Time Well Spent

The biggest lesson I learned throughout the course of this Masters program was how to continue to be persistent in my approach to learning. My first attempt at grad school nearly 10 years ago resulted in me taking a semester off to have my first child. I never returned. This time around, despite getting pregnant once again with my third, I continued to persevere and didn’t take a single week off. I was even in the hospital with my baby, only a few hours old, finishing a last-minute assignment to submit before the deadline. I know that my children will look at my experience as an example to be persistent and continue to persevere in their own learning pursuits. The next lesson I learned was the importance of self-assessment and reflection in leadership. If I intend to call myself a leader and earn the respect of those working with me, I must be willing to analyze my own practices and continue to strive for improvement and increased professional development. Finally, I learned that there are so many different approaches to early childhood development and that my own Western way of thinking is not always best. This program has taught me to welcome new approaches and schools of thought and implement them in my work with young children and their families.

One long term goal is to continue to advocate for the professionalization of the early childhood field. As an educator of adults, I want to help as many early childhood professionals meet their fullest potential as they seek additional education and advance professionally. I am advocating to increase the minimum qualification for early childhood educators in my state to an Associates degree. My current staff is working towards that goal and I hope to see this become the norm across the entire state.

To my colleagues, I know that I joined most of you towards the end of this cohort and did not have the privilege of learning with you throughout the duration of the program. However, what little time I spent in discussion with each of you has greatly enhanced my knowledge and inspired me as I continue my professional pursuits in early childhood education. To Dr. E and the rest of the instructors throughout this program, thank you for your encouragement and support. Your feedback has inspired me to, not only continue to pursue my goals, but to create new goals to aspire to.

If you ever find yourself at a conference or event and Georgia please don’t hesitate to look me up. You can email me at Kristen.ware@gmail.com

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

As I researched international organizations this week, the Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Préscolaire (OMEP) immediately appealed to me. The organization name translates to World Organization for Early Childhood Education and Care. OMEP consults with both the UN and UNICEF to advocated for increased accessibility to high-quality early care and education worldwide. Their main objective is to “to defend and promote the rights of the child with special emphasis on the right to education and care worldwide” (OMEP, n.d.). Their website lists 8 aims and objectives but the one that stuck out most to me was “(4) Encouraging the training of personnel for early childhood education and care” (OMEP, n.d.). Promoting a high-quality, effective early childhood workforce is a passion of mine and I am interested in what that looks like on a global scale.

As I learned about OMEP I stumbled upon another organization that they collaborate with, the Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development (CGECCD). CGECCD describes themselves as a “A global network advocating for increased attention to and investment in young children” (CGECCD, n.d.). This organization emphasizes equitability in early care and education, so they focus their efforts on young children and their families living in “disadvantaged circumstances in low- and middle-income communities” (CGECCD, n.d.). This especially appealed to me as I have lived and taught in both Ghana and Uganda and have seen firsthand the effects of extreme poverty on child development.

Another international organization that appealed to me is UNICEF. UNICEF is renowned for being the advocating voice for the human rights of children across the globe who cannot fight and advocate for themselves. Education, particularly early childhood education and development, is one of their most critical initiatives. Also, UNICEF was one of the few organizations that I found to have career openings available. As I perused their vacant positions, I was struck by the position of Programme Assistant for the Education Section in New York. Qualifications for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Completion of Secondary Education (i.e. High School Diploma).
• A minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible work experience in an administrative capacity is required.
• Working knowledge of UNICEF programme policies and administrative and financial procedures is desirable.
• Passing the GGST Exam (Global General Service Test) or UN ASAT in English is required.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written) and knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish)

Referenes

CGECCD. (n.d.). Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development. Retrieved from http://www.ecdgroup.com/

OMEP. (n.d.). Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Prescolaire. Retrieved from http://worldomep.org/

UNICEF. (n.d.). United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/

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

The first national organization that appealed to me is one that I am already involved with through their state affiliate. As an African American woman with a background is sociology and African American studies, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) was an organization that initially encouraged me to pursue a career in education. Throughout history, Black children in America have been dually oppressed through systemic traditions of racial discrimination and cyclical poverty. The mission of NCBDI is to “improve and advance the quality of life for Black children and their families through education and advocacy” (NCBDI, n.d.). They seek to be the voice for these children who are powerless to advocate for themselves for affordable access to early care and education, healthcare, literacy initiatives, and family education and engagement. One of their current initiatives is to support the implementation of T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher education and Compensation Helps) to encourage a more qualified early childhood workforce by addressing teacher education, compensation, and turnover issues.

Currently NCBDI has employment opportunities for Early Childhood Program Assistants to support the implementation and daily operations of T.E.A.C.H. According to their website, they require the following qualifications:

• ·         Excellent oral and written communication skills, database management experience; knowledge of or demonstrated ability to learn FileMaker Pro or other database
• ·         Ability to work effectively with nontraditional first-generation college students
• ·         Attention to detail with ability to perform assignments efficiently and accurately.
• ·         Must deliver high-quality customer service, demonstrate the ability to effectively problem-solve and support team productivity.
• ·         A high comfort level with managing multiple and changing priorities, while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• ·         Demonstrated commitment to collaboration.
• ·         Bachelor’s Degree and at least 2 years of related experience. (NBCDI, n.d.)

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center is an organization that caught my eye while researching my current challenge for this capstone project. They created the organization nearly 20 years ago after the overwhelming growth and expansion of the T.E.A.C.H. Project. Through this project, the organization has “increased the availability of accessible, affordable college education and workforce supports for these women in low wage jobs working with vulnerable children in early education settings” (T.E.A.C.H., n.d.). In addition to housing the T.E.A.C.H. Project, this organization also created WAGE$, an initiative providing tiered salary supplements to early childhood professionals to encourage educators to pursue higher education and lengthen their tenure in the field. Currently, the organization is seeking advocates to raise awareness the issues concerning the early childhood workforce and pursue full adoption across all 50 states of both the T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ projects.

Another national organization that interests me is the Association for Early Learning Leaders. This organization seeks to improve quality care and education for young children by focusing on strengthening the leadership in the field. Through networking opportunities, training and education for directors, owners, and administrators, this organization helps to create a strong web of leadership that can guide the early childhood field towards excellence.

References:

Association for Early Learning Leaders. (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2018, from https://www.earlylearningleaders.org/

NBCDI. (n.d.). National Black Child Development Institute. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://www.nbcdi.org/

T.E.A.C.H. (n.d.). T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center. Retrieved June 1, 2018, from http://teachecnationalcenter.org/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

One community of practice (CoP) I am already involved in is Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children (GAEYC). This organization is a local affiliate of NAEYC and works to provide all young children and their families with high-quality programs for their early care and learning. I originally joined this organization because of its commitment to advancing the early childhood profession by offering professional development opportunities for early childhood educators. Their vision is “a world in which all children have the learning opportunities they need for healthy development, supported by early childhood educators who have the education, financial support, and the recognition of their community” (GAEYC, n.d.). Advancing an effective workforce and supporting all who work on behalf of young children is my personal passion and this organization’s advocacy and public policy work, coupled with the many trainings, resources, and conferences they provide for educators immediately appealed to me. The early childhood professionals I have met while attending Director Training, Training for Trainers, and conferences through GAEYC continue to be integral members of my personal CoP and we communicate regularly for support and encouragement.

Another CoP which has aided in my professional development and advocacy work is the Georgia Child Care Association (GCCA). This group of owners, directors, and advocates work together to advocate for state policies that support and foster developmentally appropriate practices and environments without imposing undue costs and burdens upon the early childhood administrators who strive to provide quality, affordable, and accessible care and education (GCCA, n.d.). As a director, this CoP strengthens my professional practices as they provide ongoing support in understanding state licensing requirements as well as offering training opportunities to support quality improvement. The resources, networking opportunities, and professional development received through this CoP supports my business practices, financial stability, and long-term sustainability of my program.

Recently, I was invited to be an ambassador for a local CoP consisting of child care providers currently going through the Quality Rated (Georgia’s QRIS) process. This cohort of early childhood professionals meet quarterly in various locations throughout the state to share ideas, success stories, and lessons learned through the Quality Rated process. As an ambassador, having multiple experiences going through Quality Rated as well as NAEYC accreditation, my goal is to provide support and encouragement to those professionals who may be going through this process for the first time. It can be very overwhelming and frustrating for those who may not have all the structures already in place in their programs. This CoP was of great assistance to me when I went through the Quality Rated process so many years ago I am grateful to be able to provide the same supports for others.

An opportunity that currently interests me is serving on the GAEYC Executive Committee as the Vice President for Program and Professional Development. This position works closely with the GAEYC Conference and Professional Development committees to provide high quality professional development to teachers, directors, and trainers enabling them to meet and/or exceed NAEYC standards for care and education of young children and their families. With over a decade of experience as an educator, six years as a director, trainer, and coach, and my certification in Project Management. I already possess the required skills and experience necessary to fulfill the position. Completing this Masters program will only elevate my skillset and better equip me to continue the advancement of the early childhood field through professional development.

References:

DECAL. (n.d.). Quality rated child care. Retrieved May 19, 2018, from https://qualityrated.decal.ga.gov

GAEYC. (n.d.). Georgia association for the education of young children. Retrieved May 19, 2018, from http://www.gaeyc.net

GCCA. (n.d.). Georgia child care association. Retrieved May 19, 2018, from https://georgiachildcare.org/