Time Well Spent

It is hard to believe that this journey that I set out on almost two years ago has finally come to an end. I started this journey with a four-month old little girl and added a little boy half way through! There were so many times that I felt I would not make it through a course due to my hectic everyday life. I learned so much from this program not only academically and professionally but also personally. 

One thing that I learned is that I need to be confident in my abilities as I doubted myself all the way to the end of the program, this last course actually the most, but I always ended up doing well. Transferring this to my professional life will help me to instill confidence in the young children that I work with and to teach them perseverance.

            This program taught me that I need to do more. Getting by with just doing the minimum for the children and families that we serve is not acceptable and educators always need to do more. I found myself thinking this during almost every class in this program in many different aspects. I need to be an advocate for the children and families that I am working with. 

             I learned that there is so much more to diversity than I ever imagined. I now understand the different types of diversity and am able to recognize bias when I see it. It takes more for me to point it out to others but that is something that I am still working towards. It is hard to stand up to others, but I know that we must in order to make things right for young children and their families. 

            When thinking of the future I will continue on my path of being an anti-bias educator, always learning about this approach and the early childhood field. If given the opportunity, I would like to work with parents even more to give them resources and support in their lives as well. This may take time to get a position where I am the one working in a partnership with families but it is something that I would like to do in the future. 

            To my colleagues and instructors, I must say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and always giving me feedback that will help me professionally. While I am looking forward to having free time again I will miss the opportunity to collaborate with all of you, my colleagues, that live all over the country and work in many different areas in early childhood. Each of you has brought a unique perspective to our program and my eyes have been opened multiple times as I hope that I have brought insight to you. Thank you and good luck in molding the minds of young children. 

            

ECE Community: International Level

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is an organization that I have done some research on in previous courses and have found that their mission, saving the lives of children and defending their lives not only in early childhood but also through adolescence, is one that I believe does great work (United Nations Children’s Fund, n.d.). One position within UNICEF that is available is an International Professional who would serve in an area outside of their country (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2017). There are many requirements for this position which I absolutely do not qualify for, such as proficiency in another language, previous work experience in developing countries, and also technical knowledge and skills (United Nations Children’s Fund, n.d.). I would also need a degree in a specific field, which I would not currently have from this program. 

            FHI 360 is another international organization that appeals to me as they want people and communities to reach their highest potential, while the organization uses locally driven solutions to reach this goal (FHI 360, n.d.). I like the idea of finding local solutions to problems as each area has unique needs and strengths. In the many open positions within this organizations, such as the Work and Learning Department Director or the Program Assistant, I really do not meet the qualifications at all due to experience and necessary skills (FHI 360, n.d.). While having a degree in Education helps for the position of Project Manager in Social Marketing and Communication, I do not have experience as a project manager (FHI 360, n.d.). Other skills necessary for many of the positions include communication skills, knowledge of the necessary information, and be able to speak the language of the host country if the position is in another country (FHI 360, n.d.).

            The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development focuses on improving social and economic life of people all around the world (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, n.d.). This organization focuses on people that are all ages to help them with skills so that they are able to work effectively now as well as in the future (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, n.d.). There were positions open in this organization, however, I do not qualify for any position available. There is also a Young Professionals section that only applies to people born after January 1, 1981 and are from a country that is in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, n.d.). 

            Overall, I feel like I would need to do a lot more searching and gain much more experiencing before being able to work in an international organization that work for positive social change, especially those that have a focus on children and families. While I feel that I have many skills, not being able to speak a language other than English is one big way that I am not meeting the requirements for many positions. Perhaps that is something to look into once this Master’s program ends. 

References

FHI 360. (n.d.) Vision and Mission. Retrieved August 11, 2018 from https://www.fhi360.org/about-us/vision-and-mission

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (n.d.) About the OECD. Retrieved August 11, 2018 from http://www.oecd.org/about/

United Nations Children’s Fund. (n.d.). Unicef’s work. Retrieved August 9, 2018 from https://www.unicef.org/ 

United Nations Children’s Fund. (2017). About UNICEF: Employment. Retrieved August 9, 2018 from https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_qualifications.html

ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Being a classroom teacher for many years I have never really considered working in a different area of the early childhood field. The value that is in many different national and federal organization and agencies is huge but my aspirations have never led me to them before. Searching for these different organizations has shown me that perhaps I could make a difference for children and their families in a place other than the classroom. 

            The first organization I found is Head Start, which is a federal program that focuses on low-income families and the school readiness for those children through age five (Office of Head Start, 2018). Not only does Head Start focus on learning for young children but also their health and their families. Including families is important to me because the relationship between formal education and home needs to be a solid one. Giving families the help that they made need at that time can greatly improve the quality of life for the children and the rest of the family. Although I did not find any job openings that really applied to me with the exception of in the teacher role, there are requirements listed for these roles such as teacher and family service workers. As a family service worker, I would need to work on parent training and family literacy while working together with families and educators as well (Head Start, n.d.). 

            The second agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Children and Families, which focuses on not only children and families but also on communities as they promote economic independence, healthy communities, partnerships with states, local jurisdictions, and other providers, all while giving better access to services (Administration for Children & Families, n.d.). There are open jobs within this agency and many are focused on evaluating programs and regulations that relate to children and families and funding. A program specialist will need to be able to write reports, issue papers, complete community outreach all in order to promote the Administration for Children & Families. While I do not meet the qualification as I do not have a degree or experience in behavioral or social sciences, this is something that I could work towards if I further considered a career change to help children and families in a different way. 

            The third organization, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is one that I have studied but never looked for a career in. The mission of the NAEYC is to “promote high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research” (National Association for the Education of Young Children, n.d.). One position that is available with the NAEYC is a Quality Assessment Assistant who would provide support regarding Early Learning Programs. This position helps with the accreditation process and the person must have clerical experience in order to so. While much of this position it seems is clerical, previous work in the education field is a bonus and could help in many ways. 

References

Administration for Children & Families. (n.d.) What we do. Retrieved July 27, 2018 from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/about/what-we-do

Head Start. (n.d.). Sec. 648A staff qualification and development. Retrieved July 27, 2018 from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/head-start-act/sec-648a-staff-qualifications-development

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Our mission and strategic direction. Retrieved July 27, 2018 from https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/people/mission-and-strategic-direction

Office of Head Start. (2018). About the office of head start. Retrieved July 27, 2018 from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs/about           

ECE Community: Local and State Levels

While searching for organizations, agencies, ad communities of practice in Maryland, I have found many places and positions that would benefit children and families that speak a language other than English in their homes. There are county government agencies, school districts, and more that appeal to me and to early childhood. 

            The county government agency of Prince George’s County, specifically the Department of Family Services, is meant to improve the quality of life for children and families (Prince George’s County, Maryland, n.d.). Within this Department is the Children and Families Information Center and a Community Partnership Agreement which both list multiple ways that the agency is working with the community to promote the success of children and their families. 

            The Prince George’s County Public School system is a diverse school system that services children from urban, suburban, and rural areas and is one of the top 25 largest school districts in the nation (Prince George’s County Public Schools, n.d.). This school district reaches more than 130,000 students with 58% of student Black or African American, 33% Hispanic, 4% White, 3% Asian there is much diversity throughout (Prince George’s County Public Schools, 2017). The core values and mission statement of this school system are so important for children and their families, especially those English Language Learners that need extra support in navigating a new system. While completing this search I found one job opening that is interesting to me but I do not qualify for. A bilingual parent and community outreach assistant is a position within Prince George’s County Public Schools that works to develop parent education and workshops all while involving families in the school (Prince George’s County Public Schools, 2013). In order to do this job, I would need to speak a language other than English and would need to be able to communicate effectively with those families that speak a different language. I would need to be a collaborator with both staff and families in order to make positive contributions to those served.

            Another organization, The Judy Center, is an organization that supports children from birth to age five and their families as well (Maryland State Department of Education Division on Early Childhood, n.d.). Not only does this organization promote school readiness for young children but it also provides adult education and opportunities for family literacy as well. Although no jobs are currently listed for working within the Judy Center, I believe that being knowledgeable about different resources available for families would be a key in successfully working with families there. 

             

References

Prince George’s County, Maryland. (n.d.) Family Division. Retrieved July 14, 2018 from https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/1630/About-Us.

Prince George’s County Public Schools (n.d). About us. Retrieved July 14, 2018 from http://pgcps.org/aboutpgcps.aspx

Prince George’s County Public Schools (2017). Facts and figures. Retrieved July 14, 2018 from http://pgcps.org/facts-and-figures/

Maryland State Department of Education Division on Early Childhood. (n.d.) Judy Centers.Retrieved July 14, 2018 from https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/families/judy-centers

Prince George’s County Public Schools (2013). Bi-lingual parent and community outreach assistant.  Retrieved July 14, 2018 from http://pgcps.org/compensationandclassification/jobs.aspx

Hope and Thank You

As I move forward as an early childhood professional and also to the last class of this program, I hope to be able to connect with young children in meaningful relationships. I hope to be able to learn about each child, their family, culture, and what makes them different and special. I hope to form partnerships with families, not just for the benefit of children, but to help each individual family and the community. 

            Each course has allowed and encouraged me to grow as a professional and I have my colleagues to thank for their contributions and questions to my blog and discussion posts. Thank you and good luck in your final course!

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I chose to research the Latin America and Caribbean region of UNICEF. I have worked with many children from countries that fall in this region and knowing more about the difficulties children face in their home country may help me better understand them as they come into my classroom. 

            People in some of the region are dealing with Volcano Fuego and the aftermath of eruption. People are scared and this can lead to lifelong emotional issues for young children that are dealing with this natural disaster and all that comes with it. Children are losing their homes, their loved ones, and the sense of security they need to stay emotionally stable. 

            Professionally, I need to do a better job of paying attention to the news and all that happens in the community, country, and also the home countries of the families I work with. While I have my reasons for not watching the news, reading through the UNICEF website showed me so many things that I was simply unaware of. This shows me that I need to be more current so that I can help families even when they do not ask for it. 

References

https://www.unicef.org/lac/

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

This week’s topic of the sexualization in early childhood is very worrying to me. The real-life accounts presented in the book excerpt, So Sexy So Soon,are alarming for parents, educators, and should be to the rest of society as well. 

            As summer approaches, I look at what young children are wearing to the pool and beach and see the big difference in bathing suit choices for girls and boys. Boys are given the option of swim trunks and swim shirts while girls are given bathing suits and most of the time bikinis. This shows me that even young girls are expected to dress a certain way when going to swim and that they should be wearing as little as possible. This can give young girls self-esteem issues early on if they are not comfortable wearing these items.

            When I think back to some of my past students, I remember some of them and their love of dancing. While dancing is a fantastic thing to be doing, the choice of dance moves can be alarming. Children are often watching older sibling, their parents, or videos on the internet of people dancing and are mimicking them. 

            In my first few years of teaching, I had a few classes that loved to sing the hits from the radio. There were quite a few times though that I was surprised at the songs they were singing because they were referencing sex or were overtly sexual. If children are thinking that the lyrics to each of the songs they were singing were truly about their lives then they may have an unrealistic image of relationships and themselves. 

            As an early childhood educator, I think that in many ways we need to be current in what is going on around us. Recently I have not kept up with the popular music that children are listening to but I think it is important that I know the songs they are singing so that I can talk to them about it if need be. Talking to children openly is a good step in the right direction to reduce the negative impact on their development. In some cases, I may need to talk to families as they may not realize that their child is actually paying attention to the radio in the car or the videos that a family member may be watching. In terms of clothing choices, I really just suggest that if you are not comfortable with your child wearing something, do not buy it. This is definitely difficult for some things but it is necessary to help children in their healthy development. 

References

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf