Assignment: Theoretical Knowledge and Professional Practice

To prepare for this discussion, read Chapters 1 and 3 from your textbook, in addition to the Week One Instructor Guidance. Chapter 3 in Early child development: From theory to practice provides an overview of the main theories relevant to child development. Remember that the topic of child development can be applied to multiple disciplines - from play therapists, to educators, to social workers. Theorists such as Freud, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson, have been studying child development for decades. These notable figures have contributed significantly to the study of child development. Understanding the basic theoretical tenants will deepen your professional knowledge of how young children develop and how that relates to your work with children. By completing this discussion, you will be meeting Weekly Learning Outcome 3.

Initial Post -Reference two scholarly resources in addition to the textbook to support your explanations and evaluations for the prompts that follow:

1. Describe how understanding theories of child development can assist you in your chosen profession. Use specific examples and evidence from the textbook and additional research.

2. Explain the theories that most closely align with your personal philosophy or approach to child development. Use specific examples to illustrate your perspective.

3. In a graphic organizer of your choice, describe the major differences and similarities of each of the leading child development theories discussed in the textbook. Attach your organizer to your initial discussion post. You can use an MS Word table, a graphic organizer from Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., a mind map (e.g., using Bubble.Us (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. or Coggle (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.), or any other creative software choice that suits your needs for illustrating the comparison.

Journal: Formulate a Career Plan

Identify, Research, Plan, Act, Revise (IRPAR)

Your desired profession likely played a major role in your selected field of study and the degree you plan to earn. Knowing the career you want to pursue is an important first step to creating a professional guide and personal framework to achieve your career goals. To ensure that you achieve your goals it is helpful to develop a plan of action, prioritize your goals and proceed according to your plan. Please keep in mind that your Career Plan is a work in progress. As you acquire additional career resources and professional knowledge, you may find it helpful to revise your plan and continue your learning to meet your goals.

For this journal, you will research the requirements for your potential career path, reflect on your current skill set, and begin to examine the steps necessary to reach your career goals. The purpose for this journal is to help you create an organized career plan using the resources provided below.

To prepare for this journal, begin by reading the Career Planning Step-by-Step (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.article that discusses the importance of developing a clear career plan. Next, consider how you can develop your personal plan.

Creating Your Career Plan

For additional details, view the presentation How do I build my career path? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

• Identify the job title you hope to enter
• Establish your career/professional goals
• Identify your competencies and professional preferences
• Analyze your career -specific competencies
• Create a professional development plan to achieve your career goals
• Revisit and revise as needed

In a one-to-two page word document or equivalent Power Point:

• Identify your long-term goals (What do you hope to accomplish in the next five-to-ten years?)
• Explore the skills and qualifications related to this type of role
• Discuss the anticipated resources necessary to meet the goals you identified

For additional guidance, see the following recommended resources:

• Review the Roadmap to Success (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., an interactive tool to help you gather information that you may wish to include in your career plan.

• Watch the Resources for Developing an Effective Career Plan (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. pre-recorded webinar (54 minutes).

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entry.

Career Planning Step-by-Step

James Gonyea, Monster Contributing Writer

After much thought and consideration, you've finally selected a specific occupation as a career goal. Congratulations! If you're like most people, you didn't determine a career direction overnight. You probably made your decision only after a great deal of careful thinking and (hopefully) research into occupations that best match your personality. But despite all your efforts, you're probably still asking yourself, "OK, now what do I do? How do I actually reach my career goal?"

Deciding on a particular profession or job is only half the task. Now you must determine the steps you should take from this point forward, and then take those steps to actually realize your goal. More simply put, it is time to develop a step-by-step plan.

From 30 years of experience as a career counselor, I can confidently say many people do not properly develop a career plan and, as a consequence, do not reach their career goal. They often approach life in an unplanned, willy-nilly manner, taking each day as it comes and hoping that all will end well and as desired. This laissez-faire approach to life -- and your career -- seldom works and can often leave you feeling that you've failed to reach your true potential.

Essentially, a good career plan can be built by first answering the following four questions:

What are the common steps (i.e., decisions and actions) that other people have taken to prepare for and to enter the occupation I have chosen?

To answer this question, read occupational literature, such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Department of Labor. You should also talk to human resources personnel and employment recruiters who hire people in your chosen field, as well as people who have or are now working in your occupation, to identify the common steps.

What obstacles might I encounter as I attempt to reach my career goal, and what resources can I call upon to overcome each obstacle?

The best people to ask for answers to this question are individuals who have actually worked in or are currently working in your chosen field. Also, academic and career counselors are a good source of information as they have assisted others in dealing with career obstacles and understand what resources are available to resolve problems. The same occupational literature you use to answer the first question can also be very useful here.

How long should it take me to complete each step I identify in the first question?

Again, look to those who have or are currently working in the occupation you're interested in. They've taken the steps, so they know how long each can take. Assigning a starting and ending date to each step in your plan is critical to its success in order to provide you with a barometer to measure your progress.

What step should I take first, second, third and so on to reach my ultimate career goal -- to land a position in my chosen field?

If these steps are not obvious to you after answering the first question, then speaking with a career planner or academic/career counselor can help you determine the order in which you pursue your career plan.

Career planning is neither difficult nor time-consuming if done properly. The above steps can be completed in a matter of a few days or weeks of part-time work. Whatever work is required, the end result of careful career planning can be finding a spot in your dream career.

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