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.

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.

http://www.baltimorehealth.org/

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.

 

http://getfreshbaltimore.com/

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://urbanhealth.jhu.edu/index.html

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

Team Building and Collaboration

The group that I have the most productive experiences with are the teachers I work with now. We are a high performing group and have established norms within the classroom that allow for each teacher to give input and feel part of the class.

I believe if the educational coordinator split our team apart, we would be very sad because we have built a relationship that even the parents notice works well for their children. 

Just as with my colleagues I physically work with, my “cyber” colleagues have become a big part of my learning experiences.  It will be a sad, but satisfying time when we have all made it to the finish line of this program.  I hope to be able to travel to the graduation to see all that will be in attendance.

I think the adjourning aspect of team building is essential because it gives everyone a chance to finalize the process and see it to the end. 

Resolving Conflict

Conflict is like a game of tug-of-war, someone wants to pull hard enough to get the flag (or disagreement) to their side of the mud puddle (one party wants the result to be in their favor).  But the outcome of conflict is not always so cut and dry.  If the individuals or groups in conflict really want the disagreement to end on a positive note,

The best outcome is they come to either an agreement that will suit everyone or they agree to disagree and move forward to ensure all parties are at least partially satisfied with the results.

I am going through a tough time in my life right now and am hoping that, when all has come to a close, everyone concerned will be at least partially comfortable with the end.  The strategies I used were:

1. Trying to hear the other person out and empathize with their feelings.

2. Send a message across that will not be hurtful, but get my point across to make it a smooth transition for everyone.

I like the idea of the 3R's because, as I stated in my discussion, it has a way of making the situation flow in a circular manner, allowing everyone to be heard and understood.  I'm not sure how the end of this will turn out, but I pray that all will end well.

Who Am I as a Communicator?

I actually love this photo! It depicts the essence of my self-perception.  I have been told that I don't give myself enough credit.  I used to feel inadequate about the way in which I spoke in groups and dealt with colleagues, but never once realizing the "lioness" inside, until now.  I still teeter between self-doubt and self-awareness, but I feel like its a start. I was surprised to see that I was able to be honest enough to see that I am an effective communicator.

The two people that answered the survey questions are very close to me and always tell me the truth, even if it hurts.  I was not surprised that they felt I was empathetic, but needed to protect my heart from hurt more than I do now.  Both evaluations proved to show that I have a balance, but need to have more confidence in myself.

The two insights I'd like to share are:

1. Be the lion in the mirror.  Have the courage to speak to others, even if it makes you step out of your comfort zone.

2.  Never become complacent just because you receive accolades from accomplishments.  Look to the stars and, as the Buddha has said, "Be the light upon your own path." But as early childhood professionals, I will go a step further and say, be a light upon the path of the children and families you interact with.  Communicate to the best of your ability.  Find workshops that will enhance your skills.  But love yourself enough to see your nobility in order to share it with others. 

Communication and Culture

I am fortunate to have a great relationship with the people I work with. We treat one another like family, which makes this blog simple for me to answer. My family, friends, and colleagues are great individuals .  I don't believe I have a different way of communicating with one group versus the other. I think they have taught me valuable lessons with respect to effective communication because if I am not clear with a message I have sent, they very readily make it known and I correct my mistakes.  These three groups are the reason  I try to speak with confidence and clarity.

Communication Skills: Language, Nonverbal, Listening

I have heard many funny things about the show The Office, but never watched it.  I chose this show because the facial expressions the actors make are priceless. I chose the first episode of the first season to view.  As I watched the show in silence, I saw many gestures and expression that were full of sarcasm, humor, and a host of other emotions.  The  main character was hysterical as were the supporting actors(which I feel are main characters as well).

When I turned the volume up, I couldn't help but laugh because all of the humor was exactly the way I've witness people interact in office settings. It was pretty much the same with the volume off as it was on, because they were accurately portraying office life.  The assumptions I made with the volume off were the same as when I turned the volume on. You saw the chemistry between the people in the office who had "office crushes" and those that were not getting along.

Off topic, this was a really funny show and i think I'll tuned in or maybe watch some old episodes.