In North Dakota, we understand the importance of being prepared. Before the first blizzard hits, a smart resident stocks their pantry, ensuring they have the resources to not just survive, but to thrive through the long winter. Your professional knowledge is your pantry. Is it stocked with fresh, nourishing ideas, or is it getting a little bare? Continuing education is your annual trip to the professional grocery store, a chance to stock your pantry with the new skills and inspiration you'll need to create a warm and vibrant learning environment, even on the coldest days.
What’s the shelf life of your current knowledge? The "canned goods" of your initial training are great, but they don't stay fresh forever. The field of ECE is constantly producing new, "fresh" research on topics like brain #development and effective curriculum. Continuing education is where you stock up on these fresh ingredients. By seeking out new training on the Growing Futures registry or from national providers like ChildCareEd, you ensure your professional pantry is filled with the most current, nutrient-rich ideas, not just the expired cans from years past.
What gets you through the darkest days of winter? It’s often the warmth of community. The professional isolation of a long winter can be tough. Continuing education is your opportunity to stock up on the "comfort food" of professional connection. Attending a workshop or participating in an engaging online course connects you with other North Dakota #educators. Sharing a warm "pot of soup"—a challenging problem or a joyful success—with peers who understand is one of the most nourishing parts of professional development.
What do you do with all the new ideas you gather? A good North Dakota gardener knows how to "preserve" the #summer's harvest to be enjoyed all winter long. A great educator does the same with their learning. Don't just attend a workshop and forget about it. Take notes. Create a plan to implement one new idea. Share what you learned with a colleague. This act of preserving and actively using your new knowledge is what turns a single training event into a lasting source of professional nourishment.
What will you have to draw upon when you're feeling depleted and snowed in? If you’ve neglected your professional development, your pantry will be bare, leaving you feeling hungry for new ideas and support. But if you embrace North Dakota’s continuing education requirement as your essential shopping trip, your pantry will be full. It will be stocked with fresh ideas, innovative strategies, and the warm comfort of a professional community—everything you need to create a thriving, vibrant #classroom, no matter how cold it gets outside.
References:
www.nd.gov/dpi/workforce/educator-licensure