Across the state, every early care and education provider in a licensed child care facility must have a current Professional Development Plan. With the daily responsibilities of supporting individual child development in all domains of growth, communicating with families and coworkers, and meeting health and safety requirements, these plans often get developed and then moved to the backburner. The NC Birth-to-Three Quality Initiative (B-3QI) wants to change this pattern by creating Professional Development Plans that are frequently referenced roadmaps for our valuable birth-to-three teachers and administrators. We aim to reconnect our skilled providers with the personal meaning behind their professional growth.
A subset of the NC B-3QI team has worked diligently and with great intention to develop the project’s unique Professional Growth and Development Plan. This document sets itself apart from most other Professional Development Plans because it uses a whole-person approach to creating impactful goals and effective action steps. Reflection exercises embedded in this Plan help providers to see the influence of skill and competency development on their personal well-being and their relationships with families and children. Coaches can also assist with creating Workday Wellness Plans that allow teachers and administrators to articulate their needs for their sense of health and well-being and implement these tailored recharge strategies into their daily routines.
With the assistance of our Regional Birth-to-Three Specialists, providers involved in Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) with our project will be able to craft specific, measurable, achievable, action-oriented, relevant, realistic and time-bound (SMA2R2T) goals that directly relate to what they value about themselves and their work (Snyder et. al., 2022). While our project supports those working directly with infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds, PBC principles and the framework are applicable to anyone working in the early childhood field.
To learn more about PBC for birth-to-three care and education staff and get connected to your Regional Birth-to-Three Specialist Coach, visit our website here. You will also find many other project offerings to help you along your professional journey as a birth-to-three provider!
ReferencesSnyder, P., Hemmeter, M., & Fox, L. (2022). The essentials of Practice-Based Coaching: Supporting effective practices in early childhood. Paul H. Brookes Publishing
