Creating a Professional Presence as an Early Childhood Teacher: What does that Mean?

Professionalism as an early childhood educator is a vital component of being successful. There are many elements that encompass what a professional is, and in this article, we are going to address one piece of the puzzle. Having a professional presence as you grow and develop as an early childhood educator is an important aspect that some may look over. Having a professional presence can mean many things and is a powerful way to show your knowledge, skill, engagement, your willingness to collaborate with others, and your commitment and dedication to the profession. 

Here are a few ways to have a Professional Presence:

1. Attend Conferences and webinars (online and in person)
2. Present at conferences and webinars.
3. Join professional organizations.
4. Build strong professional early childhood social media platforms. 
5. Network and engage with others often. 
6. Collaborate with other professionals. 
7. Share your ideas. 
8. Advocate for early childhood topics that are important to you and the children you work with. 
9. Be self-reflective (personally and professionally)
10. Develop a growth mindset.
11. Be positive.
12. Create a vision of what you want, who you want to be, and what your classroom community will look like.
13. Build strong relationships inside and outside the classroom.
14. Set boundaries.
15. Avoid conflict.
16. Be a life-long learner and researcher. 
17. Set goals.
18. Have aspirations. 
19. Ask questions.
20. Admit when you have made a mistake and ask for help or clarification. 

This list is ever-evolving for what a professional does and is. This is my list. What is your list? How many of these do you already do? What would you like to add? It is never too late to have a professional presence in the early childhood world. What will you do this year?