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Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals. An Overview of The Development, Content, and Application. The Core Competencies were developed to:. Define what professionals need to know and do to provide quality services for children and families.
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Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals An Overview of The Development, Content, and Application
The Core Competencies were developed to: • Define what professionals need to know and do to provide quality services for children and families. • Serve as the foundation for decisions and practices carried out by professionals in all settings. • Establish a set of standards that support the professionalization of the field.
A Collaborative Effort • Professional Development Initiative for Early Care and Education in Kansas • Opportunities in a Professional Education Network in Missouri (OPEN) • Greater Kansas City Careers in Early Childhood Care and Education
A Collaborative Effort • Professionals in Kansas and Missouri • Early care and education providers (center, home, religious, Head Start) • Higher education faculty, administrators, and staff • Federal and state agency personnel • School-age organizations • Community-based trainers • Draft reviewed by ~6000 professionals across the two states
Parallel to the Core Competencies for Youth Development Professionals
Eight Content Areas I – Child/Adolescent Growth and Development II - Learning Environment and Curriculum III - Child/Adolescent Observation and Assessment IV - Families and Communities V - Health, Safety, and Nutrition VI - Interactions with Children/Youth VII - Program Planning and Development VIII - Professional Development and Leadership
1 - Child Growth and Development Understand how children acquire language and creative expression and develop physically, cognitively, and socially. • Child Growth and Development • Level 1 – Identifies basic developmental milestones of children. • Level 2 – Adapts care and education to children’s changing need. • Level 3 – Explains physical, social/emotional, and cognitive differences of children. • Level 4 – Integrates information on growth, development, and learning patterns of individuals and groups and applies to practice. • Level 5 – Articulates, analyses, evaluates, and applies current theory, research, and policy on child growth and development.
2 – Learning Environment and Curriculum Establish an environment that provides learning experiences that meet each child’s needs, capabilities, and interests. • Creating the Learning Environment and General Curriculum • Promoting Physical Development • Promoting Cognitive Development • Promoting Language/Communication Development • Promoting Social Development • Promoting Creative Expression
3 – Child Observation and Assessment Observe and assess what children know and can do in order to provide curriculum that meets their developmental and learning needs. • Child Observation and Assessment
4 – Families and Communities • Relationships with Families • Use of Community Resources Work collaboratively with families and agencies/organizations to meet children’s needs and to encourage the community’s involvement with early care and education.
5 – Health, Safety, and Nutrition • Knowledge of Regulations • Environmental Safety • Responding to Health Needs of Children • Nutrition Establish and maintain an environment that ensures children’s healthy development, safety, and nourishment.
6 – Interactions with Children • Providing Individual Guidance • Enhancing Group Experiences Establish supportive relationships with children and guide them as individuals and as a part of a group.
7 – Program Planning and Evaluation • Program Planning and Evaluation • Personnel Management • Financial Management Establish, implement, and evaluate an early care and education program.
8 – Professional Development and Leadership Serve children and families in a professional manner and participate in the community as a representative of early childhood care and education. • Displaying Professionalism in Practice • Ongoing Professional Growth • Leadership and Advocacy
How can the Core Competencies be used … • by Program Staff? • by Directors/Administrators? • by Trainers/Agencies?
How can the Core Competencies be used? • All Staff • Self evaluation • Professional development goal setting • Monitor and record trainings by Core Competency area
How can the Core Competencies be used? • Directors/Administrators • Specify requirements for staff job descriptions • Establish salary scale based on educational achievement or demonstrated competence
How can the Core Competencies be used? • Trainers/Agencies • Organize training opportunities • Create a framework for a career development system
Questions? • For more information about the Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals, visit: www.openinitiative.org