Objectives

Define professionalism in your own words.
Describe professional competencies for staff and leaders.
Examine resources for professional growth and mentoring in early care and education settings.

Learn

Teach

Professionalism in Child Development and Youth Programs

Take a moment to think about the word “professionalism.” What words, images, memories, or ideas come to mind? Compare your ideas to those you see in the video below. What are similarities or differences do you notice?

Professionalism is a complex and important part of child development and youth programs. It is more than just strategies or practices. It is about how professionals make decisions, how they interact, and how they are perceived by families, colleagues, and children. Because professionalism can be subjective (or open to interpretation), it is important to think deeply about your own values and beliefs related to professionalism. What you consider “professional behavior” may differ from what someone else considers professional. This can have a major impact on your program: staff can be unfairly evaluated and feel undervalued. As you work through the rest of this course, reflect on these questions:

What messages have I received about professionalism in my career?
How did I come to learn about what it meant to be a professional?
What behaviors do I tend to consider professional? What behaviors do I tend to consider unprofessional? Why?
When and in what ways have I struggled to be seen as “professional”?
What parts of my upbringing or education line up with our program’s ideas about professionalism?
What staff members do I relate to in terms of their professional behaviors? What do we have in common (race, age, language, culture, education, gender, upbringing)?

Professional organizations (e.g., National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); National After School Association) that work on behalf of children, families, and child and youth development staff have created standards and competencies to guide equitable discussions of professional behavior. Professional organizations rely on research-based principles and bring together highly respected experts to draft and verify the standards and competencies for the field. Across these organizations, there is a common understanding that engaging in professional behavior is critical for those working with young children, youth, and families. NAEYC’s (2020) Professional Standards and Competencies offer guidelines that apply across child development and school-age professionals. Review the table below to learn more about the standards and five important competencies. A copy of this table is also available in the Apply section of this lesson.

Professional Competency:	What This Looks Like:
Being an informed advocate for children, families, and the workforce	Staff understand their professional roles and the roles of other professions that serve children and families Staff know that equity begins in early childhood, and they work toward equity in their interactions, curricula, and programming Staff are aware of issues affecting the profession (compensation, policies) and work to improve conditions for themselves and others
Knowing and using ethical guidelines for the profession	Staff know and follow relevant laws for child health and safety Staff uphold high standards of confidentiality Staff respect families and coworkers
Communicating professionally to support relationships with children, youth, coworkers, and families	Staff speak and write respectfully, sensitively, and effectively Staff use a variety of communication strategies to build relationships, including technology, languages other than English, and assistive devices
Learning continuously and collaboratively	Staff receive and act on feedback Staff ask for help when they need it Staff approach their work with curiosity and creativity Staff collaborate with members of the team and families
Developing and sustaining a habit of reflection and intentional practice	Staff make intentional professional decisions Staff use feedback and multiple sources of information to improve their practice Staff reflect on their own social and cultural contexts and biases and how these impact children and families Staff take care of their mental health and well-being

These competencies are important for every professional in child development and school-age programs. This includes Training & Curriculum Specialists (T&CSs) and Program Managers. When you think of professionalism as an active process, you help staff members build a strong sense of self. You also help them do their best work. Such an approach to professionalism is an important part of your program’s mission. Families can go to work knowing that their children are cared for by knowledgeable, caring, and skilled professionals.

Model

Characteristics of Effective Professional Leaders

Effective professional leaders above all serve as role models for the staff. Just as staff members must build relationships with each child and family, T&CSs and Program Managers must attend carefully to building a relationship with each staff member. Child care and youth programs must have a clearly articulated shared mission and philosophy that all staff members understand and that is demonstrated by everyone who works in the program. Consider the example mission statements below and think about how they promote professionalism:

Boys and Girls Club of America’s mission: To enable young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring responsible citizens (Boys and Girls Club of America, n.d.).

Head Start’s mission statement: Head Start programs promote the school readiness of young children from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development (Office of Head Start, n.d.).

Each of the mission statements above have common themes: quality programs and supporting families. The aspects of professionalism described earlier in this lesson directly relate to each of these parts of your mission. Think about how each of the professional competencies relate to your role:

Professional Competency	What This Looks Like for a Program Leader:
Being an informed advocate for children, families, and the workforce	Leaders are aware of policies affecting staff (compensation, degree requirements) and advocate for and with staff Leaders understand the range of professionals who serve children and families and build opportunities for collaboration Leaders allocate and advocate for resources to offer the highest quality experiences for children, families and staff
Knowing and using ethical guidelines for the profession	Leaders know, follow, and enforce relevant laws for child health and safety Leaders uphold high standards of confidentiality Leaders respect families, staff, and other leaders
Communicating professionally to support relationships with children, youth, coworkers, and families	Leaders speak and write respectfully, sensitively, and effectively Leaders use a variety of communication strategies to build relationships, including technology, languages other than English, and assistive devices
Learning continuously and collaboratively	Leaders have the skills to perform evaluations and guide supervisees Leaders identify professional development needs Leaders develop staff members’ professional behaviors and address unprofessional behaviors
Developing and sustaining a habit of reflection and intentional practice	Leaders make intentional professional decisions and use ethical codes to guide their work Leaders use feedback and multiple sources of information to improve their practice Leaders reflect on their own social and cultural contexts and biases and how these impact children, families, and staff Leaders create an environment of wellness, in which all staff are encouraged to take responsibility for their mental health and well-being

You support your mission and philosophy by treating each staff member with dignity and respect. Just as staff are expected to guide children, program leaders guide the adults who work in the program. T&CSs and Program Managers have a powerful influence on the professional climate in the center or program. Effective professional leaders are team players who carefully listen when families and staff share their ideas and concerns that impact program quality.

It is very important for T&CSs and Program Managers to speak and act authentically. This means that their words match their actions. For example, if a program leader expects staff members to follow a policy, they must follow it themselves. T&CSs and Program Managers view the growth and development of each staff member as an important aspect of their work. Program leaders are entrusted to intentionally guide others to exceed at their jobs. As each staff member grows professionally, the overall quality of the program is enhanced.

Effective professional leaders enjoy their work and show it. They encourage a positive atmosphere. They know that it is important to have fun and laugh, celebrate successes, and acknowledge all the good things staff members do for children and families. Leaders may plan joyful events that build community among the staff, such as acknowledging individuals during staff meetings, celebrating special days and life events, or attending a professional conference together.

There are many excellent resources on leadership development. Those who are new to the role of T &CS or Program Manager will want to read some of the excellent articles and books about leadership in the Resources and References list. Joining a face-to-face or an online community of practice with other program leaders is another way to learn more about leadership and professional behavior with colleagues.

Resources for Professional Behavior

There are a number of books, Web sites, and webinars available to help you and your staff better understand professional behavior and how it influences the quality of early care and education programs. Early-childhood leadership expert Fran Simon provides suggestions about what early care and education leaders need to do to create their vision. These are just a few listed in her article, “Look Up and Out to Lead”:

Join professional associations, attend conferences, volunteer
Participate in live and virtual professional learning networks
Engage with social media (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.) where hundreds of thousands of educators share links to valuable information and breaking news that is pertinent
Engage in formal professional career and leadership development
Find a mentor-even leaders need inspirational people in their lives
Mentor promising young people and learn from your engagement with them
Build a library on leadership and related topics
Subscribe to email and print newsletters and professional journals from a variety of sources

Additionally, the References & Resources section of this lesson contains books, articles and Web sites that you may find helpful as you learn more about professionalism and leadership in the field of early care and youth development.

Observe

Professionalism: An Introduction

Hear program leaders talk about the importance of being professional.

Completing this Course

For more information on what to expect in this course and a list of the accompanying Learn, Explore and Apply resources and activities offered throughout the lessons, visit the Training & Curriculum Specialist Professionalism Course Guide.

To support the professional development of the direct care staff members or family child care providers you oversee, you can access their corresponding Course Guides:

Infant & Toddler Professionalism Course Guide
Preschool Professionalism Course Guide
School-Age Professionalism Course Guide
Family Child Care Professionalism Course Guide

Explore

Program leaders demonstrate professionalism by supporting staff members to do their jobs well. When staff members are encouraged to be successful, they demonstrate increased feelings of competence and confidence in their work with children and families.

All staff members have a commitment to building relationships with the children and families they serve. In your role as a T&CS, you must build a relationship with each staff member. This does not entail making all staff members close friends, but it does mean you must work to earn the respect of each staff member in order to effectively lead. Just as you create a safe climate for children and families, you must consciously create a safe climate for the staff. The staff needs to know that you are open to their issues and concerns and you will be professional in your daily interactions with them.

Think about a supervisor or leader that you admire as a role model. What did they do to earn and maintain others’ respect? How did they promote a safe climate in which to share concerns and issues? Arrange to interview this individual (in person, by phone, email, Skype). You may create your own interview questions or use the ones on the handout, Creating a Climate of Trust, Respect, and Safety.

Creating a Climate of Trust, Respect, and Safety

Learn how to cultivate a safe, collaborative program climate

Apply

The National Association for the Education of Young Children's Professional Standards and Competencies offers guidelines that apply across child development and school-age professionals. Use the Professional Standards and Competencies guide to support staff members in learning more about the standards and five important competencies that relate to professionalism.

Professional Standards and Competencies

Support staff members by using NAEYC's Professional Standards and Competencies that relate to professionalism

Glossary

Advocate:

A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy; champion, supporter, promoter

Competency:

The capability to apply or use the set of related knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform tasks in a defined work setting

Mentor:

Someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person

References & Resources

Allred, K. W., & Hancock, C. L. (2015). Reconciling leadership and partnership: Strategies to empower professionals and families. Young Children, 70 (2), 46-53.

Bloom, P. J., Hentschel, A., & Bella, J. (2013). Inspiring peak performance: Competence, commitment, and collaboration. The Manager’s Toolbox Management Series. Lake Forest, IL: New Horizons.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America. (n.d.) Our mission and story. Our Mission & Story - Boys & Girls Clubs of America (bgca.org)

Derman-Sparks, L., LeeKeenan, D., & Nimmo, J. (2015). Leading anti-bias early childhood programs: A guide for change. Teachers College Press.

Division for Early Childhood. (2014). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education. http://www.dec-sped.org/recommendedpractices

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The Leadership Challenge: How to make extraordinary thingshappen in organizations (5th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

National After School Association Core Knowledge and Competencies. https://naaweb.org/page/CoreKnowledgeSkillsandCompetenciesSelf-AssessmentTool

National Afterschool Association (2022). Code of ethics for afterschool professionals. Code_of_Ethics.pdf (ymaws.com)

National Association for the Education of Young Children (2020). Professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Office of Head Start. Office of Head Start | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)

Schweikert, G. (2014). Winning Ways for Early Childhood Professionals: Being a supervisor. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Simon, F. (2015). Look up and out to lead: 20/20 vision for effective leadership. Young Children, 70(2), 18-24.

Sullivan, D.R. (2022). Learning to Lead: Effective leadership skills for teachers of young children (3^rd ed.). St. Paul MN: Redleaf Press.