Professional Growth Plan for Early Childhood Education Career
Teachers are lifelong learners and reflective practitioners and are continuously learning from their students, peers, communities (local, state, and national groups), and through advancement of education. It is important to begin developing a professional growth plan to prepare for your future after this program.
For this benchmark assignment, you will create a professional growth plan that outlines your goals for 3-5 years after you complete this program. Complete the "Professional Growth Plan Template" to include a goal, plan/steps, and rationale for each of the following areas:
Ongoing collaborative learning through professional development in the field of early childhood education (e.g., professional development opportunities and/or educational conferences in your school, district, or state)
Ongoing learning through personal reflection (e.g., your teaching experiences, exposure to young children and families, a personal journal, meeting with a mentor teacher)
Ongoing learning through advancement of education (e.g., master’s degree, national board certification, reading or gifted endorsements)
In each section, align your goals to a state requirement, professional/ethical requirements, and/or your own ongoing learning interests. Additionally, provide a rationale for each area explaining the importance of each goal for you and how each goal helps to maximize learning outcomes for young children.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite Technical Support Articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
BS in Early Childhood Education
5.1: Engage in ongoing, collaborative professional development from the early childhood field to inform practice in order to maximize learning outcomes. [NAEYC 6a, 6c; InTASC 4(o), 4(p), 9(a), 9(b), 9(d), 9(e), 9(l), 10(e), 10(f), 10(g), 10(i), 10(n), 10(r); ISTE-T 3a, 4a, 4c, 5d]
Professional Growth Plan Template
Ongoing Collaborative Learning Through Professional Development
Ongoing Learning Through Personal Growth
Ongoing Learning Through Advancement of Education
Goal
Attend at least one professional development opportunity or educational conference per year in my school district or state to stay current on best practices in early childhood education and collaborate with other educators.
Reflect on my teaching experiences by maintaining a personal journal, discussing my practice with a mentor teacher, and seeking feedback from my colleagues and parents.
Complete a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education within 5 years to increase my knowledge and skills in the field.
Plan/Steps
* Research professional development opportunities and conferences in my school district or state that align with my interests and the needs of my students.
* Make a plan to attend at least one conference or professional development opportunity per year, including budgeting for the cost and taking time off work if necessary.
* Reflect on what I learned at each conference or professional development opportunity and discuss my findings with my colleagues to implement any new ideas or strategies in my classroom.
* Keep a personal journal in which I reflect on my teaching experiences, including what went well, what I would do differently, and any challenges I faced.
* Seek out a mentor teacher who has experience in early childhood education and discuss my practice with them regularly.
* Seek feedback from my colleagues and parents to gain insight into my teaching style and how I can improve it.
* Research master's programs in Early Childhood Education and find the best fit for me.
* Talk with the advisor to understand the requirements, costs, and time commitment.
* Make a plan to balance my coursework with my job as a teacher and budget for the cost of tuition.
* Apply to the program and begin coursework as soon as possible.
Goal Alignment to State Requirements, Professional/Ethical Requirements, and/or Personal Interest
Alignment to State Requirements: Many states have requirements for teachers to participate in professional development in order to maintain their teaching certification. By attending professional development opportunities and conferences, I will be fulfilling my state's requirements while also expanding my knowledge and skills.
Alignment to Professional/Ethical Requirements: Professional...
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