National Association for the Education of Young Children

We do something a little bit different in with Michigan.

And so we love to give our NACI members, so the National Association for the Education of Young Children, we look at our membership opportunities within them.

So what I say with that is that we have a couple of different sign-up options.

Of course, it's always cheaper if you are a Michigan AAYC or a NACI member.

Yeah.

So NAEYC is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026.

Looking at how far we've come, What do you think our profession should prioritize in the next chapter? Hard-hitting questions here early morning on a Saturday.

We're a broken record.

Yeah.

So NAEYC is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026.

Looking at how far we've come, What do you think our profession should prioritize in the next chapter? Hard-hitting questions here early morning on a Saturday.

We're a broken record.

I have taught at the senior college level.

So I've run a center, designed a center, and one that became nationally accredited by NAEYC.

So I've been in the trenches, and I know that there is such a great need for early childhood education in our world today, no matter

where you are.

Yeah.

So but I think we need to, we need to look at what the mission of RYAC is and what the NAEYC, you know, N-A-E-Y-C is.

Um, Nay-see.

I love that they all pronounce differently, but-

Dr. Diane offers 30-plus years of practical knowledge from her work in the classroom as founder of an award-winning preschool, as a museum educator, and as a college professor.

A certified Big Talk Academy speaker, Dr. Diane has presented at such national and regional conferences as NAEYC, SECK, SECA, and Association of Children's Museums, Play Coalition, and Science in the Rockies.

You have spoken everywhere.

Welcome to the Big Talk podcast.

Now let's go back to Kim, Kelsey, and Cyndia.

I'm curious, you mentioned, you know, codes of ethics, say from NAEYC or from the state or accrediting organizations.

Can you talk a little bit about what these look like? How do institutions or bodies like this sort of approach the whole issue of what's ethical behavior for a field?

Sure.

It basically is that teachers have an obligation to consider all the stakeholders to treat parents well and to be a good colleague.

It really is about the different stakeholders.

The NAEYC, their code of ethics is much more detailed and they have recently done some updating to catch up to what Cyndia recommended, which is to be more culturally responsive.

And for the NAEYC, I think it's really the, it's the governing body, but also the membership that drives this demand to look at what should we be doing? What are our values and what are our obligations to children and their communities in this profession?