Welcome to the…
Professional Standards & Competencies Resource Library
The Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators outline the essential knowledge, skills, and practices that are foundational to high-quality early childhood education. These standards define what early childhood educators should know and be able to do in order to support the learning and development of young children from birth through age 8. They serve as a guiding framework for professional development, practice, and evaluation within the field of early childhood education.
Understanding and implementing these standards is crucial for educators as they help ensure the delivery of equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education that promotes the well-being and success of all children. By adhering to these standards, educators also contribute to the profession's commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.
Please note that while the collection of resources has been organized and tagged according to the Professional Standards and Competencies, only the most applicable competencies have been prioritized for searching and tagging purposes.
For NAEYC resources in the library, you can find policies related to reproducing, distributing, or otherwise using content here. For all other resources, please follow appropriate practices for using/citing sources.
Directions for Using the Professional Standards and Competencies Resource Library
Check out the resource library tutorial here!
-
The PS&Cs Resource Library allows you to peruse ALL of the many resources available (by default) or you can utilize the provided filter and narrow down your search to target specific resources.
Check out the resource library tutorial for more info.
-
By using the filtering categories, you are able to narrow your search to particular professional standards, one or more of the 22 key competencies, various ECE topics, a variety of age ranges, specific types of resources such as articles or videos or even find resources available in languages other than English.
The robust filters even allow you to choose multiple choices across categories or within the same category to further narrow your search!
-
Once you have opened the various filter categories provided in the filter tool, you will notice that “all” is highlighted and checked in each category by default. This means the filter tool will not filter out any of those options within that category. If you wish to narrow your search, you simply click on one or more of the other options within the various filtering categories. Clicking will check that option. Checked options will be utilized for your search!
To remove an option, simply click it again to remove the check from the checkbox.
-
The search feature is similar to any other search engine on a website. It can be used for a specific key word or phrase. Although the search may be helpful and is provided, the more robust filter tool may ultimately be more helpful in focusing and narrowing your search for resources.
-
Naturally, broken links will occur. Sometimes the resource has been moved to a new web address and other times it has been temporarily or permanently removed. We welcome you to report any broken links you find here. We will do our best to replace the link when possible or remove the resource if it is no longer available.
**As of Feb. 2025, certain webpages and resources, particularly from agencies/organizations/projects that receive federal funds, have been at least temporarily removed in order to comply with federal mandates related to the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders. We will continue to monitor these resource links and update them if and when new links are available.
Start Your Search--Resource Library
*
Start Your Search--Resource Library *
Sort quickly through the hundreds of available resources by using the filter tool on the left to populate the specific resources you need!
New to Teaching ELLs?
https://go.colorincolorado.org/new-teaching-ells
A comprehensive set of videos and resources that helps students who are new to teaching multilingual learners. Topics include building relationships with students, creating a welcoming classroom, what you need to know about your students, tips from veteran teachers, building an ELL network, and learning from special populations of students.
Organization/Author: Bernadette Pilar Zermeño, Colorin colorado!
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2025
Family Literacy at Home: Videos in English and Spanish
https://go.colorincolorado.org/family-literacy-home-videos-english-and-spanish
All families can help their children become readers! These videos offer practical tips for all families on how to support reading at home. These videos are available in English and Spanish and feature early literacy expert Bernadette Pilar Zermeño.
Organization/Author: Bernadette Pilar Zermeño, Colorin colorado!
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2025
Alliance for Childhood: Video Collection
Alliance for Childhood: Video Collection
A collection of videos on play, including:
playground NYC
Pop Up Play and Loose Parts
Family Play, Family Well-Being
Prescription for Play
Playwork: An Introduction
Wetlands and Wonder
Organization/Author: Alliance for Childhood
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Teacher Time Series: The Joy of Teaching and Learning in Preschool
Teacher Time Series: The Joy of Teaching and Learning in Preschool
These episodes highlight the joy of teaching and learning with preschool children and their families:
Playful Learning and Joyful Teaching in Preschool
Plan, Observe, Tinker, and Teach in Preschool
Highly Individualized Teaching and Learning in Preschool
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: Unknown
Teacher Time Series: The Joy of Teaching and Learning with Infants and Toddlers
Teacher Time Series: The Joy of Teaching and Learning with Infants and Toddlers
These video episodes highlight the joy of teaching and learning with infants, toddlers and their families:
Joyful and Engaging Environments for Infants and Toddlers
Plan, Observe, Tinker, and Teach with Infants and Toddlers
Highly Individualized Teaching with Infants and Toddlers
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: Unknown
Let’s Dig Deep: Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP)
Let’s Dig Deep: Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP)
This video collection includes four videos (under 5 minutes, each) created by the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. All videos explore developmentally appropriate practice.
Organization/Author: Devereux Center for Resilient Children
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2022
Let’s Dig Deep: Culturally Responsive (4 part video series)
Let’s Dig Deep: Culturally Responsive (4 part video series)
This video collection includes four videos (under 5 minutes, each) created by the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. All videos explore culturally responsive practices.
Organization/Author: Devereux Center for Resilient Children
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2023
The Role of Early Childhood Education in Promoting a Just World Video Collection
The Role of Early Childhood Education in Promoting a Just World Video Collection
The videos and resources provide ideas and guidance on guiding children’s development in anti-bias education.
Organization/Author: Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut University
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Teaching Strategies Video Series
Teaching Strategies Video Series
Teaching Strategies are brief videos that focus on one, specific strategy utilized by an early childhood teacher or provider to meet an objective. Some illustrate a specific teaching behavior or interaction with children; others may show how a teacher or provider planned a transition or an environmental modification to meet children's needs or elicit new or different behaviors or learning. The videos are designed to give viewers ideas for implementing a new strategy.
Organization/Author: Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut University
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Sharing Assessment Info. w/ Families- Engaging Families with Video at Parent-Teacher Conferences; Family Engagement w/ TS GOLD; Aiden's Parent-Teacher Conference; Finley’s Parent-Teacher Conference
Engaging Families with Video at Parent-Teacher Conferences
Family Engagement With TS GOLD
Aiden's Parent-Teacher Conference
Finley’s Parent-Teacher Conference
The videos in this collection are related to sharing assessment information with families while hosting a parent/teacher or family conference.
Organization/Author: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Observation Practice Videos
This collection of videos showing children doing a variety of things is divided by age (infants and toddlers, preschoolers).
Organization/Author: Desired Results for Children and Families (DRDP)
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Clips for Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills (Spanish)
Clips for Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills (Spanish)
The videos in this collection are perfect for practicing observation, documentation, and assessment skills. Each has a descript-tion of the ages and activities of the children. All clips may be watched online or downloaded for free. This collection is in Spanish.
Organization/Author: Results Matter Video Library, Colorado Department of Education
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Clips for Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills
Clips for Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills
The videos in this collection are perfect for practicing observation, documentation, and assessment skills. Each has a description of the ages and activities of the children. All clips may be watched online or downloaded for free.
Organization/Author: Results Matter Video Library, Colorado Department of Education
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: Unknown
Practitioner Family-Centered Practices for Working With Families
Practitioner Family-Centered Practices for Working With Families
Several brief vignettes with Early Interventionists, families, children interacting in the home setting as examples of family-centered practices.
Organization/Author: Puckett Institute
Type of Resource: Videos
Publication Date: 2017
Investigations Curriculum Videos Series
Investigations Curriculum Videos Series
Investigations is the curriculum used by Eastern's Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC). The curriculum was developed by CFDRC teachers and administrators in partnership with Dr. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith. The curriculum is centered around engaging projects - called "investigations" - on topics that are selected by children, teachers, and families. As children investigate a topic in learning centers, small collaborative groups, whole group activities, movement and music experiences, outdoor observation, or field trips, they acquire critical competencies. Videos include interviews with preschool and toddler teachers about how children engaged in literacy, math, science, art, and other activities through the three- or four-month investigation.
Organization/Author: Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut University
Type of Resource: Video Collection
Publication Date: unknown
Additional Resources
