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Early Childhood Generalist
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Early Childhood Generalist

Early Childhood Generalist

  1. My students write very large, and most of their writing samples are more than one page. What can I do?
  2. For Option B in Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1, the instructions state that a typed copy should accompany each student writing sample on a separate sheet of paper produced by the teacher. Should I number these pages? I do not see where they are addressed in the "Pack & Ship" section of the portfolio CD-ROM.
  3. May I put my student work samples in clear plastic sleeves or laminate the sheets for protection?
  4. Can I submit a running record of a child's reading as a student work sample for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1?
  5. For Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1, should I correct the child's spelling on student work samples?
  6. Can I submit student work samples from a longer period of time than the suggested 8 weeks for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1?
  7. How should student work samples be titled for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1? Should I use the name of the student or should the name describe the writing?
  8. Five pages are allowed for the Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1 section "Supporting Literacy Development." How can I analyze two different children in separate sections and remain within the five-page allowance?
  9. For Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2, what kind of instructional materials should I include?
  10. My class made a book about their science and math experiments. I would like to use this as an artifact for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3, but there are many pages to the book. How can I submit this as an artifact and comply with the format specifications?
  11. Is Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3 a small group or a whole class video?
  12. When may I begin to gather evidence for my portfolio entries?
  13. How do I know that the Big Idea I have selected for Entry 3 is acceptable?
  14. How should I choose a theme for my Big Idea for Entry 3?


  1. My students write very large, and most of their writing samples are more than one page. What can I do?

    2. Many early childhood teachers have students who write on large paper in very large handwriting. You may shrink one large page of extra large handwriting to submit as an 8.5" X 11" sheet of paper. If the sample went on to other pages, select the page with the best evidence you want to use for the entry.


  2. For Option B in Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1, the instructions state that a typed copy should accompany each student writing sample on a separate sheet of paper produced by the teacher. Should I number these pages? I do not see where they are addressed in the "Pack & Ship" section of the portfolio CD-ROM.

    3. The one page description does not count toward the page limit and should not be numbered. Please include these pages with the submission of the student writing samples behind the appropriate cover sheet.


  3. May I put my student work samples in clear plastic sleeves or laminate the sheets for protection?

    4. No. Laminating artifacts or placing work samples in plastic sleeves hinders the work of the assessors. Please refer to the instructions for submitting artifacts in the section of your instructions entitled "Format Specifications."


  4. Can I submit a running record of a child's reading as a student work sample for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1?

    5. No. The entry instructions state that you may submit student work in three forms: dictation and drawing, dictation and writing, or as writing alone.


  5. For Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1, should I correct the child's spelling on student work samples?

    6. You may wish to correct your students' spelling if you feel that assessors will have difficulty deciphering the work sample. However, do not change the child's words or punctuation; simply provide assessors with a legible version that is spelled using conventional spelling.


  6. Can I submit student work samples from a longer period of time than the suggested 8 weeks for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1?

    7. It is up to you to decide. There are no limitations on the maximum period of time artifacts may span. The 8 weeks mentioned is a minimum period of time that student work samples must cover.


  7. How should student work samples be titled for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1? Should I use the name of the student or should the name describe the writing?

    8. Using the title of the work would be most conducive to helping assessors readily identify the components of your entry; on the cover sheets you will identify the student whose work samples are submitted. For example, if the focus of the lesson is on "sentence structure," that could be your title.


  8. Five pages are allowed for the Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1 section "Supporting Literacy Development." How can I analyze two different children in separate sections and remain within the five-page allowance?

    9. The page lengths that follow each section of the Written Commentary component of Entry 1 are merely suggested page lengths and are provided as a guide for you to use as you prepare your Written Commentary. The entire Written Commentary has a 13-page limit that may be divided among the four sections as you deem necessary. If you find that you require more than 5 pages to complete the "Supporting Literacy Development" section, you may need to reduce the length of another section to fall within the total page limit for this component.


  9. For Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2, what kind of instructional materials should I include?

    10. Your instructional materials should provide important background context for interpreting the discussion or work produced by students that was examined in or grew out of a class activity. Two of your instructional materials will support your discussion of what came before, during or after the video recorded lesson. Two of your instructional materials will support your discussion of the integration of social studies and the arts. What is important is to select materials that clearly explain the role the arts played in promoting student learning of a social studies topic, concept, or theme.


  10. My class made a book about their science and math experiments. I would like to use this as an artifact for Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3, but there are many pages to the book. How can I submit this as an artifact and comply with the format specifications?

    11. If you have an artifact that is very lengthy, you may wish to submit a copy of one or two representative pages as your artifact. Another option would be to scan a lengthy document and make computer slides. Six slides will fit onto a single sheet of paper.


  11. Is Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3 a small group or a whole class video?

    12. Entry 3 is a whole class learning experience. Teachers can arrange the class as they wish, but the learning sequence MUST involve each student, either in a group or individually. Also, there is to be evidence of inquiry, intellectual engagement, discussion, and content in the video and the use of appropriate science and mathematical instructional materials. If your focus is on a particular group of students and the rest of your students are in the periphery, you MUST explain how each student received this same instruction in your Written Commentary.


  12. When may I begin to gather evidence for my portfolio entries?

    13. All evidence of your work with students must be gathered during the 12-month period immediately preceding the portfolio deadline.


  13. How do I know that the Big Idea I have selected for Entry 3 is acceptable?

    14. Please remember that NBPTS cannot respond to candidate questions or requests for clarification that would require NBPTS to: make choices for the candidate; evaluate the quality of the candidate's work; or give the candidate advance knowledge not released to candidates prior to attending the assessment center.

    There are numerous ways to achieve certification. The assessors are reading supportively for the evidence you have submitted for each of the bullets under the Level 4 rubric for this entry which can be found in Part 2, page 9 of the Scoring Guide for your certificate.  We also encourage you to review the Evaluation of Evidence for Entry 3 which will be used by the assessors as they review your submission to determine the level of evidence you have submitted. The Big Idea is just one item in a list of aspects from the Standards.

    You are welcome to review Excerpts from National Science Education Standards located in the Appendix of the Portfolio Instructions for examples of "Big Ideas." Candidates are welcome to select an idea(s) from Unifying Concepts and Processes since they cut across branches of science and should inform fundamental understandings of each branch. The examples listed on Part 2, page 1 of the Portfolio Instructions - systems, models, evolution, constancy, and patterns of change - are not a comprehensive list of "Big Ideas." Ultimately, the choice is yours.

    For Entry 3, you will design and implement a learning sequence that demonstrates how you help students acquire important science and mathematics knowledge as they strive to better understand a "big idea" in science. You will engage the students in your class in the discovery, exploration, and implementation of these science and mathematics concepts, procedures, and processes by integrating these two disciplinary areas. This entry is designed to capture evidence of your ability to plan, describe, implement, illustrate, assess, and reflect on your teaching practice. For the purposes of this entry, learning sequence is defined as a series of lessons or activities that are a part of a larger unit of instruction. 


  14. How should I choose a theme for my Big Idea for Entry 3?

    15. In order to explore a scientific concept or process, the teacher must select a specific theme. The theme must be one that can be taught in depth so it can be related to all branches of science and applied to another discipline within the curriculum as specified in the entry instructions. Select a theme in science and a "big idea" that, when studied and explored together, will enrich the understanding of both the selected theme and a "big idea." For example, a teacher's big idea could be helping the students understand the use of scientific models. The teacher could then explore by studying themes such as plants, planetary motion, or electricity with equal effectiveness.


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