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Unit 145 Promote Professional Development Outcome 1 understand Principles of professional development Assessment Criteria 1. 1 Explain the Importance of continually improving knowledge and practice Professional development enables that a setting Is keep up to date and to change proactively so that their our setting can relevant and appropriate . Let is important to make the most out of Investment In a professional development it should be planned with the setting vision In their focus .
By embedding personal professional development into their culture is best to respond to day to day challenges and erasures . Planned development is intended to achieve specific outcomes that may be either focused In the needs of an Individual and may contribute to the learning needs of the setting . If an individual Identifies the need for training In a particular area for example ‘first aid’ this request should be assessed for the setting and individuals needs . This will benefit the individual and the setting which they can specialist skills and knowledge which they can then use to train other staff . Improving knowledge and practice Increases the capableness of staff ,bringing out personal enhancements and opportunities for them as individuals ,expanding their skills . Making sure the management give a range of training opportunities to staff and try and make their needs of training courses they wish to take . 1 would find out the training courses they wish to take through appraisals and appraisals forms . Ensuring management support individuals through courses and help If they need . Assessment Criteria 1. Analyses potential barriers to professional developments Professional development is an essential activity for all staff working in the childcare setting in order to safeguard the children . Knowledge is not static ,things staff or management though they knew for a fact may turn out to be wrong . Ensuring research and development is a key feature of childcare. When management plan individuals personal development, it is important to engage the expected individuals in the process as partners .
Barriers than may occur with professional developments are when Individuals are unable to attend courses due to personal commitments ,working with them to resolve the situation by finding a different time or date for the same course . Ensuring that all staff know the benefits of the course ND the opportunities’ that might result from going to them. As a manager I do not have to think of all the possible solutions to developments . Ay creating a environment that encourages and expects the staff to share responsibility and to think up solutions and support each other .
Making sure all solutions are realistic and achievable . Managing time can be a barrier as I t takes time to identity TTY individual needs and interests . Also to assess what things will bring about most benefit to the staff and the setting . Making sure that I take account individual interests as well as he settings needs, although setting needs may take priority. Staff will feel more motivated to work whew their interests are supported ,ensuring that the activity is valued not Jus another chore for them to do . Staff need to be encouraged to put their learning into practice.
Another barrier may be resources as they may not be enough to meet everybody’s needs and wants . Let is important to ensure that the resources are used efficiently and fairly as possible . Sometimes when time is difficult maybe when understaffed or staff off due to illness management may need to reduce the amount of development that can be supported . This could cause addition stress on staff and possible loss of good will . Ensuring that management Justify their decisions sorting activities into priority categories . Assessment Criteria 1. Compare the use of different sources and systems of support for professional development Not all professional developments will be achieved by attendance to training or education events . There are various forms of informal support . Appraisal An appraisal can identify the needs and requests of personal professional development . Appraisal is the main strategy for managers to assess performance ND needs against setting requirements and aims . An appraisal is an annual activity that should be booked with all staff . 1 would conduct a appraisal but it can be conducted by peers too if its focusing on development more than performance . Individuals need warning about what is involved in order to prepare in advance . Appraisal forms are a given to each staff member to fill out before and provides a structure of the appraisal knowing an individuals goals and objectives ,both long and short term . Ensuring an individual training needs can be match with setting aims and it will also enable managers to assess the fairness of the raining and development allocation across the staff . Personal Development planning is an opportunity to begin to take control of the future by providing individuals with a deeper understanding of their performance skills ,needs and dreams .
Appraisal is a partnership and it should result in individual personal development planning . Let has a different purposes and making sure that it meets individual and managers needs . Ensuring an appraisals is done at least yearly or before if needed . Mentoring Mentoring is a good way of supporting staff development and is a powerful means of empowerment . Mentoring can be simply helping relationship between an individual with potential and an individual with expertise . The role of the mentor is the guide . Mentors knowledge ,experience and setting perspective are snared within a context of mutual respect and trust . T is an effective way of helping people to progress in their careers and becoming more popular . Ensuring matching people together to be mentor and being mentor are suitable for one another . Mentoring can be used to meet a number of development purposes : * To induct new staff * To support and guide individuals in their roles Share expertise * Specializes knowledge and skills Coaching Sometimes coaching and mentoring are thought of the same but are in fact a distinct activity . Coaching is an activity designed to help individuals fulfill their potential and provide an idea strategy for professional developments.
Coaching is a process that supports and enables an individual to unlock and maximize their own potential ,to develop and improve performance . The process helps them to learn rather than teach them . Coaching requires a belief in individuals that they can address and resolve their own issues and needs . Individuals being responsible for their own decisions and actions and solutions . Coaching is more like being a leader than a teacher . Let requires an attitude of positive regard and have communication skills in order to reach their own resolutions and conclusions .
Being a coach I would ask prompt questions in order to enable them to think clearly and think about their own issues. Coaching is a good way of improving performance through reflection . Coaching can be done in an appraisal process, planned or formal activity or informally in a day to day practice . Assessment Criteria . 4 Explain factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and practice up to date Staff development can be seen as a luxury and non-essential activity when times come tight . N the environment which has everlasting changes to practices and expectations it would be a mistake not to send staff on training courses . Ensuring that the budget is equally shared and training is made a priority. Sometimes a staffing can be a issue when training courses are available as most training courses like 3 people from each setting to attend which is impossible within our setting unless it is out of works hours Which I would improve by hiring part time staff when training courses were available within the day time for all staff to improve their development .
Another factor is paying the staff for out of hours training courses which they have chosen , in past well have not paid staff for training courses as it improves their developments and knowledge . Setting that have characteristics of learning experiences will increase their reputation ,effectiveness staff motivation and staff satisfaction . Staff will feel they can be more flexibility and more responsive to hanged and better prepared . Outcome 2 Be able to priorities goals and targets tort own professional development Assessment Criteria 2. Evaluate own knowledge and performance against standards and benchmarks . The standards and codes that guide and govern my role within the setting are: CASSIS guidelines * Health and Safety Act * Children Act [Child Protection I have evaluate my own knowledge and performance against standards and benchmarks when looking at the child protection policy . 1 have review my knowledge and performance by firstly knowing that my main priority is the children ensuring I now all the responsibilities with regard of reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect within the Child Protection policy and Children Act 1989 . Have knowledge of the contact numbers of social services and police in an event . This includes a allegation against a member of staff or student . Ensuring that parents [guardians are shown and understand the policy and procedures that follow it . I personal think more training needs to be done for Child Protection has it hasn’t been done in over 3 years as this would update my knowledge and help staff understand the child protection better . Hind I need to review our setting policy and make myself aware of possible signs and symptoms of children in risk I know the main ones but sometimes like think an withdrawal child is Just shy or not willing to play instead of thinking it may suspected abuse . I have evaluate my own knowledge and performance against standards and benchmarks when looking at Health and Safety Act . 1 perform well when ensuring that the area is safe and secure for all persons who visit the setting daily . 1 ensure that this is safe working procedures amongst the staff and child . Ensuring that all risks are minimize or absence.
I need to improve my provision of information ,instruction and supervisions that all persons in the setting know how to avoid hazards by ensuring that more than one wet floor sign is put up as many people haven’t seen the first sign and stood in the wet patch and also when wet paint from children’s activity or the premises more provision is taken to ensure all persons are aware . Such as signs and cornering or shutting off the premises that has been painted . 1 think my health and safety training needs to be review every year to ensure I know all the updates that there regulations have done .
More research needs to be done monthly about the regulations as well to help my performance. I personal think I am very good at conducting regular risk assessments of the building and of new equipment but Just need to ensure that all staff are more aware of risks and that they follow risk assessments more . My setting has a very good fire drill which the staff members work well as a team knowing their exact roles and ensuring that everyone is safe and we all work according to the fire procedure .
My performance is excellent when it comes to the health of the setting ensuring that I ND all staff make sure the equipment and premises is clean and safe . 1 contribute to help children learn the own personal hygiene as well by washing hands and using the toilet and changing nappies . 1 make sure that my food hygiene is done every 3 years to ensure that I complying to the regulations they set. I sometimes target to wear an apron with serving food and Just wear gloves to ensure that I don’t forgot an sign by the kitchen clearly states protection clothing to be worn before serving ..
Also I make sure that I have first aid training every 3 years to learn new regulations and reoccurred . 1 make sure that all staff know where the first aid box is in case of an emergency . Administration of medicine I also make sure that all medicine forms that parents [guardians have written out have their signature if permission for medicine ,the right dose and right time for the administration . Also that the medicine has been given by a doctor. I think I personal follow this policy well but sometimes need reminding of some things . 1 also need to make sure staffs first aid and food hygiene is up to date .
I have evaluate my knowledge and performance against tankards and benchmarks when looking at CASSIS Guidelines I ensure that the environment is friendly and welcoming . 1 personal think that I give adequate space when providing activities for children and also ensure that the ratio is right but sometimes due to short staff we have gone over the ratio which I think we should employ more staff to help in this case or which is recorded management need to help out more . 1 check the room and premises temperatures every morning and afternoon which is recorded . F the room is too cold or hot we adjust this. I ensure that all hillier mix together while it being outdoor play or quiet time ,which I think could be improve by them doing activities together as well that I should provide . Personal I think some equipment and activities are a bit too difficult for the children and I need to should get appropriate or age appropriate equipment and toys . I think that most of the time I encourage a stimulating environment but sometimes lack and need to encourage myself more to be more imagination and creative with activities using .
Assessment Criteria 2. 2 Priorities development goals and targets to meet expected standards . My development goals and targets : Ensure child protection training is provide every year * Ensure that I full understand every procedures of child protection and not letting myself get confused . * Become more imagination and creative with activities for the children * Ensuring that staff members are up to date on first aid and food hygiene. * Ensuring myself and staff members follow all health and Safety procedures correctly . Ensuring that there is enough staff for the ratio of children at all times ,not letting staff struggle and children having lack of care. * Ensure that all staff know of all resources available to them and ensure they use them . Ensure disagrees are resolve quickly and properly ,ensuring that everyone has their say . * Ensure that all activities and outing have risk assessments which is done a couple of days before ensuring all staff have read and understood the risks. * Plan and organism team activities for staff of work to build team work. Ensure all staff tell parent / guardians the correct information about children and events to avoid confusion . Ensure all myself and staff have regular fire drills which we all understand our own roles and ensure the children are safe from harm in case of an emergency . Be able to prepare a professional development plan Assessment Criteria 3. 1 Select learning opportunities to meet development objectives and reflect personal learning styles Learning opportunities that meet development objectives : * Providing each staff and myself with a rah Pediatric First Aid Course which they all should attend every 3 years .
Providing them with a date ,time and place . Helping them organism transport. * Providing Child Protection Courses every year for all staff and myself ,and getting relevant information for staff to read and understand about the course and protecting children . Ensuring all staff have the choice of doing NV in childcare and ensuring that all staff are working to at least level 2 and if they would like to go further with the NV. * Ensuring all supervisors are working to level 3 NV . Management and Supervisors to go to speech therapy courses to indicative children will speech difficulties . * Courses they involved learning new activities and ideas for children . Personal learning styles Activist is a person who prefer to work intuitively ,being flexible and spontaneous ,generate new ideas and like trying things out . Like learning from robber solving ,discussion ,group work and experience . Reflector is a person who watches ,listens and reflect . Gathering data and taking time to consider options and alternatives .
A person who likes lectures ,project work and information research . Theorist is a person who prefer to go through things thoroughly and logically step by step. A person who like guidelines and prefers to learn from books ,problem solving and discussion . Pragmatist is a person who learns by trying things out ,being practical and realistic . Learns from work-based and practical application in real settings . I personal think that my learning style is a mixture of two styles ,theorist and pragmatist . I am a very organized person who likes to know what’s happening . Like following the routine and guidelines . 1 find discussion is one of my best way of learning but I do also like trying things out but like to be practical about it . 1 offer research information through books and internet . Finding new ideas and activities for the children to boarder my imagination and creative and past on to staff members . 1 like having a routine and plan everything in advance . Ensuring all politeness a month ahead and always on time . 1 am a very punctuation person who despises people who are continually late.
By looking at the characteristics to the stats TTT members I can I styles and this can help them and myself help them learn . Assessment Criteria 3. 2 en TTY their learning Produce a plan for own professional development ,using an appropriate source of support Overall learning development need is child protection courses speech therapist course and completing level 5 NV in childcare Objectives I Date of achievement I How will you achieve your objectives? I Support required I Evidence and outcome I Pass child protection course I April 2013 | By booking a course and completing it .
I Information on courses, time, date and transport of getting there with other staff . I Certificate of passing the courses and providing others with information off the course I Speech therapist Courses I May 2013 | By completing and attending each session I More information on speech therapist ,discussion about course with people attending. I Certificate of passing the course and being able to indicative early is a child has speech difficulties. Level 5 Child care and learning I November [December 2013 | By completing assignment on time and showing willing to do more than an assignment set .
I Information from setting and resources ,observations ,discussion with NV I Certificate of passing the NV ,becoming more professional in my role assessor. And providing more information . Avoiding barriers and blocks by ensuring there is enough funding for all staff to do all their courses as well . Ensuring the attendance of the courses and if ill myself or staff make sure they let management know or person in charge of the course are informed. Assessment Criteria 3. 3 Establish a process to assess the effectiveness of the plan
Ensuring the objectives have been met or near of meeting them . Making sure the objectives is teaching a skill by assessing development . Assessing by looking at peoples attitude , behavior and practice . As sometimes this is better than a person just telling you what they have learnt and this will show you in practice if the objectives have made an effect . As a manager I think of strategies that can support the change of attitude ,behavior and their practice ,and where relevant I demonstrate the benefits of their changes .
When objectives haven’t been met I asked questions to the staff like : * Was the objectives realistic * What went wrong * Did the participants enjoy it * What they liked and disliked about it . * Did the objectives fail to engage the participants . * Is there a better way of achieving the same outcome Also asking myself as a manager where the motivation, ability and commitment to the participants . Ensuring well have understand the main reason of the participants not achieving the objectives and making sure I understand how I can help them in the further to achieve them .
Development plans may change due to new or change of acquirement, guidelines and research evidence . It may also change if expectations are altered . These may change due to appraisal meeting . Outcome 4 Be able to improve performance through reflective practice Assessment Criteria 4. 1 Compare models of reflective practices Reflective practice enables myself to : * Identify what I know but do not know I know . * Identify what I want to know but do not know . * Reflect on what I feel, believe ,value . Examine how well actions match up with beliefs * Reflect on barriers to practicing the way that I would wish to practice. * Think bout what I should [change in my work context and how this could be achieved . * Learn how to value others perspectives even when they differ from own work . * Examine my personal behaviors and response and seek ways to make these more productive . Donald Chon (1983) identified that learning in practice could be enhanced by tow different kinds of activity ,reflection in action and reflection on action .
Reflection in action requires practitioners to think ahead and critically reflect of what they are doing when they are doing it . Revising their actions in the light of that reflection . Reflection on action is an activity that requires practitioners to make sense and analyses recalled information from activities that they have been engaged in Jasper (2006)thinks that reflective practice is an essential means of professional growth and development that enables practitioners to develop basic skills and knowledge into expert skills and knowledge .
Repetition off skill should enable the practitioners to be more competent in its performance . Comparing of reflective practice I agree with both . Jasper says repetition of a skill enables practitioners to be more able in their performance and in my experience this s true the more you do a skill or activity you become an expert on it ,knowing exactly what and not to do . As Donald Chon reflection in and on action I have done in my setting. Firstly before doing an activity I have though able it and what I could change to make it better or more safe for the children and other staff .
Also by recalling information as we do in our setting by sending out questionnaires for parents/ guardians to give us feedback . 1 look at this information give and review the areas of concerns to improve the settings and allowing us to make the place a better place for he children . Models of reflection Gibbs 1988 model of reflection This approach entails the practitioners selecting an incident, writing about it in detail and then analyzing what happened ,asking why, identifying what additional knowledge would enable the practitioner to behave differently .
By exploring what evidence there is that similar things have been addressed by others more effectively . Then it can establish what learning can be drawn up from the experience. Kolas 1984 This approach entails practitioners to be doing ‘having an experience which they have done themselves . Reflecting and learning from the experience knowing what to do and what not to do . Being experimentation and trying out the experience again with the ideas which they have change . Comparing the to models I agree that Kolas is the best model as you are learning form your mistakes and trying again a different way .
By reviewing and learning from your mistakes you know exactly what not to do in the further . Gibbs model is in more detail thinking about how you felt and what you were thinking I think it would be a more longer process of learning . Trying and planning how you learn after doing an experience wrong is a quicker way of learning and you know exactly which parts to change and what not to change . I personal would use the Kolas model and this style of reflection would be like my learning style of the theorist and pragmatist . Assessment Criteria 4. Explain the importance of reflective practice to improve performance . It is important to carry out reflective practice especially because we work with children and my effectiveness will have an impact on them and their learning. Reflective practice means thinking about and evaluating what I do and discussing any changes which could be made. By focusing on how we interact with colleagues, parents/guardians ,other professional and the environment. Thinking about how I could have done something differently, what I did well, what I could have done better.
How I can improve what I have done. It also means reflecting my own values, beliefs and experiences which shape my thoughts and ideas. This will allow us to obtain a clearer picture of my own behavior and a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses- so that we can learn from my own mistakes and take appropriate future actions. Improving the quality of my performance by : Allows us an objective look at our practice in order to improve . * Helps us to recognize what we do well so that we can apply these skills in other situations .
Improves professional Judgment * Helps us to learn from successes and mistakes to enhance development * Helps us to plan for future situations and therefore respond more positively to change * Enables us to apply the skill of reflection to the personal development . Reflective practice allows me support the children better and if we have concerns about how the time they spent in our setting, we can look back and work out what ore we could have done. We may have used one resource and found it useful and then choose it again with another child.
Assessment Criteria 4. 3 Use reflective practice and feedback from others to improve performance. Myself as a manager reflecting on staff performance it helps me guide and support them on key elements of their role, performance and responsibilities. Giving good feedback e. G. Well done that activity was successful or your communication with the parent this then was excellent . Developing staffs self esteem and confidence . Recognizing this strengthens . Reflection is a good way of learning that can be shared with all of the team .
Reflection may require that we seek opinions and information for others to validate our reflections . Reflecting on staffs performance by reviewing their strengthens and weaknesses this might be done in an appraisal and staff may tell you of weakness or strengthens you haven’t seen. Encouraging them to learn more about their weakness to gain more confidence in overcoming them . Also encouraging all strengthens and letting them share their strengthens and weakness with other staff to see if they can learn from each other or from management . Assessment Criteria 4. 4,4. 5,4. Evaluate how practice has been improved through Reflection on best practice Reflection on failures and mistakes Best practice is the analysis of different ways of doing things in order to identify if there is a preferred way . By accessing up to date resources it is important that staff are keep aware of new evidence and best practice . Practice has improved by learning how to do certain things in your own way ,which everyone has there own way of doing things . Some might be the same but others might not this has improve practice s the staff know individuals different ways of working .
This has help build team work . Reflection on failures and mistakes by identifying them and assessing weather or not these could of been avoided. It is important that these are seen as a productive activity . Focusing on learning from the incident or set changes that will be made to improve the issue . Len my setting we have learnt from our mistakes and failures by improving communication making sure all staff tell us of any mistakes or failures they have done and not feel scared of being unfairly blamed or punished for