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A Professional Development Planning Tool and Professional Development Record

NYC Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (NYC PDI) recommends a systematic approach to planning and implementing an individualized professional development plan. We have developed a Professional Development Planning Tool for early learning providers to systematically create their own professional development plan. The Professional Development Record and Log of Professional Activities can then be used to help providers track their education, training, and other career-related activities.

Overview of the Professional Development Record

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Professional development is an ongoing professional responsibility for all early learning providers and is an essential factor in improving the quality of early experiences for children. Teachers, however, are unique learners at various stages of adult development, and therefore, have unique professional needs. Professional development experiences should be tailored to meet teachers’ strengths and goals as they relate to their development as professionals.

The goal of an individualized model of professional development is for teachers to develop a clear understanding of their strengths and areas of opportunity. They should engage in identifying their own goals and professional development needs, as well as have the opportunity to exercise choice and control when structuring their professional development experiences.

Instructions for using the Professional Development Planning Tool and Professional Development Record

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  • Evaluation
    Early childhood professionals must engage in regular and continuous development of their knowledge and skills. Performance appraisals and self-assessments based on job-descriptions, the NYS Core Body of Knowledge*, and statewide requirements are tools that are used to identify goals and related professional development.

    Independently or with a supervisor, use a recent self-assessment, performance appraisal and/or the NYS Core Body of Knowledge to help you reflect on your current knowledge and skills in the field of Early Learning. *A copy of the NYS Core Body of Knowledge can be found at www.earlychildhood.org.

  • Compile a profile
    Review the results of your evaluation to help you create a professional profile. Consider your relative strengths and areas of opportunity. Think about the stage you are at in your career, as well as your professional needs and expectations. This profile can serve as a “snapshot” of your current professional strengths and needs.

  • Identify professional goals
    Use the NYS Core Body of Knowledge to help you identify Core Competency Areas as well as specific competencies in which you would like to gain more knowledge and/or skill. These goals may be connected to your areas of strength or areas of opportunity. Record your goals and related Core Competency Areas in the box titled, Step One: Identify professional goals.

  • Reflect on a chosen goal
    Choose one professional goal and establish a timeframe in which to work toward achieving that goal. Use the questions in the box titled, Step Two: Reflect on a chosen goal, to help you clarify reasons for selecting your goal and how achieving it will improve your teaching practice.

  • Plan your professional development
    Research professional development opportunities that will help you achieve your professional goal. Record potential opportunities in the box titled, Step Three: Plan your professional development.

  • Record your professional development experiences
    Use the Professional Development Record to track your participation in professional trainings, and coursework. Use the Log of Professional Activities to record other ways in which you contribute to, or participate in, activities that enhance your professional growth such as mentoring colleagues or conducting independent research. Note: The Core Body of Knowledge does not yet include Core Competency Codes. You may want to record the Core Competency Area that correlates with each professional development experience in this section instead.

A Note from NYC PDI about the Professional Development Record Materials

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These materials are working drafts, and we welcome your feedback so that we can tailor them to meet your needs. Below are some questions you might consider as you utilize the Professional Development Planning Tool and/or Professional Development Record:

  • Are these materials useful for you in planning and tracking your professional development? If so, in what ways?
  • How might we make these materials more useful?
  • Are there components you would like to add or exclude?
  • Which components would you like to see developed further?

    • Please send comments and questions to: Jessica Howe, ECE Project Coordinator, jessica.howe@mail.cuny.edu.