Apprentices progress at their own pace – they demonstrate
competency in skills and knowledge through assessment tests,
but are not required to complete a specific number of hours.
competency in skills and knowledge through assessment tests,
but are not required to complete a specific number of hours.
Early Childhood Educator
USDOL
National (OA)
Documents
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Individual state requirements may vary. Please contact your local apprenticeship office to ensure this version is suitable to your state’s requirements.
Work Process Content
On the Job Training
Anonymous
84
Skills
UNDERSTANDS AND ENCOURAGES CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
4
UNDERSTANDS AND ENCOURAGES CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
4
- Describes major developmental milestones for children from conception through adolescence in the areas of physical, psychosocial, cognitive and language development.
- Observes, assess and document children in natural setting enhance the study of child development.
- Analyze how cultural, economic, political, and historical contexts affect children’s development.
- Differentiate typical and atypical development. Apply developmental theory to child observations, surveys, and/or interviews using investigative research methodologies.
APPRECIATES AND HONORS CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
6
APPRECIATES AND HONORS CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
6
- Embraces each child’s culture and sees it as an asset.
- Understands the importance of providing a learning environment that is welcoming for all families.
- Adheres to families’ culturally based communication practices. Implements concepts of intercultural communications, including nonverbal communication.
- Applies skills and knowledge gained from orientation sessions to communicate respectfully with all families.
- Uses knowledge of children’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds and experiences to facilitate interactions and learning.
- Models the implementation of inclusive communication and practices to engage colleagues, children, and families.
RECOGNIZES SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS, INTERACTIONS AND GUIDANCE
6
RECOGNIZES SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS, INTERACTIONS AND GUIDANCE
6
- Plans opportunities that support children’s understanding of emotions and allows children to respond to the emotions of others, as developmentally appropriate.
- Oversees day-to-day transitions with sensitivity to each child’s responses to separation or transitions. Works with families and staff to develop ways to support children during transitions.
- Works with staff and colleagues to plan a positive social– emotional climate in the learning environment based on the individual strengths and interests of the children in the group
- Leads staff in reflecting on and interpreting children’s expressions of emotions and on one’s own responses to them.
- Plans strategies keeping in mind each child’s interests, culture, temperament, language, communication skills, and abilities.
- Develops concrete strategies and activities to recognize children’s efforts, emphasizing the use of appropriate language to acknowledge, encourage, and reinforce achievement and success.
UNDERSTANDS AND FOSTERS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
6
UNDERSTANDS AND FOSTERS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
6
- Respects each family’s style and preferred methods of communication and interacts with families in a transparent, accountable manner.
- Coordinates developmentally appropriate experiences to support children’s school readiness in all developmental domains, anticipating upcoming transitions to new programs or schools.
- Supports families as decision makers for and educators of their children.
- Ensure meaningful two-way collaboration, supporting the children's learning and development and helping families to understand child development.,
- Demonstrates an understanding of risk factors related to family functioning and how to support all families appropriately.
- Plans curriculum and activities collaboratively with all families.
UNDERSTANDS AND SUPPORTS DUALLANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
8
UNDERSTANDS AND SUPPORTS DUALLANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
8
- Facilitates discussions and planning with staff and colleagues about implementation of specific programs for group settings.
- Works with colleagues to create various opportunities for young dual-language learners and their families to participate in the group throughout the day.
- Incorporates practices that honor the role of the home language as a vital foundation in English-language development.
- Creates opportunities for young dual-language learners that promote literacy development in home language and English.
- Shares assessment information about individual children with families.
- Contributes to observation of young DLLs across a variety of settings or activities.
- Demonstrates awareness of child's home language.
- Uses observations to inform interactions with children and the curriculum-planning process.
UNDERSTANDS AND UTILIZES OBSERVATION, SCREENING, ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION
10
UNDERSTANDS AND UTILIZES OBSERVATION, SCREENING, ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION
10
- Conducts formal and informal observation of children across settings and over time.
- Gathers observations to inform the planning process for individual children and the group.
- Reviews results of screening and initiates discussions with staff, colleagues and families about universal or targeted screening.
- Identifies the need for referrals based on observations.
- Uses valid and reliable assessment tools.
- Explains and follows protocols related to parental consent confidentiality and elicits input from families.
- Initiates discussions with staff and colleagues about strategies for documentation and applies strategies to selection of samples, artifacts, or other information to include in documentation.
- Plans developmentally appropriate opportunities for children to participate in documentation of their experiences.
- Considers a variety of factors in the interpretation of observations, screening, documentation, and assessment data. Reflects with families, colleagues and specialists on the meaning of individual results and data,
- Synthesizes information gathered through the planning process in planning for individual children and for the group.
RECOGNIZES SPECIAL NEEDS AND FOSTERS INCLUSION
8
RECOGNIZES SPECIAL NEEDS AND FOSTERS INCLUSION
8
- Recommends changes o program policies as appropriate to create a sense of belonging and full participation for children or adults with disabilities or other special needs.
- Explains the principles of People First Language used to colleagues, families, and children, as developmentally appropriate.
- Collaborates with families and service providers to provide multiple approaches to learning in order to meet the diverse needs of children in the learning environment.
- Engages children with disabilities or other special needs as active participants in their own personal or health-care routines, as developmentally appropriate.
- Initiates discussions with colleagues and families regarding inclusive practice and children's development.
- Understands the range of services available to children with disabilities or other special needs, the roles of service providers, and different models of support.
- Identifies and addresses modifications in the facility and the learning environment to support children or adults with disabilities or other special needs.
- Implements safe, effective use of adaptive equipment for children with disabilities or other special needs.
CREATES LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS; PLANS AND IMPLEMENTS CURRICULUM
6
CREATES LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS; PLANS AND IMPLEMENTS CURRICULUM
6
- Synthesizes information gathered through curriculum- planning process in planning for individual children and for the group.
- Adapts indoor and outdoor environment, equipment, materials, activities or experiences based on information gathered in the curriculum-planning process, preparing children as appropriate.
- Adapts the environment as necessary to meet the interests and requirements of children in the group.
- Plans the daily schedule to meet regulatory requirements and to support the learning and development of children.
- Plans the daily schedule to incorporate a balance of child- initiated play and exploration and adult-facilitated strategies.
- Plans experiences that support infant/toddler learning and development in all domains.
ENSURES HEALTH, SAFETY AND GOOD NUTRITION
10
ENSURES HEALTH, SAFETY AND GOOD NUTRITION
10
- Identifies and addresses potential barriers to compliance with indoor and outdoor environmental health and safety policies and practices.
- Adapts supervision to the overall setting and individual requirements of children.
- Uses emergency equipment and supplies effectively and appropriately.
- Implements emergency plans and assigns roles using systematic exchange of information with families, staff, and colleagues to ensure everyone is prepared to respond.
- Facilitates and engages in discussions about healthful food choices and habits, taking into account individual family and cultural preferences.,
- Develops mealtime routines that support children's learning and reflects family practices.
- Conducts daily individual health checks for signs of illness or injury in children.
- Communicates with families daily about children's well- being.
- Addresses concerns about child abuse or neglect according to regulation and law; refers concerns to supervisor(s) as necessary. Articulates the role of risk and protective factors related to child abuse or neglect.
- Communicates with families about children’s physical activity experiences to help children develop new skills, build physical strength, and engage in play-based, structured, and spontaneous (child-initiated) physical activity.
DEVELOPS AND DEOMONSTRATES PROFESSIONALISM
10
DEVELOPS AND DEOMONSTRATES PROFESSIONALISM
10
- Uses reflective dialogue to identify an action plan for professional development.
- Explores effective professional development and mentoring strategies to support professional development.
- Engages in professional responsibilities and remains dedicated to the success of children, families, and the agency or program.
- Contributes to a quality work environment by maintaining a professional, mutually supportive attitude with colleagues, children, and families.
- Ensures that the children's program integrates development and learning in all domains.
- Actively participates in aligning the program's shared philosophy with associated goals and objectives.
- Promotes early education teaching strategies that address growth, development, and learning based on current evidence-based practice.
- Understands that adult learning can take place in many formal and informal contexts.
- Knows procedures to follow when a staff member or colleague has an accident, and applies strategies to prevent accidents from occurring.
- Conducts regular in-service professional development for staff and colleagues on risk and injury prevention.
COMPLETES ADMINISTRATION DUTIES AND ENSURES ADEQUATE SUPERVISION
8
COMPLETES ADMINISTRATION DUTIES AND ENSURES ADEQUATE SUPERVISION
8
- Program philosophy
- Use of technology and related resources
- Personnel policies
- Reflective practice and supervision
- Support for ongoing adult learning, coaching, and mentoring.
- Performance evaluation
- Communications between and among staff and colleagues
- Program policies and procedures
DEMONSTRATES LEADERSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
2
DEMONSTRATES LEADERSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
2
- Team building
- Cultivating leaders
Related Instruction Content
Training Provider(s):
630
RI hours
Child/Human Growth & Development
90
Child/Human Growth & Development
90
Child-Family-Community / Child-Family Relations
90
Child-Family-Community / Child-Family Relations
90
Programs / Curriculum
90
Programs / Curriculum
90
Observation, Screening, Assessment, and Documentation
90
Observation, Screening, Assessment, and Documentation
90
Health, Safety, and Nutrition
90
Health, Safety, and Nutrition
90
Culture, Diversity, and Equity
90
Culture, Diversity, and Equity
90
Supervised Field Experience
90
Supervised Field Experience
90
English / Language Arts
English / Language Arts
Math or Science
Math or Science
Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities and/or Fine Arts
Humanities and/or Fine Arts