Time Well Spent

Dear Colleagues,

All I can say is that we made it! In response to the title “Time well spent”, I do count all the Saturdays and Sundays and late evenings as time well spent. I have learned so much and my passion has been refueled. I am looking forward to the future and I am confident that God has a plan for me, even at the age of 56 years old. I wish you all the best and please know that the encouraging words were always very uplifting.
Four things that I felt deeply about in terms of learning from this Capstone program are as follows,
There are a variety of ways to advocate for the early childhood field. From having a casual conversation with a colleague or co-worker to protesting on Capitol Hill, there are many ways in which we all can become involved with improving the lives of families, children, and the early childhood field. Some may provide support, others may provide resources and finances, and the shakers and movers provide the power to get things done.
You do not have to know everything to get started. After being enlightened about this, I realized that having passion for a cause is all it takes to get started. And as a result of having passion, the drive to learn as you go and to continue even when you make mistakes is much better than doing nothing because you are waiting for everything to be just right.
To begin the process of positive social change, we must begin with ourselves. Sometimes we have to take time to examine our motives, to question our purpose for existing, and to rediscover who we are and what we stand for.
Despise not small beginnings. I was really inspired when I learned about the origin of the Child Care Workforce. What started out as a small group of passionate early childhood educators who shared the same vision, that early childhood teachers have representation in terms of fair wages and working conditions, has grown nationwide (Center for Child care Workforce, n.d.).
My favorite quote is “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” Mahatma Ghandi (Good Reads, Inc., 2012).

References

Center for Child Care Workforce. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.ccw.org/

Good Reads Inc.  (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/change

Job Roles in ECE Community: Internationally

The three international websites that resonated with me most are The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF, n.d.), Save the Children (2011), and the International Step by Step Association (International Step by Step Association, n.d.).

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF’s overall goal is to take a stand for children’s rights and to ensure children’s survival. To accomplish this, UNICEF has several focus areas, child survival and development which includes evidence based environmental and nutrition interventions, basic education and gender equality including educating girls,  the treatment and prevention of HIV Aids for children, child protection from exploitation and abuse, and policy advocacy and partnerships which involves collecting data, leveraging resources and recruiting child participation(UNICEF, n.d.).

What struck me most about the work that UNICEF does is the advocacy work they are doing to end child marriages and gender socialization. On Oct. 11, 2012, the United Nations held their first International Day of the Young Girl Child. The issue of child marriages was addressed. It was disturbing to learn that girls are married off as young as 5 years old! Secretary Ban Ki Moon stated that it is important to invest in girls by seeing to it that they are educated. Evidence shows that in areas where girls are educated, there is a decline in child marriages as girls are taught to become critical thinkers and self sufficient.

Save the Children

Save the Children’s mission is to “inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives” (Save the Children, 2011). What attracted me to Save the Children’s website is their involvement in United States which began in 1932 during the Great Depression. In the United States, approximately 1 out of every four children lives in poverty (Save the Children, 2011). Issues affecting children living in poverty include developmental delays, high rates of illiteracy, and obesity (Save the Children, 2011). Today, Save the Children provides assistance to underserved rural areas by providing high quality early childhood development programs for children birth through five years of age and literacy, nutrition, and physical activity programs for children from kindergarten through eighth grade.

FH1 360

The third international website that struck me was FH1 360 (2012), a nonprofit human development organization committed to improving lives by integrating all aspects within the local society including civil society, environmental, gender, youth, research and technology.  Their mission is to improve lives by solving problems through integrating local solutions for human development (FH1 360, 2012). The work they do to improve lives is vast, however their stand for gender equality resonates with me most. Not only is gender inequality alive in non U.S. countries, it is very well alive in the United States as well. While 45% of the U.S. work force is women, only 12% have jobs in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. To bridge this gap, FH1 360 (2012) developed a nationwide afterschool initiative called “Great Science for Girls”. Through this initiative girls are encouraged to participate in hands on science experiences to break the stereotype that Science is only for boys.

International job opportunities that interested me

Two positions that interested me were offered through the Save the Children website, Head Start Manager and Early Steps to School Success (ESSS) Coordinator.

Save the Children Head Start Manager

As the Head Start Manager, my responsibility would be to oversee three “Save the Children” head start programs, in the state of Arkansas. My duties would include directing, administering, and coordinating the activities of these sites while supporting the policies, goals, and objectives established by the program, grantee, and governing bodies.

The skills and experience I would need for this position include the following,

• ·         The ability to develop and implement financial plans and budgets
• ·         Effective verbal and written communication skills
• ·         Effective supervisory and leadership skills
• ·         Critical thinking skills, the ability to evaluate and analyze data
• ·         Strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work with others from diverse backgrounds
• ·         Advocacy skills
• ·         Confident Public Speaking Skills

Although one of the requirements for the Head Start manager is a minimum of five years experience in a progressive managerial role in the head start program, I am hopeful that the managerial and leadership experience I gained from being a child care director and the experience I gained from managing a caseload of 50 early childhood vendors along with my public speaking experience n the job and education will qualify me to be considered for this position.

Coordinator/ Early Steps to School Success

The second job that interested me was the Coordinator position for the Save the Children early Steps to Success program in several counties in the state of Colorado. The goals of the Early Steps to School Success program are as follows:

1) Ensuring that children enter school with the necessary skills they need to be successful, 2) equipping parents with the knowledge and skills to support their children’s education, 3) to promote congruence between home and school, and 4) to increase early childhood knowledge and skills in the communities. The experience and skills I will need to do this job include the following,

• ·         Knowledgeable about child development and the ability to screen for developmental delays
• ·         Strong interpersonal skills between children, families, and co-workers
• ·         Strong collaborative skills to work with program partners
• ·         The ability to organize, plan, and implement age appropriate program activities that meet the social/ emotional needs of children
• ·         The ability to promote language development and preliteracy education for children and parents through regularly scheduled home visits.
• ·         While speaking Spanish is not mandatory, it is a plus.

Hopefully my past experience of living in El Paso, TX for 14 years will be viewed as a positive as my exposure to the Hispanic culture will provide me with the insight I need to connect with this population. Although I am not fluent in speaking Spanish, perhaps the little I know will be enough, at least until I can learn more. Other than that, my 26 years of being in the early childhood field and the new knowledge I have gained through the Walden MSECE program well qualifies me to do this job.

References

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

FHI 360. (2012). fhi360 The Science of Improving Lives. Retrieved from FHI 360: www.fhi360.org

Job Roles in the ECE Community: National/ Federal

This week I explored potential employment opportunities and roles in the ECE field at the National and Federal levels. The three that I envisioned myself working for were, The National Association for the Education of Young Children known to us all by its acronym, NAEYC, Zero to Three, and Head Start Teacher II a Non Civil Service job in Nashville, TN were I reside.

NAEYC: Although I am not ignorant to the NAEYC organization, I never thought about possibly working for them. NAEYC’s headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. Their main focus is to improve the quality of early childhood programs, increase accessibility, and improve services for the purpose of enhancing the development of children and families. The organization is 100,000 members strong and is the model by which many other quality improvement systems follow. I also came across several positions, but the role that interested me most was the Program Resource Specialist.

Program Resource Specialist: Responsibilities include maintaining The Online Resource Center Headquarters (TORCH) website, providing technical assistance regarding accreditation and ensuring that the information is presented in a user friendly way. To qualify for this position one must have the following,

 B.A. degree in ECE or related field

Two years work experience in ECE

 Two years work experience in customer service

 Data base management skills

Experienced in editing and maintaining content management systems

The salary range for this position is in the mid 40s with great benefits

What interested me about this position is the element of being able to provide technical assistance. I like giving helpful information related to the EC field, I am patient and understanding, and I think I have good communication skills. On the other hand, the only computer skills I have are what I have developed over the years. But from my new Walden online experience, I am sure I can learn. I also liked NAEYC’s disposition about diversity. NAEYC believes that high performance organizations are strong because of the wisdom of diverse people.

“NAEYC's mission is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources (NAEYC Bylaws, Article I., Section 1.1)” (NAEYC, n.d.)

Zero to Three: Unfortunately the only job posting was for a web designer. But based on the description of Zero to Three’s objectives, training and supporting early childhood professionals, policy makers, and parents is right in line with what I enjoy doing. Zero to Three was established in 1977 by representatives from the child development, mental health, and health fields. The mission statement of Zero to Three is simple, “to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers” (zero to three, n.d.). As a former technical assistant for CCMS of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, TX, I am sure that “Zero to Three” and I would be good fit for each other.

Head Start Teacher II: While I love training others, this position appealed to me because it allows me to provide a safe healthy learning environment for young children. Also, I learned that head start has proven to be an effective program for improving the odds of disadvantage children going to college. I also love being able to be creative, read stories, sing, and facilitate children’s learning as I learn too. Although I am aspiring to leave the classroom, hopefully with this job being a government job, the working conditions will be better than the private sector because of the holiday observances and available resources. In terms of meeting the requirements, I am well qualified, as the position only calls for a B.A. degree in early Child Education/ Early Child Development and integrating the educational aspects of the Head Starts daily program to foster children’s social, intellectual, emotional, and physical development (Nashville.gov, 2012).

References

NAEYC. (n.d.). Our Mission. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission

http://www.nashville.gov/hr_benefits/jobs/employment_center.asp

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/areas-of-expertise/training-and-professional-development/pcan-training-curriculum.html

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

http://ladeebyrd.blogspot.com/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Tennessee DHS: Director of the Child Care Certificate Program

The position of Child Care Certificate Program Director within the Family Assistance Division provides day-to-day administrative and technical leadership in the operation of the statewide Child Care Certificate Program for the Tennessee Department of Human Services and reports directly to the Families First Director.  Travel throughout the State may be required on occasion.  The office is located in downtown Nashville.

Skills I possess to meet requirements:

• Bachelors Degree
• Familiarity with the Tennessee Child Care Management System
• Familiarity with Tennessee Child Care Certificate Program policies
• Three years of formal supervisory experience
• Experience communicating and presenting information to large groups

As a former CCR Specialist in the state of Texas, I am very familiar with the certificate program which is designed to assist qualifying families with the cost of child care. Also as former child care director of a center that participated in the certificate program, I will be able to bring insight to the program about the financial gaps that exist with the certificate program such outdated cost of living factors.  I also enjoy disseminating information to groups of people, which is why I specialized in training adults.

Child Care Program Evaluator 2: After visiting the Tennessee.gov website I discovered that Applicant Services will not be available until Oct. 3, 2012. Fortunately I held on to this job description from when I applied for it three years ago. Primarily the role of the Child Care Evaluator 2 is to conduct quality of care assessments for child care facilities in the Davidson and Wilson County areas and assist other counties with assessments. Daily travel is required and on occasion overnight travel may be required.

         

Skills I possess to meet requirements:

• Strong writing, organization and documentation skills
• Proficient in basic computer skills
• Knowledge about child developmentally appropriate practice and classroom environments
• Possess strong interpersonal skills
• Possess organizational and time management skills
• Able to work in a flexible schedule
• Familiarity with the Environment Rating Scales (four internationally recognized instruments that measure child care quality). 

Objective/ Mission: The goals and objectives of the Child Care Evaluation / Report Card program are outlined by law. They are as follows, 1) to encourage and recognize quality child care programs, 2) improve the quality of child care in Tennessee, and 3) to provide support and information to parents seeking to secure quality child care for their children.

An interesting fact I learned was that initially the Assessment program only measured structural elements i.e., staff education and experience, the physical facility, ratios, and group sizes. But, the new Child Care Evaluation program measures both structural and process aspects of a child care program which includes measuring teacher –to-child and child to child conversations and other interactions; and the type of space, activities, and materials available to children.

The reason why I am interested in this position is because I will be able to impart valuable knowledge (developmentally appropriate practices) to early childhood professionals. In turn, the impact of helping early childhood professionals improves the work they do with children, families and each other. 

Literacy Coach
Martha O'Bryan Center

Position Description - Responsibilities and Requirements:

The Martha O'Bryan Center is a creative activist ministry serving over 4000 clients each year through early learning education, youth development, Work Ready job placement, family resource center community services and East End Prep K-5 charter school.

Our Early Learning Center contains 6 classrooms, with students from 6 weeks old to 4 and 5 year olds in our 3 Pre-K classrooms.  As the Literacy Coach, you will support teaching staff with literacy instruction coaching and implement literacy programs managed by partner agency United Way.

Skills I possess to meet requirements:

Bachelors degree and five (5) years related experience in Special Education, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education or other related field; Master’s degree preferred 

Experience delivering training and formal presentations

Knowledge of best practices in emerging and pre-literacy instruction

Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills

Strong organization and planning skills

Proficiency with computers, including Microsoft Office and internet research

Meet DHS and DMR requirements prior to starting work.  This includes but is not limited to a criminal background check and CPR and first aid training

Mission Statement: The Martha O'Bryen mission statement is as follows,

“On a foundation of Christian faith, Martha O’Bryen center empowers children, youth, and adults in poverty to transform their lives through work, education, employment and fellowship.

My interest in this position is that I will be a part of a community of practice whose goal is to improve early child literacy skills. Also this role is that of a trainer which is what I love to do. Presenting researched information to the teachers will equip them to provide developmentally appropriate language and literacy activities to children in less affluent neighborhoods which is essential to bridging the educational gap between the affluent and those in poverty. 

According to Lepushcitz (2011), these jobs are examples of Bronfinbrenner's ecological exosystem because they have the potential to influence the lives of children, families, and early childhood professionals' in positive ways. The same holds true for negative influences as well which is all the more reason why early childhood professionals must pool their resources together to

 bring about social change. 

References

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/tennessee/default.cfm?&promotionaljobs=0&transfer=0

http://www.marthaobryan.org/jobs

Lepuschitz, J. K. (2011). Brofenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Laureate Education Inc., Baltimore, MD