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
