Departments
Study guide

In Texas, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) regulates the training of people who work in home- and center-based facilities.
Must training meet criteria? DFPS recognizes clock hours or continuing education units (CEU) from various sources including 1) workshops offered by local school districts, colleges or universities, or child care licensing; 2) conferences; 3) self-instructional materials; and 4) planned learning opportunities. See minimum standards, §746.1317 for center-based care and §747.1315 for home-based care for further details.
All training must include specifically stated learning objectives; a curriculum, which includes experiential or applied activities; an assessment to determine whether the person has met the objectives; and a certificate of successful completion.
Does DFPS approve training resources or trainers for clock hours? No. It’s your responsibility to obtain relevant training from reliable resources. DFPS does recommend, however, that you preview all training materials and ask trainers to verify their knowledge of the subject—both experience and education, and training qualifications.
What is instructor-led training? This is usually a class led by an instructor, who communicates and interacts with learners by answering questions, providing feedback, and offering guidance or information on resources. Advantages include getting a break from the isolation of your work, networking and support, sharing knowledge, and learning about different practices in early care and education.
What is self-instructional training? This is training in which an individual works alone, at her own pace, to complete lessons or modules without the direction, assistance, or feedback of an instructor. That is why CPR and first aid training cannot be obtained through self-instructional training.
DFPS limits the number of annual training hours you can obtain from self-instructional materials. Check your minimum standards for details on these limitations; for home-based care, see §747.1325. For center-based care, see §746.1327.
How do I verify training for DFPS? To be counted toward compliance with minimum standards, the trainer or training source should provide you with a certificate or letter showing: your name, date of the training, title or subject of the training, the trainer’s name or the training source for self-instructional training, and the length of the training specified in clock hours, CEU’s, or college credit hours.
Keep all documentation in a safe place like a file cabinet or personnel file. DFPS licensing representatives may ask to review self-instructional materials to ensure training criteria are met. Do not mail your documentation to child care licensing or to the Texas Child Care Quarterly.
Can I use Texas Child Care for self-instructional training? Yes. DFPS will recognize two clock hours of self-instructional training credit from this issue, provided you do the following: 1. Review the checklist at right. 2. Study all articles that relate to your work with children. 3. Respond to the checklist with documented evidence (written descriptions, photographs, and charts, for example). Continue to study the article until you can provide documentation and answer “Yes” to each skill. 4. Attach a copy of the checklist or a cover page to your documentation. Be sure to include your name, the date you completed the documentation, and identify the issue and titles of the articles you studied.

Learning objectives and evaluation checklist

Standards, assessments, and portfolios: Getting started (page 2)
I can describe, in writing, the ways in which I currently approach assessments.
I can list the four primary functions of assessment.
I can list at least three tools of assessment and how I plan to use them in the next 12 months.

Holidays and celebrations: Making them fit into sound early childhood practice (page 10)
I can document the ways in which I plan holiday activities.
I can list at least four reasons I create environments and experiences that affirm and respect cultural diversity.
I can document children’s responses to at least three of the activities described in this article.

Too old for read-alouds? Never! (page 18)
I can describe the ways in which I currently prepare to share a book with children.
I can list at least five practices that help ensure good read-aloud sessions.
I can list at least five new books that I plan to share within the next 12 months.

Sticks and Stones: Words can hurt (page 24)
I can define verbal abuse and give at least three examples of abuse recently overheard in the community.
I can document the ways in which I have evaluated my verbal interactions with children and adults.
I can list at least five ways to express appreciation.

Wiggle your toes: Activities for little feet (page 28)
I can document with photos, lesson plans, and other records children’s responses to at least five of the activities described in this article.

Which hand? Brains, fine motor skills, and holding a pencil (page 36)
I can describe at least five milestones in fine motor development.
I can document current classroom activities that help children develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor strength and control.
I can document at least five ways in which I help children develop writing skills.