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.

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.

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.

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)