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Professional Development - Infants/Toddlers Director Credential Requirements

Required Core Knowledge for the Credential:

Individuals completing the educational requirements should have:

  1. Knowledge of children pre birth to 3 years of age in the areas of:

    1. Physical maturation;

    2. Cognitive and language development;

    3. Social emotional development; and

    4. The impact of early experiences.

  1. Knowledge relating to the diverse perspectives of:

    1. The family;

    2. Parent/child/community/school systems; and

    3. Various approaches to parent involvement.

  1. The rationale for and implementation of developmentally appropriate practices in the education of infants and toddlers including:

    1. Techniques of informal and formal assessments;

    2. Strategies for working with infants and toddlers with special needs; and

    3. The process for evaluating infant/toddler programs.

  1. Planning, implementing and evaluating developmentally appropriate curriculum through:

    1. The facilitation of play; and

    2. Design of appropriate learning environments to meet the needs of infants and toddlers.

  1. Using individual and group guidance and problem solving techniques to:

    1. Develop positive and supportive relationships with children and adults;

    2. Encourage positive social interaction among children and adults;

    3. Promote positive strategies of conflict resolution; and

    4. Develop personal self-control, self-motivation, and self- esteem in infants and toddlers.

  1. Knowledge of the cultural contexts for children’s growth, development, and learning including:

    1. Learning styles;

    2. Bilingualism;

    3. Cultural values;

    4. Race; and ethnicity.

  1. Articulating rational for and implementation of best practices relating to infants’ and toddlers’ healthy development including:

    1. Disease prevention;

    2. Nutrition;

    3. Safety;

    4. Special health care adaptations; and

    5. Treatments.

 

Paths to the Credential:

  1. A three or more credit course in infant toddler development which meets all competencies and includes a laboratory or other experiential component; or
  2. Infant Toddler CDA; or
  3. Completion of in all four PITC Trainer Institute modules; or
  4. DFS training offered during 1999 and 2000; or
  5. Wheelock College Advanced Seminar in Infant Care; or
  6. Other training approved by DFS; or
  7. WestEd training.

Demonstration Requirements:

Individuals must complete the demonstration requirement unless the individual completed option 1, 2 or 3 above.

Individuals who have completed options 4 through 7 but did not submit a video to UW prior to May 2004 to meet the demonstration requirement, may complete this requirement by :

  • Attending an intensive WestEd training offered by Child Care Finder which includes the approved demonstration requirements (Note: this applies only to intensive workshops offered after August 1, 2004); or
  • Attending the STARS approved demonstration trainings offered by a local certified trainer or a Licensing Specialist.

WestEd Training:

To meet the educational requirement through West Ed training, the individual must complete and be awarded STARS hours for one of the following options:

  • An intensive WestEd training offered by Child Care Finder which includes the required demonstration (STARS # 823); or
  • Completion of two hours in each of the following WestEd topic areas:
    1. Social-Emotional Milestones (STARS # 3200)
    2. Temperament (STARS # 3199)
    3. Guidance and Discipline (STARS # 3197)
    4. Understanding Children’s Behavior (STARS # 3198)
    5. Individualized Care and Small Groups (STARS # 3204)
    6. Environments for Group Care (STARS # 3202)
    7. Primary Caregiving (STARS # 3201)
    8. Routines (STARS # 3203)
    9. Demo #1 (STARS # 3283)
    10. Brain Development in Infancy (STARS # )
    11. Discoveries of Infancy (STARS # )
    12. Special Needs (STARS # )
    13. Language Communication and Culture (STARS # )
    14. Protective Urges (STARS # )
    15. Cultural Diversity for Sensitive Infant Care (STARS # )
    16. Responding to Families in Culturally Sensitive Ways (STARS # )
    17. Acknowledge, Ask and Adapt
    18. Demo #2 (STARS # 3284)



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