ECED 301

Christy Reece

11/2/19

Stop and Reflect #1 – Self Assessment on California Competencies related to Special Needs and
Inclusion.

Strengths Areas to Develop Strategies

Philosophy, Policies, and Practices
Topic: Legal My strength is in I area I need I plan to improve by
Requirements Supporting Early development is in finding out what the legal
Learning and Creating and requirements are so we
Development. I am a Maintaining Program will be in compliance.
rule follower and Policies and Practices. One source will be to
understand there are I am the ECE director review this site:
certain legalities for at my organization and https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
early childhood I know I need to
educators when caring develop policies and
for young children with practices that meet the
disabilities or other legal requirements for
special needs. When I the care and education
need clarification I have of young children with
gone to my supervisor disabilities or other
for answers. I know to special needs.
protect the privacy of
the children and
families.
Topic: Children’s My strength is in The area I need to To become more aware
Rights and parents’ Supporting Early develop in is also in of the rights of children
rights Learning and Supporting Early with disabilities or other
Development. From Learning and special needs and
experience I have Development. Even parents, I will consult this
learned mostly the though I am most website:
rights for adults in familiar with rights of https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
public entities under the adults under the ADA, I and
Americans with am most unfamiliar https://www.ada.gov/
Disabilities Act. For with the rights for
example, wheel chair children under ADA
access, parking, seating, and Individuals with
ramps, railings, etc. Disabilities Education
When I have questions I Act (IDEA).
ask my supervisor for
clarification.
Topic: Policies and My strength is in The area I need A strategy would be to
Procedures Supporting Early development is in write down my thoughts
Learning and Planning and Guiding when I identify ways to
Development. I follow Early Learning create a sense of
 program policies and Development. When I belonging and inclusion.
procedures currently at identify ways to create
my workplace to include a sense of belonging
and support children for children and adults
and adults with with disabilities or
disabilities or other other special needs I
special needs. For need to recommend
example, a little 4 year them to the
old in a wheel chair, administration to
came in and it is our change policies.
policy to provide a
shadow buddy. When
questions arise from
families or children I
refer them to the
administration.
Topic: People First My strength is in The area that I also To improve, a strategy
Language Supporting Early need more developing would be to become
Learning and is in Supporting Early more familiar with the
Development. I learned Learning and proper names for the
a couple of years ago, it Development. I realize various disorders and
is respectful to use I still have to make a disabilities, and to work
people first language by conscious effort to on using people first
referring to the child change my habit of language as a form of
first, not the disability or
putting the disability respect. I believe reading
special need. When I first. I know this will and researching would
have questions or need take time and can tell help me develop in this
clarification I refer to as I am more familiar area.
the appropriate staff. the more skilled I
become.
Developmentally and Individually Appropriate Practice
Topic: My strength is in The area I need to A strategy to improve in
Developmentally Planning and Guiding develop is in Creating formulating program
appropriate practice Early Learning and and Maintaining guidelines would be to
Development. At my Program Policies and develop a trusted
workplace I am Practices. To begin advisory team made up
responsible to plan the formulating guidelines of respected families,
learning environments and practices I need to coworkers, and staff.
with the child in mind. I begin collaborating Then set up regular
learned from my ECE and assessing the meetings to assess our
courses how to identify program’s existing existing program
typical and atypical practices with staff, guidelines and then
development. From my families and coworkers pinpoint weaknesses for
knowledge I create to find areas for improvement.
developmentally improvement that are
appropriate learning developmentally
environments. My role appropriate.
is to communicate with
 staff, families and
coworkers what is the
program’s philosophy.
Topic: Universal My strength is in The area that I need A strategy would be to
Design for Learning Supporting Early more development in research and attend an
Learning and is Planning and Guiding NAEYC conference or
Development. Every day Early Learning and workshop that
in my workplace, I Development. I realize specifically addresses the
engage children’s to meet the diverse multiple approaches to
interests in developing needs of children I learning for diverse
their skills and abilities should collaborate learners.
by providing materials with families, service
that pique their curiosity providers, coworkers
and extend their and staff to find more
learning. For instance, I ways to improve the
set up a wooden bead learning opportunities.
exploration opportunity.
I strive to follow all the
guidance to support all
children’s active
participation in learning
opportunities through
the use of materials,
strategies and
techniques.
Topic: Supporting My strength is in The area I need more A strategy would be for
children’s Supporting Early development is also in me to research for more
understanding of Learning and Supporting Early understanding the
disabilities or other Development. From my Learning and diversities of the many
special needs experience and Development. I realize disorders and disabilities
understanding, I learned I have limited and their typical health-
to respond to children’s experience and limited care needs and routines.
questions about their knowledge of the
own disabilities or other many developmental
special needs. I disorders and
remained near a child disabilities. I need to
with a speech delay, and gain more awareness
noticed he was unable so I can better respond
to articulate back, and I to children’s questions
helped communicate for and know how best to
him. I can model interact.
appropriate ways of
interaction.
Collaboration with Families and Service Providers
Topic: Families My strength is in The area I need to In order to develop more
Planning and Guiding develop is also in the in this area, a strategy
Early Learning and area of Planning and would be to find work at
Development. At my Guiding Early Learning a preschool or center
 workplace I initiate and Development. I where there is a more
discussions as necessary have never worked diverse population of
with colleagues and with or partnered with children. I could consider
families regarding families or service volunteering in these
inclusion practices and providers to develop diverse settings as well.
children’s development. individualized plans for
I spoke with the parents children with
of a little boy with a disabilities or other
speech delay to better special needs. Since
understand how to this is the case I have
support them. I’ve not been a
established a sense of conversation regarding
community within the any goals and visions
group in which families- for the families’
including families of children.
children with disabilities
or other special needs.
Topic: Teamwork on I don’t have strength in The area I need To gain experience, a
inclusion the topic of teamwork development is also in strategy would be to find
or inclusion. This is due Supporting Early work or volunteer in
to a lack of opportunity Learning and classrooms that have
and experience. I would Development. I need children with disabilities
begin at Supporting experience in listening or other special needs.
Early Learning and and implementing In the meantime, I could
Development. recommendations read books and research
from service providers to learn about the many
and then contribute different development
ideas. disorders and disabilities.
Topic: Individualized I don’t have strength or The area I need In order to gain
Family Service Plan experience in any area. development is in also development, a strategy
(IFSP) and I would begin with in Supporting Early would be to work or
Individualized Supporting Early Learning and volunteer in a diverse
Education Program Learning and Development. With setting with there will be
(IEP) teams Development. I have gained experience, I opportunities to get
not had an opportunity would be able to share experience. Another
to share observations of observations of strategy would to
children with members children with members interview a parent or a
of the children’s IFSP of the children’s IFSP service provider with
and IEP because I have and IEP teams as regard to IFSPs and IEPs.
not had the opportunity appropriate.
to work with them. My
only experience is
having a colleague who
had a son with autism
and she would share
from time to time about
issues that would arise,
and that she would go
 to IEP meetings.
Environmental Access and Adaptive Equipment
Topic: Environmental My strength is in The area I need more For more development,
access Planning and Guiding development is also in a strategy would be to
Early Learning and Planning and Guiding become more
Development. As a ECE Early Learning and knowledgeable and
director, I have had the Development. I have versed in what types of
opportunity to identify only had a few modifications are
and address opportunities to identify available and useful to
modifications in the and address provide the best
facility and learning modifications in the learning environments
environment to support facility and learning to support children or
children or adults with environments. Because adults with disabilities
disabilities or other of the lack of diversity in or other needs.
needs, based on input our program I have not
from service providers, ever needed to work
families, staff and with service providers.
colleagues. I helped
plan our brand new
playground structure,
voicing opinion for
equipment that is
accessible for children
with disabilities or other
special needs.
Topic: Adaptive I need to develop The area I also need In order for
equipment strength is in Supporting more development is in development, a strategy
Early Learning and Supporting Early to learn more about
Development. At my Learning and what types of adaptive
program we have very Development. Our equipment are available
little adaptive program needs to would be to collaborate
equipment other than obtain adaptive with families and staff
ramps and an elevator. I equipment that is based and obtain
realize we need to on recommendations recommendations. I
obtain more and then and safe and effective. I also could research the
learn to use them safely need to learn how to specific adaptive
and effectively. respond to questions equipment that would
from families, and be appropriate and
children regarding effective.
adaptive equipment
that is available.