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

This week's blog has been dedicated to finding communities that appeal to personal goals from a national/federal level. 

There are definitely programs and communities that I would like to involve myself with that could influence my professional and personal outlook on the entire early childhood community. 

NAEYC is the largest organization that I would align myself with professionally; specifically because of their own value statement and practice. 

"The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children," (NAEYC). 

I am a strong supporter of diverse and impactful educational settings and environments for children and their families. I believe that it is important for children and their families to be comfortable within the educational system in order for the child to be successful. 

Another program would be Educators 4 Excellence. 

"E4E envisions an elevated, prestigious teaching profession in which educators are leaders both in and outside of their classrooms to drive positive outcomes for students," (E4E). 

E4E promotes strong relationships that heavily influence the positivity and the growth within the early childhood field. Starting strong can make a difference in the development of all children. 

Resources:

http://www.naeyc.org/content/about-naeyc

http://www.educators4excellence.org/about-us

Capstone wk 2 blog assignment

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

It has taken me a long time to have gotten this far with my educational journey. I have worked for the federal government for many years and I would like to continue working within the federal government.

I wasn’t sure if I was making an impact or a difference in what I do as an Assistant Director for the school age center I work at. I was recently told that I do make a difference for my staff, my colleagues and most of all the children and their families. I enjoy coming to work; it is fun, entertaining, challenging, and difficult at times, but my job keeps me humble and young at heart. There are not very many places of employment that it is okay to be silly but nurturing as well.

The job that I would like to pursue in the future would be a CYS Training Specialist. The individual would serve as a trainer and professional child/youth development education consultant for CDS, SAS, CLEOS and YS programs with responsibility for ensuring the quality and consistency of programming to include: environment, equipment, materials, program structure, special needs inclusion, curriculum, risk management practices to minimize risk of abuse; supportive interactions and positive social development and oversight and coordination of activity/program schedules.

Qualification for this position is successful completion of an undergraduate Degree that included at least 24 semester hours in child development or early childhood education, or other fields appropriate to the position to be filled consistent with: Early Childhood Education/Child Development or Elementary Education is required.

Professional Hopes and Goals

This course has definitely opened my eyes to new thoughts and thought processes when dealing with diversities and their influence on cultural dynamics. There are so many different aspects to consider when dealing with diversities. Not only have the cultural diversities begun to outline themselves, but diversities through age differences, religious differences and even sexuality differences have proven unwillfully interventional.

One hope is that I hope for the continued positive advancements towards equality and freedom. With the fight for equality and continuation, I definitely hope that we continue on a very diverse path on the way to equal freedom for all.

One goal is that I begin to understand the depths of diversity and diverse dynamics. With different aspects to consider, it can be incredibly difficult to understand the outlines of diversity and its influences.

To all my classmates, it has been a definite pleasure and good luck to all of your future advances!

Norway

The origin country of which the child that will be joining my group is Norway. 

Five ways in which I will prepare myself for the child will be to learn cultural practices and basic language phrases to have communication with the child and the child's family. 

Also want to understand the day to day basics of the schooling and compare it to the schooling or day to day basics of our day. I want to be able to reason with the change and not implode too many changes at one time. 

Another couple of ways I would prepare myself would be to find someone or something to use as a beginning barrier. A talking point. Usually children/families who have a different background are less susceptible to open conversation. I wouldn't want to put someone on the spot to and not have a way to rebuttal the situation. I wouldn't want to have no way of locking in a strong personal connection with the family/child.

I would hope that I'm prepared for the family's cultural differences. It's definitely hard to understand the differences that go into family's and their cultural insight, but I wouldn't want to have a lack of diversity training to not be able to help the family transition as easily as possible. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

When I think of an incident that strikes me as someone experiencing bias, I think of when my family moved from Alaska to Virginia. My children went to a school that was predominantly African-American and with this came strong culture shock. My children range in complexion and my middle child is more pale than her siblings and she would be bullied about her skin in comparison to her other siblings. This definitely angered me and it led to me having to let my daughter know of differences that were explained through different cultures. 

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

I think that when my daughter realized she was always going to be different, it helped her to understand that she was being bullied for being different and that became alright to her. After explaining the important features of her differences, it wasn't as bad as the initial thought. 

• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

I felt strongly concerned for my daughter. I was angry, I was frustrated, definitely worried, among other things. There were so many emotions going through this experience, but it definitely opened my eyes to a different culturally infused area.