NECTAC is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the US Department of Education

NECTAC 2012Professional Development Webinar Series

Developing and Implementing Cross Sector Competencies for Early Childhood Personnel

Featuring Florida

May 23, 2012

Toll-Free Dial-In Number: 1-866-440-3751International Dial-In Number: 1-540-318-1467Conference ID: 77505746 #

NECTAC is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the US Department of Education

Webinar Facilitators:

Kathy Whaley

and Katy McCullough

Online at: www.nectac.org

http://www.nectac.org/

Goals and Organization of Webinar

Learn about:

•Process for developing core competencies for practitioners and TA specialists and the benefits of using a cross-sector approach

•Targeted competencies for specialists supporting inclusion

(e.g. PT, OT, SLP) that will guide personnel practices for working in inclusive settings and how they are aligned with the core competencies

Opportunities to ask questions and share comments will be provided after each presentation via phone and chat.

http://www.nectac.org/expopps

http://www.nectac.org/expopps

Presenters:

Alisa Ghazvini, Ph.D.Early Childhood Consultant

Amanda MooreState Inclusion Network

CoordinatorFlorida's Office of Early Learning

Kim Galant, Ph.D.Regional Facilitator

Florida Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS)

Crystal BishopPh.D Candidate

University of Florida Center for Excellence in Early Childhood

Studies

Developing and Implementing Cross Sector Competencies for Early Childhood

Personnel

For Today…

Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Providers*

Developed by the Florida Early Care and Education Professional Development Initiative steering committee Originally developed by a local

collaborative in Palm Beach County, FL Based on national standards and

competency work in other states Cross-sector input from state agencies,

higher education, provider association

representatives, and Expanding

Opportunities

* A PDF of this document is available for download under this webinar’s “Additional Resources” section.

Core Knowledge Areas

1. Help children follow simple rules

2. Assist in communicating limits for acceptable behavior

3. Describe realistic behavioral expectations

4. Model and point out appropriate positive behaviors for children

1. Establish and communicate limits for acceptable behavior to children and their families

2. Practice use of developmentally appropriate guidance approaches such as redirection, ignoring, choice-making, limit-setting, conflict resolution, and positive feedback and encouragement

3. Involve children in setting realistic limits and expectations in the early childhood setting (based upon age and ability appropriateness)

Core Knowledge Area 4:Teaching and Learning Environments and InteractionsC. Use developmentally appropriate guidance strategies

Tier I

Tier II

8. Develop and model developmentally appropriate guidance approaches that promote positive behaviors, problem solving and self-control

9. Modify and adapt guidance strategies through observation and assessment of the children and in collaboration with families

10. Use guidance techniques appropriate to the age of children and to individual children’s special needs

11. Seek and utilize the child’s family, colleagues and other professionals when needed to develop guidance approaches for specific behavioral concerns


Tier III

12. Design supportive environments in which all children can learn and practice appropriate behaviors as individuals and as members of a group

13. Evaluate and promote use of effective positive child guidance techniques and policies with colleagues and families

14. Develop and implement individualized behavior support programs, as needed

15. Know local, state, and national resources relative to behavioral concerns and provide information to families in coordination with supervisors and partners


Tier IV

“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it bywhat amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with

accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” —Plato

Identify and define what TA specialists should know and be able to do to provide quality technical assistance

Create framework for professional development, defining terms and expectations to be used consistently among TA specialists and across programs and organizations

Serve as a standard for decisions and practices carried out by technical assistance specialists in early care and education settings and programs

Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Technical Assistance

Specialists*


TA SpecialistCore Knowledge Areas

3.A.1. Use the results of needs assessments to discuss practitioner’s strengths and needs

3.A.2. Help the practitioner identify goals

3.A.3. Assist the practitioner in identifying objectives and outcomes for their goals

3.A.4. Assist the practitioner in incorporating their goals into a broader professional development plan

Core Knowledge Area 3: Facilitating Shared Goal Setting and Planning

TechnicalAssistantSpecialist I

The technical assistance specialist follows a professional improvement model with practitioners that is based on best practices and research, provides structure, is based on achievable goals, and includes a plan for measuring outcomes. In this process, the technical assistance specialist invites ideas and solutions, remains sensitive to strengths and imitations, and looks for opportunities to stretch the practitioner’s skills and knowledge.

3.A.5. Assist the practitioner in evaluating their own strengths and needs based on needs assessments

3.A.6. Support the practitioner in developing realistic goals and ways to collect data to evaluate their attainment

3.A.7. Understand and implement mechanisms that help practitioners translate their goals into objectives and measurable outcomes that ensure a higher degree of success

3.A.8. Provide information and resources to guide the practitioner in linking their goals to their professional development plan


TechnicalAssistantSpecialist II

3.A.9. Develop and implement ongoing opportunities for practitioners to assess their strengths and needs

3.A.10. Plan, implement, and analyze mechanisms to support practitioners in developing, evaluating, and refining goals based on best practices and research

3.A.11. Plan, implement, and analyze mechanisms to support practitioners in developing, measuring, evaluating, and refining objectives and outcomes tied to their goals

3.A.12. Create mechanisms to ensure that practitioner goals and objectives are used in developing, assessing, and revising their professional development plan


TechnicalAssistantSpecialist III

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Key Factors

to our SuccessConsultants who understood the importance of

collaboration across sectors and invited participation from multiple agencies and state-wide work groups

Champions in early childhood sectors who participated in the development of both the core competencies for early care and education providers and the targeted competencies for inclusion

Willingness of agencies to pool technical assistance resources

Involvement of higher education and doctoral students

Persistence in the face of challenge

Ongoing Cross-Sector Collaboration

Annual meetings including both groupsMechanism for tracking yearly progress side-by-

side

Each group continues work and meets regularly between annual joint meetings Implementation of a system for sharing

information between groups throughout the year

Written agreement between groupsPartnership Working Agreement between Florida

Expanding Opportunities Development Workgroup and Florida Early Care and Education Professional Development Initiative

Questions & CommentsPlease follow the operator’s instructions to use your telephone if you wish to ask a question or leave a comment, or use the Adobe Connect chat box.

Florida's Targeted Competencies for Specialists Supporting

Inclusion*


Need for Targeted Competencies for

Inclusion

Alignment with Core Competencies

Core Competencies contain knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by teachers

in inclusive settings.

Examples from Core: Health and Safety – Prepare safe environments that

maximize the independence and inclusion of children with differing abilities.

Teaching and Learning – Adapt and modify instructional strategies to support and meet the needs of each child.

Assessment - Use the results of child assessment to assist in developing IEPs, IFSPs, or care plans for children with special needs, and to improve practices.

Development of Florida Targeted Competencies for

InclusionDeveloped by Expanding Opportunities Team

Cross-walk of discipline-specific competencies, including the Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners (PT, SLP, IMH, School Psych, Early Childhood Special Education)

Developed for any practitioners providing support or itinerant services to children birth to 5 and their families in inclusive environments

Designed to align with and augment the Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners

PT

OT

IMH SLP

ECSE

Psy

ITDS

Content of Targeted Competencies for

Inclusion Specialists need skills in:

˃ evidence-based practice in general and special education ˃ research-based teaching and intervention strategies ˃ teaching adults effectively ˃ strategies for teaming and collaboration

Address knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to provide services/supports to families, caregivers, and providers.

Incorporate principles and practices unique to early childhood or that reflect best practices - natural environment, family-centered services, relationship-based practices, integrated therapy models.

a. Maintain high expectations for every child to reach his or her full potential

b. Adapt practices to facilitate every child’s development and learning based on individual needs.

c. Recognize characteristics of developmental delay and specific disabilities, including causation, characteristics, and classification of common disabilities in infants and young children.

d. Recognize and communicate the impact of disability or developmental delay on child development and learning.

e. Interpret challenging behavior with respect to form and function.

Sample Targeted Competencies for Inclusion

2. ChildDevelopmentand Learning

Examples of Use – Case Studies

Professional Development Plans

Planned Use for Competencies

Targeted competencies added to array of early care and education competencies

Inform the “what” and “how” of early childhood professional development

Training based on competencies

Development of advanced credential based on training

Career Pathway

Planned Use for Competencies

Develop / implement policies to enhance professionalism in early care and education

Link Core Competencies to other early care and education system efforts (e.g., Early Learning Guidelines, Early Care and Education Frameworks, Quality Rating Improvement Systems, Accreditation systems, and Expanding Opportunities)

Link to efforts that support school success for children

Link to compensation initiatives to improve wages within early care and education, linking competence to compensation.

Lessons LearnedImportance of face-to-face collaborative meetings

Importance of tapping and utilizing higher education assets and partnershipsEngage doctoral students as well as faculty

Development of a professional development system is a long-term commitmentTo ensure the use of competencies, they must be

embedded in a system

Flexibility, continued evaluation, and input from stakeholders are essential components to implementation of a professional development system

For Additional Information:

Questions & CommentsPlease follow the operator’s instructions to use your telephone if you wish to ask a question or leave a comment, or use the Adobe Connect chat box.

Thanks for participating!

An evaluation survey will be e-mailed to participants immediately following the call.

We appreciate your feedback!

Documents

NECTAC is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the US Department of Education