It is critical that early childhood providers obtain appropriate training in an effort to improve the care being provided directly to the children. It is the responsibility of individuals to also know what kinds of training they need or want to attend.

We at the CCR&R at WKU, try to provide adequate information to help you choose your training wisely as we advertise our training sessions. In order to do this we provide a variety of information to help guide your decisions. This information is found in the monthly registration portfolio of our newsletter, The Child Care Professional and on the training calendar on this website.

Each training description includes the following information: Training Level, Core Content Area, and Target audience.

What do the Training Levels Mean?

As you review material regarding training, you may have noticed a line that says Training Level and is followed by a number 1-5. This is done in an effort to help individuals choose the training that is most appropriate for their professional growth. As providers are offered new opportunities for training, it is important for individuals to read the descriptions of the training and take note of the training level. Each level describes a base of knowledge that is assumed that an individual has upon entering the training in that content area. One way to help staff choose training wisely is to keep the information about training levels (listed below) nearby so that individuals may refer to it as they are registering so that they sign up for a session that truly fits their needs.

A training designated as Level 1 will be a training that is designed to develop a basic knowledge in a specific content area. An introduction to a certain topic or concept as well as philosophy and vocabulary are the focus of this training level.

A training Level 2 is for someone who is at the CDA level or has 2-3 years experience in child care. The main focus of this level is to extend information on basic concepts, theory, vocabulary and philosophy.

A training Level 3 assumes that participants are competent in developing curriculum opportunities and have at least an Associate degree in early childhood and 3 years experience.

A training Level 4 is for participants who already have competence in the content area they are choosing. These participants will have at least a four-year degree in early childhood or a related area and 2 years experience in early care and education. Participants at this level are working to refine their knowledge and skills in this training area.

A training Level 5 is designed for participants who not only have a four-year degree in early childhood or related area and four years experience, but also have taken additional coursework (For example: working toward Masters or other post-graduate work). The four years experience should include supervision of others.

Individuals may be at various levels within the core content areas. This will be dependent upon one’s own experience and education. For instance, someone who began their career as a nurse and then went into early care and education, may need a Training Level 4 or 5 in Health, Safety and Nutrition, but may need a Training Level 1 or 2 in Learning Environments and Curriculum. For this reason it is best that individuals be allowed to choose their own training sessions so that they can choose what is most appropriate for them and so that each training session is valuable and participants can continue their lifelong learning!

What does Target Audience Mean to Me?

Each training description also includes specific information regarding the Target Audience. This is designated as another means of ensuring you choose the most appropriate session to fit your individual needs based on the work that you do. The definitions for the target audience are listed below:

Infant and Toddler - Designed specifically for individuals working with children ages birth to three years old.

Preschool - Designed specifically for individuals working with children ages three to five years old.

School Age -Designed specifically for individuals working with children five to 12 years old.

Administrators - Designed specifically for individuals working in the management area. These sessions would be appropriate for owners, directors, center managers, lead teachers, coordinators, and supervisors.

General - Designed for individuals working in child care. These sessions will cover a variety of issues regardless of the age group you work with.

If you want to review KY’s Professional Development Framework you can contact the CCR&R office and check it out from our Resource Library or you can visit on line the KIDS NOW website at www.kidsnow.ky.gov.

If you want more information about the local CCR&R training sessions, you may visit the training calendar on this website or contact the CC&R office by calling at 1-800-621-5908 or 270-745-2216 or by email at ccrr.expert@wku.edu.

Reference:
Early Childhood Professional Development: Creating a Framework for Kentucky, May 2003.