August 23, 2014

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.

August 9, 2014

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/