the vocabulary you'll hear in the first week
drdp — desired results developmental profile. california's observation-based assessment used in state pre-k, head start, and early intervention. teachers rate a child on measures over the year.
gold — teaching strategies gold. a national observation-based assessment used in many head start and pre-k programs. also year-long, tied to a checkpoint schedule.
asq — ages and stages questionnaire. a developmental screener the family fills out. flags children who might benefit from further evaluation.
iep and ifsp — the plans for a child with a disability. iep is age 3 and up (part b of idea). ifsp is birth to three (part c). both are legal documents.
cda — child development associate credential. the entry credential in the field. see the cda page for what it takes.
the routines that hold a room together
arrival, transitions, meals, nap or rest, outdoor time, and pickup. the day is these blocks, over and over. children learn the room by learning the order.
your job in the first month is not to plan a perfect lesson. it is to keep the order the same every day so the children can trust it.
what to learn first
your center's emergency plan. the allergy list. every family's preferred pickup adults. the way your lead teacher signals a transition. the location of every child's medication and any behavior plan.
everything else can wait a month.
the tiny signals tools worth learning first
the class list, so allergies and family contacts are in one place. the observation capture, so you have a note when you need one. the reframe, so a hard moment does not stay in your head. that is enough for a first month.