Monshaye Napier

Competency Statements
Spring 2016

Goal 1: To Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment.

One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator is to establish and maintain a safe, healthy
learning environment. I will do so by making sure classrooms that I teach in are always up to
maintenance, proper sanitation is followed, and children go home each day learning something
new. I believe that children should be in an environment that not only promotes learning but
protects them from missing out on those learning opportunities due to illnesses or accidents.
Functional Area 1: Safe
I will use age appropriate furniture, equipment, and toys for the children in my care. Classrooms
in which I will be teaching in, will be checked daily to ensure no occurrences of chocking, fire,
and accidental hazards. All furniture equipment will be checked before arrival to protect from
any injuries. Playgrounds will be checked daily before children are allowed to play. All drawers
and cabinets will be locked and secured with child safety locks. Chemicals and other sanitation
products will be securely stored on a high to reach cabinet and locked. Emergency contact sheets
will be within every classroom along with up to date formulated emergency plans. Before
starting the day I will make sure the room in which I am has a usable and up to date first aid kit.
Last but not least, I will make sure I teach the children in my care the importance of not talking
to strangers, asking for help, not opening doors, not running off, calling for help, and what to do
in case of an emergency.
Functional Area 2: Healthy
To provide children a healthy environment I will follow licensing guidelines when it relates to
proper sanitation. All toys, equipment, and furniture will be wiped down properly and sanitized if
exposed to bodily waste. At the end of the day all toys, equipment, and furniture will be properly
wiped down and sanitized to help prevent exposure to germs the following day. Chemicals will
not be used throughout the day around children to prevent from prologue toxic exposure. All
children will be talked to in a positive and nice manner regardless of behavior problems to
provide children with the feeling of security. Any food given to children will follow the USDA
regulations and be checked for freshness. I will also teach children how to properly wash their
hands, sneeze, and cough to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses. One more thing I will do
to create a healthy environment is to make sure that Im consistent in my overall commitment as
a teacher.
Functional Area 3: Learning
I believe that children all come with different personalities and views of the world around them. I
will provide an environment that a child can always learn from no matter their background. I will
provide many different, meaningful, and fun ways for children to learn. Children will be in a
learning environment that teaches them new skills on a daily and helps them to achieve any goal
they put their mind to. The first step is to make sure that the environment in which I want
children to learn in, is well taken care of and developmentally age appropriate. Books, music,

furniture, toys, and equipment will be selected to match the skills of children by their age and
development but also to help enhance those skills. I will assess and frequently observe children
both individually and as a group to keep myself informed on development, delays, progress, or
problems that may prevent the child from performing day to day tasks. Another way to ensure
children are in an environment that promotes learning is by making sure I have all of the tools,
knowledge, and resources to ensure that I am well aware of the way children develop and how to
help further that development.

Goal 2: To advance physical and intellectual competence.

One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator I will advance physical and intellectual
competence. I will do so by providing children with endless activities that promote physical,
cognitive, communication, and creativity. I believe that children learn in a several of ways and
each day should be given opportunities to explore those ways.
Functional Area 4: Physical
Children in my care will receive endless amounts of hands on activities that keep their bodies
moving. Physical competence will be succeeded through allowing children to dance, run, walk,
play, and move their bodies throughout the day with no restrictions. Children will be given
various opportunities for growth and development. I will help younger children to learn how to
balance and stand without help by constantly practicing with them on their feet and me at their
side for support. I will help children increase and develop fine motor skills by doing various
activities that help with stimulation of the hands and fingers. Every opportunity within my
classroom will serve to help build and increase fine and gross motor skills in children.
Functional Area 5: Cognitive
Cognitive development is important because it is how the brain processes everything. Children
must learn to pay attention, memorize, reason, read, process, and think. When doing so the brain
works as one and form a cognitive process that serves as knowledge bank. In this bank children
have the abilities to continue their development and learning while processing new information
daily. I will help by providing a variety of age appropriate activities that will promote those
skills. Children will be able to grasp, retain, and use the information that they have learned.
I will promote exploration, curiosity and problem solving through daily task and routines within
the classroom. A simple way in doing so is playing a game of hide and seek with preschoolers,
giving toddlers endless sensory opportunities by playing small matching games, and playing
games such as peek-a-boo with infants. All toys that children interact with will also be selected
to help promote cognitive development.
Functional Area 6: Communication
I will provide several opportunities that promote communication verbally and non-verbally with
children throughout the day. I will encourage language by talking to children fluently and proper
for their understanding. For infants and mobile infants I will communicate in the same way I do

older children so that they can start to understand the world around them. I will sing songs, do
finger plays, and read to children to support language and communication. Within my classroom
I will have labels for older children with matching images for their reading and many pictures
within all age classrooms. For infants I will repeat the sounds they make back to them for
encouragement such as the word baba or mama. Children can communicate through various
opportunities such as music, dance, art, sign language, and verbal interactions; which I plan to
promote daily.
Functional Area 7: Creativity
I believe that children deserve to be in an environment that promotes creativity through many
experiences on a daily basis. I will provide various creativity experiences through art, music,
play, and movement. When it comes to art I will teach children to value the process over the
product. Throughout the classroom I will post childrens art work. Children will be asked many
open ended questions that helps keep their imagination flowing and curiosity growing. In my
classroom I will have my art station open and free for children to explore. Children will also be
able to dance and experience different music from various cultures.

Goal 3: To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance.
One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator is to support social and emotional development
and to provide positive guidance. I plan to fulfil this goal by fostering the development of self,
social, and guidance in children.

Functional Area 8: Self

My goal to foster the area of self is to give several opportunities for children to learn about self.
Many of these activities will include self-awareness, being able to understand diversity,
celebrating individual uniqueness, expressing feelings, and building confidence. I believe that
children learn best in an environment that uplifts them and shows an understanding for
developmentally differences. I will teach children self-help skills by allowing them to take on
different responsibilities within in the classroom such as cleaning up after centers and passing
out napkins at snack time. During art time and moments where children are working alone I will
ask open ended questions and support their creativity. Teaching children about feelings and selfawareness helps with emotional development. I will also foster the area of self by building selfesteem in children from an early age and on.

Functional Area 9: Social

My goal to foster the area of social is to provide all children with interaction and communication
that helps to support social development. I will plan activities that not only allows myself to
interact and demonstrate communication but also the children in my care. Daily large group and
small group activities will be done along with allowing children to work in centers together. For
younger children such as infants I plan to use facial cues, talk clearly, and use sign language
suitable for their age development. Another way I plan to foster the area of social is by providing
examples of social competence to children. If I want children to gain social development I must
first model it.

Functional Area 10: Guidance

My goal to foster the area of guidance is to showcase and model positive guidance methods. I
will first build a relationships that ensures all children in my care can trust me. Without trust
there will be a constant interference with guidance. I will make sure I set limits for children
based on their developmental age. Children will be taught the importance of using their listening
ears and following directions to ensure safety. I will stay consistent when guiding children who
are misbehaving to positive behavior. Building a relationship with parents will also help me
foster the area of guidance by making it easier for parents to address problems with guiding their
child at home. It will also help when formulating a plan that can be consistent for the child both
in child care and at home. I will use positive language and removed the negatives when speaking
to children.
I also will allow children to make their own choices and sold their own problems while guiding
them positivity in the process.

Goal 4: To establish positive and productive relationships with families.

One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator is to establish positive and productive
relationships with families. I will do so by keeping an open communication policy. Parents need
to feel that they are welcome within their childs learning environment. I believe that building
positive and productive relationships with families provides a purposeful and safe environment
for children to learn in.
Functional Area 11: Families
I plan to establish positive and productive relationships with families. In doing so I plan to have
an open door policy with all parents in regards to the development and care of their children. By
having an open door policy, it provides parents with the comfort that their child is in the right
and proper care. This leaves parents with the opportunity to share information and discuss
concerns regarding their child without feeling like it will go unheard. Having an open door
policy will allow me to speak with parents more freely without chances of miscommunication.
My goal to establish positive and productive relationships with parents will also be done by
exchanging information often with parents. I cant expect to talk with every parent during arrival
and pick up but I can create a system by using email and daily report sheets for each child.
Parents deserve to know how their children are doing and are developing. Sending home daily
reports and emails allows for parents to see what fun activities and new achievement their child
has completed for the day. I can provide parents with opportunities to interact with their children
more by sending home activities to be completed.
Another way I plan to establish positive and productive relationships with families is to provide
parents with many opportunities of involvement. I will invite parents for plenty of social
opportunities that will be used to give out or inform them on information vital to their childs
development individual or as a whole. I will set up plenty of volunteer chances where parents
can come in and interact with not only their child but other children. Last but not least, I will set
up conferences so that parents are aware of their childs strengths, weaknesses, and overall
achievements over a period of time.

Goal 5. To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs.

One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator is to establish a well-run, purposeful program
responsive to participant needs. I will do so by using and sticking to a curriculum that fosters the
development of all children. Using different approaches to learning will help develop a wellrounded and effective program.
Functional Area 12: Purposeful Program
I believe that a purposeful program is to maintain or work in a well-run program that is
organized. Organization help ensure that important and confidential files are up-to-date and
secured in their rightful place. Keeping my classroom organized will also help children to
explore freely without chaos. Throughout the day and prior to closing all toys, files, paperwork,
furniture, and equipment will be placed in their rightful place.
A well-run and purposeful program also includes keeping up with maintenance throughout the
center. Walls will be repainted and repairs for peelings when first discovered. Poorly kept toys,
furniture, equipment, and resources will be tossed out and renewed. As an early childhood
educator I plan to contribute to a well-run, purposeful program by making sure I clean and
sanitize daily to keep down on germs and illnesses.
As an early childhood educator I will also contribute by staying up to date with qualifications
and education requirements. I will continue my education and gain as much knowledge I can to
help reinforce my knowledge in a positive manner. I believe that a well-run, purposeful program
is one that includes and promote positive relationships with families. As an early childhood
educator I will work and communicate with parents daily to help that they are comfortable with
their childs care. I will develop ways that not only support children and their development but
parents also by pulling resources and putting together development meetings designed for
parents to also prosper.
To maintain a well-run and purposeful program I believe that children should be given many
opportunities to learn from various areas. I will study different models of curriculum such as
Bank Street, High Scope, Creative, Waldorf, Project Approach, Reggio Emilia, and Montessori;
to provide a well-rounded understanding of each.

Goal 6: To maintain a commitment to professionalism.

I will establish positive and productive relationships with families by keeping an open
communication policy. Parents need to feel that they are welcome within their childs learning
environment. I believe that building positive and productive relationships with families provides
a purposeful and safe environment for children to learn in.
Functional Area 13: Professionalism
One of my goals as an Early Childhood Educator is to maintain a commitment to
professionalism. This goal is accomplished by embracing and understanding that we live in a
multicultural world. Using that perspective helps to relate and embrace individuals in culturally
diverse communities. When embracing individuals of culturally diverse communities it builds a
sincere respect for all colleagues and families in early childhood care settings. Understanding
that not everyone comes from the same background and how to work with others who do not
have the same cultural as self; will help me to maintain and commit to professionalism.
The goal to maintain a commitment to professionalism is also taking responsibility of my actions
and decisions. While growing as an educator there will be many occurrences where I will be
wrong, second guess myself, or do not understand how to handle certain situations. It is my job
as a professional to take those matters and learn from them. Everything can be a used as a
learning experience and should be looked at as such. As an educator it is important to make sure
that I put myself in those moments of accepting that I do not have all of the answers; so that they
can be gained to develop and enhance my knowledge and skills. Not just for self but for those
that I will be making an impact on.

Advocating for young children and their families is one more way I will fulfill my goal to
maintain a commitment to professionalism. This will be done by knowing every issue that affects
young children and their families not just locally but all over. Staying aware of what is going on
in my community and all over the world helps me to understand what is needed to be done to
help provide children and their families with the support they need for absolute success.
I plan to also fulfill this goal by communicating and behaving a manner that shows my
professionalism on a daily basis.