It comes as no surprise that, time and time again, research on high quality child care demonstrates that there is a direct link from ongoing professional development to quality programs for children. Licensing agencies require continuing education for teachers and directors. Quality Rating Systems reward programs for engaging in professional development for staff at all levels. It is also required for program accreditation from NAEYC and other organizations. We get it. We need to keep learning. But, there are so many types of professional development from which to choose! Are some delivery methods better than others?

We know from learning theory that we all learn differently. Obviously, some delivery formulas are going to work better for some people and less well for others. In general, though, we know people learn best in real-life situations and with a combination of various approaches. Here at Early Childhood Investigations, we offer webinars that are often overviews of a specific concept, theory, or idea. They are morsels of information intended to lead learners to dig deeper and pursue more information.  While obviously, we love webinars and think they hold enormous potential because they allow people to engage in learning remotely, we know webinars and online meetings (also known as “synchronous” online learning)  are best combined with other approaches to professional development. In fact, webinars are great for extending learning begun in a live session, or for introducing information before it is offered in a live session. Online meetings are great for regular coaching and mentoring sessions that bring consultants, supervisors, or experts together with staff members between formal stand up training sessions or to support on-the-job training and critiques. But, as much as we love webinars, we know webinars should not be the only way you or your staff members participate in professional development. There’s just too much to learn that can’t be conveyed online!

Hopefully, you have a program-wide professional development plan that blends a lot of approaches. Ideally, every teacher and every director should have a personalized professional development plan that combines on-the-job training with formal classroom training, coaching and mentoring, and synchronous and asynchronous online learning. Just as teachers plan for their classrooms and for individual children, so should you plan objectives and strategies for the whole staff and for individual teachers.

The options for professional development are virtually limitless. The only boundaries are your imagination and funding.

Here are some options to consider:

• Live Onsite Training at your program
• Conferences (Great for networking and revving up enthusiasm, too!)
• Virtual Conferences
• Live training offered off site to individuals
• Webinars or “asynchronous” online sessions offered to the public
• Customized webinars designed specifically for your organization
• “Synchronous” or self-paced online learning
• Professional Learning Networks
• Online Professional Learning Networks
• On-the-job training with supervision and direction
• Mentoring by more advanced or experienced staff members or supervisors
• Coaching by supervisors, consultants, or other experts

One of the first places to start to locate professional development for your staff members is your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. You can find your local CCR&R by entering your zip code on The website of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. And, if you are looking for professional development for Directors, you should start with the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. Of course there are thousands of consultants, businesses, and organizations that provide all types professional development. Be sure to do your homework to ensure the consultants and organizations are legitimate before you hire someone to provide your staff with training.

The next three sessions on Early Childhood Investigations are related to professional development. Be sure to check out:

• I’m an ECE Administrator! Now What? Scaffolding for Career Development and Program Improvement
  Directors and investing in their own professional development
• Sandbox Social Media: Early Childhood Educators Making Digital Connections
  Online professional learning networks and more
• ECE Leader’s Guide to Effective Staff Development – How to Get Your Money’s Worth
  Extending your professional development wisely.