The early childhood field goes beyond the local and
national level. There are opportunities at the national and federal level as
well. I researched a few, but there are three that really interested me.
The first is the National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The NAEYC provides opportunities for early
childhood educators to develop professionally and improve the quality of early
childhood programs. They also create public awareness on issues affecting the
lives of young children and their families. One thing they value is
collaboration, which is important when belonging to a Community of Practice. One
position they have available is to be on the Council for NAEYC Accreditation.
Council members serve for a three year term and monitor
the work of the NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation.
They did not list any skills or prerequisites needed, however, I am certain
that I would need to know and understand NAEYC’s criteria for accreditation.
I am also interested in ZERO TO THREE, National Center
for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. ZERO TO THREEE is a nonprofit organization
that provides parents, professionals, and policy makers knowledge on child development.
They also promote the understanding of issues affecting children and their
families. ZERO TO THREE interests me because their work focuses on all aspects
of development of children, which is physical, social, emotional, intellectual,
and language. I researched job positions available and I am interested in the
Senior Program Associate position. This position is for the Early Head Start
National Resource Center department. The Senior Program Associate provides
training and technical support to Early Head Start programs. The Senior Program
Associate will also support marketing efforts, provide administration support
to Conference and Meeting teams, and work with the Senior Training Specialist. One
skill that I would need for this position is knowledge in HTML4 and CSS2. I
would also need to brush up my Photoshop and Illustrator skills.
Lastly, I am interested in the National Black Child
Development Institute (NBCDI). The NBCDI collaborates with leaders, policy
makers, professionals, and parents around issues that impact African American
children and their families. This organization is committed to improving the
quality and life of African American children. I chose this organization because
I never knew it existed, and being of African descent I am also interested in
the issues concerning African American children. Currently, they have one job
opportunity available for the position of President and CEO. I am not interested
in this position at the moment, but I will still list the skills I would need
if I were interested. To qualify for the position, I would need to have and
advanced degree and 15 years experience in a leadership role. I would also need
experience in resource development, experience in public policy impacting
low-income children, and knowledge of historic and current issues related to
child health and development, family development, and educational outcomes.
Website Links
Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in the NBCDI organization. I, too, did not know it existed. In order to be an agent of change and a competent practitioner for children's education, I must be able to understand the specific needs and cultures of each family I would serve. I firmly believe that diversity is more about culture than ethnicity. In our perspective diversity and equity course with Dr. Snyder that "everything we do is…related to culture,” (Leaureate, 2010).
Reference
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive producer). (2010). EDUC 6164-1: Perspective Diversity and Equity [Webcast]. Family Cultures: Dynamic Interactions. Baltimore, MD:
Author.
Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your thorough explanation of the National organizations that you choose. I find NAEYC to be an exceptional resource and teaching tool for others. NAEYC offers so many resources and teaching opportunities for others. NAEYC is best practices and it is a stepping stone for early childhood teachers to be heard. NAEYC advocates a great deal for laws and legislation to ensure our children have the best opportunities when it comes to child care services and education. Great resources. Melissa Weaver
You have chosen good organizations at state and federal level. They are great resources too. I don't know if you are aware of any Nigerian state and federal organizations that are active in early childhood. Personally I have not found any, and wish I had. What I have found are individuals trying to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteDear Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteYou have made some great choices in selecting your organizations. I am actually a member of NBCDI organization. I utilize the website often, in fact I have printed some of the valuable information for many of my parents on successful parenting.
Dear Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteI always knew that early childhood educators loved the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Reading everyone’s blog I can see, we all want to make a powerful difference. The phrase children are our future is what this organization thrives to accomplish. To do so much for the standards they set to create a better life for children gives me hope for all of our children’s future. I can see the positive difference we want to make in every child’s life we teach. This goal alone will create change for our world. I believe early childhood teachers can accomplish and be successful in this mission.
Thank you, Kathleen