Time Well Spent…..(Week 8)

My Journey….

          Through this journey, I had the opportunity to learn whom I was as a professional. I learned I was a leader with drive and determination to create change. I was able to articulate a problem and strategically develop a plan to work through it. Another thing I have learned on this journey is to have a passion for the work you do. Early childhood has always been a passion of mine, but I learn how deep my passion was for the field. I truly look at myself as an early childhood professional that is skilled and knowledgeable that can to advocate for my passion. Lastly, over this journey I have learned to embrace the different perceptive of others and learn from it. As an early childhood professional, you should look at differences as a teachable moment to be used to broaden your thinking. Over this time, I have learned what it is to be an early childhood professional, and be globally prepared for the world.

 

 

 

Long Term Goal…..

     My long term goal is to travel around the world, to speak at conferences, trainings, and forum on early childhood. I want to be at level in my career where I am looked up for guidance in the field. I want to be able to share what I have learned and researched with other professionals. I want to leave a legacy in the early childhood field.

 

 

Farwell…. (For Now)

   I  WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY INSTRUCTOR AND COLLEAGUES FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM DURING THIS TIME. I’VE GAIN SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO BE A LEADER AND A PROFESSIONAL IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD. AS WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY, ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR PASSION FOR CHILDREN…Andrea

 

 

“Never ever allow your today situation to scare you from achieving your goals because the highest GOD has a purpose for your life.” Abednego Akwasi Asante Asiedu

 

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally…..(Week 6)

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The UNICEF focus is to build a world where the rights of every child are realized. (UNICEF, n.d.). 

Rationale: The UNICEF appealed to me because it focuses on assuring equality for children. For instance promoting girls’ education, the UNICEF ensures they complete their primary education as a minimum. For girls and boys to complete their education, they grow up to be cognitively prepared adults. Also, the UNICEF focus on healthy development of children. For example, the UNICEF along with partners provide mothers and children with quality health care.  Through providing resources, the UNICEF are fighting illness and saving lives.  The UNICEF ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the children.

Job Opportunity

Community Fundraising Coordinator (Part-Time)

Description

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF (USF) supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when ZERO children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, please visit unicefusa.org. Community Fundraising Coordinator (Part-Time) Reporting jointly to the Vice President, Community Fundraising and the Assistant Director, UNICEF’s Next Generation (Next Gen), the Community Fundraising Coordinator contributes to the USF mission and fulfillment of the team by assisting in all matters of donor engagement and fundraising, including, but not limited to: Key Responsibilities/Outcomes (include but are not limited to): Performing support responsibilities for the Vice President, Community Fundraising, including calendar coordination, travel arrangements and other necessary supports. Communicating on behalf of the Vice President, Community Fundraising with internal and external constituencies to move departmental and divisional projects forward. Acting as first point of contact for young professionals interested in Next Gen; managing initial conversations with Next Gen prospects. Supporting Next Gen activities including: committee meetings, events and receptions, and pledge donation program.  Includes preparation of materials, maintaining RSVP lists, drafting and tracking email correspondences, and coordinating event logistics, among other responsibilities. Managing the Next Gen website so it provides timely information. Managing the Next Gen database (PIDI), by ensuring that all members are coded properly and contact information is up-to-date. Partnering with the Finance team to create and run accurate reports on revenue and membership for Community Fundraising and Next Gen initiatives. Ensuring that all gifts are acknowledged properly. Includes drafting letters and guiding accurate and timely communications. Serving as a liaison with other USF departments and offices.  Assisting with other administrative tasks and special projects as needed. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years related experience with direct donor/constituent contact, event planning, or other relevant employment. Excellent interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), organizational and administrative skills.  Ability and enthusiasm to communicate USF’s mission.  Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.  Should be well organized and relate easily to individuals of diverse backgrounds and demographics.  Must be able to balance multiple tasks and adapt to changing priorities. Must demonstrate USF Core Values: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Innovation, Teamwork, and Service   Must possess current and valid US Work Authorization and be eligible to work for any US employer without sponsorship. Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The U. S. Fund for UNICEF is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce   SAVE OUR CHILDREN Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in 120 countries, including the United States. The goal of Save the Children is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities (Save the Children, 2011).        Rationale: There is a lack of quality education around the world. Save the Children is able to provide training for teachers, coaching to parents and caregivers, and provide learning activities to children. Save the Children is such a large organization, they have the power to impact substantial number of families, teachers, government officials and the community.   Job Opportunity Summary Early Steps to School Success provides early childhood education services to pregnant women and children birth to five years of age, education services to their parents, and ongoing staff training to the community early childhood educators.  The program goals are: 1) children will enter school with the skills necessary for school success, 2) parents will have the knowledge and skills to support their children’s education, 3) home/school connections will be strong and 4) early childhood knowledge and skills in communities will be significantly increased. The Early Steps Coordinator provides Social/emotional development, language development and pre-literacy education activities for children and parents through regularly scheduled home visits.  Parent/child support and education groups in schools and community settings Screening and referral for children at risk for developmental delay or health care issues. “Transition to school” activities that connect parents and children to the preschool or kindergarten they will attend. A book exchange literacy program for enrolled children and parents. Books are available for children from birth to five years of age.   As a front line representative of Save the Children the position holder is required to ensure the safety and protection of children and families that he/she come in contact with and represent the agency values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.  Responsibilities Recruit families for the program Develop and schedule program activities, including home visiting, parent/child groups, toddler playgroups, transition to school activities and other programmatic activities Organize and conduct regular parent/child groups in the elementary school when possible Conduct child screenings and referrals Coordinate and work with STC staff and partners Training and Technical assistance Participate in the evolution of Early Steps, including data collection   Requirements Knowledge and demonstrated understanding of prenatal and early childhood development, particularly infant/toddler knowledge Demonstrated ability to develop safe and trusting relationships with families Knowledge and demonstrated understanding of diverse family structures and influences that support positive developmental outcomes for young children Demonstrated ability to establish positive working relationships with school personnel, community partners, funders and others that are potentially involved with the program Familiarity with screening, assessment and evaluation tools typical for home visiting programs Strong organizational skills Highly motivated, flexible and non-judgmental individual who is eager to learn Must be from the community with knowledge of the community Energetic, motivated and creative Able to work independently Available and reliable vehicle for visiting families (mileage reimbursed) Competency with computers including previous experience with Windows programming use of the Internet Willingness to travel regionally and nationally for training Willingness to collect data and enter it in a timely manner     International Step by Step Association (ISSA) International Step by Step Association promotes equal access to quality education and care for all children (ISSA, n.d.). The ISSA is an organization that supports professionals working in the early childhood field with resources, training opportunities, and technical assistance. Rationale: This association appealed because it focus on access to quality education for ALL children. Since quality is so essential, access to these programs is critical. I would like to add this association to my COP because it relates to my issue in my community. The ISSA will be able to provide the COP members with their perceptive on quality. For instance, the ISSA has developed Principles of Quality Pedagogy. The ISSA Principles may lead to a solution to the issue.       References: International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.unicef.org/

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level....(Week 4)

NAEYC ACCREDITATION

Since 1985, NAEYC has offered a national, voluntary accreditation system to set professional standards for early childhood education programs, and to help families identify high-quality programs (NAEYC, n.d.).

 

 

 

Rationale: NAEYC Accreditation is a level of quality in the child care center. NAEYC Accreditation is a stamp of approve that represents a high-quality learning environment for all children.

 

 

 

Job Opportunity: NAEYC Assessors

·         Responsibilities of the Assessor include scheduling and conducting site visits alone and in conjunction with other Assessors and program administrators, supported by NAEYC Academy staff.

 

·         Visit scheduling, using NAEYC’s online scheduling system, includes contacting programs, clearing conflict of interest, preparing confirmation letters, distributing pre-visit information to programs, and updating records in the NAEYC Academy’s web-based database. Accurate and timely submission of documents from the site visit, data reporting forms, and required financial documentation is essential.

·         During the site visit, the Assessor will be responsible for the coordination of all data collection.

·         Assessors will have sole responsibility for conducting the program and classroom observations; reviewing program and classroom portfolios; and the family and teaching staff surveys.

 

Head Start

Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children ages birth to 5 from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development (OHS, n.d.)

 

Rationale: The head start program have federal mandates and program guideline to follow to ensure funding for their program. The standards are held to a higher accountability leading towards quality.

 

Job Opportunity: Early Childhood Education Coordinator

Program:  Early Head Start

·         Function: To oversee the delivery early childhood education services to ensure quality and compliance in accordance with the Early Head Start Performance Standards.

·         Intent: This job description is intended to include all areas of Early Childhood Education including; staff qualifications and training, operational functions, educational development and curriculum implementation, program improvement and grant compliance.

·         Minimum Qualifications for Consideration: Master degree in early education with experience and training in birth-to-three development or a Bachelor degree in a related field with a Professional Development plan to complete Master degree in early education.

 

Child Care Aware of America

The Child Care Aware of America promote national policies and partnerships to advance the development and learning of all children and to provide vision, leadership and support to community Child Care Resource and Referral (NACCRRA, n.d.).

 

 

 

Rationale: The Child Care Aware of America’s goal is to give families in every local community have access to quality, affordable child care. This mission supported by local and state CCR&Rs that support high-quality.

 

 

 

Administration for children and families (ohs). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

Child care aware. (n.d). Retrieved from http://childcareaware.org/

Naeyc accreditation . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community (Week 2)

South Carolina Center for Child Care Development -TAP

The Technical Assistance System is dedicated to the improvement in the quality of all early childhood programs. The voluntary system enhances the state’s capacity to effectively support and monitor Early Care and Education programs. Technical Assistance is a multi-level process of a range of on-site assistance which includes guidance, consultation, modeling, and support that strengthens the quality of care provided to infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children.

 

Rationale: The reason I selected this organization because it support moving center towards quality. I believe the outcome of a child’s development is connected to the quality level of program.

 

 

United Way Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R)

CCR&R provides families with an individualized referral of early care and education programs based on their specific family needs. CCR&R also supports families to increase access to quality child care and parenting resources needed to nurture children.

 

Rationale: The reason I selected this organization because it supports child care referrals, promotes quality programs, provides child development and parenting workshops to professionals and families.

 

 

ICF International

 

ICF is a recognized leader in providing individualized and outcomes-driven training and technical assistance and research services to support a variety of federally-funded projects in seven Head Start Regions. Serving the nation's most at-risk populations, ICF assists public and private organizations to structure, standardize, and evaluate their programs to achieve the highest-possible performance and to provide comprehensive resources in areas of school readiness, child welfare, family engagement, professional development, and community support. 

 

 

Rationale: The reason why I chose this organization because ICF International provides training and technical assistance to Head Start and Early Head Start grantees with activities designed to improve the quality of early childhood education services.

 

 

Job Opportunities…..

 

ICF seeks experienced Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialists to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs to ensure high quality Head Start services in accordance with the Head Start performance standards and all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. The Early Childhood Education Specialists will provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to programs appropriate to the physical, social, and emotional development of children, including language development and emergent literacy skills. The Specialists will provide professional-level expertise and TTA to promote, support, and improve the early development of children from the prenatal stage to five years of age using research based practices. The positions are home-based and will involve travel to programs within clusters of states where the candidate is assigned. Extensive travel is required.

 

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development (18 ECE credits are required, transcripts will be requested).
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience in the field of early childhood education.
• 5+ years of experience offering training and technical assistance within early care and education.
• Ability to maintain up to date knowledge of current child development practices and research based early childhood quality methods and approaches.
• Understanding of developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood education and the ability to support its use in school readiness goals.

Preferred Experience/Skills:

• Knowledge of Head Start performance standards and all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
• Experience working within a Head Start Program.

Professional Skills:

• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision making capabilities
• Team player with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Ability to work with all levels of internal staff, as well as outside clients and vendors

This Journey End….But Not Over…(Week 1)

  As an early childhood professional, I will continue to grow and learn to create a change in the professional.  I will take what I’ve learned from this journey to the next chapter in my life…

Thanks,

Andrea

5 Stages of Team Development …. (Week 6)

5 Stages of Team Development

        The adjourning stage in team development is when the project or task has come to an end. I’ve been in several groups, and some of them have been the hardest to say goodbye because project went so well, and it was effective. There is one group in particular I was in at training where we had set roles in the project, and everyone had the same goals. Everyone had expectations, and it was followed through by everyone. One of the closing ritual was we reflected on what we could have changed before presenting it to the group. Everyone was still happy on the job we did. Also, we did exchange information in order to keep up the professionalism among each other. This training was almost a year ago, and only 2 out of 5 I’m still in contact with, I wish it was all group members.

              In this master’s program, I’ve became connected professionally to many colleagues. I would like to keep the professional relationship going because there are so many colleagues with great experiences and passion for children. I would like to continue to learn from my colleagues. The adjourning stage is very important as professional that want to continue to grow. As professional, it is always good to look back and reflect on the task at hand. Reflecting can lead to growth within yourself and having the opportunity to learn from each other.

Conflict Resolution….. (Week 5)

Conflict Resolution

          My colleague and I were had a conflict with our contract childcare center director about changing the diapering process in that childcare center. We have always used the ITERS Diapering Process, but the director wanted to change the process to one she came up on her own. The discussion went from bad to worse within 10 minutes. There were frustrated looks on everyone faces and feelings were becoming hurt. It seems like either side forgot about the issue at hand which lead into other concerns. After reflecting on this situation based on what I’ve learned, this meeting could have gone a different way. For instance, as a partnership in the childcare center, everyone should have looked at the situation as, what can we do to come to a solution? First I should approach the situation as trying to find a solution from a “win win “strategy. This is where both sides could have a compromise on the diapering process. We could have examined each process to see where could trade off. Also, my colleagues and I could have been empathic to the director’s needs. It would have been an opportunity to be an active listener; we could have gathered the information, and acknowledging by talking through the information. By using this approach, the center director would have been willing to resolve the problem.

       After talking with my colleague, we both agreed the conversation could have gone better. I shared with her some information I’ve learned in class, and she is open to using some of these conflict resolution methods. We are going to have another meeting with the center director on next week, and we will be using these new methods learned this week.

 

Conflict Resolution Network. (n.d.). CR kit. Retrieved from http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12#skill_3

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.