1.

We see parallels between the message from the Child Development and Learning Competency
and Epstein’s work. The importance of an understanding of child development and the
implementation of practices in a way that will be most effective for the children’s learning. We
can see how this is important when we look at the competency of Individual Developmental
Expectations. In Epstein’s work she talks about how intentional teaching helps support this,
“Teachers must have a repertoire of instructional strategies and know when to use a given
strategy to accommodate the different ways that children learn and how the specific content
they are learning.” (Epstein, pp. 2) We see here why it is so important for us to balance both child
guided and adult guided learning, to support the needs of each child on an individual basis.

2. Looking at the competency of interpretation of documentation, we can see how important it is to

not only document the progress and work that a child is doing but to be intentional about how
we are using the information that observation has provided us. Epstein mentions this in her work
on the intentional teacher, “an intentional teacher can choose the best combination of child
guided and adult-guided instruction strategies to scaffold further learning.” (Epstein, pp. 26) The
key part of this is the adjustments made based on the specific assessments and observations of
the child.
Routines and schedules are crucial in the creation of an early learning classroom. We see this in
n=both the CDE and in Epstein’s’ s work. The schedules need to not only meet the needs of th3
regulatory programs, but they need to meet the needs of the children in the classroom, support
different types of play and rest times, giving opportunities for a variety of activities.

3. For myself, I think the first step in planning for my professional development is to look at the
different competencies and reflecting on my own practices, where I am doing well and where I
can improve upon. In Epstein’s work, she mentions the importance of reflection, “Along with a
spirit of inquiry and dedication to children’s well-being, intentional teachers engage in reflection
and self-evaluation.” (Epstein, pp. 28) By looking at my own practices, I can see where I need to
work, what is the next level to scaffold my own learning and enhance my own practices as an
educator.

“an intentional teacher aims at a clearly defined learning objective for children, employs
instructional strategies likely to help children achieve the objectives, and continually assesses
progress and adjusts the strategies based on that assessment.” (Epstein, pp. 5)
Epstein, A. S. (2014). The Intentional Teacher: Choosing The Best Strategies For Young Children’s
Learning. Washington (D.C.): National Association for the Education of Young Children.