Time Well Spent

God is good, God is GREAT! I am feeling so many emotions writing this blog post, but I know it will not be my last. I am excited for the next chapter of my life! I have come a long way and it has taken me the full 20 months to really appreciate this journey, there is no looking back but onwards to great things. I feel a renewed spirit not only for life but for all that I will do from here on. It has truly been a learning experience.






From this course I learned about the importance of community of practice and how to effectively build and communicate with a team. There were time when I thought 'How can I do this by myself?'. It is important to reach out and find those who have a similar passion or experience that they can share with you.
It is important that we learn how to actively communicate and learn how to listen to one another and to not have the "I can do it all by myself attitude". I have learned a lot about myself, and I am happy. My long term goal is to be an asset to the field of early childhood and to take on challenges in an ever diverse world and to keep on learning.


Words cannot describe how much I appreciate Dr.Darragh for her insight throughtout this course, I appreciate all your help and support. Finally to my colleagues,although I have not personally met you I feel that I know you. You have been instrumental in this journey; your feedback and your knowledge sharing as an early childhood professional has made it all worth it. I am proud of you, I am proud of us. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours, may we remember each other and perhaps we will meet one day in the future. I can be contacted at kalipoo@gmail.com. Take care and God bless.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community-International

This blog assignment allows us to think outside of our comfort zone, outside of the norm that we are accustomed to. We know think along the lines of what it takes to be a member of an Internaional Early Childhood Community. It implores of as professionals to explore and  imagine our self in a variety of jobs that foster the well-being of children, families, and the early childhood field.

The first organization is Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), their mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. They work with governments to understand what drives economic, social and environmental change.  They look at issues that directly affect everyone’s daily life, like how much people pay in taxes and social security, and how much leisure time they can take. We compare how different countries’ school systems are readying their young people for modern life, and how different countries’ pension systems will look after their citizens in old age.I choose this organization because they believe in addressing long term challenges and encourage social change, as an educator striving for such I think this organization is a good fit.

One job I saw was the position for Deputy Director, Director for Education and Skills. The ideal candidate will have excellent and proven public policy skills. S/he will thrive in a multidisciplinary and multicultural work environment, demonstrate innovative strategic thinking and have proven analytical skills as well as a record of accomplishment of managing a complex programme of work and budget, and a highly qualified international team within the tight deadlines of a rapidly evolving policy environment. Having an advanced university degree in education, economics, statistics or another relevant discipline. 

The second organization is the Canadian Childcare Federation, their mission is  to protect and enhance our children, to promote their safety and their healthy growth and development, they are committed to providing Canadians with the very best in early learning and child care knowledge and best practices.  I choose this organization because they understand the importance of providing quality early learning and to have competent and well-trained professional who will deliver quality education with passion and pride.

One position was for an Education Team Leader. The qualifications are a Master’s degree in education with experience in girls education, a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience working.  Expertise with Microsoft VBA and database management software would be an advantage, excellent drafting skills and very good ability to communicate orally in one of the official languages of the organization (English and French). 

The last organization is The Diversity Abroad Network it is the leading professional consortium of higher education institutions, government agencies, for-profit and non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing diversity and equity in international education. There is a need for a dedicated space for professionals to network, share best practices, participate in career development, and voice their opinions and experiences with respect to diversity and equality in global education. Their mission is to create a collaborative environment for international educators, diversity/multicultural educators, and other academic/student service professionals to share, discuss and debate strategies and best practices for recruiting, advising, and serving the needs of diverse students in global education. I choose this organization because I believe in their stance, to help disadvantaged children who are considered to not fit into the ‘mold of society’, those considered as diverse.

One job opportunity is for a Special Education Teacher, it requires for the applicant to reflect critically upon teaching experience; identify areas for further professional development as part of a professional development plan that is linked to grade level, school, and network goals; access meaningful learning experiences; and listen thoughtfully to other viewpoints and respond constructively to suggestions and criticisms. Develop an Individual Professional Development Plan for approval by the school principal. Having a Master’s Degree with a minimum of two years in a leadership capacity with a highly qualified status on the No Child Left Behind Policy.

References

Canadian Childcare Federation (CCF). (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2014 from http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/?product_cat

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2014 from http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

Diversity Abroad Network.(n.d.) Retrieved August 8, 2014 from http://www.diversitynetwork.org/

Jobs in the ECE Community:National and Federal Level

In Week 2, my Blog Assignment I researched on local and state early childhood organizations, agencies, and communities of practice. This week, I had the privilege to explore national organizations and federal agencies, three that appealed to me were Zero to Three ,The Division for Early Childhood Education, and the National Institue for Early Childhood research. While i research the  variety of jobs they are offered, the organizations/agencies also foster the well-being of children, families, and the early childhood field. It inspired my thinking not only about places I might like to work but also roles I might like to take on in the field, now and in the future.

Zero to Three
Zero to Three is a national non-profit organization that "provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development" (n.d.,2012). Zero To Three's mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. 
Position: Senior Information Specialist
The Senior Training Specialist is responsible for contributing to the efforts of the EHS NRC to develop a comprehensive body of knowledge for the EHS and MSHS community by organizing and enhancing the quality of EHS NRC training efforts. This position will provide a limited number of research-based training through face-to-face venues as well as distance venues (audioconferences, webinars and/or webcasts).
Education:
Master’s degree in early childhood development or related field
Thoughts:
Based on the criteria for this job and the credibility of the organization I think it would be a great fit for myself and the organization.


Division of Early Childhood Education

The mission of the Division of Early Childhood Education’s Council is "All Children Together". Working with this organization would be a dream of mine as they continually seek out opportunities to help children in the early childhood field, and to provide support and education to their families, educators and the community.

Position:Professional Development Specialist

The successful applicant will provide support for the professional development of kindergarten teachers as part of an educational intervention project to improve school readiness of disadvantaged children. He or she will also participate in research activities and receive training in the project’s specific coaching model in order to conduct classroom observations of teaching practices and curriculum implementation.

Skills and experience

Experience working on early intervention projects, experience providing professional development to kindergarten teachers, experience teaching and implementing content-based curricula in early elementary school,  access and ability to transport self to school sites, knowledge of early childhood development and curriculum, ability to pass a criminal background check.

Thoughts

For this particular job, it would provide me with an opportunity to expand on my researchers capability. Perhaps this job would be a challenge, but I would willingly accept an overcome.


National Institute for Early Childhood Research

The National Institute for Early Childhood Research, focuses on enhancing the knowledge and experiences of individuals working with young children in order to increase the quality of their early learning programs through the creation of learning communities (National Institute for Early Childhood Research, 2014).

Position: Data Collectors

Experience and Education: Applicants should be graduate students, have a BA or be upperclassman undergraduate students with a focus on child development, early childhood, psychology or related field. Knowledgeable about child development and developmentally appropriate early childhood teaching practices (e.g. Teacher) preferred. Experience in classroom settings and/or working with children highly preferred

References
Division of Early Childhood Education. (2014). Council for Exceptional Children. Retrieved

from http://careers.dec-sped.org/.

National Institute for Early Childhood Research. (2013). Center for Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/about-nieer/ceelo-project-description.

Zero to Three. (2012). Early experiences matter. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/.

 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

This week I had the opportunity to explore local and state early childhood organizations, agencies, and communities of practice to help me imagine a variety of jobs that help the well-being of children, families, and the early childhood field. The three state and local organizations that appealed the most to me were:

The Hiroshima Board of Education www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp.e.bq.hp.com

The HBE mission is to provide every child with the best education available in Japan, that each child is provided with the best foundation for knowledge and skill development. They have outlined in their ten year "Hiroshima Future ChallengeVision" which was initiated in 2010 to improve community relations and be a portal for information regarding early childhood care and be a tool to child care supporters regardless of administration or private enterprises.One job posted on their websites were for International Pre-School teachers in the prefecture. The requirements are to be a have English at a Native Level and enjoy interacting with young children. The job qualification is to provide English enriched activities for children ages 3 to 12 and to nurture children in a comfortable English-speaking environment where they listen and speak English in a natural way.


The Hiroshima Department of Human Services and Rights www.hiroshima-ic.or.jp

The HDHS mission is to offer temporary employment assistance, housing assistance, language assistance and offer support for those who have experiences inconveniences in their daily lives and suffered human rights violation such as personal discrimination. The are also responsible for Child Care Assistance, Child Support, Human Rights consultations and Employment and working conditions. This organization appeals to me because they serve those who have been prejudiced against and my passion is to have an anti-bias educational curriculum. The job available on the website, caters to foreigners who have a business level of Japanese and a teaching qualification of CELTA, DELTA, TEFL.


The last state organization is in Alberta, Canada as this is my next destination. The Alberta Child Care Association www.albertachildcare.org

The ACA mission is to advance a unified child care profession by providing support, education and recognition of its members and to achieve excellence in delivering quality service for children between 0-12. There are several jobs listed on the website starting from assisting in the classroom to vice principals. The VP requirement is a post graduate degree in the field of education, previous administrative position and working with young children and ability to work in a team and foster collaborative processes.

These three local and state organization were of special interest to me because of their of their community relations and their endeavours to the field of early childhood. It shows their dedication to the field and offers a wealth of information and support. This is important as I continue my educational journey.

Wordle on Diversity

I consider myself to be a little comuter savvy but working on a tablet(which  cannot access java on wordle.net) because my laptop is broken. Thankfully their are other options on the internet to make a wordle. I enjoyed making the wordle, it allows me to refelct on what I have learned thus far.

Thank you

 Dear Colleagues and friends,                                                                                                       As this my 7th course is coming to an end I want to say thank you for your kind words and continued support. It has been a challenging but a thought-provoking course. I want to wish you all the best, let us continue to rise to the challenge and bring new ideas and make an impact on the Early Childhood field. Perhaps I'll see you in another course or perhaps our journey ends here, let us adjourn knowing that we have helped one another to become better persons. Until next time... 

Team Development

This week we learned about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. When considering the adjourning phase of one group that I was involved in, I can not recall happy moments.



Due to the lack of communication that existed in the group, I think many of the members were so happy the project was over that they just wanted to move on without any attachment. I think it was a relief when we could end the team work. There was no collective recognition of each members contribution, we were happy it was over. It showed that we were never a part of an effective and communicative team. 




Concerning my Walden University colleagues, I can tell that I do not want to adjourn this team. I appreciate working with different individuals, we hare our experiences and our wisdom with one another. I feel like I am apart of a team even though we are not physically in the same region. I have received advice and their is a comfort level that shows we genuinely care for one another. We have established trust and still maintain a level of professionalism that is second to none.I have enjoyed sharing personal stories and learning about how other perceive me and my work.

Adjourning is an important part of the teamwork because it creates a level of respect and understanding for all the participants in the team. And it shows that the task has been completed, it is necessary that we complete tasks together.