Early Learning Specialist Core Competencies

Early Learning Specialist Core Competencies

Model Comparison

Parent-Child Model / Family Child Care Model

Ability to form a trusting relationship with both parent and child.

Enjoys working with both adults and young children.
Has the ability to be non-judgmental.
Through supervision, is able to be self-reflective and can separate own feelings and biases from the work that is done with families.
Respects the parent as her child’s first teacher and most important person.
Is capable of being consistent and reliable.
Respects family’s privacy and can maintain confidentiality.
Understands and maintains appropriate boundaries.
Culturally competent, sensitive, respectful, and open to continually learning about different cultures.
Maintains an appropriate affect/demeanor while in families’ homes.
Has knowledge of the community and demographic being served.
Always works with parent and child together and always supports the parent-child relationship.

Ability to form a trusting relationship with family child care provider, children in her care, and parents of the children.
Enjoys working with both adults and young children.
Has the ability to be non-judgmental.
Through supervision, is able to be self-reflective and can separate own feelings and biases from the work that is being done with providers.
Respects the providers’ abilities, prior knowledge, culture, and language.
Is capable of being consistent and reliable.
Respects the providers’, children’s, and parents’ privacy and can maintain confidentiality.
Understands and maintains the boundaries of the ELS role.
Is culturally competent, sensitive, respectful, and open to continually learning about different cultures with respect to child care.
Maintains an appropriate affect/demeanor while visiting providers and can balance gentle mentoring with modeling more dynamic interactions with children in care.
Has knowledge of the community and demographic being served.
Always works with provider and children together and maintains a supportive relationship with providers.
Is flexible enough to improvise and adapt activities depending on the needs of the care environment and children in attendance.
Provides encouragement and guidance to provider in engaging and communicating with families of children in care.

Parent-Child Model / Family Child Care Model

Adequate knowledge of early literacy and parent-child interaction techniques.

Understands how to use program curricular materials of books, toys, and activities to foster parent-child verbal interaction and early literacy skills.
Uses both verbal and non-verbal techniques to engage both parent and child.
Adapts these techniques for different families and different situations; always maintains a flexible approach.
Is effective in modeling these techniques and is sensitive to the fact that both children and adults are unique, have different learning styles, and progress at different rates.
Adapts approaches to meet the needs of children at different stages of early literacy and literacy development; has age-appropriate expectations.
Recognizes when child is ready for a new activity and is able to follow the child’s lead.
Understands the intertwined relationship of cognitive development and social-emotional development in young children.
Understands the primacy of the parent-child relationship and its effect on learning and child development.
Encourages parent-child attachment through a variety of techniques, both verbal and non-verbal.
Promotes the joy and fun of the parent and child reading and playing together.
Understands the link between early literacy skills and reading/school readiness.
Is persistent in delivering curriculum while being sensitive to family needs or crises.

Adequate knowledge of early literacy across ages, developmentally appropriate practice, group management, and multi-age engagement techniques.

Understands how to use program curricular materials to foster provider-children interaction and early literacy skills.
Uses both verbal and non-verbal techniques to engage children in care.
Adapts techniques and strategies for different providers; always maintains a flexible approach.
Understands that every provider is different and learns in different ways.
Effectively models a variety of ways to engage children of different ages that are developmentally appropriate.
Recognizes when to end a particular activity and move on to something else.
Understands the intertwined relationship of cognitive development and social-emotional development in young children.
Understands the importance of caregiver-child attachment and the effect of sensitive, responsive caregiving on learning and child development.
Encourages caregiver-child attachment through a variety of techniques, both verbal and non-verbal.
Promotes the joy of reading and play for provider, children, and parents.
Understands the link between early literacy skills and reading/school readiness.
Is persistent in delivering curriculum while being sensitive to the provider’s needs and changes in the care environment or schedule.
Engages children in activities that will support literacy, social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
Incorporates music, movement, free play, and math into activities.
Effectively models group behavior management strategies.
Effectively models approaches for integrating routine into the daily schedule.
Knowledge and sensitivity to relationship of curriculum to cultural and language issues.

Parent-Child Model / Family Child Care Model

Provides strengths-based family support.

Promotes parental resilience by providing meaningful fellowship and support to program families.
Provides concrete support by using careful judgment and knowing how to distinguish between emergency situations, what needs to be referred to the Coordinator, and what referrals can be handled by the ELS.
Provides concrete support in times of need by having Coordinator follow up with family on referrals to community-based services, supports, and opportunities.
Promotes emotional well-being for both parent and child through positive interactions centered on curricular materials/activities.
Promotes the social and emotional competence of children through program activities that encourage cooperation, following direction, and other pro-social behaviors.
Promotes knowledge of parenting and child development by modeling appropriate behaviors, such as responding to the child’s requests for attention, showing warmth to child, and encouraging child to follow directions, all within a developmentally appropriate framework.
Provides social connections for parents and children, by providing information about community-based activities (such as story-time at the library) and providing registration information for pre-K, Head Start, or other preschool programs.

Provides strengths-based support.

Is supportive of provider in their unique goals and professional development.
Is knowledgeable about basic child care regulations, can communicate these to providers when necessary, and will report any health, safety, abuse, or neglect concerns to Coordinator. Can distinguish when an emergency situation exists.
Provides concrete support to families by having Coordinator follow up on referrals.
Promotes emotional well-being of both provider and children through positive interactions centered on curricular materials/activities.
Promotes the social and emotional competence of children through group activities that encourage cooperation, following direction, and other pro-social behaviors.
Promotes appropriate provider interactions by modeling behaviors such as responding to children’s request for attention, showing warmth to children, and encouraging children to follow directions, all within a developmentally appropriate framework.
Builds on provider’s existing strengths and encourages provider to try new activities or techniques.
Has strong interpersonal skills to establish relationships with families of children in care.
Demonstrates sensitivity when communicating any developmental concerns regarding children.

Parent-Child Model / Family Child Care Model

Ability to complete pre- and post-program participation assessments.

Is able to learn the observational skills needed to complete program-specific pre and post assessments.
Has adequate inquiry skills required for limited additional assessments or screenings, as determined at the local level.

In-depth knowledge of pre and post assessments and screening instruments.

Can communicate assessments to providers.
Is able to manage activity and distractions in the care setting while conducting observational assessments.
Is able to learn the observational skills necessary to complete pre and post assessments.

Skill and commitment to complete necessary documentation.

Adequate writing skills to complete written reports after every visit with descriptive and anecdotal information.
Adequate organizational skills to document individual family progress and submit reports on regular schedule.
Ability to be self-reflective when writing reports.
Ability to be objective when writing reports.

Skill and commitment to complete necessary documentation.
Adequate writing skills to complete written reports after every visit.
Adequate organizational skills to document individual provider progress and submit reports on regular schedule.
Ability to be self-reflective when writing reports.
Ability to write objective reports.
Ability to initiate and be responsive in reflective discussion with provider during summation visits.
Attention to detail when documenting participation from children in care.

Commitment to attend weekly group supervision and periodic individual supervision meetings.

Interest in continued professional growth.
Engages in interactive learning.
Adopts appropriate work-related behaviors.
Honors family confidentiality.
Respectful and supportive of other staff members.
Ability to self-reflect and to help others self-reflect.
Knows when to seek additional information and ask questions.

Commitment to attend weekly group supervision and periodic individual supervision meetings.
All skills listed in left column.
If working in both models, attends weekly supervisory meetings for each.

Parent-Child Model / Family Child Care Model

Adequate knowledge of child development of toddlers and preschoolers.

Understands typical development and can model positive parenting techniques, such as praise and how to set behavioral limits in an age-appropriate framework.
Can recognize atypical development and “red flag” behaviors and report concerns to Coordinator.
Is sensitive to parental concerns about development.

Adequate knowledge of child development from 0-5.

Understands typical development and can model positive group engagement and management skills, including differentiated instruction to multi-ages.
Can recognize atypical development and report concerns to the provider and Coordinator, assisting in communication to parents of children in care if necessary.

Maintain professional relationship with families.

Always maintains confidentiality.
Recognizes when to seek help. Consults with Coordinator in a timely fashion, as needed.
Responds quickly and immediately reports to Coordinator in instances of suspected child abuse/neglect.
Follows through with Coordinator on referral requests.
Has realistic expectations for rate of change and extent of change of program families.
Maintains a professional demeanor and acts as a role model.
Partners with parents during home visits.

Maintains professional relationship with child care staff, families of children in care, and any local agencies.
Always maintains confidentiality.
Recognizes when to seek help from Coordinator.
Responds quickly and appropriately to situations of child abuse/neglect, as trained.
Encourages providers’ engagement of families of children in care and can refer to Coordinator to connect provider to relevant local resources if necessary.
Has realistic expectations for rate of change and understands that all providers will change at different rates.
Acts and presents herself/himself professionally at all times, including in the community, and serves as role model.
Partners with providers, rather than competing with or overshadowing providers.