What is Professional development?

"Professional development" refers to the process by which adults continue to reflect on their practice and stay current with their knowledge and skills. To increase your knowledge in your chosen field, it may involve enrolling in classes or workshops, going to professional or industry conferences, or receiving a certificate.

The Importance of Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators

Professional development in early childhood refers to several experiences that promote education, training, and development opportunities for early childhood practitioners who work with young children. It also applies to a full range of activities that attempt to increase the knowledge base, skill set, or attitudinal perspectives as a practitioner engages in home-visiting, parent education, child care, preschool education and/or kindergarten to third-grade teaching, or educational support services. Its ultimate goal is to facilitate the acquisition of specific learning and social–emotional competencies in young children and to promote important family-specific abilities to support children's learning and development. It allows teachers to self-reflect and develop qualities that will allow them to lead successful classrooms. How can teachers provide an impactful education to young learners if they lack the proper foundation and a foundation for creating a positive classroom? A new skill, ability, knowledge, or process can be learned through both formal and informal learning in the field of childcare. Professional growth has an impact on the children in your care's ability to learn well. As a result, we are also becoming more aware of how early childhood educators' knowledge, abilities, and practice contribute significantly to children's learning. It is important in early years for many reasons, as outlined below:

Boosts confidence and credibility:

By increasing professionals’ expertise through professional development, confidence in their work will increase. No one likes to think they’re missing important skills in their industry. Professional development courses, continuing education, and training opportunities allow professionals to build confidence and credibility as they acquire new skill sets and professional designations.

Quality provision:

As a professional, you are aware of the evidence pointing to the long-term effects of high-quality early childhood education on children's outcomes, future learning, and prospects in life. Professional development and reflective practice are valued in part because they can enhance the standard of our work with children. We can keep enhancing our practice by carefully considering what we do and how it affects the enjoyment and development of children. 

All settings and professionals must evaluate how to effectively create, maintain, and enhance provision in order to provide the greatest quality learning and development experiences for all children and their families, which is what quality improvement is all about. Children who get high-quality care are more likely to attain superior academic results and acquire the social, emotional, and cognitive skills needed for lifelong learning.  In the long run, poor quality offering does not promote children's learning and development.

Expands Understanding Of Effective Teaching Practices:

As we learn more about children's brain development and abilities, teaching practices are constantly evolving. It is essential for teachers to stay current on new research and understand how our growing understanding of children's brains affects what they do in the classroom. Learning a new teaching practice or theory can help teachers connect with students more effectively, including those who appear disengaged.

Research:

Research is an important tool that educators can use to assist themselves in their professional development. Sometimes research will show certain methods of working with children that are especially important. Research is useful in addressing specific practice issues and providing a solid reference point to guide teaching. Engaging in research is essential for a teacher's ongoing development as an inquisitive and effective educator. The internet can be used as a learning resource, assessment for learning can be provided, including self and peer evaluation, cooperative learning practices can be used to improve social skills, maximize group productivity, boost pupil enthusiasm, professional behaviour management training, reading, mathematics, and social sciences education, science inquiry-based learning, and a curriculum that encourages creativity.

Provide networking opportunities: 

When people work as team, discuss, attend courses, seminars, and conferences, they come close and come to know what’s normal and what’s not in early childhood classrooms which help a lot dealing with dilemmas especially to the young and fresh educators who become overwhelmed when they encounter such problems in the beginning of their carrier. The support from their colleagues which taking steps in the direction of professional development becomes biggest source of confidence to the educators.

Increased professionalism becomes a key to support children’s holistic development: 

When educators invest in their continuous professional development, they fee more equipped, competent, confident to deal with challenges in the personalities of different children. They can well understand them, easily do early intervention, give more compassion by understanding the child’s needs and design best plans and environment full of inclusion to support in the progression of children with different needs and help building holistic personalities with success for the society.

Personal Interest:

Everyone should participate in professional development for personal interest. It is beneficial for us to acquire new talents in order to stay motivated. As a result, we can work well and sensitively with children because we are fresh and interested in them. In order to stay employed and advance, it is also necessary to participate in professional development.

Influences from other early childhood educators' work:

Working with young children can be approached from a variety of angles. The influence of other early childhood institutions and other countries' early education strategies can occasionally cause practices to change.   The adoption of learning journeys in many educational institutions is an example of how strategies from other countries can be incorporated to improve early education. In order to stay updated about early educational strategies, it is also necessary to participate in professional development.

Social changes:

When circumstances change, we must either adapt our working methods or keep our expertise current.  There was a growing recognition of the importance of work-life balance, and employers began to prioritize employee well-being and mental health. These changes have continued to evolve over time, as society and the workforce have adapted to new challenges and opportunities.

Legislations, Policies and Procedures:

Government law have an impact on how practitioners interact with children, and this may involve changes to the legal system. Early childhood practitioners must be aware of changes in legislation and statutory frameworks. By professional development, the practitioner gets updated about the new policies, procedures and practices the government is making to enhance the quality of education. For example, the Early Years Statutory Framework, which will take effect on September 1, 2021, has now been published, with some changes. Such as, promoting oral health is now part of the health requirements. 'This change makes it an explicit requirement to promote children's oral health and was consulted on alongside the wider EYFS reforms in 2019' (Department of Education, 2021). 

To conclude Professional development is important as it gives you new knowledge that may help you to deal with new or complex situations, can help you achieve your career goals by focusing on learning and development. It will give you confidence in your role, will demonstrate your commitment to developing your skills and knowledge in a subject area and keep you up to date with the latest strategies and legislations.