Institute of Excellence in Early Care and Education
Personal and Professional Development for Early Childhood Practitioners Course Title:
Course Number:
Contact Hours:
Course Dates:
HEO 0115; #170462
16 hours
Thursdays: November 1st, 8 th , 15 th & 29 th
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Course Hours:
Course Location: Palm Beach Gardens Campus, LLC113
Professor’s Name: Dave Wells; 561-868-3958; wellsd@palmbeachstate.edu
Textbook(s):
Course Description:
None
This course prepares students to assess their professional strengths and areas of growth using reflective practice and the Florida Core Competencies for early childhood practitioners as well as guiding students in developing a career-planning model for professional growth.
Florida Core Competency: Core Knowledge Area - Professionalism
Key Element - Integrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early childhood education; Identify with Early
Childhood Field
Core Competencies: Model professional behavior; Discuss experiences and practices with colleagues, identifying areas of strengths and opportunities for growth, and seek input from supervisors where improvement might be needed; Reflect on personal performance and seek feedback from others to provide objective information or self-assess own work, sources of professional knowledge, and early care and education field; Discuss personal goals based on current practice and create plan to achieve goals; Use professional resources to improve practice

2
Course Objectives:
Session 1: Professional Identity & Personality Traits
Professional Identity
 Practitioner will demonstrate the qualities of an early childhood professional
Personality Traits
 Practitioner will identify their unique personality style and its influence on co-worker relationships
Session 2: Reflective Practice
ABC Model of Reflection to Change
 Practitioner will experiment with reflective practice skills through understanding their thought and emotional patterns
3 Types of Behavioral Reflection
 Practitioners will experiment with reflective practice skills through understanding their behavioral patterns

Practitioners will evaluate their actions by learning the 3 types of behavioral reflection
Session 3: Florida Core Competencies
Understanding the Florida Core Competencies
 Practitioners will discuss the Florida Early Care & Education Core Competencies and its significance in their early childhood professional practice
Assessing Your Core Competencies

Practitioners will identify which core competencies they possess

Practitioners will self-assess and review their tier levels in various core competencies
Session 4: Career Planning for Improved Professional Success
Developing a S.M.A.R.T. Career Plan

Practitioners will make use of a career planning and decision-making model that will enable them to deepen their professional strength (competencies) and address skill gaps
Utilizing Key Career Resources and Tools
 Practitioners will discuss a broad overview of the Palm Beach County early childhood career resources and tools available to help advance their career
Professor Expectations/Grading:
At the end of the course, you will either receive a “U” for Unsatisfactory or an “S” for Satisfactory.
Students who attend all class sessions will receive 1.6 CEUs and a grade of Satisfactory “S”. To attain an “S” grade and receive CEUs, students will need to complete all of the following requirements:
1.
Class Participation: You must actively contribute to large class discussions (both in the face to face portion and online portion of the course) and small group activities. If you are not comfortable

3 speaking in front of large groups, you can demonstrate your contribution by refraining from side bar conversations, taking notes, and/or actively listening to other students and the instructor during large group discussions. In small group activities, students must participate by contributing ideas, suggestions, and answers for the group to present.
2.
Implementation Plans: You must fully complete all IPs. Full completion means submitting your IP with answers for each question posed and writing in complete sentences. If a question is left blank, the instructor may ask you to resubmit your IP with the outstanding question answered. Any IP that is partially completed will be considered incomplete. All IPs must be submitted on the date due. If a student misses class, their IP must be submitted no later than the following class session.
3.
Attendance: Attendance is required. Students must attend all class sessions. Students are allowed only one class session absence and it must be due to a documented emergency (car accident, serious illness/hospitalization, or death in family, etc.). Students with an excused absence will be given a make-up assignment related to the material covered in the missed class, which must be completed and turned in by the next class session. Students must contact the instructor by phone or email no later than one day after class to inform him that they have an excused absence and to request their make-up assignment. Students must also arrive on time. One late arrival or early departure of 15 minutes or less is permitted; additional late arrivals or early departures will be considered an absence.
4.
Course Evaluations: In order to receive an “S” grade in this course, you will need to submit a completed Pre-Post Survey and the Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) Workshop
Evaluation at the end of course. Your feedback and comments are vital to the ensuring that we improve the course and ensure quality learning.
Student Code of Conduct:
PBCC has a Student Code of Conduct outlined in the student handbook. The classroom should be a learning-centered environment unhindered by disruptive behavior. Faculty has the authority to manage their classrooms to ensure that an environment conducive to learning is present, per Florida
Statue 69-279 and PBCC Board Rule 6hX-18.35. Each person is to attend the seminar to learn the

4 competencies offered and apply these competencies to their own classroom. If a student or students hinder the ability of others to learn, they will be asked to leave the classroom .
Course Outline:
I. Developing a Professional Approach to Early Childhood
A.
Characteristics of a Profession
B.
Characteristics of Early Childhood Profession
C.
Three Characteristics of Professional Life that Support Professional Development
II. Understanding Personality Style
A. Using Compass Points to Understand Personality Style
B. Personality Style and its Influence on Teaching Approach and Work Relationships
III. Reflective Practice
A.
Using the ABC Model of Reflection to Develop Emotional & Cognitive Self-Awareness
B.
Using Reflective Practice to Develop Behavioral Self-Awareness
IV. Florida Early Childhood Core Competencies
A. Using the Florida Core Competencies to Guide Your Professional Development
B. Self-Assessing Your Skills & Knowledge with the Florida Core Competencies
V. Career Planning & Career Resources
A. Setting up a S.M.A.R.T. Career Plan to Advance Your Early Childhood Career
B. Accessing and Making Use of Early Childhood Career Planning Resources
Materials and Special Equipment Required by Students: None
Assessment Methods: Implementation plan with supporting evidence
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities are advised, in compliance with federal and state laws, that accommodations and services are available through the office of Disability Support Services
(DSS). It is the student’s responsibility to contact Disabled Student Services Advisors at this location and to submit appropriate documentation prior to receiving services.