TIME WELL SPENT

 

Wow!!!! I can't believe I am completing my FINAL BLOG ASSIGNMENT for my ECE program. Sitting here writing gives me flashbacks of when I first started out creating these blog post. I had no idea what I was doing but I was determined to make it work. This ECE program has taught me many things that I have processed, shared, and learned from. In this course I learned how step outside of the box. Each blog assignment showed me that there are so many resources and organizations that are helping to make a difference in the lives of children. I learned that there are so many ways in which early childhood professionals can contribute to the early childhood field. Reading everyone capstone challenge really was an eye opener that there are many things that still need to be done and addressed. Lastly, I learned how to be persistent and fight for achieving greatness. When I first began this ECE program I was determined to graduate with a 4.0. Many of these courses were challenging but this capstone class made me sweat, cry, scream, throw in the towel, and get angry. These last eight weeks taught me how to manage my time, spend more time than required on assignments, and reach for greatness. First couple of assignments papers I was devastated. However, after pinpointing the errors I gradually starting to improve. This lesson taught me that even when things happen in the early childhood field never give up.... Any goals worth setting is worth fighting for!!!

My Long Goal is to develop an early learning center that teaches high-quality education. I want a 4 Star Accredited program that requires staff to have certain credentials, training, and field experience. Now-a-days anyone with enough money can open up a child care facility. What will set my center a part from centers who are just trying to make a quick dollar is my center will always have passion, creativity, and mutual respect for parents, children, and each other. I'm looking forward to writing my business plan, creating my brand, and selecting a name for my center.  

To all my colleagues thank you so much for your inspiration, feedback, criticism, genuineness, and your outlook on early childhood field that we are embracing.  I have truly enjoyed you all this semester. Reading your post week after week was awesome and I hope that the communication does not stop here. I will leave my information below so that we can stay connected through email, organizations, and blogs. Much success in the future and never stop learning. Dr. Embree I sincerely thank you for not getting frustrated with me. Every email I sent you provided great feedback and ways in which I could better and I truly appreciate that. My desire is that I hope you continue to build great educators.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The first international organization that I chose is called Children International. The goal of this organization is to help children and families that are in need. They provide programs, resources, and services that aim to reduce the burden of poverty on young children (Children International, 2015). They also provide educational opportunities for children in poverty. This includes early education to secondary education. Children International currently assists more than 340,000 children around the world and they have 17 agencies in 11 countries (Children International, 2015). I would like to work for this organization because I think that it is wonderful that they are able to help so many children throughout the world. Poverty is an issue in every country and providing children who live in poverty with education, nutritional help, and developmental assistance can be very beneficial. I came across a few employment opportunities on the organization’s website. One position that stood out to me was Program Officer of Health and Nutrition. This job requires the ability to speak both Spanish and English, two years international experience, and the Program Officer must seek grants, organize and conduct training, and establishes partnerships with complementary programs (Children International, 2015. This is not necessarily an education position, however it is always interesting to see the different positions available in an organization that focuses on children.

The second international organization that I found is called Childfund International. This organization also helps children and families who are in need and living in poverty. Childfund provides services for infants, young children, older children, teenagers, and young adults. They have programs that focus on nutrition, health, safety, building positive relationships, civic engagement, and leadership (Childfund International, 2015). This organization has bases all over the country. They currently work in 30 countries and help an estimated 18.2 million children and their families (Childfund International, 2015). One job posting that I found that I was interested in was for the position of Program Director in Afghanistan, which I thought was interesting to read about. The person in this position must plan and monitor all program activities, document best program practices, and lead the development of grants (Childfund International, 2015). This person must have extensive knowledge in grants, international work experience, and and oral and written skills in Dari and Pashto (Childfund International, 2015). This is not necessarily a job that I would want, nor be qualified for, but it is always interesting to learn about these positions.

The third international organization that I found is called Children’s Humanitarian International. This organization’s mission is to empower and educate young people so that they are able to be leaders in their communities (Children’s Humanitarian International, 2015). They work together with the children on some challenges that they may face in their environment. This organization emphasizes diversity and collaboration, efficiency and sustainability, and quantifiable results (Children’s Humanitarian International, 2015). There were no job listings found on this website. However, there were opportunities to join the team as a volunteer, fundraising, events, and partnerships.

References

Childfund International. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.childfund.org/

Children International. (2015). Retrieved from  https://www.children.org/

Children’s Humanitarian International. (2015). Retrieved fromhttp://www.childrenshumanitarian.org/

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

In researching national/federal organizations or communities of practice UNICEF appealed to me. In gaining insight to their focus groups I was interested in the work they do for education. One particular program connected children to the country and to the world through books. Story Box is a psycho social program designed to promote emotional, cognitive, and social development of children and adolescents. Children receive access to books opening the minds of children to all the possible opportunities. I would love to take part in being a volunteer who collects books to send. UNICEF is in partnership with Libraries without Borders who send mobile libraries to vulnerable neighborhoods promote reading in my classroom weekly by various homework assignments or projects. We recently did the PAWS for reading challenge through Scholastic. For every 20 minutes of books my students read a book was donated to less fortunate children. I believe reading and a love for reading is imperative we should do everything possible to put books in children hands.

Education Specialist

Purpose of the Position

The Education Specialist will contribute to the effective and efficient implementation of UNICEF's girls' education work program through a joint assignment to both the UNGEI Secretariat and newly established Girls' Education Results Manager. For UNGEI, the Education Specialist ensures that UNGEI's positions, plans and approaches are based on strategic analysis, programming evidence, and current knowledge of gender and education trends and issues. For UNICEF's work in girls' education, the Education Specialist will support the development and implementation of a work plan to strengthen results in girls' education, including supporting the development of equitable approaches to expanding secondary education, through technical support, tools and guidance.

Voices For America’s Children help American families who struggle daily.  This organization is the nation’s largest network of multi issue child advocacy organizations helping to improve the lives of all children, those most vulnerable and their families. They focus of 6 policies equity and diversity, health, school readiness, school success, safety, and economic stability. There are various branches in all states so volunteers can get involved. However, they also offer internship opportunities these individuals must show possess excellent research, analytical, organizational, and communication skills. They must be team players and able to work in fast pace environment.

 

Save the Children helps children in the United States as well as around the world. They are recognized for their commitment to accountability, innovation, and collaboration, their work takes them into the heart of communities, where they help children and families help themselves. I believe the organization appeals to me as well because when disaster strikes around the world, Save the Children is there to save lives with food, medical care, and education. Not only are they there through and after natural disasters they also help children with everyday adversities such as poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease. You are able to volunteer in this program for short term to long term assignments. The job opportunities range from but are not limited to finance, fundraising, marketing, communications, public policy, and social medias, as well as research, and administrative work.

REGIONAL EDUCATION TECHNICAL ADVISOR & SYRIA ED CO-FOCAL POINT

The role

To ensure the coordinated and consistent delivery of high quality, timely and accountable education programmes across the Syria regional response. This includes specific responsibility to be the Whole of Syria education co-focal point on behalf of Save the Children, working in close coordination with UNICEF (30%), as well as acting as the Save the Children regional No Lost Generation focal point (20%).

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

When I began researching for the require information for this week’s assignment; I must confessed that it was a little bit hard for me because I did not what organization to choose and what kind of jobs were available. I finally found different organizations that I think are of great interest for me and maybe for you; that goes with the job search as well. I chose the following organizations because I seem them as a community of practice in where excellent resources are being provided for the parents and anyone who is interested into helping a child in need.

 I do not know if it is obvious but one of the organizations that I chose was NAEYC; I chose this organization because I trust it completely, I am sure that is an organization that is interested in the well-being of all the children.  “Communities of practice can inspire us, make us creative, and produce long-term change” (Helm, 2007). I am pretty sure that NAEYC will be helpful into inspiring other people to help a child in need by practicing the goals and principals of the organization. My center is accredited by NAEYC so, I am pretty aware of the process of accreditation, meaning this can come handy if I decide to take a job with them. They have thousands of jobs listing, but for one reason or another I am not qualify to take them. I may lack the experience, or the educational level they require, but maybe next year I would be able to apply to one of them and see what comes out of it.

The other organization is ZERO TO THREE, I first learned about it during my first two courses here at Walden; but the thing that intrigued me about it is that  is very similar to NAEYC in where it wants to “ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life" (zerotothree.org, 2014). This organization is more focuses in toddlers, they have articles in how to help a child; especially a toddler young child. One of the jobs that called my attention was “administrative coordinator” I read the requirements and I should say that I am able to do almost all of them, but lack the experience it requires. The last organization is United Way of the Mid South, is a nonprofit organization designed to help low-income families overcome difficulties (United Way, 2015). One of the things about this organization is that it values the individual and diversity. 

One of the jobs that called my attention was “executive assistant resource development”, I read the qualification and I was impressed to found out that I have those experiences; the bad news is that it was posted two months ago. The good news is that if I want I can volunteer; I would love to help a child in need and see how that child can go on and help somebody else. I think these three organizations contribute to the well-being of the community one way or another, at the end they work with other organization and network of people to ensure the safety of the children and family as well. As with any job that requires experiences and skills, I think that a community practice needs to go through different level of challenges to have a better understanding of what is really that the whole group is hoping for and then work together to get those results up and running. 

 

References

Helm, J. (2007). Building communities of practice. YC: Young Children, 62(4), 12-16.

         Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database
         athttp://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?          
         direct=true&db=ehh&AN=25792186&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved

        from http://www.naeyc.org/

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2014). Retrieved

       from http://www.zerotothree.org/

United Way: Live United. (2015) Retrieved from

     http://www.unitedway.org/take-action/volunteer

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