Reflective Statements of Competency (RCS-Intro) In this next section, you'll prepare six written reflections of your own teaching practices. These reflections will be written to each of the six CDA Competency Statements. For some of these statements, you'll use resources you've already collected as the focus of your reflections. Each statement should be up to but no longer than 500 words. Competency Statement I (CS I) To establish and maintain a safe healthy learning environment Start your statement with a paragraph describing how your teaching practices meet this standard. Then write at least one paragraph on each of the following: EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS 29 CS I-a • Reflect on the sample menu that you included. If you designed the menu, how does it reflect your commitment to children's nutritional needs? If you didn't design the menu, what are its strengths and weaknesses? What would you change about it? CS I-b • Reflect on the room arrangement that you designed earlier in the program. How does the room design reflect your belief in how young children learn best? Additionally, reflect on and describe the differences and similarities between room environments designed for infants and toddlers. CS I-c • Reflect on the weekly lesson plan that you created. How does this plan reflect your philosophy of what young children need on a weekly basis? Additionally, describe how you would adapt this weekly plan for use with each of the following age groups: young infants, mobile infants, toddlers. Competency Statement II (CS II) To advance physical and intellectual competence Start your statement with a paragraph describing how your teaching practices meet this standard. Then write at least one paragraph on each of the following: CS II-a • Select one of the nine learning activities that you developed. How does this activity reflect your philosophy of how to support young children's physical development? CS II-b • Select another of the nine learning activities that you developed. How does this activity reflect your philosophy of how to support young children's cognitive development? CS II-c • Select another of the nine learning activities that you developed. How does this activity reflect your philosophy of how to support young children's creative development? CS II-d • In your final paragraph, describe ways to promote communication/ language development among all children, including dual-language learners. 30 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS Competency Statement III (CS II) To support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance Start your statement with a paragraph describing what you'll do as a teacher to meet this standard. Then write at least one paragraph on each of the following: CS III-a • Describe some of the ways that you support the development of children's positive self-concepts and growing social/ emotional skills. CS III-b • Reflect on your philosophy of guiding young children's positive behaviors. How is your professional philosophy similar to or different from how you were guided as a child? How do you constructively deal with young children's challenging behaviors? Competency Statement IV (CS IV) To establish positive and productive relationships with families Start your statement with a paragraph describing what you'll do as a teacher to meet this standard. Then write at least one paragraph on each of the following: CS IV-a • How do you ensure that families are kept aware of what's happening in the child's daily/weekly life in your program? CS IV-b • How do you ensure that you're aware of what's happening in each child's home life? How does this awareness direct your teaching practices? Competency Statement V (CS V) To ensure a well-run, purposeful program that is responsive to participant needs Start your statement with a paragraph describing how you'll meet this standard as a teacher. CS V-a • Then write at least one paragraph that describes how you'll use the observation tool/form that you included in your resource collection. Describe why observations and documentation are important parts of program management. How do you ensure that you're accurately/ objectively observing and tracking each child's development and learning progress? EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS 31 Competency Statement VI (CS VI) To maintain a commitment to professionalism Start your statement with a paragraph describing how you'll meet this standard as a teacher. Then: CS VI-a • Reflect on why you chose to become an early childhood professional. CS VI-b • Reflect on what you believe are the most important indicators of professionalism you possess.

In this next section, you'll prepare six written reflections of your own teaching practices. These reflections will be written to each of the six CDA Competency Statements. For some of these statements, you'll use resources you've already collected as the focus of your reflections. Each statement should be up to but no longer than 500 words. Competency Statement I (CSI) To establish and maintain a safe healthy learning environment Start your statement with a paragraph describing how your teaching practices meet this standard. Then write at least one paragraph on each of the following: