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Professional Development
Professional development refers to the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills that relate to one's job, duties, or career path. It encompasses all types of learning opportunities, ranging from formal coursework in college, workshops, and conferences to more informal learning opportunities set in practice.
Professional development systems provide consistent and uniform standards for early childhood education (ECE) programs and guide implementation of high-quality services for all children. The systems are designed to work across all sectors of private and public early education and care. Comprehensive systems address many areas of requirements and standards.
Standards and requirements may include registries, alliances, quality ratings, and credentialing and licensing requirements. They inform the nature and scope of professional development at the national, state, territory, and local levels. A sustainable system for professional development motivates achieving excellence in early childhood programs for all young children. Most states have their own professional development systems.
Staff Training and Ongoing Professional Development
GHC implements a methodical approach to staff training and professional development intended to assist all staff in acquiring and/or increasing the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality, comprehensive services within the scope of their job responsibilities. GHC partners with its funders and other accredited agencies to provide staff with trainings that translate to academic credit or credentials. GHC offers support to staff in ways of protected time to complete training, access to online training portals that are free to staff, one-on-one tutorials, and computer and software training opportunities. The staff has access to a qualified management team and effective instructional strategies are introduced to each teaching staff during orientation and is reflected throughout their time in the classrooms through observations. The instructional strategies that have proven to be effective at GHC are fun and practical and allow learning to take place at every level of a child’s development. GHC utilizes differentiated instruction for more effective concept learning and cognition research on a consistent basis, which allows staff to seek out different approaches to building skill sets with children and direct instruction. Direct instruction is critical for children who have displayed a need for additional support services. With the assistance of the education team, teachers have developed many instructional practices for children, including Spaced Practice, which allows learning moments to be spaced out during the day; concepts of Interleaving, this technique allows teachers and children to switch between ideas produced in the learning environment; and Elaborative Interrogation, which is critical to early learning, children are able to explain and describe their ideas of focus. The Retrieval practice is mandatory in all classroom settings at GHC, teachers are encouraged to present key learning elements that were introduced in the classroom during the day to reinforce learning for the next day. This method assists children with recall skills and the ability to participate with learning in the classroom. GHC establishes Individual professional development plans include goals, tasks, and timelines for goal completion; an outline of the resources and activities to fulfill the plan; and elements that support the transfer of knowledge to practice. The plans are maintained and updated throughout the year and are regularly monitored to ensure progress.
Professional Development Plans
CSD has written policies and procedures that describe its system for ensuring that orientation, training, and professional development opportunities are available for staff. CSD implements a systematic approach to staff training and professional development designed to assist staff in acquiring or increasing the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality, comprehensive services within the scope of their job responsibilities and that is attached to academic credit, as feasible and appropriate. a. GHC Provides an orientation to all new staff, consultants, and volunteers that focuses, at a minimum,
The goals and underlying philosophy of the program and the ways they are implemented.
Personnel policies, including standards of conduct, active supervision, and other policies and procedures that guarantee the safety of children in agency care.
GHC has established policies, training pathways assigned to all staff at the onset of Higher
GHC provides a continuing professional development for all staff, including family support staff, to increase knowledge and skills, foster team work, and improve program quality.
Activities may include brown bag lunch workshops, learning communities, webinars, staff presentations, outside training, and others, as feasible, to maintain program operational integrity.
Annual Training Requirements
Gads Hill Center has prioritized strengthening the early childhood birth to 5 workforce as one of its goals. Professional development systems promote coordinated and effective learning paths that help realize this goal for the early childhood workforce. Such systems guide and inform the foundation for staff and individual career development. GHC believes that, as required by the Head Start Act, DFSS a minimum of 20 clock hours of professional development per year is key for all program staff members who support the progress of children’s development.
Each direct service provider must have a documented training system that will ensure all staff receive 20 clock hours of professional development per year. The 20 hours of training should increase the knowledge and skills within the scope of their job responsibilities. Safety training required by the Illinois childcare licensing regulations and GHC Head Start will be in addition to the 15 hours of job specific training.
All Attended Trainings by staff must be document in each individuals Gateway Credential Portal. Relevant and attended trainings must be reflected on the staff members Professional Development Record (PDR) on the Gateways Registry.
All staff members must grant Direct Supervisors access to his or Gateways PDR, in order to support the up keep and compliance of his or her Personally file.
Professional Development
Teaching Strategies Gold- Education Staff
Early Childhood Education is an important segment of our program at Gads Hill Center. The classroom learning is based on the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD as an assessment tool for documented learning. To implement the curriculum at full potential, there is an outlined format created to guide the Teacher towards understanding Teaching Strategies GOLD.
Newly Hired staff will be required to become familiar with the materials that are associated with the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD system. Materials consist of a kit located in each classroom and contain three boxes that are labeled Teaching Strategies GOLD.
The training is created for all teachers and their supervisors. All Preschool and 0-2 teachers are required to complete the basic courses that are found on teachingstrategiesgold.com. As the courses become more in-depth, teachers will complete training that pertains to the age group of the children being serviced under their care.
Professional Development
Teaching Strategies Gold - Education Staff
Early Childhood Education is an important segment of our program at Gads Hill Center. The classroom learning is based on the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD as an assessment tool for documented learning. To implement the curriculum at full potential, there is an outlined format created to guide the Teacher towards understanding Teaching Strategies GOLD.
Newly Hired staff will be required to become familiar with the materials that are associated with the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD system. Materials consist of a kit located in each classroom and contain three boxes that are labeled Teaching Strategies GOLD.
The training is created for all teachers and their supervisors. All Preschool and 0-2 teachers are required to complete the basic courses that are found on teachingstrategiesgold.com. As the courses become more in-depth, teachers will complete training that pertains to the age group of the children being serviced under their care.
Professional Learning Plan
Each staff member is required to sign an acknowledgment receipt when receiving The Professional Learning Plan. The Education Manager along with site mangers will provide staff any support needed to complete the Teaching Strategies GOLD training. Staff is expected to complete training within 60 days of hire. Time will start when the staff has entered the Teaching Strategies GOLD System with a username and password.
Teachers will be scheduled for a training offered by the City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services to become more familiar with the Teaching Strategies GOLD system.
Teachers are encouraged to utilize children’s rest period to review and complete the training.
Protected time, (time that is designated for the completion of the courses), will be offered to assist with meeting the target deadline.
· Site managers will be issued a tracking sheet to document the progress of new hires with Teaching Strategies GOLD training. Education Manager will check in with Site Managers weekly for progress made with training.
Teaching Strategies Gold
Module Requirements
During the first 60 days of employment, new hires are required to participate in training for the Teaching Strategies Gold System (TSG). Managers will be added by the Education Manager to TSG. All training is located online at Teachingstrategiesgold. com
Online Training
· Introducing My Teaching Strategies-2hours
· Gold Introduction -2 hours
· Objectives for Development and Learning -10 hours
· Getting to know the Creative Curriculum for Preschool -2 hours
· Getting to know the Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos -2 hours
· Interrater Reliability (Suggested to Complete after all modules listed above)
Infant, Toddler, and Twos staff must complete the Creative Curriculum for Infant, Toddlers, and Twos. Preschool staff must complete the Creative Curriculum for Preschool. Education Managers are required to complete the Interrater Reliability only.
For each module that is completed with a passing score, please print out your certificate and make three copies. Copies of all passing modules should be kept in employee files and records.
https://my.teachingstrategies.com/
Interrater Reliability
Interrater Reliability Certification
After completion of the Teaching Strategies Gold online courses, staff will begin the Interrater Reliability Certification process on My Teaching Strategies GOLD website. The certification can involve several attempts to complete with a passing score. There is support available as well as methods on how to complete the certification. Staff will be provided a Teaching Strategies GOLD guide on how to complete the Interrater Reliability successfully.
Upon successful completion of the Interrater Reliability certification, please print out your certificate. Provide your site director a copy of the certification and keep one for your records.
Which Interrater Reliability Certification should I take?
Great question! Due to the diversity in classrooms, each teacher is required to complete Interrater Reliability with Disabilities. Ex:( A preschool teacher completes the Preschool Interrater Reliability disabilities. The Infant, toddler, and twos teachers will complete the Infant, Toddlers, and Twos Interrater Reliability disabilities.
Beyond the Training with Teaching Strategies Gold
Beyond the Training with Teaching Strategies Gold
Teaching Strategies Gold is a system that requires daily attention. To implement the best use of the Teaching Strategies GOLD system, there are some daily regiments that must take place after the courses are completed. Listed below are the major daily task that is expected of teachers.
· Each teacher is required to make 2 documentation entries per week on the TSGOLD system
· Teachers must follow the lesson plan by using Intentional Teaching Cards, mighty minutes, and Book conversation Cards. If teachers experience trouble with the lesson plan, please reach out to your site director.
· Evidence of the study should reflect in the classroom. (Ex: if teacher selects the Ball study, the following should be seen inside of the classroom: Question of the day, pictures created by children, graphs and charts, conversation logs etc.)
· Continue Training. Enter the TSGOLD system every day and explore! Make it a point to learn something new about Teaching Strategies GOLD every day.
Gads Hill Center encourages each teacher to do their best! The Education Team is available to assist and support teachers and their classrooms. Inform your Site Manage when assistance is needed.
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