Standard 3: NAEYC Accreditation Criteria for Teaching

The following chart presents the accreditation criteria for this topic area. Each criterion provides specific details to guide program plans, policies and practices. The criteria are numbered (01, 02, 03, etc.) within their topic area. Each criterion within each program standard is identified by its relevant age group (or groups). Many criteria are identified as "universal" (U), meaning that all classrooms and programs pursuing NAEYC Accreditation must address these criteria. These aspects of quality should be seen in any programs or classrooms serving birth through kindergarten, though they may look somewhat different in practice depending on the children's age.

Age Groups:
U = universal
I = infant
T = toddlers/twos
P = preschool
K = kindergarten

3.A.
Designing Enriched Learning Environments

3.A.01
U   I   T   P   K
Teaching staff, program staff, or both work as a team to implement daily teaching and learning activities, including Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and other individual plans as needed.

3.A.02
U   I   T   P   K
Teachers design an environment that protects children's health and safety at all times.

3.A.03
U   I   T   P   K
Teaching staff support children's needs for physical movement, sensory stimulation, fresh air, rest, and nourishment.

3.A.04
U   I   T   P   K
Teachers organize space and select materials in all content and developmental areas to stimulate exploration, experimentation, discovery and conceptual learning.

3.A.05
T   P   K
Teachers work to prevent challenging or disruptive behaviors through

• environmental design.
• schedules that meet the needs and abilities of children.
• effective transitions.
• engaging activities.

3.A.06
T   P   K
Teachers create classroom displays that help children reflect on and extend their learning. They ensure that children's recent works predominate in classroom displays (e.g., art, emergent writing, graphic representation, and three-dimensional creations) and that some displays are at children's eye level.

3.A.07
T   P   K
Teaching staff and children work together to arrange classroom materials in predictable ways so children know where to find things and where to put them away.