Although I have been a NC licensed child care administrator for over 15 years, I am still learning new things all the time. I try to regularly evaluate my knowledge base and skill set to look for growth opportunities. Recently, I identified three goals for myself.
First, I interact with licensing regulations and standards on a daily basis. Currently, my state is in the process of changing its Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). I would like to better understand how licensing regulations are made and updated. By knowing this process, I could begin to advocate for the needs of children and parents in my school.
Second, I want to explore strategies on how to best support dual-language learners. I have a large bilingual population in my school. None of my teachers speak the families' native language. By learning new techniques, I can better connect my teachers with the students and parents in their classrooms.
Finally, I would like to learn more about the Head Start program. As a national, well-established program with a reputation of comprehensive, family-oriented programming, there is a lot I could learn from Head Start. Hopefully, I will be able to identify components that I could incorporate at my school to help enhance our school-to-home partnership.
I would love to hear my readers' recommendations as they relate to these goals. Any advise is welcome!
There are many resources available online that would assist you in learning more about DLL/ELL students. What has been most helpful to me in teaching ELL students is that the strategies that I use are beneficial to all students, native and non-native English speakers. You should reach out to your local public school system to see what trainings and resources are available. Check out http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/esl/ and http://www.ncsu.edu/eslglobe/globetips.html
ReplyDeleteAltovese
Thank you for the resources, Altovese!
ReplyDeleteSarah you have expressed some key and important goals. I think that it is essential to stay abreast of the changes that are being made. Being a lifelong learner is an essential part of our profession. I think that any efforts made to better support your children and families is a great one. I think that you gaining more insight into ways to help your bilingual parents and children is a great goal to have. Great Job.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andrea. I agree that a commitment to continual learning is essential to our field. Through regular professional development and self-reflection, we are able to refine our skills, which hopefully results in the improved quality of services we offer our families and students.
ReplyDeleteCertainly there's a lot to accomplish as an EC administrator. This is not all free play, right? You've identified three giant-sized areas of focus. This can seem overwhelming. Start with one, add others later! :-) Thanks, Sarah!
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