Instructions for Implementing The 4-H Project Proficiency Program
The 4-H Youth Development Program in Santa Clara County has begun a process to develop Proficiency Guides in all 4-H projects. This Proficiency Program replaces medalist tests. Using the new program, members will be able to demonstrate their proficiency in any project they participate in and receive recognition for their efforts and accomplishments. Project Leaders will know how to plan their project activities and set their learning plan for the project year so members gain proficiency in the project they choose and acquire skills they will use throughout their life. Proficiency guides are consistent with the State 4-H Mission; to engage youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development and the ten program criteria. Key criteria state that each project must teach leadership, life skills and/or citizenship in addition to the project’s subject matter and that it is experiential; hands on learning. The ten program criteria are listed below:
The CA 4-H YD Program is focused on addressing significant environmental, economic and social issues affecting California’s youth, families, and communities. The CA 4-H YD Program is based on a proven experiential education model that creates an educational climate through planned learning by exploring, doing, and receiving feedback. The CA 4-H YD Program is conducted with content and delivery systems consistent with a statewide 4-H youth development framework offering Citizenship, Leadership and/or Life Skills Development. (Lifeskills Model) The CA 4-H YD Program is consistent with research in youth development, education, or other appropriate fields. The CA 4-H YD Program is a contributor to research and/or the extension of knowledge in youth development. The CA 4-H YD Program is able to demonstrate, or likely to demonstrate, through research and/or evaluative data, a positive impact on youth served. The CA 4-H YD Program is connected to, or has the potential to connect to UC or other campus-based faculty, programs and/or resources. The CA 4-H YD Program is accessible and open to diverse audiences. The CA 4-H YD Program is balanced in terms of assessing, managing, and monitoring the risk of potential problems to ensure program safety and achievement of key objectives defined by ANR’s risk management program. The CA 4-H YD Program is balanced so as to optimize the impact for clientele and the field of youth development. The impact achieved will be weighed against the resources invested at the statewide and local level.
Proficiency guides assess not only a 4-H member’s knowledge of a particular subject, but also leadership, life skills and/or citizenship. At the same time, since youth in 4-H learnby-doing, proficiencies require youth to demonstrate or describe what they know.
Leader Tips for using the 4-H Project Proficiency Program
The 4-H Proficiency Program is designed to help youth measure themselves against “standards of excellence” Each proficiency has four skill levels, each designed to build on the scope and difficulty of the previous level. The Proficiency Program has three purposes: 1. Provide youth an opportunity to become self-directed, to sample a broad array of experiences, and to measure personal growth 2. Provide opportunities for increased learning by giving leaders a variety of methods to broaden project content within a specific curriculum. 3. Provide a standard of excellence so members can be recognized for knowledge and skills they have mastered. Implementing the Proficiency Program: The proficiency guides are designed to begin at about age nine. We encourage leaders to give project proficiency guides to youth members sometime during the first or second year in a project. At this point, the leader stands back and allows the member to determine which skills and/or knowledge areas they feel they have mastered. When youth demonstrate knowledge and/or skill in a particular item, the project leader initials and dates each item. In cases, where the parent is the project leader, then the co-project leader or club leader initials each item. Over the year or years, youth continue to identify subsequent items on the project proficiency guide to research, practice and learn well enough to demonstrate their mastery. Additionally, some items will be learned through participation in the project meetings and project events outside of meetings. Youth members may be working on skills in several levels at the same time. This is acceptable. The leader’s job is to date and initial each item in a level when the member has completed it. For example, a youth can initial items in Level III, even though he/she has not finished Level I, or they can finish Level II or II before they finish Level I. Reward Personal Progress The Proficiency Program is not designed to be an award or a prize for the best in a competition. Instead, members are rewarded for their personal progress. The intent of the Proficiency Program is to increase performance while allowing members to take risks, be creative and learn self-motivation. Youth Set Goals The proficiencies are not a test. Youth should not be quizzed at the end of each 4-H year to determine how little or how much they have learned. The proficiencies should be given to each youth member as a set of goals that they, as individuals, can work toward over
one or more years. Completion of all four levels of a proficiency indicates “mastery” of a subject. Proficiency Program is Voluntary The Proficiency Program is voluntary. Not all youth will find this type of activity rewarding. Many youth enter projects to learn a specific skill or group of skills, but not to achieve mastery of a subject. In addition, not all project leaders will choose to go into such depth for each project area. Completion of Level 1 may be all that is offered by a particular project leader. Project Leader’s Job We encourage leaders to give Proficiency Guides to members sometime during the first or second year in a project. At this point the leader stands back and allows the member to determine which skills and/or knowledge areas they feel they have mastered. Youth may be working on skills in several levels at the same time. This is acceptable. The leader’s job is to check each item in a level when the member has completed it. Demonstrations are Flexible For the skill areas that require demonstration, allow the youth member to demonstrate individually to the leader (project or teen), to the group, or to the club at a monthly meeting. Never force a child to demonstrate in front of a group. We are measuring mastery of a subject, not bravery. Some leaders leave time at the end of each project meeting for members to work on their proficiencies. This gives the youth some one-onone time with their leaders (adult & teen) as they demonstrate acquired knowledge and skill mastery. Allow Time to Practice Allow a significant amount of time (one month) to lapse between the time you teach a skill or subject and the youth member demonstrates mastery. This allows youth time to practice and achieve mastery, not merely mirror a newly learned skill. Use “Teachable Moments” Never accept a questionable answer. This indicates incomplete mastery of the particular skill or body of knowledge. If the member is unsure of the correct method or term, use this time for review and allow the youth a month to think about it and practice. The member can then return with the knowledge learned and present it with confidence. In other words, they “earn” their reward. Reward Immediately Recognition is most meaningful when it is presented immediately following a learning experience. The leader checks a completed item by writing their initials and date in the space provided. Adding a little green 4-H sticker increases the feeling of success. Stickers are available through the county office. Completing Each Level A medal will be awarded when one level is completed. Youth may receive more than one medal per year by either completing two or more levels in one project area or by
completing one level in two or more projects. A different achievement medal should be used for each project or level. The County Council Awards Chair has medals.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PROJECT PROFICIENCY GUIDES How do 4-H members transition from medalist tests to proficiencies? As of today, April 26, 2007, we have proficiency guides for every project that has a medalist test, except for bees and cats. Horse and horticulture proficiency guides are in the last phases of development and should be available soon. Proficiency guides are developed in such a way that a 4-H member can complete any level at any one point in time. If a 4-H member has bronze and silver in the medalist program, he/she will most likely be ready to demonstrate Level III or IV. If a 4-H member has a bronze in the medalist program, he/she can seek to demonstrate Level II or above. In both cases, if youth want to demonstrate knowledge in earlier levels they may do so. Awards. Upon completion of a proficiency level, the Project and/or Club Leader will contact the 4-H Office with a copy of the completed and signed proficiency no later than August 10th of each year. The Awards Chair will order a pin for you. All pins will be given each year in September at the County Awards Night. What does a project leader use/do if their proficiency guide isn't published or available yet? We have over 50 projects in 4-H and most of them do not have proficiencies. If your project does not have a proficiency guide you are strongly encouraged to develop one in collaboration with other project leaders who teach the same project. First, please contact your project area chair and read the instructions for proficiency writers posted on the web as a first step. Second: Contact Fe Moncloa, 4-H Youth Development Advisor to seek guidance on how to write the proficiencies and the process to follow. What if the proficiency guide isn't available and the youth will be aging out of the 4H program in December of this year? If the proficiency guide isn’t available, then Project Leaders are strongly encouraged to develop one. Read the answer to the question above.