NECTAC is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the US Department of Education

1. NECTAC 2012Professional Development Webinar SeriesDeveloping and Implementing Cross Sector Competencies for Early Childhood PersonnelFeaturing FloridaMay 23, 2012Toll-Free Dial-In Number: 1-866-440-3751International Dial-In Number: 1-540-318-1467Conference ID: 77505746 #

2. NECTAC is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the US Department of Education Webinar Facilitators: Kathy Whaley and Katy McCullough Online at: www.nectac.org

3. Goals and Organization of Webinar Learn about: • Process for developing core competencies for practitioners and TA specialists and the benefits of using a cross-sector approach • Targeted competencies for specialists supporting inclusion (e.g. PT, OT, SLP) that will guide personnel practices for working in inclusive settings and how they are aligned with the core competencies Opportunities to ask questions and share comments will be provided after each presentation via phone and chat.

4. http://www.nectac.org/expopps

5. Presenters: Alisa Ghazvini, Ph.D. Early Childhood Consultant Amanda MooreState Inclusion Network Coordinator Florida's Office of Early Learning Kim Galant, Ph.D.Regional Facilitator Florida Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS)Crystal BishopPh.D Candidate University of Florida Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies

6. Developing and Implementing Cross Sector Competencies for Early Childhood Personnel

7. For Today…

8. Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Providers* • Developed by the Florida Early Care and Education Professional Development Initiative steering committee • Originally developed by a local collaborative in Palm Beach County, FL • Based on national standards and competency work in other states • Cross-sector input from state agencies, higher education, provider association representatives, and Expanding Opportunities * A PDF of this document is available for download under this webinar’s “Additional Resources” section.

10. Core Knowledge Areas

11. Core Knowledge Area 4: Teaching and Learning Environments and Interactions C. Use developmentally appropriate guidance strategies Help children follow simple rules Assist in communicating limits for acceptable behavior Describe realistic behavioral expectations Model and point out appropriate positive behaviors for children Establish and communicate limits for acceptable behavior to children and their families Practice use of developmentally appropriate guidance approaches such as redirection, ignoring, choice-making, limit-setting, conflict resolution, and positive feedback and encouragement Involve children in setting realistic limits and expectations in the early childhood setting (based upon age and ability appropriateness) Tier I Tier II

12. Core Knowledge Area 4: Teaching and Learning Environments and Interactions C. Use developmentally appropriate guidance strategies Develop and model developmentally appropriate guidance approaches that promote positive behaviors, problem solving and self-control Modify and adapt guidance strategies through observation and assessment of the children and in collaboration with families Use guidance techniques appropriate to the age of children and to individual children’s special needs Seek and utilize the child’s family, colleagues and other professionals when needed to develop guidance approaches for specific behavioral concerns Tier III

13. Core Knowledge Area 4: Teaching and Learning Environments and Interactions C. Use developmentally appropriate guidance strategies Design supportive environments in which all children can learn and practice appropriate behaviors as individuals and as members of a group Evaluate and promote use of effective positive child guidance techniques and policies with colleagues and families Develop and implement individualized behavior support programs, as needed Know local, state, and national resources relative to behavioral concerns and provide information to families in coordination with supervisors and partners Tier IV “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” —Plato

14. Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Technical Assistance Specialists* • Identify and define what TA specialists should know and be able to do to provide quality technical assistance • Create framework for professional development, defining terms and expectations to be used consistently among TA specialists and across programs and organizations • Serve as a standard for decisions and practices carried out by technical assistance specialists in early care and education settings and programs * A PDF of this document is available for download under this webinar’s “Additional Resources” section.

16. TA SpecialistCore Knowledge Areas

17. Core Knowledge Area 3: Facilitating Shared Goal Setting and Planning The technical assistance specialist follows a professional improvement model with practitioners that is based on best practices and research, provides structure, is based on achievable goals, and includes a plan for measuring outcomes. In this process, the technical assistance specialist invites ideas and solutions, remains sensitive to strengths and imitations, and looks for opportunities to stretch the practitioner’s skills and knowledge. 3.A.1. Use the results of needs assessments to discuss practitioner’s strengths and needs 3.A.2. Help the practitioner identify goals 3.A.3. Assist the practitioner in identifying objectives and outcomes for their goals 3.A.4. Assist the practitioner in incorporating their goals into a broader professional development plan Technical Assistant Specialist I

18. Core Knowledge Area 3: Facilitating Shared Goal Setting and Planning 3.A.5. Assist the practitioner in evaluating their own strengths and needs based on needs assessments 3.A.6. Support the practitioner in developing realistic goals and ways to collect data to evaluate their attainment 3.A.7. Understand and implement mechanisms that help practitioners translate their goals into objectives and measurable outcomes that ensure a higher degree of success 3.A.8. Provide information and resources to guide the practitioner in linking their goals to their professional development plan Technical Assistant Specialist II

19. Core Knowledge Area 3: Facilitating Shared Goal Setting and Planning 3.A.9. Develop and implement ongoing opportunities for practitioners to assess their strengths and needs 3.A.10. Plan, implement, and analyze mechanisms to support practitioners in developing, evaluating, and refining goals based on best practices and research 3.A.11. Plan, implement, and analyze mechanisms to support practitioners in developing, measuring, evaluating, and refining objectives and outcomes tied to their goals 3.A.12. Create mechanisms to ensure that practitioner goals and objectives are used in developing, assessing, and revising their professional development plan Technical Assistant Specialist III

20. Cross-Sector Collaboration: Key Factors to our Success • Consultants who understood the importance of collaboration across sectors and invited participation from multiple agencies and state-wide work groups • Champions in early childhood sectors who participated in the development of both the core competencies for early care and education providers and the targeted competencies for inclusion • Willingness of agencies to pool technical assistance resources • Involvement of higher education and doctoral students • Persistence in the face of challenge

21. Ongoing Cross-Sector Collaboration • Annual meetings including both groups • Mechanism for tracking yearly progress side-by-side • Each group continues work and meets regularly between annual joint meetings • Implementation of a system for sharing information between groups throughout the year • Written agreement between groups • Partnership Working Agreement between Florida Expanding Opportunities Development Workgroup and Florida Early Care and Education Professional Development Initiative

22. Questions & Comments Please follow the operator’s instructions to use your telephone if you wish to ask a question or leave a comment, or use the Adobe Connect chat box.

23. Florida's Targeted Competencies for Specialists Supporting Inclusion* * A PDF of this document is available for download under this webinar’s “Additional Resources” section.

24. Need for Targeted Competencies for Inclusion

25. Alignment with Core Competencies Core Competencies contain knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by teachers in inclusive settings. Examples from Core: • Health and Safety – Prepare safe environments that maximize the independence and inclusion of children with differing abilities. • Teaching and Learning – Adapt and modify instructional strategies to support and meet the needs of each child. • Assessment - Use the results of child assessment to assist in developing IEPs, IFSPs, or care plans for children with special needs, and to improve practices.

26. Development of Florida Targeted Competencies for Inclusion Developed by Expanding Opportunities Team • Cross-walk of discipline-specific competencies, including the Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners (PT, SLP, IMH, School Psych, Early Childhood Special Education) • Developed for any practitioners providing support or itinerant services to children birth to 5 and their families in inclusive environments • Designed to align with and augment the Florida Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners

27. PT OT Psy IMH SLP ECSE ITDS

28. Content of Targeted Competencies for Inclusion • Specialists need skills in:˃ evidence-based practice in general and special education ˃ research-based teaching and intervention strategies˃ teaching adults effectively˃ strategies for teaming and collaboration • Address knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to provide services/supports to families, caregivers, and providers. • Incorporate principles and practices unique to early childhood or that reflect best practices - natural environment, family-centered services, relationship-based practices, integrated therapy models.

29. Sample Targeted Competencies for Inclusion • Maintain high expectations for every child to reach his or her full potential • Adapt practices to facilitate every child’s development and learning based on individual needs. • Recognize characteristics of developmental delay and specific disabilities, including causation, characteristics, and classification of common disabilities in infants and young children. • Recognize and communicate the impact of disability or developmental delay on child development and learning. • Interpret challenging behavior with respect to form and function. 2. Child Development and Learning

30. Examples of Use – Case Studies

31. Professional Development Plans

32. Planned Use for Competencies • Targeted competencies added to array of early care and education competencies • Inform the “what” and “how” of early childhood professional development • Training based on competencies • Development of advanced credential based on training • Career Pathway

33. Planned Use for Competencies • Develop / implement policies to enhance professionalism in early care and education • Link Core Competencies to other early care and education system efforts (e.g., Early Learning Guidelines, Early Care and Education Frameworks, Quality Rating Improvement Systems, Accreditation systems, and Expanding Opportunities) • Link to efforts that support school success for children • Link to compensation initiatives to improve wages within early care and education, linking competence to compensation.

34. Lessons Learned • Importance of face-to-face collaborative meetings • Importance of tapping and utilizing higher education assets and partnerships • Engage doctoral students as well as faculty • Development of a professional development system is a long-term commitment • To ensure the use of competencies, they must be embedded in a system • Flexibility, continued evaluation, and input from stakeholders are essential components to implementation of a professional development system

35. For Additional Information:

36. Questions & Comments Please follow the operator’s instructions to use your telephone if you wish to ask a question or leave a comment, or use the Adobe Connect chat box.

37. Thanks for participating! An evaluation survey will be e-mailed to participants immediately following the call. We appreciate your feedback!