Professional Professional Development PlansDevelopment Plans

PSCQPSCQ

NQS- Quality Area 4 Staffing NQS- Quality Area 4 Staffing ArrangementsArrangements 4.2 Educators, coordinators and staff

have the skills and knowledge to support children’s learning, health, safety and wellbeing.

4.1.4 The performance of educators, coordinators and staff is evaluated and individual development plans are in place to support performance improvement.

Who is currently using Who is currently using Professional Development Professional Development Plans (PDP)?Plans (PDP)?

Does anyone find the process Does anyone find the process challenging?challenging?

What makes it challenging for What makes it challenging for you?you?

Does anyone find it easy?Does anyone find it easy?

What plans or processes are What plans or processes are services currently using?services currently using?

Is anyone willing to share their Is anyone willing to share their experience with PDP?experience with PDP?

Using checklistsUsing checklists

Staff Appraisals/Performance Staff Appraisals/Performance Appraisals often used checklists Appraisals often used checklists to measure quality, however do to measure quality, however do these critically investigate their these critically investigate their views on theory and how these views on theory and how these may or may not be realised in may or may not be realised in practice?practice?

Using checklistsUsing checklists

Whilst some points in a checklist Whilst some points in a checklist may be reflective of theoretical may be reflective of theoretical perspectives, it is not always perspectives, it is not always evident or clear what our beliefs, evident or clear what our beliefs, professional identity and professional identity and theoretical theoretical influences/perspectives are.influences/perspectives are.

Using checklistsUsing checklists

Quite often checklist type Quite often checklist type appraisals would be used to appraisals would be used to point out negative aspects of point out negative aspects of staff’s performance.staff’s performance.

Quite often appraisals carried Quite often appraisals carried out by mentor/person in charge, out by mentor/person in charge, with some or no input from with some or no input from participants.participants.

Professional Development Professional Development Plans (PDP), what are they?Plans (PDP), what are they?

2.Present Experiences affiliations, professional

conversations

4. Critical Reflection with

mentor,Early childhood professional,

peer support group

5. Develop Action Planin collaboration

with mentor

3. Personal ReflectionProfessional beliefs,

values and influencesPersonal Portfolios

1. Past Experiences

PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT PLAN

PDP and Position PDP and Position DescriptionsDescriptions

It is important when considering It is important when considering using a PDP that it is reflective using a PDP that it is reflective of the position descriptions used of the position descriptions used in the service.in the service.

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Past ExperiencesPast Experiences

What qualifications and What qualifications and training do individual staff training do individual staff currently have?currently have?

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Present ExperiencesPresent Experiences

What do staff engage in to support What do staff engage in to support their work and development.their work and development.

eg. affiliationseg. affiliations

professional organisationsprofessional organisations

professional conversationsprofessional conversations

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Personal ReflectionPersonal Reflection

Why reflect? Why reflect? Form of learning and thinking.Form of learning and thinking. To gather information about To gather information about

individual professional beliefs, individual professional beliefs, values and influences to values and influences to understand what to develop understand what to develop further.further.

Reassess changes in values Reassess changes in values and beliefs.and beliefs.

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Personal ReflectionPersonal Reflection

What to reflect on…What to reflect on… Philosophical relationship to early Philosophical relationship to early

childhood developmentchildhood development Day-to-day work with children and Day-to-day work with children and

familiesfamilies Own teaching and learning stylesOwn teaching and learning styles Multidimensional approach to Multidimensional approach to

viewing child development (as viewing child development (as reflected in EYLF-Early Childhood reflected in EYLF-Early Childhood Pedagogy)Pedagogy)

Critically investigate if theory is Critically investigate if theory is evident in practiceevident in practice

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Personal Reflection and PortfoliosPersonal Reflection and Portfolios

Personal Portfolios provide the Personal Portfolios provide the opportunity to compile recorded opportunity to compile recorded records of practice and review:records of practice and review: PlanningPlanning ImplementationImplementation EvaluationEvaluation

Personal Portfolios include:Personal Portfolios include: Self-reflectionSelf-reflection ConversationsConversations Samples of workSamples of work Documented teachingDocumented teaching

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Critical Reflection with MentorCritical Reflection with Mentor

A mentor may include a critical A mentor may include a critical colleague, early childhood colleague, early childhood professional or a peer support group.professional or a peer support group.

Why critically reflect with a mentor?Why critically reflect with a mentor? Your thinking may be confirmed or Your thinking may be confirmed or

challenged challenged Provide support throughout Provide support throughout

assessment and active engagementassessment and active engagement Validate practical workValidate practical work Connect theory with daily workConnect theory with daily work

Steps to PDP- Steps to PDP- Develop Action PlanDevelop Action Plan Where do individuals or the Where do individuals or the

organisation want to head in the organisation want to head in the future?future?

Is there a shared vision or goals?Is there a shared vision or goals? What training, coaching, What training, coaching,

relationships or affiliations will be relationships or affiliations will be required to change or improve required to change or improve practice?practice?

What is the timeline?What is the timeline? Who will facilitate the required Who will facilitate the required

support to fulfil identified visions or support to fulfil identified visions or goals?goals?

ResourcesResources

Brown, R., Deans, J., Nolan, A., Raban, B., Ure, C. & Brown, R., Deans, J., Nolan, A., Raban, B., Ure, C. & Waniganayake, M. (2007) Waniganayake, M. (2007) Building Capacity: Building Capacity: Strategic Professional Development for Early Strategic Professional Development for Early Childhood PractitionersChildhood Practitioners. Sydney:Thomson Social . Sydney:Thomson Social Science PressScience Press

(Available through Early Childhood Australia website)(Available through Early Childhood Australia website)