As you think about your own goals this school year, don’t forget to add professional development to the mix.
When you invest in professional development, it ensures you become the best educator you can be by keeping you abreast of the latest trends and skills, which ultimately translates to better performance by you and your students.
If you’re not quite sure where to begin, there are a number of PD topics you might consider to help you become the most well-rounded educator possible, including:
Assessing your students’ performance: Assessment is a key ingredient in ensuring students meet all their goals. Assessment is the process of gathering info about a student and then using that information to plan age- and developmentally-appropriate activities for the classroom.
Creating an inclusive space: As infants, children begin to tell themselves apart from others. Toddlers can discern racial and gender differences, and most are more interested in what makes them different rather than the same as their peers. Plus, studies show there are numerous benefits for children when you promote inclusion and diversity in classrooms, including critical thinking, creativity, confidence and a foundation for adulthood.
Integrating playground safety: Teachers should have a firm handle on various aspects of outdoor safety, including identifying common outdoor-related injuries, appropriate ways to prevent these injuries, playground safety, potential hazards and more.
Preparing for parent-teacher conferences: As an educator, it’s critical you’re able to effectively share academic progress and development, classroom observations and more with your students’ parents or guardians so they can be better informed about their toddlers’ strengths and areas for growth.
Incorporating health and hygiene practices into your classroom: Every teacher should have a basic understanding of how to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and promote basic hygiene skills among students.
Hiring and developing staff: With teacher shortages and high turnover, recruiting and retaining staff has become paramount in the early childhood education industry. After all, employee performance reflects the values of your center, and choosing teachers carefully and providing ongoing training, coaching and counseling can significantly increase the odds of a program’s success.
Want to learn more about these topics? If so, ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), the No. 1 trainer of early childhood pros, has you covered.
Our online courses and certification programs have helped hundreds of thousands of professionals just like you across the country. Whether you’re looking to take one training course, a suite of courses, complete a certificate program or embark on your CDA, CCEI has options for every level of early childhood educator.
We offer more than 150 online courses in English and Spanish, including several on the categories above, that can be accessed anywhere 24/7/365.
Click here to learn more about our entire catalog of offerings and get started today!
Leslie Coleman is the education director of ChildCare Education Institute. She has over 25 years of experience in the early childhood education field and has held positions ranging from preschool teacher to professional development consultant for ECE professionals.
