“We’re More Than a Daycare”: Reported Roles and Settings for Early Childhood Professionals and Implications for Professionalizing the Field

In the US, recent efforts have focused on professionalizing field of early childhood. One way to indicate professionalism is through terms used describe both and workers. However, few examined how practitioners or researchers childhood professionals’ work. Using multiple data sources analytic strategies, we ways that those working with young children described their role setting, as well these were in research practitioner journals. “Teacher” was preferred term for journals professionals, setting reflected traditional K-12 school structures. Professionals linked idea education teaching preparing formal schooling. Many contrasted work daycare babysitting, noting planning, curriculum use, expertise, program quality, funding mechanisms, professionalism, an important developmental period all contributed roles teachers preschool settings. Implications are discussed.