Develop your skills as a child care provider.
As a Quality First participant, you have access to a range of professional development opportunities. As you learn, you’ll develop new skills based on the most recent research to benefit your program, staff and the children you serve. Along the way, you’ll become more confident and effective in helping kids succeed in school and life.
“I probably wouldn’t have done the whole college thing if it wasn’t for the Quality First [college] scholarships. We’ve had several of our teachers use the scholarships and they’ve benefited from it as well. I think that’s a really good incentive for Quality First to help put teachers through college and better their education, which betters the children.”
Laina Baucum, Center Director
The following resources are available:
Arizona Early Childhood Career and Professional Network
This network is a professional development website that gives early educators access to a variety of professional development, career and higher education resources. They’re all to help keep your skills and knowledge up to date—whether it’s your first day on the job or you’re 15 years in. Visit AzEarlyChildhood.org to learn more.
College Scholarships
Early care and education professionals—teachers, directors and caregivers—may be eligible for FTF College Scholarships to help pay for college coursework leading to an early childhood degree or credential. FTF College Scholarships is a program of First Things First and is administered by Arizona PBS-Educational Outreach. To learn about eligibility requirements, participating colleges and universities and the degrees and credentials offered or to apply, contact 855.818.6613 or email info@thearizonaregistry.org.
6 Tips to Make the Most of Professional Development Opportunities
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Review the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry.
Log in to the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry to search for professional development opportunities, possible college scholarships and a way to document education and professional development that has been completed.
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Provide opportunities.
Give staff members time to share what they learned at a professional development event or after completing college coursework with their coworkers.
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Create an encouraging environment.
Be sure to support and encourage staff to put the new skills they learned into practice.
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Consider your program goals.
When making professional development plans, consider the vision, philosophy and values of your program. For instance, if “risk-taking” is a part of your program philosophy, send your staff to train on how to create safe play spaces that support these behaviors.
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Identify a mentor.
When possible, select a skilled person in your program to serve as an on-site mentor so that others can receive ongoing guidance from within your own team.
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Encourage enrollment.
Ensure your program’s entire classroom and administrative staff become members of the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry. Make enrollment part of your new hire onboarding process and show new staff how to use the Registry to access professional development. You can also get onsite support from a Registry Outreach Coordinator.
Apply Now
Participation in Quality First is free. Apply now to get the support you need to make your program the best it can be.
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