Saturday, April 14, 2012

Time Well Spent

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
                                                                                                ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
                                                                                                                                       ~Harriet Tubman


When he took time to help the man up the mountain, lo, he scaled it himself.
                                                                                                ~ Tibetan Proverb

These are just a few images and quotes that explain what this experience as a Walden University student of the Master's Science in Early Childhood Studies has meant to me.  From the beginning, I tried to raise the bar of excellence for myself in order to be a better educator and learner.  I challenged myself and my colleagues through inquisition and  reflection.  We worked as a powerful team to help one another gain access to new knowledge and struggled to make this, what seemed to be a painful journey, as painless as possible.  Through dedication and compassion, the instructors guided us through the multitudes of research and discussion to  make success seem an arm's-length away.

The three most important lessons learned from this experience was:

1. Never give up! No matter how hard and far the road to the end seems; keep striving for excellence and happiness.

2.  Team work is not taboo.  It is the only way to get things done. Even if the team consists of two people, they must believe in the power of trust, motivation, and determination.

3.  I am worthy! During this journey I had to trust myself and believe with all my heart that I was deserving of this degree.  I went through many hurdles; even deciding to quit at many stops along the way.  But, I had to realize that with every "no", the one "yes" is what matters the most.


My long-term goal is to stay with Johns Hopkins' systems and work to improve the lives of children and their families. 

I want to thank each and every one of you for walking alongside me through this journey.  I have learned so much from all of you and hope that, as you knock on successes door, it swings wide open for you to enjoy as much of her as possible.

Thank you

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally


OMEP
Organizacion Mundial Para La Educacion Preescolar( In English World Organization for Early Childhood Education)
STRUCTURE OF THE WORLD ORGANIZATION
OMEP has national committees in over 60 countries divided into five geographical regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim, Europe, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. The officers of the World Assembly are the President, the five regional Vice-presidents, and the Treasurer. For more information about World OMEP, visit the website at http://www.omep.org.gu.se/ For a list of national committees in each of the five regions, including contact information, visit http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/regions/
National OMEP Committees: National committees (sometimes referred to as national chapters or national organizations) promote the aims of World OMEP and participate in World OMEP projects. They also develop projects of their own.

OMEP-USA: OMEP-USA, formally known as the U.S National Committee (OMEP-USNC), is one of more than 60 national organizations in World OMEP. OMEP-USA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the full membership. The Board convenes twice a year, in the fall during the NAEYC Annual Conference and in the spring in tandem with other conferences and meetings. Click here for more information about OMEP USA. Click here for the Board of Directors roster.

I am a member of OMEP-USA and because it is an all-volunteer organization, there are not career opportunities available. OMEP does offer many workshops and activities for its members in order to enhance our knowledge-base where global awareness of issues and trends of early childhood are concerned. I chose this particular organization because I have always wanted to explore early childhood from a global perspective and I am able to do so with this organization.

OMEP( 2012).Retrieved from: http://www.omep-usnc.org/


 
As I read the vision and accomplish of fhi 360, I was intrigued by them.  With the intentions of being a part of the solution to global issues of hunger, education, and other social challenges, fhi 360 has, “worked with 1,400 partners in 125 countries, forging strong relationships with governments, diverse organizations, the private sector and communities” (fhi 360,  2012).
They have many career opportunities, but nothing that I am interested in. The good thing about their career is that they do offer international positions to applicants, which would give individuals an chance to travel to different parts of the world.

Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/

 
I love the philosophy of International Step by Step Association:
ISSA promotes open society values in education and society, equal access to quality education for all children, strong family involvement, and community participation to help every child reach his or her full potential. We believe that children learn best when they are active participants in the learning process. ISSA’s programs encourages children to express their ideas creatively, to help one another, to develop critical thinking skills and to practice responsible living by learning to make choices. We recognize that each child is unique and seek to meet his or her individual educational needs in the classroom.
We build on the principle that parents are the primary educators of children and we strive for active parent participation and community involvement in the education process. ISSA aims to encourage democratic ideas and principles and actions within young children and their families. These principles are crucial to developing a lifelong love of learning, which engenders success in an open and free society (ISSA, 2012).
This is another membership based organization, but it sounds as if it would exciting to work for.
ISSA. (2012). 

Retrieved from: http://www.issa.nl/philosophy.html

Friday, March 23, 2012

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







 The Children’s Defense Fund has been a major part of my life for the duration of my coursework with Walden.  Every time I research a topic, CDF is one of the resources cited or has an honorable mention in one way or another.  Mariam Wright-Edelman is and always will be a woman I consider a mentor.  Along with her staff and many dedicated volunteers and power brokers, Mrs Wright-Edelman has been a member of the many trailblazers leading us in the direction to providing excellence in parenting, education, and advocacy in general.

*There are currently no jobs for with CDF that are in my field of interest.



 

The National Association for Educating Young Children (NAEYC) is a household name in my experience.  Having learned of and received instruction from facilitators from this organization, I understand and appreciate the goal they have for young children.  It is no mystery why Walden has opted to establish a relationship with NAEYC; to be a vehicle for change in the world of early childhood development.

*There are currently no jobs with NAEYC that are in my field of interest.




As a member if the National Head Start Association , I have access to great professional development opportunities.  Taken directly from the website NHSA:

“Our vision is
 

To lead.

To be the untiring voice that will not be quiet until every vulnerable child is served with the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community.
To advocate.
To work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed.” (NHSA, 2012).
 

Head Start Lead Teacher

Head Start Lead Teacher
EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: Associate or Bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education required. Candidate must have good verbal and written skills and knowledge of working with pre-school age children 3-5 years in an urban setting. Bilingual skills in Spanish or French a plus! Create and maintain a physical environment conducive to promoting optimal growth and development via positive social interaction of pre-school children including eating with children. Develop and implement developmentally appropriate instructional programs to encourage parental involvement and knowledge base as their child's primary source of affection, care and learning. Participate in transition process for children and families. Coordinate with Admissions Coordinator, child abuse program requirements, as well as, schedule and document parent-teacher conferences and home visits. Plan and implement daily developmental learning models for pre-school age children which provides for cultural, social economic backgrounds, emotional or physical disabilities, and individual style and pace of learning. Implement IEP's for all children including those with diagnosed disabilities.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

My Ideal Community of Practice



When I started exploring the websites for this week’s topics, I was fascinated by all of the initiatives present in Baltimore city dedicated to the improvement of the health and wellness its residents.  I am looking further into each of these programs to found out how I can become a part of their efforts to make Baltimore city healthier.  Below are the links that grabbed my attention:

 I chose the health department because I am very interested in improving the health and well-being of Baltimore City residents.  I believe that I could be a strong asset to the establishment.



Get fresh Baltimore is one of the best programs I've seen in the city.  they encourage healthy eating and demonstrate ways to be healthier.  They talk about how important fresh foods are to good nutrition. I chose this website because it proper nutrition enhances a child's ability to grow and thrive.
 

As an employee of Johns Hopkins Hospital, I have had the opportunity to search for different programs in the system.  I came across the Talent Development Secondary Model in my search for both this assignment and a personal growth incentive.  Below is a description of the position I felt would meet my needs as an educator:

http://www.talentdevelopmentsecondary.com/

TALENT DEVELOPMENT SECONDARY FIELD MANAGER
The Field Manager is responsible for the overall management of implementation of the Talent Development Secondary model in his/her assigned geographical areas. This includes oversight of logistics, supervision for school based facilitators (including school-based Transformation Facilitators), and coordination of personnel to provide delivery of high quality services as outlined in contracts. The Field Manager is also responsible for building local financial and community support for the model, and in Diplomas Now sites, serves as the representative of TD on the local leadership team with the executive directors of CIS and CY. The Field Manager will provide some direct service in areas of teaming, organizational, and operational support and technical assistance.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Ability to establish & maintain strong collaborative relationships.
• Exceptional ability to communicate.
• Strong time, project and budget management skills.
• Demonstrated creativity.
• Proven mentorship, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work well with diverse constituencies.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• Some advanced graduate work in area of educational leadership, business administration or related area desirable.
• Three to five years successful experience with Talent Development or other secondary reform models.

I discovered the following career opportunities by typing "career opportunities in early childhood education in Baltimore", in the Google search engine.  This is what I found:

CENTER DIRECTOR

We are a national leader in the field of Early Care and Education. We are committed to excellence and our centers reflect that commitment. We recognize that our goals can only be achieved by employing people who embrace our passion for making a difference in the lives of young children which is the foundation on which all of our decisions are based.

We are committed to accreditation as evidenced by the fact that our centers are accredited or are in the process of becoming accredited. We offer low teacher-child ratios, state of the art equipment, and a nurturing and loving environment for children and educators.

We serve the changing needs of America’s families. We believe that children thrive when there is a strong bridge between the home and the center and our programs support active parent participation and input. We also serve the changing needs of those who educate America’s children. We work closely with our teachers to ensure that we support them in the same caring way they provide care for others.

Our curriculum provides a foundation for teachers to ensure their success while giving them the latitude to be creative, seize the teachable moments, and control their own classrooms. If you have what it takes to become part of a great growing organization whose passion is making a difference in the lives of children then we are the place for you.
 Requirements
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
  • Degree in Early Childhood or Child Development or related field
  • At least 3 years managerial experience in a NAEYC accredited center
  • Excellent customer service skills and strong interpersonal skills and a deep commitment to provide the right leadership to our educators in our centers is a must.

JOB SUMMARY
  • Plans, organizes, implements, coordinates, and evaluates all program components of the center.
  • Exercises independent judgment and decision-making authority as delegated including budget, policies, procedures, and staff supervision.
  • Operates the center in accordance with all government regulatory agencies contractual agreements with corporate employer(s).
  • Manages the center's early childhood program and its operation, facilitating, planning, and coordinating the high quality educational program and activities.
  • Trains, and supervises all center staff.
  • Builds a solid relationship with corporate client(s) and promotes a positive image of the company in the community.

PERSONAL SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS
  • High energy level
  • Superior interpersonal abilities
  • Ability to lead others with diverse personalities, tactful, flexible and professional
  • Resourceful and well organized
  • Strong commitment for doing it right for young children
  • Leadership qualities that evidence presence, confidence, and flexibility as a decision maker
  • Service oriented yet assertive/persuasive for doing it right

LANGUAGE SKILLS
  • Ability to read, write, analyze and interpret general business information
  • Ability to respond to common inquiries from internal and external personnel
  • Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of manager, clients, customers, and the community

Baltimore City Teaching Residency http://bcteachingresidency.ttrack.org

Baltimore City Teaching Residency is accepting applications for candidates to teach Early Childhood, Elementary, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Spanish, and Special Education. Apply now.
The Baltimore City Teaching Residency (BCTR) is a highly selective and rigorous program committed to providing Baltimore's students with a new generation of educators who will do whatever it takes to ensure their academic success. To achieve our goal of providing all students with access to excellent teachers, we provide a pathway for outstanding individuals to become teachers in Baltimore City Public Schools and to significantly impact the academic achievement of our city’s children. We recruit passionate and accomplished individuals from all professions and academic backgrounds who are ready to make a commitment to achieving academic growth with students in Baltimore's most challenging and traditionally underserved schools and communities. Following an intensive, rigorous training institute, Residents will enter the classroom in August while taking classes to obtain their teaching certification.

Benefits of Baltimore City Teaching Residency include:
  • Full-time teaching positions, with regular teacher’s salary and benefits, in classrooms across Baltimore City
  • Rigorous and highly regarded certification program with partial tuition reimbursement
  • Specialized summer training that includes a student teaching component, during which Residents receive hands-on training and coaching on effective teaching strategies, that may count towards certification requirements
  • Joining a distinguished cohort of accomplished, high quality colleagues, who will become a strong professional network working to make a greater difference with the students who have the greatest need
Job Requirements 
Qualifications:
  • Minimum 2.75 GPA
  • Must have bachelor’s degree by May 31, 2012
  • Legal authorization to work in the U.S.
  • Must be able to pass an FBI background investigation
  • Must not be a certified teacher or earning a degree in education