In order to show how I am ready to be and a teacher I need to pause and self evaluate.

So that I can sure myself, I must have a comparison to help me.

I started working in this job four years ago. My first lesson was I must study because my responsibilities are unlimited with children, as well as their families. This is especially true if I want to be professional in this work. It is necessary to say that this work is so extensive and have equal opportunities to work, logically making a set up for it.

Early Child Education is the name of my specialty and its two principal functions are care and education for kids between birth to eight years of age. The name of the position depends of the setting but I prefer Teacher because it is the essence of my job. I meet the study requisites to teach children, first when I eased my Children Development Associates in Spanish, My degree helped me to understand the importance of my work. To continue my studies, I decided make the next step, studying Early Child Education in English. In May of 2013, I obtained my Basic Certificate. I am now following this process step by step.

Working with children implies knowledge, skill, sensivity, creativity and hard work. Children in many ways along the normal day offer spontaneous teaching and learning opportunities. To take advantage of these opportunities, it is necessary to listen with care and become a good observer.

Family relations is one of the most important factors in our teachers work, particularly when I form a good rapport with parents and help in obtaining common goals for the kids. The process of learning is dynamic and can be used in many places and times. Work with children is better when I have good communication with children, play with them, attend their basic necessities, teach them, and provide a sense of comfort and security. It is better when children are young because I have the opportunity to provide nurturing and care. Another important factor is the classroom environment. If it is properly set up it provides children an inclusive and welcoming presence, we can call the class environment the third teacher. It must help in learning process throughout easy exploration, availability of toys appropriate for each age, and offer a big diversity of stimulus. In a single day my functions with kids can be as teacher, parent, caregiver, entertainer, counselor, janitorial and diplomat. All of this takes place in an environment. Like a teacher, I regard all areas of development, Social, emotional, intellectual and physical, considering the whole child. This is known today as D.A.P. (Developmentally Appropriate Practices), for this, I must have a variety of intellectual teaching strategies to meet the needs of each student. The knowledge of children development allows me to adopt strategies for each one. I consider myself as having a positive attitude to teach children, when after making, an evaluation I know that it is necessary to use different methodology so that student can obtaining the comprehend. In other words, I apply the concept of multiples intelligences.

The 2010 NAEYC Standards for Initial and Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs addresses what graduates of early childhood training programs in two year, four year, and advanced programs need to know and be able to do. The centerpiece of the knowledge base of the skilled early childhood educator is child development joined to the knowledge of observation, assessment, documentation, guiding groups, health, safety and nutrition, designing learning environments, supporting play, designing and implementing curriculum, including children with disabilities, and working with families. A teacher must to know the legal responsibilities in his or her state and act to accomplish them, but additionally he or she must follow an Ethical Code and refer to it when ethical guidance is needed. The principal responsibility and loyalty is to the children. To become a professional in Early Childhood I must make a commitment to the children, for the profession and for myself. For children, developing a philosophy where I can condense my vision and wishes of how I want the children to remember me in their adult lives. I see to Use the best practices to teach them, but they are demonstrated throughout the experiences when applied. Following the ethical code, I show respect for children and their families. For my profession, I am gaining experience and maturity when I become a member of professional organization, help parents understand how children learn, share my knowledge in workshops and collaborate with other colleagues to meet a childs or family needs. But the most important is acting like a true professional, continuing learning and growing, and joining professional organizations like NAEYC or NAFCC.

Today in education, one way to demonstrate professionalism is through the creation of a professional portfolio, this was the principal reason to make the project, in it is filed some of the work I made to CHD-258 class. This represents a sample of an early childhood educator, particularly the camp work in a childcare or center program. I consider camp work the most enriching activity. In it is reflexed the knowledge acquired in class with real life. The procedures to receive or departure of kids, the following of a routine, the importance of circle time, the necessity of turns to wash hands, the importance of eating in a family style: these activities not only provide caring, they teach coexistence and inclusion with others. The portfolio includes my educational history. I need confess that it does not show all the courses I received in Spanish at the Carole Robertson Center for Learning. In it they helped me to understand my role as a teacher and set up me to better understand my Early Childhood classes at Richard Daley College. This profession implies the continuous necessity of study, to accomplish the standards and regulations that affect us each day but make our lives working in revelation of new knowledges. The general topic of this portfolio is Technology and it is a classic sample of the advances that can be applied in a classroom, like computers with educational software, iPads with apps, and digital cameras, to mention some. Chalk and a board surely were technological advances many years ago, and helped in the task of teach children, transmitted knowledge when they were in the correct hands, and served to form as likeminded persons.

Now I can say that have the knowledge, the skills, the attitude, and the technology to do my work and meet the expectations of children and their families, including mine and myself. When I started this profession, I knew that it is not easy, but it is interesting, and dynamic. Furthermore, I can observe my job product when children achieve their goals. Maybe when these children become adults they will remember me as someone who made his mark in their lives.

Juan C Rodriguez ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !