Three National/Federal Organizations or Communities

March 29, 2014
• The Three National/ Federal Organizations or Communities that appealed to me and why I chose them.
1- The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) is an international membership organization for those who work with or on behalf of young children with disabilities and other special needs (Division of Early Childhood, 2014). I have chosen this organization because lately, I have discovered that there are many of our students within my school community with various learning disabilities such as autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among others. I would like to broaden my understanding and learn more about these disabilities to help a broader spectrum of students. There is also a great deal of recent up-to-date resources that I could utilize as an educator as I pursue working with not only special needs children but also those with challenging behaviors. The (DEC) website offers links to other websites where these resources can be readily retrieved and I like this very much (Division of Early Childhood, 2014).
The mission of (DEC) is to provide policies and advance evidence-based practices to support the optimal development of these young children with special needs (Division of Early Childhood, 2014). There is a post as an Early Childhood Educator that is open at The River School- DC- Washington. The skills and experience needed include having a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood or Special Education and also collaborative skills. This job appeals to me as I am a very good team player, energetic and enthusiastic about students’ success (Division of Early Childhood, 2014).

2. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is my next choice. This is the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children. It is the NAEYC’s mission 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.). As I research the job opportunities available, the one that I found appealing is Communication and Information Specialist. I would be responsible for supporting the work of the NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation. Responsibilities would include developing and maintaining online resources for programs pursuing accreditation, coordinating various communication channels, and clearly conveying information to a variety of audiences. The Specialist would also provide technical assistance about the accreditation process, policies, and procedures to NAEYC customers and the general public. This is a very inviting post which requires a BA degree in communications or related field; outstanding writing, proofreading, and customer service skills; experience with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and content management systems; web design fundamentals (i.e., basic HTML and CSS). Experience in the field of early childhood education and knowledge of NAEYC’s accreditation system would be great (NAEYC, n.d.).

3. The third organization that I have chosen is the Center on the Developing Child- Harvard University. This Center was founded in August, 2006 by its Director, Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D (Center on the Developing Child 2011). It was founded in 2006 on the belief that the vitality and sustainability of any society depend on the extent to which it expands opportunities early in life for all children to achieve their full potential and engage in responsible and productive citizenship (Center on the Developing Child 2011). It is their view that healthy child development is at the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society (Center on the Developing Child 2011). Thus their mission is to drive science-based innovation that achieves breakthrough outcomes for children facing adversity (Center on the Developing Child 2011). This mission appeals to me in a very significant way because it is in keeping with my passion to ensure that there is the promotion of the healthy development of children and their families that will bring high returns to all levels of society (Center on the Developing Child 2011). One of the job opportunities that I could be involved in at this time would be to work with the Frontiers of Innovation, launched in May 2011. They are a group of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, philanthropists, and experts in systems change from across North America. The goal of FOI is to bring about substantially improved outcomes for vulnerable young children whose needs (or whose caregivers' needs) are not being fully met by existing policies and programs(Center on the Developing Child 2011).The skills that would be needed would were not given. However to be a member of Frontiers of Innovation (FOI) community, one has to be willing to forge cross-sector collaborations that prompt creativity, support experimentation, and foster learning from experience(Center on the Developing Child 2011).

I am also interested in the resources and media products that are available via the Center’s outgrowth initiatives such as The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and The National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs respectively. These initiatives are helping us to understand why public investments should be made in the early childhood years (Center on the Developing Child 2011). I am positive too that the research from this Center will prove to be very invaluable to my Capstone Project and will help to sharpen my research skills.

References
Center on the Developing Child (2011). Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from
http://www.naeyc.org/
The Division for Early Childhood. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.dec-sped.org/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

The three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appealed to me include the following:

1. The Center for Child Protection and Family Support- Education Trainer/Supporter against Child Abuse
Since 1987, the Center for Child Protection and Family Support has been committed to promoting healthy children and families. Their mission is to ensure that children are given the opportunity to mature and develop within a family free of maltreatment and a community that is nurturing. This mission truly appeals to me because it is my belief that whatever we can do to prevent children from experiencing and living through traumatic experiences, we should do it. For this program I would want to work as a valuable contributor/supporter financially and otherwise to “keep vital programs operating with educational books, therapeutic supplies, program materials and professional staff services” (http://www.centerchildprotection.org/support_us.htm)

2. Save the Children - Director, Policy & Advocacy, Early Childhood Development
“Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves – a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When disaster strikes, [they] put children’s needs first. [They] advocate for and achieve large-scale change for children. [They] save children’s lives.”

This is indeed a dream opportunity to work in the nation’s capital as an early childhood advocate working in the capacity as The Director of Policy and Advocacy for Early Childhood Development (ECD). I [would be] lead[ing] the lobbying strategy for Save the Children’s ECD campaign, an effort to significantly increase federal, state, and local government investments in high-quality ECD programs, including universal pre-k, with the ultimate goal of making such programs available to all children in need in the US. My role would include lobbying to develop strategies to reach the Executive and Legislative branches at the federal level and in targeted cities/states around the country, creating opportunities to broaden relationships and to build consensus around advocacy in support of increased investments in ECD among other duties.

The skills and experience that I would need would include a Master’s degree in education, policy, or related field. This is strongly preferred. I would also need At least 5-7 years professional experience with increasing responsibilities in Congressional and administration outreach or directly within these branches of government. It would also be a plus to have experience with local and/or state based lobbying campaigns. A strong familiarity with the legislative process, including both authorizations and appropriations processes would make me a stronger candidate for the position along with senior level experience and engagement in US education policy. It is highly recommended too that I have experience working particularly in the education sector with established networks and contacts within senior Washington governmental and nongovernmental policy circles. Finally, a familiarity with education coalitions and policy making apparatus is desirable. Retrieved from https://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH07/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=SAVETHECHILDREN&cws=1&rid=2299&source=Indeed.com)

3. The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Office of Specialized Instruction (OSI) - The Deputy Chief, Division of Early Childhood
The DCPS Office of Specialized Instruction (OSI) aspires to be the district of choice for students with disabilities. [They] are committed to serving our students with disabilities:
• By providing high quality instruction and services;
• As close to home as possible; and
• In the timely and consistent manner they deserve.
This area of work is very appealing as it requires the candidate to be passionate about “closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstances, receives an excellent education and as the deputy chief I would be responsible for all early childhood programs in DCPS. Overall this Division has three main bodies of work:
• It is the center of implementation of Head Start programs in DCPS, including the School-wide Model approved by the Federal Head Start Office.
• It determines the instructional direction for DCPS as it relates to 3, 4 and 5 year olds.
• It oversees the Early Stages Center, which is the special education diagnostic center for early childhood students throughout the District, regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in school.

The skills and experience needed to competently fulfill this role include a Bachelor’s degree and 8-12 years of related work experience. However, a Master’s degree and specific experience in early childhood, including Head Start and special education are strongly preferred. Any previous exposure to or experience in the education sector would be a plus. Retrieved from
http://dcps.force.com/central/ts2__JobDetails?jobId=a0xU0000003s3ipIAA&tSource



References
http://www.centerchildprotection.org/default.html
https://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH07/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=SAVETHECHILDREN&cws=1&rid=2299&source=Indeed.com
http://dcps.force.com/central/ts2__JobDetails?jobId=a0xU0000003s3ipIAA&tSource

My Wordle for Meeting the Challenge: Merging Passion, Vision, and Practice in Early Childhood Education

Reflecting on Learning

As I reflect on all that I have learnt for the past eight weeks, my most passionate hope for the future as an early childhood professional and for the children and families with whom I now work or will work, is to ensure that we all continue to: 1) “build caring connections with each other,” 2) “break down barriers of discrimination, stereotypes, prejudices and biases that would interfere with comfortable and respectful interactions” (Derman-Sparks, & Edwards, 2010). 

Finally, as I continue to work on “fostering an anti-bias, inclusive learning community,” it is my passion that I will “be very thoughtful about the words I use” as I hold myself accountable to the anti-bias concept, “We are all the same; we are all different”…in ability as it does for other kinds of diversity” (Derman-Sparks, & Edwards, 2010). Hence, I will be honest and conscientious in helping to ensure that “making friendships across ability/ [disability] levels [will] bring joy to the whole classroom community” (Derman-Sparks, & Edwards, 2010). 

At this point, I want to thank Dr. Pickens for not only guiding us through this course, but for her personal encouragement in making me feel comfortable in understanding the strategies that I need to put in place in working with diverse children and their families.

I must also thank my colleagues for their interesting discussions, questions and blog postings. They have truly broadened my horizon on abilities and diversity- a knowledge that we need so badly to intercept the coldness in the world we live in, and to enlighten our children about that they can truly develop well-rounded social identities for themselves.

Dr. Pickens and my colleagues, I wish you all the best for the future!

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children

and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).