The End of the Journey

What a journey this has been but oh so worth it. Three things that I learned from the program is to always strive to see the best in children and their families, never give up on those that seem hard to reach or are a little more difficult, and the last thing that stands out to me is how to communicate effectively. Communication is the greatest key when trying to reach families. My long term goal is to continue working on communicating effectively and striving to be the best educator that I can possibly be.

As the program ends, I am thankful that I  have had the chance to learn under Dr. Davis and my colleagues. I wish each of you the very best as you pursue your dreams in the future. Best wishes and success to each of you.

International Organizations

International Organizations

The organizations that I chose are

1. The Association for Childhood Education International. The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is a global community dedicated to promoting the optimal education and development of children in a changing world. The Association today is both a knowledge broker for innovative practices and an advocate for education and children's rights. These key areas of focus have evolved from the Association's vibrant and active past. As social change agents, ACEI members have involved themselves in various critical societal issues over the years in their efforts to ensure that children around the world are protected, supported, and educated in an equitable fashion that allows them to reach their true potential.

2. International Early Childhood Education- International’s Early Education Services (EES) was launched in India in 2007 to tackle some of the major challenges facing early childhood education in India, including a lack of:

• Updated national early childhood education standards
• A national licensing and accreditation system
• Child care resource and referral system
• Professional development system 

3. UNICEF- 
UNICEF focuses on three areas of intervention for early childhood development: quality basic health, education and protection services; good care practices for children within the family and community; and early child development policies.  UNICEF works with governments and other partners to achieve the following objectives to increase the likelihood of all disadvantaged children benefitting from interventions:

• Improved service delivery capacity for early childhood development at the national, district and local levels;
• Improved family and community care practices for survival, growth and development;
• Develop policies and coordinating structures to include early childhood development into national development plans, funding and mechanisms;
• Increased ability to monitor child development and family care competencies for informed decision-making;
• Young children included in programming and policies in emergency response -providing play and learning to ensure their continued development

National Organizations

The three organizations that I  found were

The Division for Early Childhood-   The Division for Early Childhood promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. This appeals to me because I have always worked with children who have delays or disabilities and find it very rewarding. It is always good to know that there are sources out there that can offer great resources to families in need.

National Association for the Education of Children-  
Founded in 1926, The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations. This  organization appealed to me because it was very informative and has great resources for educators.

National Head start  Association- The Head Start programs appeal to me because they reach out to children that are from lower economic statuses who may never have the opportunity for early learning if it was not for the Head Start programs.

HSA Mission

Our mission is to coalesce, inspire and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education.
We are compelled to fulfill this mission by the promise of all the possible outcomes:

• one powerful, united Head Start voice;
• a collegial, collaborative Head Start field, one that is a valuable and valued partner and resource to early childhood development and education;
• nonpartisan support of increased Federal commitment to Head Start and, ultimately
• healthier, empowered children and families and stronger, more vibrant communities.

NHSA Values

We are determined to play a valued leadership role in this country's efforts to educate and serve its most vulnerable children and families.We are actively committed to being a high-impact organization.
We value partnerships and collaboration and are intent on transforming ourselves into a relationship-based organization.
We are accountable to our members and funders, practicing the highest standards of governance and financial stewardship, ensuring transparency in our operationsand living up to the highest standards of quality.


A job that I found was a Community Educator in Early Childhood. The qualifications were as follows:

Responsible for planning, teaching, and implementing parent education classes. Program topics are planned with the approval of the Parenting Center Coordinator/Educator. Major Duties Meets organizational expectations as defined by the Employee Standards of Performance, hospital and department policies and procedures, and the hospital’s strategic goals. Verbalizes a clear understanding of continuous quality improvement and customer satisfaction measures and actively participates in improvement initiatives. Instructs classes and implements new and established programs. Develops outline and curriculum for new programs as needed. Provides programs to community groups upon request. Maintains participant information for all contacts/programs. Facilitates physical set-up of programs being presented. Participates in health fairs and community health and safety programs.

Performs other duties as assigned or directed to ensure smooth operation of the organization. Education/Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Preferred: Excellent public speaking, written and verbal communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Bachelor or master's degree in related field. Two- five years teaching experience with adults and all aged children in community organizations or schools. Required: Knowledge gained in required degree. Demonstrate organizational, communication, public speaking, interpersonal and social skills. Intermediate skills in windows, word, and PowerPoint. Bachelor's degree required in early childhood, community wellness, primary or secondary education, or related field. Two years teaching experience with additional experience working with children and community groups.

 

The second job that I found was: Early Childhood Specialist from Early Intervention to Success in School.  

Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood or related field

Birth to 3 training and experience

3 plus years of relevant experience

Training experience

Home Visiting experience preferred

Must be able to travel to partner sites in Southern Mississippi

State and Local Roles in the ECE

 

The three state and locally that appealed to me were:

The Head Start program. This program appeals to me for the simple fact of reaching out to children in less fortunate backgrounds. The Head start program targets my passion for the simple fact of helping children that struggle and come from low economic states. The second organization that I found was the Louisiana Early Childhood Association. It is an association that is full of resources for teachers to collaborate together  and gain insights that are beneficial in the classroom. The third organization that I chose was a local early headstart program. It targets children that are coming out of early intervention programs but who are to young to go directly into Head Start. These programs fuel my passion for the simple fact of giving each child a chance depsite their families economic status.

A job that I found was a Community Educator in Early Childhood. The qualifications were as follows:

Responsible for planning, teaching, and implementing parent education classes. Program topics are planned with the approval of the Parenting Center Coordinator/Educator. Major Duties Meets organizational expectations as defined by the Employee Standards of Performance, hospital and department policies and procedures, and the hospital’s strategic goals. Verbalizes a clear understanding of continuous quality improvement and customer satisfaction measures and actively participates in improvement initiatives. Instructs classes and implements new and established programs. Develops outline and curriculum for new programs as needed. Provides programs to community groups upon request. Maintains participant information for all contacts/programs. Facilitates physical set-up of programs being presented. Participates in health fairs and community health and safety programs.

Performs other duties as assigned or directed to ensure smooth operation of the organization. Education/Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Preferred: Excellent public speaking, written and verbal communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Bachelor or master's degree in related field. Two- five years teaching experience with adults and all aged children in community organizations or schools. Required: Knowledge gained in required degree. Demonstrate organizational, communication, public speaking, interpersonal and social skills. Intermediate skills in windows, word, and PowerPoint. Bachelor's degree required in early childhood, community wellness, primary or secondary education, or related field. Two years teaching experience with additional experience working with children and community groups.

 

The second job that I found was: Early Childhood Specialist from Early Intervention to Success in School.  

Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood or related field

Birth to 3 training and experience

3 plus years of relevant experience

Training experience

Home Visiting experience preferred

Must be able to travel to partner sites in Southern Mississippi