Enhancing Early Childhood Teacher Growth and Development Through Professional Development School Partnerships

The field of early childhood education has traditionally struggled to be viewed as a profession. Recent public attention on the importance of the early years in creating a foundation for later learning success has led to a focus on improving education for young children. One aspect of educational reform and renewal—Professional Development Schools—can provide an avenue for early childhood educators to grow and develop as teachers, thus providing children with higher quality early childhood experiences. This article describes the growth and development of teachers in two early childhood centers after they became Professional Development School partners with a Midwest university. The “blossoming” of a sense of professionalism among the teachers is documented and described.