Let me preface this entry by reminding y’all that the main purpose of my blog is to be a brain dump so I can “set it and forget it”…. ha ha ha!

I think I’m a little rummy. And that’s off 1/2 a beer.

I’ve spent the last 4 hours going through all my training certificates, my PCC transcript and filling out paperwork for the Oregon Registry. Ech.

(That makes the beer seem really out of place, doesn’t it?  Working on “CHILDCARE” stuff and all?”

What is the Oregon Registry, you ask? Well, to quote from their website:

“The Oregon Registry: Pathways for Professional Recognition in Childhood Care and Education is a voluntary, statewide program to document and recognize the professional achievements of people who work in the childhood care and education profession.  The Oregon Registry Steps: Each step represents increased training and education in the Oregon Core Body of Knowledge for the Childhood Care and Education Profession.

The Oregon Registry:
•Promotes life-long learning for childhood care and education professionals.
•Recognizes the training and education of childhood care and education professionals.
•Recognizes the professional experience, personal attributes, and commitment to a professional code of ethical conduct.
•Contributes to a professional, well trained, and educated workforce.

The Oregon Registry:
•Provides a structured way for people to enter into and to advance within the field.
•Provides a basis for status, benefits, and incentives for professionals in the field.
•Promotes quality of care through learning a core body of knowledge.

The Oregon Registry recognizes the professional enhancements of:
•length of professional experience
•achievement of personal attributes
•commitment to the professional code of ethical conduct

Yada yada yada….

Basically, it’s a way for Oregon to categorize childcare providers based on their training and education.  I heard a rumor once that it’s designed to weed out the stay-at-home moms that are trying to make a buck or two “babysitting”….and push those of us in the profession long term to step it up a few notches.  Eventually they plan to rate everyone at re-licensing and make those ratings public so that prospective clients can have an ‘apples to apples’ comparison when choosing childcares.

I heard that rumor back in 2009 and haven’t seen anything come of it yet.

Yet.

Anyway, I’ve had the Oregon Registry paperwork sitting at the bottom of my to-do pile ever since that night in 2009.  Never sent it in.  It’s a hassle to fill out.

So tonight, I finally did it.

And here’s what I found:

If I can count my college courses (psychology, sociology, intro to business, accounting, etc.) then I will have completed 265.5 hours worth of training!   If I can’t, well, that drops my total hours to 75.5.

I’m currently a Step 2.

At 35 hours of training I become a Step 3 IF I’ve also completed 4 hours in Human Growth and Development classes (which I have) and at least 4 hours in any other category (which I have).  If I become a Step 3 I will receive a cash bonus of $100!  Yippee!

My paperwork is in the mail!!

The next ‘paid’ level is a Step 7.  To achieve that level I need to complete 120 hours of training, with at least 10 hours in each of the 10 categories.  Here’s how I currently look (not counting college courses):

Diversity 2
Family & Community Systems 40
Health, Safety and Nutrition 4
Human Growth and Development 7
Learning Environment & Curriculum 7
Observation & Assessment 0
Professionalism 6
Program Management 7.5
Special Needs 0
Understanding & Guiding Behavior 2
TOTAL 75.5

If I can reach Step 7 then I’ll get a $250 bonus!!

OK, so I said I believe I’m a Step 3…..

Here’s what I need to bump up Steps:

Step 4:
Just 2 more hours of training under the “Understanding and Guiding Behavior” category (4 hours are required)

Step 5:
Just 4 more hours of training under the “Understanding and Guiding Behavior” category (6 hours are required). The other requirement is to have at least 6 hours of training in 4 other categories not including “Human Growth & Development”.  I already have that!

Step 6:
6 more hours of training under the “Understanding and Guiding Behavior” category (8 hours required).  I also need to have at least 8 hours of training in 6 other categories not including “Human Growth and Development”.  I’ve got a bit of work to do before I can reach Step 6.

Step 7:
Um, yeah, 10 hours required at each level-  I have about 60 more hours of training needed to get to this step!

It sounds so easy when I look at it on paper, but some of the classes are only offered 2-4 times a year and it’s hard to get into them.  I can take online classes, but geesh- have you been to my house?  Another provider said she uses her ‘lunch break’ to take the courses, but….um, yeah.

Anyway, moral of this story is that I’m a Step 3, just 2 hours away from being a Step 4…or only 4 hours away from being a Step 5…Woo hoo!!

I plan to make that happen early next year (I don’t want to take any more training classes for this year- need to save them for my next licensing period which will start January 1st).

Step 6 will require a bit more work, but it’s do-able.  Hopefully before the end of 2013.  That’s my goal.  Heck, I’d like to be a Step 7 by the end of 2013.  THAT IS MY GOAL.

There you have it folks.  A little behind the scenes stuff that you probably knew nothing about!