March Message from Deb Green

What makes a professional stand apart from others in his or her field? Certainly educational credentials and hands-on experience are huge aspects of being a “professional.”  But true professionals do not stop there. In fact, they never stop – especially when it comes to learning. After all, research is always discovering new things, and trends are always changing.

 

 

At PIC, we are committed to staying abreast of what’s new in the field of early care and education. We make every effort  to implement current and best practices, even when it means we need to make changes to long-time practices. And, we continue to attain NAEYC accreditation, an achievement that only 10% of the programs in the country can claim!

 

We have 20 PIC teachers currently enrolled in associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. They are all making a HUGE commitment toward their own professional development, as well as to maintaining the high quality of care PIC provides to children and their families.

 

Many of our teachers pursue additional professional development experiences. Several teachers had rave reviews about a President’s Day conference attended on the topic of integrating the arts into the classroom. Many teachers will attend a 3-day conference in New York City sponsored by the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA), while others will attend the upcoming annual DVAEYC conference in Philadelphia. And on March 25, there will be an evening all-staff meeting at PIC, one of three held each year to provide additional training conveniently on-site. 

 

The main idea of ANY professional development experience is that teachers will be able to implement new ideas into their work with children at PIC. So, as spring approaches and the weather begins to warm, I hope you feel the “winds of change” as new ideas are integrated into our classrooms.