Running Head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Professional Development Plan Ella Michael Walden University EDUC 4001 Dr. Marsha Miller What you know about child development and effective early childhood practice The process of child development includes the psychological, biological, and the emotional changes that happen in human beings between the time that they are born and the end of adolescence. Child development is used to explain the changes that happen to individuals as they progress from dependency to increasing autonomy ("Habits of Mind: Behaving Intelligently Survey," n.d.). Generally, it is described as the continuous process that is always characterized by predictable sequence as well as having a unique course for every child as they grow. It is important to note that child development is not always the same to every child and every stage in the development is always affected by the preceding developmental experiences (Morrison, 2007). It is also important to note that child developmental changes are always influenced by genetic factors as well as events that happen during prenatal life. As such, child development cannot be done effectively without looking at genetics and prenatal development. Effective early childhood practice defines all the programs that are developed for purposes of making our children to as they are expected while being offered with the right resources from the involved parties ("Habits of Mind: Behaving Intelligently Survey," n.d.). Effective early childhood practices are always developed to make sure that children effectively pass through all the stages of development effectively and appropriately without having any challenges. The practices are supposed to be developed based on the existing children care policies and any other related practice that may affect the wellbeing of children. Knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to quality professionals There are a number of practices that are supposed to be extended by professionals as they carry out their professional duties. Additionally, there are a number of accepted skills, knowledge, and dispositions that are always acceptable to any professional who is termed as being a quality professional. For this case, the following professional dispositions should be applied. Commitment to the children Children-centered focus The professional is supposed to be children-focused as indicated by the following behaviors. To start with, the professional is supposed to give opportunities for every children to develop and learn from the others. Additionally, they are expected to seek instructional strategies that offer opportunities for all children to develop appropriately and effectively ("Habits of Mind: Behaving Intelligently Survey," n.d.). Be in a position to make professional decisions with the focus of being the needs of the children and be in a position to identify the needs of the children ...

1. Running Head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Professional Development Plan
Ella Michael
Walden University
EDUC 4001
Dr. Marsha Miller
What you know about child development and effective early
childhood practice
The process of child development includes the
psychological, biological, and the emotional changes that
happen in human beings between the time that they are born and
the end of adolescence. Child development is used to explain
the changes that happen to individuals as they progress from

2. dependency to increasing autonomy ("Habits of Mind: Behaving
Intelligently Survey," n.d.). Generally, it is described as the
continuous process that is always characterized by predictable
sequence as well as having a unique course for every child as
they grow. It is important to note that child development is not
always the same to every child and every stage in the
development is always affected by the preceding developmental
experiences (Morrison, 2007).
It is also important to note that child developmental
changes are always influenced by genetic factors as well as
events that happen during prenatal life. As such, child
development cannot be done effectively without looking at
genetics and prenatal development. Effective early childhood
practice defines all the programs that are developed for
purposes of making our children to as they are expected while
being offered with the right resources from the involved parties
("Habits of Mind: Behaving Intelligently Survey," n.d.).
Effective early childhood practices are always developed to
make sure that children effectively pass through all the stages
of development effectively and appropriately without having
any challenges. The practices are supposed to be developed
based on the existing children care policies and any other
related practice that may affect the wellbeing of children.
Knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to quality
professionals
There are a number of practices that are supposed to be
extended by professionals as they carry out their professional
duties. Additionally, there are a number of accepted skills,
knowledge, and dispositions that are always acceptable to any
professional who is termed as being a quality professional. For
this case, the following professional dispositions should be
applied.
Commitment to the children
Children-centered focus
The professional is supposed to be children-focused as indicated
by the following behaviors. To start with, the professional is

3. supposed to give opportunities for every children to develop and
learn from the others. Additionally, they are expected to seek
instructional strategies that offer opportunities for all children
to develop appropriately and effectively ("Habits of Mind:
Behaving Intelligently Survey," n.d.). Be in a position to make
professional decisions with the focus of being the needs of the
children and be in a position to identify the needs of the
children and attend to all of them in a timely and effective
manner.
Professional code of ethics
The professional is supposed to be aware of all the program
policies as well as professional practices and be in a position to
respond to the guidelines in the most appropriate way possible.
He or she is supposed to be in a position to support the
development and the growth of all the children for the sole
purpose of creating as well as sustaining an informed
democratic society (Morrison, 2007). They are also supposed to
demonstrate some degree of commitment to safety in the
children's developmental settings as well as offering the best
effort in all children development programs.
Commitment to diversity
The professional is supposed to treat each children with equity,
understand all the factors that contribute to diversity like race,
class, gender, and sexual orientation as well as any privilege
that may arise from the society.
Commitment to professionalism
Some of the important dispositions in this include the
following: -
Self-reflection
In this, some of the important behaviors to note include
reflecting on and accurately evaluating their personal
experiences and recognizing as well as addressing any
difficulties or deficiencies in the services that they offer to the

4. children (Morrison, 2008).
Responsibility
The professional should show how reliable they are when
making important commitments to the children, turns all the
required resources to the children on time, and be punctual as
well as prepared to offer the children with the right training
materials (Morrison, 2007).
Integrity
Professionals are supposed to behave in a trustworthy and
honest manner, adhere to all presented laws, and exercise sound
professional judgment as well as keeping confidentiality of the
information as appropriate to educational settings (Morrison,
2009).
Areas that Ineed to grow
There are a number of areas that need to be improved for
purposes of offering the best services to the kids in question.
One of the areas that I need to improve is in improving on how
to deal with the emotions of the children as they come from
different backgrounds and may have different upbringing thus
having different ways to deal with their emotions (Morrison,
2007). The other area that I need to improve is the area of
professional communication. Professional communication is
important in that it will improve the way that Interact with the
children and develop the best mechanisms to deal with the
children as I try to develop them.
The other area that I need to develop is that of leadership
in which I am supposed to work, as I might need to offer the
right services to the children involved. It will also be important
improve my leadership qualities for purposes of making sure
that I am responsible for all the children who are placed under
my authority (Morrison, 2009).
Job of Interest
The job that interest me the most is that of being an early
childhood behavior specialist for preschool children. Some of
the important job-related skills that I possess include being a
good leader, having a good professional background and being a

5. self-motivated leader. I also have the right skills to deal with all
forms of behaviors with the students. On the other hand, some
of the areas that I might need to work on include working on
communications, and dealing with the emotions of the students
(Morrison, 2008).
References
Habits of Mind: Behaving Intelligently Survey. (n.d.). Retrieved
from
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Gq%2FkE9Cos
x5ADe1kGb8wMyZD9zAR 2tuDf0B3qvVxWw%3D
Morrison, G. S. (2007). Early childhood education today (10th
ed., p. 19). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Morrison, G. S. (2008). Fundamentals of early childhood
education (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Morrison, G.S. (2009). Early childhood education today (11th
ed., p. 26). Upper Saddle River, NJ:Merrill.