Greetings!
Welcome to the Fall edition of your Inside Gateways quarterly e-newsletter. This
issue focuses on current early care and education initiatives in Illinois.
As you begin reading this issue, I think you’ll be inspired by the Profiles in
Leadership career stories of two of our colleagues in the field who are our
newly named co-chairs of the Professional Development Advisory Committee
(PDAC). Their stories illustrate the many diverse paths available in the early
care and education field and the need for a career lattice to “show the way”
for someone choosing a career in early care and education.
Illinois Quality Counts, Quality Rating System (QRS) and Early Care &
Education Core and Infant Toddler Credentials are new initiatives that you will
want to read about and consider how to implement with your programs and/or
staff. The focus of both QRS and credentials is to improve the quality of care
for children in Illinois.
And finally, Dr. Lilian Katz shares with us her reflection on Professional
Responses in the Early Childhood Classroom. Through a typical classroom
example, Dr. Katz illustrates the importance of professional development by
contrasting how a professional and nonprofessional might handle the same
situation differently. Join us in learning about the importance of staff
professional development as it relates to children.
Enjoy this latest edition of Inside Gateways! Thank you for all you do for
children and families!
Paula Steffen and Your
Gateways to Opportunity
Professional Development Team
Articles:
Read profiles of the new Professional Development Advisory Council (PDAC)
co-chairs, Jeanne Anderson and Cass Wolfe.
Lilian Katz discusses the kind of judgment the professional teacher exercises
working with young children.
Find out about the Quality Rating and Tiered Reimbursement System (QRS)
and the Core Credential and Infant Toddler Credential.
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