classroom scenarios to answer the following questions:
- How do I scaffold children's thinking in an effort to guide their learning?
- How do I structure my day so that it addresses the rigor of the standards in a way that allows children to be successful?
- What are the best instructional practices for kindergartners?
DAP & Teacher Decision Making (On Demand)
Hear from DAP thought leaders, Sue Bredekamp and Barbara Willer, as they reflect on the importance of the core considerations to teacher decision making.
DAP & The Nine Principles of Child Development and Learning (On Demand)
Hear from DAP thought leader, Dr. Iheoma Iruka as she shares her perspective on taking an equity-focused approach to understand and support child development.
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What do higher education faculty need to know? (On Demand)
- Understand the key revisions to the DAP Position Statement
- Hear recommendations from higher education faculty
Clock Hours: 1 hour of training, certificate of completion provided
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What do professional development providers need to know? (On Demand)
- Understand the key revisions to the DAP Position Statement
- Hear recommendations for PD Providers from thought leaders in the field
Clock Hours: 1 hour of training, certificate of completion provided
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What Do Program Leaders Need to Know? (On Demand)
Listen as early childhood education experts Sue Bredekamp, PhD, Marie Masterson, PhD, and Iheoma Iruka, PhD reflect on NAEYC’s newly revised Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) position statement.
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What do teachers need to know? (On Demand)
- Understand the key revisions to the DAP Position Statement
- Hear how two teachers are implementing DAP in their classrooms
Clock Hours: 1 hour of training, certificate of completion provided
Each & Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens (Facilitated)
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This faciliated online mini-course explores the six parts of the book, Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens and includes 4 hours of self-paced learning and 3 hours of face-to-face video meetings with a facilitator over the course of 4 weeks:
- October 5th, 2020 at 5:00 PM Eastern
- October 19th, 2020 at 5:00 PM Eastern
- November 2nd, 2020 at 5:00 PM Eastern
Clock Hours: 7 hours of training throughout 4 weeks, certificate of completion provided
Each & Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens (On Demand)
This on-demand mini-course explores the six parts of the book Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens.
The 4 hours of self-paced learning include:
- Key practices in combating implicit bias
- Strategies and tips for how to support the learning and development of each and every child
- Examples of intentional play opportunities and guided instructional supports
Clock Hours: 4 hours of training, certificate of completion provided
Emergent Curriculum and the Cycle of Inquiry (On Demand)
NAEYC’s Emergent Curriculum and the Cycle of Inquiry Approach course, is the first step on your journey to guiding children through an emergent curriculum.
HOT: Big Questions (On Demand)
HOT Big Questions is a self-paced, 1-hour online module that highlights information from NAEYC's publication, Big Questions for Young Minds: Extending Children's Thinking.
This online learning experience includes a webinar segment by authors Janis Strasser and Lisa Mufson Bresson, and discusses real classroom scenarios, the different types of questions that engage children, and how they can be used in different activities throughout the day.
HOT: Creativity (On Demand)
HOT Creativity is a self-paced, 1-hour online module that provides preschool teachers with innovative ideas to incorporate the following aspects into their classroom:
- Open-ended art activities
- Higher order thinking skills and "big" questions
- Active, intentional technology engagement
HOT: Tinkering (On Demand)
HOT Tinkering is a self-paced module which explores concepts of making, tinkering and engineering for preschoolers while connecting higher order thinking skills to everyday interactions.
This 1-hour online module provides:
- Teacher facilitation strategies
- An in-depth look at ways to scaffold higher order thinking with young children
- Tips for implementing a tinker station in your classrooms
Higher Order Thinking Bundle (On Demand)
This collection of higher-order thinking modules brings together three of NAEYC’s popular modules into one convenient package:
- HOT: Big Questions,
- HOT: Creativity, and
- HOT: Tinkering.
The bundle also includes supplemental articles to reinforce your learning and a Message in a Backpack™ handout for families to encourage curiosity at home.
Resource Library on Trauma and Young Children
This resource library explores key concepts of trauma and sensitive strategies for working with young children who have experienced trauma.
Earn up to 5.25 hours of training exploring the following resources:
- An interactive module that includes a presentation from author Sarah Erdman
- The E-Book: Trauma & Young Children: Teaching Strategies to Support and Empower
- A digital copy of Young Children, July 2020 edition "From Good Guidance to Trauma-Informed Care"
- 3 bonus presentations on trauma
Clock Hours: 5.25 hours of training, certificates of completion provided
Rethinking Circle Time: Effective Communication with Young Children (On Demand)
Rethinking Circle Time provides clear communication strategies, from a behavioral psychology perspective, to help teachers succeed and have a stress-free classroom.
Self-Study: 1, 2, 3! (On Demand)
NAEYC is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to early childhood education. Hear from NAEYC’s professional development team about the self-study process to improve program quality.
Serious Fun! (On Demand)
Serious Fun! is a self-paced, 1-hour online module that highlights information from NAEYC's publication, Serious Fun: How Guided Play Extends Children's Learning.
This online learning experiences offers guidance on how to:
- interact with children during play
- carefully evaluate teaching strategies,
- incorporate meaningful play opportunities into rigorous and developmentally appropriate practices that can result in deep, rich learning for children.
Strengthening Relationships With Families (On Demand)
This online module will introduce the 6 principles of family engagement and practical strategies for strengthening program-family relationships.
The Path to Quality Early Learning Services (On Demand)
The Path to Quality Early Learning Services is a self-paced, 1-hour online module designed for early childhood program leaders. This online module provides an overview of:
- NAEYC's history, mission, and goals
- The foundations of developmentally appropriate practice, and
- NAEYC's Early Learning Program Standards, which provide a framework to achieving a high-quality program
This module includes a PDF of Teaching Young Children, “Defining and Recognizing High-Quality Early Learning Programs: NAEYC's 10 Accreditation Standards.”
Clock Hours: 1 hour of training, certificate of completion provided