Competency Inventory - Assignment for Early Childhood Education

Importance of Professionalism and Self-Awareness in Early Childhood Education

Assignment: Competency Inventory - Due: Week 6 Worth: 25%

Children benefit most when their teachers have attained high levels of formal education and specialized early childhood professional preparation (Chandler, 2019). Chapters 7 on Promoting Professionalism and the Leadership chapter 3 of your required textbook Administering for Quality, discuss the cornerstones of professional practice and the importance of self-awareness, reflection and continuous learning to build these competencies. 

When applying to further your education, or for employment, you will be expected to be able to clearly articulate your values, knowledge and core competencies obtained through EC education and/or first-hand experiences with children, families, and the community. As well, employers and applying to further your education, they assess the applicants’ personal attributes and motivation to determine whether there is a good fit. 

Continuous personal and specialized learning is a benchmark of professional growth. This course as well as the Professional Development course promotes the importance of this continuous learning through the activities that you are expected to participate in. 

‘Many educators see leadership as something that belongs to great people, not as something they can achieve themselves’ (Chandler). Yet your commitment to and development of your emerging role as a leader is both critical and necessary. As well, “When educators become child advocates, they move their view beyond the boundaries of their immediate employment situations into the greater society” (Chandler, 2019) An important step is to embark upon this leadership role as well as your professional responsibility of advocacy.

This assignment empowers you to reflect upon your strengths; goals; field practicums and work experiences, self-directed learning, volunteerism, advocacy activities, creating an inventory of your values, early childhood professional knowledge, and competencies. The next step of the assignment is an exercise of creating your data base (inventory) of competencies that can prepare you for further education and/or employment in the sector. For example, during an interview, you can be more prepared to articulate thoughtful descriptions of your abilities. 

The following materials are critical resources you will need to complete your assignment: 

1. Administering for Quality 6th edition textbook chapters 3, 7 and 10

2. College of ECE’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics  English Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (college-ece.ca)

3. College of ECE Self Assessment Tool CPL_Components_EN.pdf (college-ece.ca)

4. CECE Practice Note on Professionalism Practice_Guideline_Professionalism.pdf (college-ece.ca)

5. USEFUL RESOURCES The OWL at Purdue University: Check out their resources on Safe Practices, Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing.”

6. other resources that you deem appropriate.

1. Create an inventory which includes the following headings – 20%.

a. Two examples of your continuous professional learning
(include dates and locations)

b. Two detailed highlights of competencies

• Use the CECE Standards of Practice & College of ECE Self Assessment Tool to facilitate this section, preferably reflecting Standard III or IV. o -Cite (dates and locations) from: international work and/or paid work experiences that demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the key professional competencies .

c. Two detailed highlights of your volunteerism or praxis
- (activities, events) that illustrate your commitment to community, and/or social justice values and/or advocacy.

d. Three examples of relevant accomplishments/skills
- (e.g., recognition of achievements, spoken languages, computer literacy, etc.) 

e. Identify a gap in your knowledge and competencies, 

Again use the CECE Standards of Practice & College of ECE Self Assessment Tool to facilitate this section, preferably reflecting Standard III or IV.

-identify then develop a brief concrete 6-month plan to acquire more expertise to address this gap.

Remember to edit your work for sentence structure, spelling, grammar, punctuation and submit a reference page of the resources you used for this 

a. Providing and obtaining feedback
b. Obtain feedback from one or two peer(s). The critical reflection that supports a peers’ inventory should be constructive and concise.
c. Create a final version incorporating the feedback you have received from your peer(s) assignment.
d. All documents including your rubric must be submitted together.
e. For further clarification and support, contact Tutoring & Learning Centre 

1. Name of the person who provided feedback?

2. Briefly summarize the feedback provided.

3. Using the assignment rubric, briefly provide two examples of how you incorporated the feedback?

4. Please submit this rubric and completed peer review form with your assignment.