OPTIONAL: You might add a quote about young children, development, learning, or any aspect of the early childhood field that inspires your professionalism. Be sure that you have an accurate source for the quote and that you attribute the quote to the author or speaker.
(Required)
Introduce yourself to visitors to your website . Include the following points:
o Describe your background and experiences that prompted your interest in the early childhood field.
o Explain why you have enrolled in the BS in Early Childhood Studies, including who and/or what inspired you to do so.
Note: You may choose to post a digital photo of yourself with your profile. If there are children in the photo who are not your own children, you must provide a signed photo release form for each child. Your coach can provide copies of the required form.
(Required)
Explain three core professional beliefs about the early childhood profession, early childhood education, and/or young children that are shaping your identity as an early childhood professional.
You may choose to use any or all of the following prompts to guide you in writing your core beliefs:
* I believe...
* I believe this because…
* This belief influences (will influence) my professional work by...
* This belief is helping to shape my professional identity by …
Make sure you:
o Explain the knowledge or practice that informs each of your beliefs, such as key contributors to the early childhood field; research about children and families; professional standards; professional ethics; and/or professional passion for positive social change. In other words, draw on knowledge and commitment you have gained thus far in your professional journey.
o Explain how each of your core beliefs informs, shapes, and/or influences your current practice and/or will inform, shape, and/or influence your future professional practice.
o Relate at least one of your core beliefs directly to advocacy for positive social change for young children and families
(Required)
Your work as an early childhood professional includes sharing your knowledge with others. Your website is an ideal place for demonstrating this aspect of professionalism. For this part of your website:
o Identify at least two specific areas within the early childhood field that are of special interest to you. (Note: You may include as many areas of interest as you choose, but you are required to provide two.) These may be whole areas, such as infant and toddler development, or particular topics, issues, or trends within the field.
o For each area of interest:
– Briefly explain why it interests you. Aim to provide information that can help interest others (e.g., if there is a controversy, briefly explain the differing views).
– Provide links to at least two online resources, such as articles or websites, that have expanded your knowledge and that you also recommend to others, such as colleagues and/or families. (Note: You may provide more than two, but you are required to provide two resources and links per area of interest.)
– Also provide a brief description (i.e., one or two sentences) of the content of each resource, as a guide for visitors to your site.
(Required)
Set at least two goals for yourself as an early childhood professional to share on your website.
Your goals can be as general or as specific, as short term or as long term, as you choose. For example, you may have a goal of becoming a certified kindergarten teacher in your state. You may be setting your sights on a position in the field that will require moving on to a master’s degree when you complete this program. Or, your goals may be very immediate, such as finding and working with a mentor to guide and strengthen your professional development, or applying your current knowledge to advocate on an issue that affects young children and families, in your community or beyond. Think about setting goals that can help you be proactive in guiding your own professional journey, both today and throughout your career.
To complete this part of your website:
o Formulate two goals related to your professional practice and/or growth in your work as an early childhood professional.
o Explain why each goal has particular meaning for you as an early childhood professional.
o For at least one goal, explain how you aim to achieve it.
Note: Your grade is based on the required components on the Rubric. Any optional items you include on your website will not affect your grade.
You can add more photos or other images to your site. You might add more resources or share information, such as special activities and events for young children and families in your area that you would recommend as an early childhood professional. Always remember the importance of your professional digital identity when making choices about what you post on your website.
Also keep in mind that you can arrange the information on your site in ways that you think are interesting and appealing. However, for this Performance Assessment, your written content should be your most important focus and priority.