Professional Development Updates

What does “Professional Development” mean?
Professional Development in child care and early education is the process of obtaining a specialized body of knowledge and competencies that are shared by all. The Early Childhood Education professional has knowledge that all practitioners need to know regardless of role, setting, or level.” (Maine Roads to Quality: A Guide to Maine Roads Core Knowledge Training Program for Child Care and Early Education)

What is offered by Child Care Opportunities Resource Development Center for Professional Development Opportunities?
The RDC’s are responsible for the delivery of the Maine Core Knowledge Training Program. Our newsletter lists all the training and conferences available in Hancock and Washington Counties. If you are not on our mailing list, please contact your local RDC Site. Our Training Coordinator can help you decide what your training needs are and advise you as to what program is best for you. We also house an Education Specialist who can assist you with your portfolio development if you are taking training to enroll in higher education and with career development.

So… what is the Maine Roads Core Knowledge Training Program?
Maine Roads Core Knowledge Training Program is a series of training designed to meet the needs of family and center-based child care and early education professionals. Please see the link, “Upcoming Training Opportunities” for Core Knowledge offerings near you. Training brochures are also available which describe the training in more detail.

What are the Core Knowledge areas?
There are eight core knowledge areas, which include:

• Healthy, Safe Environments
• Child Development
• Developmentally Appropriate Practice
• Guidance
• Family Relationships
• Individual and Cultural Diversity
• Professionalism and Business Practices
• Observation and Assessment

What are some higher education options for me?

Maine Core Knowledge Training Program: The Core Knowledge Training Program which is offered through the Child and Family Opportunities Resource Development Center, consists of twelve curriculum trainings and an elective option, each from six to 30 hours in length that total 180 hours As professionals progress in the training, they develop a portfolio documenting their learning, reflections on the learning, and changes they make in their practice as a result of their learning. Professionals can submit their portfolios to institutions of higher learning for college credit consideration. The Maine Core Knowledge Training Program is offered in all of the Resource Development Centers throughout Maine at low cost.

Child Development Associate Credential (CDA): Focusing on the skills of early care and education professionals, the CDA is designed to provide performance-based training, assessment, and credentialing of child care staff, home visitors, and family child care providers. Early Childhood Education parishioners demonstrate their ability to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework through CDA competency standards. Basic requirements of CDA include: being 18 years of age or older; hold a high school diploma or GED; have 480 hours of experience working with children in the past 5 years; and have 120 clock hours of formal child core education within the past 5 years.

Maine Child Care Apprenticeship Program: Apprenticeship is training in occupations that require a wide and diverse range of skills and knowledge. It involves planned on-the-job training combined with related technical instruction. The Maine Child Care Apprenticeship Program requires the following criteria for apprentices: complete 6,000 hours at employment/on-the-job training with a registered employment sponsor/employer; complete 10 college level courses; complete several practicum experiences:; and develop a portfolio of prior learning experiences.

Associates or Applied Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education courses offer a combination of basic knowledge. history, and theory as well as practical experiences working with children and their families. Students learn through observations and visits to early education programs. guest speakers, videos, textbooks, and current periodicals. Students also receive on-the-job experience by completing a practicum at an approved site. An individual needs to have a high school diploma or GED to be admitted.

Associates Degree in Human Services Program/Early Childhood Services Concentration: Students in this program are required to complete 62 credit hours. Courses include a selection of liberal arts studies, human services core, human services concentration, and practicum experiences.

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies or Child Development/Family Relations: Students in Human Development and Family Studies study the growth and development of individuals in the context of families, schools, and communities. In the Child Development and Family Relations concentration students prepare to work with younger children in a variety of settings (i.e. child care, nursery schools, elementary schools, child development service agencies, recreation programs, and family respite care).

Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education: Students interested in working with young children in child care centers, child care homes, nursery schools, preschool programs or n K-3 public school classrooms can pursue this degree. Upon completion of this degree and some additional coursework, student can apply for a K-3 teaching certificate.

Masters Degree in Child Development and Early Education: Students interested will expand the depth and breadth of their theoretical knowledge and enhance their professional skills in working with colleagues, children, and families Leadership is a big focus at this level.

Is there financial assistance available to assist with training expenses?
There are many scholarships available to professionals who are seeking higher educational opportunities. Scholarships exist through local Resource Development Centers, Maine Roads to Quality, and the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). Your local RDC has scholarship forms available.

What does it mean to be on a “Registry”?
Maine Roads to Quality has a system in place to track a professional’s experience, training, and education. This system is known as the “Maine Roads Registry”. This registry, along with the Career Lattice, is the state of Maine’s professional recognition system. As a member of the Maine Roads Registry, professionals are making an important commitment to promoting a well-qualified workforce and supporting efforts to increase respect and compensation for the field. Maine Roads Registry applications are available at your local RDC.

What does “accreditation” mean and why do it?
To have your program accredited by the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), or the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA) you will involve any staff you employ, families, and in the case of school-age children, the children. All will evaluate your program. The process will focus on: interactions, curriculum/activities, environment, relationships, staffing, health/safety/nutrition, and professional activities/staff development. Administration is involved if you are a school-age program or center-based program

The benefits of accreditation are:

• Families will receive a double child care tax credit on the state income tax return
• The children will be in a high quality program
• You receive a certificate of accreditation and publicity for child care program
• DHHS in Maine can provide a 10% differential reimbursement rate for children in accredited programs
• Providers are eligible to receive a 10% differential reimbursement rate for children whose families utilize child core vouchers

Related links:

www.muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads (Maine Roads to Quality)
www.uma.maine.edu (University of Maine Augusta)
www.ume.maine.edu/cofed/ (University of Maine College of Education &
Human Development)
www.kvtc.net (Kennebec Valley Technical College)
www.emcc.edu (Eastern Maine Community College)
www.cmtc.net/(Central Maine Technical College)
www.andovercollege.com (Andover College)
www.nmtc.net (Northern Maine Technical College)
www.umf.maine.edu/ecee (University of Maine Farmington)
www.wheelock.edu/ (Wheelock College Graduate School)
www.famemaine.com (Finance Authority of Maine)
www.wccc.me.edu/ (Washington County Community College)

For more information please contact the Education Specialist,
Faith Perkins, at
1-800-834-4378 or 207-667-2467,
Fax 207-667-2212 or
email faithp@childandfamilyopp.com

Child Care Opportunities, Resource Development Center
18 Avery Lane Ellsworth, Maine •  667-2467
1-800-834-4378
judithn@childandfamilyopp.com