Time Well Spent

     The three things that I deeply felt that I learned from this program are: 1) Self –check. I learned that through the Anti –Bias curriculum, I must keep any biases I have outside the classroom as well as the work place. I do this by performing self-check tests before leaving for work and before returning  home at the end of the day;2) Through the various courses I have taken at Walden, I learned that leadership comes in different forms, A good leader is only as good as the people who helped get them to that position. I learned that a community of practice can make a world of difference in the kind of leader I become and 3) I learned that as a leader, I must not allow myself to get so far up the podium, that I think I am above everyone else. I need to realize that there are consequences to all my actions.

     My long term goal is totally dependent on God’s Divine plan for my life. I follow his guidance and leading .I know he has Bless me with the gift of teaching as well as working with children  with varying abilities. I have no doubt that these will be included in my future.

     To my colleagues, I am grateful for all your knowledge that you shared during our discussion forum. As early childhood professionals and advocates for children and their families, I wish you all the very best as you go forth in your various professions.  To Dr. Davis, the absolute BEST instructor that Walden has, I thank you for your profession advice throughout this course. Your weekly guidance was very helpful; Walden is truly Bless to have you as an instructor. 

Edilma

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The three international organizations or communities of practices that appealed to me are:

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)-This has always been an organization that I have been interested in. They advocate on children’s behalf in over 191 countries ,they especially target girls, who they believe if educated, they grow up to be better thinkers, better citizens ,and better parents to their own children(UNICEF 2011).

UNICEF has a position for Regional Director,D-2,Located in the  West and Central Africa Region. They are looking for a passionate and committed professional who wants to make a lasting difference for children. I believe my years of experience and fluency in French will make me a good candidate for this position.

Qualification:

• Advanced university degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Public Information, Media, Communication, HR, Financial Management, Business or Public Administration, or other relevant disciplines to UNICEF’s work.
• Fifteen years of professional work experience with increasing responsibility in formulation of policy in international or national administration; experience in external aid administration desirable; 12 years of working experience in developing countries.
• Experience as a UNICEF Representative highly desirable.
• Experience/familiarity with emergency and security.
• Good knowledge of international relations, international technical cooperation programmes, programme administration, and project management in the UN context.
• Good knowledge of current trends, issues, programme modality, policies, principles, and practices of the technical cooperation activities related to UNICEF’s work.
• Thorough understanding of UNICEF programme policies, goals and strategies, guidelines and approaches.
• Expertise to formulate vision, exercise leadership, and communicate effectively throughout the organization and the UN system.
• Expertise to deploy public relations and enhance UNICEF’s image in the public and with governments in the Region.
• Expertise to deploy networking and to build alliances with all relevant regional networks and organizations, such as donors, NGOs, institutions, mass media and the film industry for fundraising and special events.
• Thorough knowledge of UNICEF’s financial regulations, rules and fundraising strategy. Expertise to develop, cultivate and manage effective HR and work environment.
• Previous experience as a Representative highly desirable.
• Blend of experience in headquarters, regional and field postings an asset.
• Fluency in English and French

International Step By Step Association – This is a new organization to me. I chose it because it will help me broaden my professional circle as well as offer me job opportunities abroad ,which is something I have always been interested in.I did not see no position currently available vein this organization. 

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – This organization  interest me because part of its mission is to foster cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and culture of peace. It also attains quality education for all and lifelong learning. I also like the fact that they works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values(UNESCO 2011).

UNESCO had several positions available abroad, the one that interest me was the Chief of section, online services.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• University degree (preferably Master's degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, public relations, corporate communication or other fields related to web management.  

Professional experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in positions related to corporate communication or web management, of which at least 3 years demonstrated experience managing a website as the team leader.
• Proven experience creating, editing and managing content in an online setting.

Skills/Competencies

• Combination of both, technical skills in web management and strategic skills in organizational communication.
• Ability to manage a team, often in a stressful environment and under constraints of tight budget and strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal-communication skills.

Languages

• Excellent/very good spoken and writing level in one of the two working languages of UNESCO  - English or French - with good/fair level in the other working language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Diploma/Professional certification in web management or web design.

Professional experience

• Relevant experience at international level.

Skills/Competencies

• Knowledge of mass media, social media and journalism.

Languages

• Knowledge of other UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish). (UNESCO 2011).

Edilma

References

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

 International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

 United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/

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

     As a child Advocate this is such a HUGE choice, how do I narrow my search of National/federal organization or community of practices down to three? Well, the first thing I thought about was all the many contacts I gained over the course of my studies in this field. And I definitely want to include my military affiliation.  The following three are my choices:  https://my.usajobs.gov.This site offers a wide variety of jobs both on the appropriated and non-appropriated side. I selected an assistant Child Development Director position with the Department of Air Force. Because this job is in the United Kingdom, I was glad to see that one of the key requirements was that they would pay for my travel and to relocate. Some of my duties will include: to assist in the supervision of day to day operations of the Child Development Center. Assist the director with operation of the Child Development Center. Provides input in preparation of the appropriated fund and non-appropriated fund budgets and helps maintain USAFE financial goals. A plan, schedules, assigns and directs the work of center personnel. Ensures that a safe, healthy and comfortable environment exists in the Child Development Center and that security and maintenance is monitored.  Performs public relations duties in support of Child Development Center. This Position does require specialized experience such as: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade (GS-07) or equivalent.  Specialized experience must include knowledge of a wide range of principles, concepts, and practices of child care such as would be gained through extensive education, training, and experience; knowledge of program management encompassing skill in applying this knowledge to difficult and complex work assignments; a comprehensive, intensive, practical knowledge of a wide range of child development, and family member needs and skills in applying this knowledge to the development of new methods, approaches or procedures; knowledge of child development sufficient to ensure curriculum development stimulates growth and learning; knowledge of rules and regulations pertinent to child care programs, and ability to maintain and expand programs within these criteria(https://my.usajobs.gov).

      My second choice is The National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs. Being a validator I something I think about from time to time. I think it would be a very interesting position because it allows me to ensure that day care centers are operating within state and government regulations. Some benefits of being a validator are: Thorough training; Honorarium for each day of a validation visit; All expenses associated with the validation visit reimbursed; and Opportunities to network with other Validators. This program values the contribution that validators provide to the accreditation process.  Trained early care and education professionals conduct on-site classroom observations and review documentation in order to validate a program’s reporting on Commission criteria.  Validators work within their own state or region. Out-of-state travel is optional. Some qualification for being a Validator are: Hold a BA/BS in Early Childhood Education or Child Development or a closely related field; an Associate’s Degree with experience commensurate with a four-year degree may be considered; Demonstrate knowledge of optimal child development practices; Have practical experience in the field of early care and education; Have excellent written and oral communication skills; and Demonstrate keen observation skills(http://www.naccp.org).

     My final choice is The Harlem Children Zone- This is a nonprofit organization which is run sole on donations. They have five principles of success, they are: 1.Serve an entire neighborhood at scale 2.Create a birth-through-college pipeline of best-practice programs3.Build community among parents, children, and institutions 4.Rigorously evaluate programs for continuous improvement 5.Cultivate a culture of success within the organization. Their overall goal is to make sure that children graduate from college so they can be prepared for the high-skills job market. HCZ has programs to address the needs of children at each stage of their development and also works to strengthen the families and community around them. To qualify for employment with the HCZ, one must be talented and passionate professionals who are committed to improving the lives of our children and families (http://www.hcz.org). Another reason I chose this organization was because it followed children through college. This is an excellent program and it has motivated the community in way that pays it forward. Children who have gone through the program tend to return and give back to the community and the program, making it better for the next child.

References

http://www.hcz.org/hcz-home.php

https://my.usajobs.gov.

http://www.naccp.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=326

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

The three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appeal to me is: Family Advocacy Specialist (FAP) A branch of the Army Community Services -I chose this Organization not only because it caters to the entire family, not only children. Another reason is that I feel as though my bilingual will be an asset to the organization since it caters to the military community which is quite diverse. They offer classes to meet annual in-service training requirement for child development service staff. As a family advocacy Specialist, The job opportunity that interests me is that of the family advocacy specials, which allows me the opportunity to work with the family advocacy director. To qualify for r this job the minimum requirement is a Masters in the related field of study or 18 hours. Because this is a job which requires visiting the various child development center, communication skill is a must, another requirement is to be familiar with the Army Regulation 608-10. My second organization is North Carolina Head Start - Head Start is a federally funded, comprehensive preschool program designed to meet emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs of three and four year olds and their families. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson initiated Project Head Start on May 18, 1965. Overall, the program is trying to the meet the goal of helping low-income children to be better prepared for school (http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/mb_headstart.asp)   .As a candidate for the Masters of Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in Teaching and Diversity I would like to be in a director/coordinator position .This requires a masters in the related field, be familiar with policies and regulations as they relate to the young child. My last organization is an Early Childhood instructor at Fayetteville, Technical Institute. This job requires a Masters in the related field. I will instruct students on the various aspects of early childhood development .My education as well as my years of working in this field makes me an ideal candidate for this position. This is also where I received my Associate Degree in Early Childhood. What better way to give back to the school, than have alumni as an instructor.

Reference

http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/general/mb_headstart.asp