Ashley Claire

Professional Learning Plan

Fall, 2015

Part 1 Selecting a Competency, Indicator(s) and Possible Goals:

My knowledge, skills, dispositions, and performances measure up to the NAEYC Administrator Competencies in many different ways. I like to believe that I create an extraordinary learning community for the children and families involved. I also believe in an in depth partnership among coworkers, staff, and parents in each program. I believe I have many skills to offer, but I would be very interested in learning much more about the legal and fiscal management of a program.

As an Early Childhood Program Administrator, there are many sources that can help develop and strengthen my knowledge and skills such as other (former and present) administrators, scholarly books about early childhood administration, exceptional new technology, and much more. While being an Early Childhood Program Administrator, I would want to master the leadership aspect of the position. I feel that this is one of the most important characteristics that an administrator can possess. Being a leader shows a strong sense of responsibility, communication, and exhibit confidence.

I am very interested in several different areas of the Early Childhood Program Administration, yet I am most captivated by the family support. I believe having the families involved with the education and growth of a young child is the best and most rewarding thing for a child no matter the diversity or socio-economic background. All children deserve to have someone cheering them on especially during this stage of their lives. I, personally, would love to be in the classroom as a teacher for the first few years of my professional career. I must have a degree in early childhood education and training in child development with children from birth to kindergarten.

In five years, I see myself as a classroom teacher at a well known program in Alabama. I hope to be working on a masters in some type of education that will lead to administration. I recently read an article, “Relations Between Families and Early Childhood Programs” by Douglas R. Powell, which gave great examples of how to interact in the most efficient ways with families. This article interested me because I enjoy seeing families engaged fully with their student’s education.

My Top Three NAEYC Administrator Competencies: Management Knowledge and Skills

1. Personal and Professional Self-Awareness

2. Staff Management and Human Relations

3. Family Support

My Top Three NAEYC Administrator Competencies: Early Childhood Knowledge and Skills

1. Child Growth and Development

2. Family and Community Relations

3. Professionalism

Part 2 Specific Goals and Intended Outcomes

1. My NAEYC Administrator Competencies Rank Ordered

*1. Child Growth and Development

*2. Family Support

3. Family and Community Relations

4. Professionalism

5. Personal and Professional Self-Awareness

6. Staff Management and Human Relations

2. The 2 specific goals for my PLP are:

Goal1: Child Growth and Development

Knowing the developmental milestones in children’s physical, cognitive, language, aesthetic, social, and emotional development.

Goal 2: Family Support

Having the ability to support families as valued partners in the child’s educational process.

Part 3 My Plan

Goal 1: Child Growth and Development

Knowing the developmental milestones in children’s physical, cognitive, language, aesthetic, social, and emotional development.

A. Activities

1.) I will collaborate with other teachers for age appropriate learning games/ activities that will enhance each milestone.

2.) I will read Developmental Milestones of Young Children by Karen Petty. This book will help me to understand each age groups typical developmental milestones and how to observe and record them over time.

B. Documentation

1.) My collaborations with other teachers will include developmental notes and many examples of growing and evolving games/ activities. These notes and examples will help me along the way as I refer to them when needed.

2.) As I read Developmental Milestones of Young Children by Karen Petty, I will be sure to take note of important aspects and examples that I can refer to during my collaborations with other teachers. I will be able to refer to this book in my results and in my goals.

C. Resources

· Professional literature

Developmental Milestones of Young Children by Karen Petty

· Other Professional Colleagues

Goal 2: Family Support

Having the ability to support families as valued partners in the child’s educational process.

A. Activities

1. I will read Ch 12: Assessment: An Essential Component of Effective Early Childhood Programming in my ECE 410 text, Planning and administering early childhood program) to understand the importance and how to work with families and the community.

2. I will summarize the chapter that I had read to conduct a useful handout about family support for myself and others to use.

B. Documentation

1. I will take note of each important sections and information about family support and how it helps children with their education in the long run.

2. The handout that I will create will be a source for myself, other colleagues, and families to be able to relate to the significance of the family support.

C. Resources

· Planning and Administering Early Childhood Programs

Long Term Planning

1. Family and Community Relations

I will increase my knowledge and understanding of family and community relations by studying different types of families and the community that I will be in. By doing this, I will be able to increase my professional relationships with the families. I will also ask directors and close colleagues about how to relate to families and the community. I can also read many professional books about how to comprehend these relationships. I will also understand that each family is different in the community such as diversity, traditional, non-traditional, and much more.

2. Professionalism

By increasing my awareness of professionalism, I will know the laws, regulations, and policies that involve and impact the children and families that I will be working with. I will research each and every professional behavior from the NAEYC “Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.” By doing this, I will be able to work to my fullest professional ability.

3. Personal and Professional Self-Awareness

My long term plan for my personal and professional self-awareness will include new techniques for improving my personal fulfillment and professionalism. I will research how to have a more professional life-style by having a positive attitude, show maturity, dress professional, be a leader, communicate in the best way, etc.

4. Staff management and Human Relations

For staff management and human relations, I can research and suggest many team building opportunities and staff development. I will use my abilities to relate to all diversities, cultures, and backgrounds. By doing this, I will be able to work together with anyone to get the job done in the most productive way. Being able to connect to colleagues in important for myself, them, and the program as a whole.

Part 2 PLP Results and Reflection on Goal Attainment:

I will attain my goals in my initial Professional Learning Plan in many different ways. It is important for me to do so to obtain and work on these goals to be the best professional possible. Not only will I try to work on them now, but I will carry them throughout my entire career journey.

It is important for me to try to connect with families and the community. I will do this by showing the families that I see them as partners in the child’s learning process, sharing the child’s work with them, communicating with them, and reaching out to them in different ways such as social media for the class. I also find professionalism to be extremely important in my plans. Being professional shows a great sense of being in control, respect to and from others, and being reliable.

Being connected to your professional colleagues is vital because it is what makes a program run. I will be sure to connect to them by being likeable, communicating, and finding a common interest with them. I will suggest a team building workshop to have the entire program interacting together as one. Camp Coleman in Trussville has many great team exercises that could be a great resource in my plan to achieve my goal.

For my Professional Learning Plan, I will read Planning and administering early childhood program, Developmental Milestones of Young Children by Karen Petty, use the internet, talk to directors and colleagues as my resources. I will also document my learning and success in different ways. For my child growth plan, I will be sure to document each activity that is preformed to continuously see the development and progress in each child.