Skills and

Responsibilities
of Early
Childhood
Professionals
Objectives 2.01 and 2.02
What skills do you need to
be able to work with
young children?

Used with permission, Southern Alamance High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 2

Responsibilities
What responsibilities do
people who work with
young children have?

Used with permission, Clyde Erwin High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 3

Responsibilities
How are these skills and
responsibilities related?

Used with permission, Hobbton High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 4

Responsibilities
 Those who have the
skills and assume the
responsibilities of
working with young
children are called
early childhood
professionals.

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 5

Responsibilities
How can YOU become an
early childhood
professional?
The first step is to become
familiar with the skills and
responsibilities required . . .

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 6

Responsibilities
 Skills Needed
by Early Childhood Professionals

1. Basic communication
2. Math
3. Thinking
4. Life
5. Interpersonal
6. Leadership
7. Resource management
8. Professional communication

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 7

Responsibilities
1.Basic
communication skills

Speaking
Writing
Reading
Listening
Body language
Used with permission, Albemarle High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 8

Responsibilities
 2. Math skills
Adding
Subtracting
Multiplying
Dividing

Used with permission, Albemarle High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 9

Responsibilities
3. Thinking skills

Thinking critically
Making decisions
Solving problems

Used with permission, Southern Alamance High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 10

Responsibilities
 4.Life Skills
(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, US Department of
Education, 2006)

Leadership Personal productivity

Ethics Personal responsibility
Accountability People skills
Adaptability Self-direction
Social responsibility

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 11

Responsibilities
 5. Interpersonal Skills
(SCANS Report, Secretarys Commission on Achieving
Necessary Skills, US Dept. of Labor, 1992)

Participating as a member of a team

Teaching others
Serving clients, customers
Exercising leadership
Working with cultural diversity

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 12

Responsibilities
6. Leadership skills
Responsibility
Integrity
Vision
Perseverance
Consideration
Team focus
Used with permission, Clyde A. Erwin High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 13

Responsibilities
 7. Resource management
skills
Managing people
Acquiring and sharing information
Using technology effectively
Using time wisely
Using energy wisely
Managing money
Managing equipment and supplies

Used with permission, Hobbton High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 14

Responsibilities
 8. Professional
communication skills

Communicating goals and

philosophy
Public relations
Family communications
Staff communications and
teamwork
Recording information

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 15

Responsibilities
 8.Professional dress
is very important.
Practical
Functional
Appropriate
Good taste

Used with permission, Albemarle High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 16

Responsibilities
 Think About It . . .
These 8 sets of skills are needed in
order to meet the responsibilities of
working with young children.
Pay close attention to the similarities
between these skills and the primary
responsibilities of those who work
with children. Which skills do you see
reflected in the responsibilities?

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 17

Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities
of Early Childhood Professionals

1. Know how children grow and

develop
2. Plan developmentally appropriate
curricula
3. Prepare the environment
4. Communicate effectively
5. Get along with co-workers
6. Manage time wisely
7. Continue to learn

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 18

Responsibilities
1. Know how children grow
and develop

Used with permission, Clyde A. Erwin High

Used with permission, Wakefield High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 19

Responsibilities
2. Plan developmentally
appropriate curricula

Used with permission, C High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 20

Responsibilities
3. Prepare the environment

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 21

Responsibilities
4. Communicate effectively

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 22

Responsibilities
5.Get along with
co-workers

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 23

Responsibilities
6. Manage time wisely

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 24

Responsibilities
7. Continue to learn

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 25

Responsibilities
Ethical Responsibilities
of Early Childhood Professionals

1. To children
2. To families
3. To colleagues
4. To community and society

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 26

Responsibilities
Ethical Responsibilities
to Children

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 27

Responsibilities
1. Do not harm children

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 28

Responsibilities
 2. Involve those with relevant
knowledge in decisions about children

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 29

Responsibilities
3. Communicate concerns about
children in a positive way

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 30

Responsibilities
4. Be familiar with symptoms of
child abuse and know procedures
for addressing

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 31

Responsibilities
A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 32
Responsibilities
1. Not to deny family
members access to
classroom

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 33

Responsibilities
2. Inform families of philosophy,
policies, and personnel
qualifications

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 34

Responsibilities
 3. Keep fully informed of
research projects involving
their children and gain
consent

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 35

Responsibilities
4. Not to use relationship with
family for personal advantage

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 36

Responsibilities
5. Maintain confidentiality and
the familys right to privacy

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 37

Responsibilities
Ethical Responsibilities
to Colleagues

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 38

Responsibilities
 1. Inform co-workers first of
concerns and attempt to resolve

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 39

Responsibilities
2. When disagreeing with program
policies, first attempt to effect
change within the organization

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 40

Responsibilities
 3. Inform employees who do not
meet program standards of concerns
and assist in making improvements

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 41

Responsibilities
4. Base hiring and promotion
solely on records of
accomplishment and ability

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 42

Responsibilities
 Ethical Responsibilities
to Community and Society

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 43

Responsibilities
 1. Communicate openly and
truthfully about the nature and
extent of services provided

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 44

Responsibilities
 2. Cooperate with other
professionals who work with
children and families

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 45

Responsibilities
3. Refrain from participating in
practices that violate laws and
regulations that protect children

Used with permission, Wakefield High

A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 46

Responsibilities
 Are you an
early
childhood
professional?
A - 2.01 & 2.02 - Skills & 47
Responsibilities