Professional Growth and Communication

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Learn and practice skills for effectively working within the staff team.
   • Describe the role of collaboration in working with children, families, colleagues and the community
   • Describe the characteristics of effective and ineffective groups
   • Identify obstacles to group functioning
   • Describe effective leadership qualities
   • Examine personal leadership style.
2. Learn and practice a range of interpersonal skills for use in ECE settings, including:
   • Effective listening and responding skills
   • Assertive communication skills
   • Interpersonal problem solving skills
   • Basic conflict resolution skills.
3. Gain knowledge about child care in British Columbia
   • Identify and apply the provincial child care regulation to early childhood settings
   • Identify and describe the types of child care programs found in BC
   • Examine the roles and responsibilities of ECE practitioners.
4. Gain knowledge about working in partnerships with families
   • Setting the tone and sharing information during initial meetings with families
   • Helping the child and family to make the transition from home to child care centre
   • Identify societal and other factors affecting today’s families
   • Demonstrate knowledge of a diverse range of family situations (e.g., living in poverty, divorced parents, recent immigrants to Canada, etc.) and identify strategies used by caregivers to support these families
   • Describe family-centred, culturally sensitive child care
   • Describe effective practices or establishing relationships with families, including:
   • Describe ways in which parents can be encouraged to participate in the child care program
   • Identify the steps involved in planning and implementing parent-teacher conferences.
5. Demonstrate writing in the workplace, including:
   • The centre brochure
   • The parent handbook
   • Documentations for families
   • Parent newsletters