My Final Blog

Here we are! The end of a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I for one have sacrificed my yoga practice in order to study and complete assignments. I've also sacrificed a lot of sleep. I know you all have made plenty of sacrifices yourself to complete this degree. 

I want to take a moment to to thank each of you and my instructors for every discussion board response, blog response, compliment, and words of encouragement. These have guided, encouraged, and directed me each and every week. Some of our courses have been easy to grasp and others have required significantly more effort. I can count on all of you to push me further than I ever thought imaginable.  

            

                               

I have learned many valuable lessons in this program. First, I learned that I don't have to know everything. I just need to know how and where to find it. I have learned to research before I ask questions and in doing so, I want to pass along this skill to others. Teaching people how to research is something that is now being incorporated into my trainings. Second, I have learned that I am capable of learning from an online program. I know this sounds odd, but I was really nervous about using an online program at the beginning. Technology is not the issue. I am a face-to-face, conversationalist, so online is a little intimidating to me. Third, I have learned the importance of effective and productive written communication. This has greatly improved my written communication and allows me to set an example within my agency. 

I plan to to continue my work in early childhood education working with adults. My long-term goal in this area is to support and educate teachers in my agency in order to create a positive work culture. Along these same lines, I plan to complete my doctorate in education within the next eight years. This will enable me to work with adults at the college level in early childhood education. 

I also want to include a video for you. I used this video in our blog many months ago but I still love it. It reminds me of why we teach, why we work so hard, and why it makes a difference. 

International ECE Communities 

UNICEF 

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND

"UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help then fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence" 

(https://www.unicef.org/what-we-do). 

The ideals espoused by UNICEF create an overarching system of world-wide support for children concerning a wide variety issues for children and families. Whereas some organizations are concerned with specific issues, UNICEF is concerned with all issues related to children's well-being including child protection, child survival, education, emergencies, gender, innovation, supplies for children, and research. 

UNESCO

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONAL

"[UNESCO] seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education,the Science, and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly" " UNESCO's mission is to contribute to the building of peace the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. The Organization focuses, in particular, on two global priorities" 

(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/). 

UNESCO focuses of the alleviating poverty and war through education at an international level. UNESCO believes that education and awareness of other's cultures is the foundation for creating a peaceful world. Created after World War II which was steeped in anti-Semitic sentiment cultivated in a world that lacked education and cultural awareness, UNESCO seeks to prevent this type of future occurrence by ending the attacks on cultural diversity. 

SAVE THE CHILDREN 

"In the U.S. and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We do whatever it take to save children, transforming their lives and the future we share. 

Save the Children works to meet the needs of children in crisis. These issues pertain to educational opportunities, child mortality, and children escaping violence and conflict. Save the Children specializes in responding to the needs of the most vulnerable children that have suffered the devastating effects of natural disaster such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods by providing medical supplies, food, and child friendly spaces for safety and recovery. 

WHY? 

I chose UNESCO and UNICEF as examples of organizations that respond the the global needs of children for the purpose of preventative services, effort, and initiatives in order to create a better current and future world. As wonderful and successful as their efforts may be, natural disasters and conflict are an inevitable reality in today's world. Save the Children is there to respond in these events in a thorough and efficient manner. 

Potential Jobs

As my role in Head Start increases, I am becoming more interested in Head Start director's positions. Throughout the United States, Head Start directors have a variety of responsibility over programs of all sizes from hundreds of children to thousands. Some are employed by Community Action Agencies and others by school systems or various non-profit grant holders. On the whole, and Masters in ECE is preferred and extensive knowledge of grants and grant writing is necessary. This is where I am lacking. However, I hope to gain this knowledge in my current position. 

References

Save the Children (2018). Retrieved from https://www.savethechildren.org/

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (2018). Retrieved from https://en.unesco.org/. 

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/

Additional Community of Practice Members

Association for Early Learning Leaders

The first addition to my community of practice is the Association for Early Learning Leaders (AELL). They provide professional development in webinar or face-to-face formats for leaders, directors, and administrators.They also assist private for-profit, Head Start, and non-profit centers with accreditation through the National Accreditation Association. Their mission is the following: "The Association for Early Learning Leaders is committed to excellence in the field of Early Care and Education by promoting leadership development and enhancing program quality" (https://www.earlylearningleaders.org/page/About_ELL). AELL brings a different view of professional development in early childhood as they rely heavily on web-based training. AELL could potentially offer input on the use of technology and web-based learning for professional development. 

Website URL: https://www.earlylearningleaders.org              

Design Impact

The second group I would invite to the table is Design Impact. This group. although not necessarily early childhood focused, promotes and facilitates design thinking for organizations working for social change. They assist groups with thinking "outside the box" in order to change and improve the world around them. Design Impact's mission is the following: "We use design to address pressing community issues, equip leaders, and inspire communities" (https://d-impact.org/aboutus/). Design impact will provide insight on the aesthetic of professional development. They focus on color, physical design, comfort, spacing, and grouping to maximize participant learning.  

Website URL: https://d-impact.org/                         

HighScope

The third group I would invite into my community of practice is HighScope. I taught using HighScope methods for many years. I learned so much from their trainings and it truly changed the way I teach. Their view of professional development is the following: "We know that adults respond when trainers are sensitive to their needs and learning styles. The result is a broad range of learning opportunities that span small-group conversations, large-group dialogue, personal reflection, observation, and feedback, all following our active participatory learning philosophy modeled in our curriculum" (https://highscope.org/professional-learning/in-person). Their training style incorporates many of the elements that I want to bring into my workshops. 

Wesite URL: https://highscope.org/                                 

Job Opportunities

Executive Director for Discover Zone: Discover Zone is a 175 child, 35 staff member full-service childcare organization in Kentucky. The Executive Director's position calls for business administration and financial management skills. I currently do not possess the skills necessary for non-profit budgeting for a large organization. 

Another job that interests me is adjunct teaching at the local community college in their early childhood education department. First, I need to complete my masters degree. Then I need to gain additional skills in working with adult learners through training and workshops. 

References 

Association for Early Learning Leaders. (2018). Retrieved from  https://www.earlylearning leaders.org 

Design Impact (2018). Retrieved from https://d-impact.org/  

HighScope. (2018). Retrieved from https://highscope.org/   

Communities of Practice

The state of Kentucky, where I live, labels communities of practice as PLC's or professional learning communities. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) defines these as is "an organizational structure by design that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students" (https://education.ky.gov /school /stratclsgap/Pages/plc.aspx). The state has even developed a protocol for conducting effective PLC's so as to avoid the group becoming a support or social group. As student's complete their undergraduate degrees for any education program from early childhood to high school, they must log a certain number of hours observing the PLC process in action. As a result, PLC's are fairly common in our area although many are less formal and may not follow the protocol. 

As I mentioned in my discussion post, I am a member of two PLC's in Northern Kentucky. One is the Early Childhood Community Collaborative and the other is the Trainer's PLC with 4C for Children. The E3C strives to improve the practice of childcare administrators in order to develop early childhood leaders in Northern Kentucky. The Trainer's PLC strives to improve the practices of credentialed trainers that provide early childhood development training hours to licensed childcare staff.  



A PLC that I am considering joining is Developing Early Childhood Leaders (DECL) also sponsored by 4C for Children. This PLC is also for administrators but rather than focus on best practice for day-to-day operations, it expands its reach to advocacy and mentoring. As I am no longer a center director in charge of daily operations, this PLC is appealing as it views the field from a larger perspective. A second PLC that interests me is Leadership Northern Kentucky sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. This group explores topics related to community economics and inclusive leadership. Unfortunately, it requires a significant monthly commitment of 8 hours per month. The third PLC I would be interested in rejoining is Supporting Latino Families of Northern Kentucky. I was a part of this group in their formative stages and would like to return. This PLC is comprised of professionals from all types of service industries including education, nursing, social work, and public health. They meet monthly to discuss issues related to the Latino population in Northern Kentucky and how they can improve services for Latino families. Our Head Start agency serves a large number of Latino families and I would be interested in learning more about the needs of the Latino population in our area. 

Job Positions 

I am currently looking into a job position with ICF. They are a consulting firm that employs experts is multiple fields including education. ICF contracts with the Office of Head Start to provide Early Childhood Development Specialists in various regions throughout the United States. These specialists provide guidance and support to assigned Head Start grantees in a given region to ensure compliance with performance standards and the expectations of the office Head Start. This position requires travel and knowledge of performance standards. In order to become a consultant for ICF, I would have to be CLASS reliable and gain a few more years experience in overall program administration in Head Start. 

I am also researching positions as quality specialists with 4C for Children. These positions require coaching experience and the ability to guide teachers and administrators in community childcare. The current position is in Cincinnati Ohio and requires knowledge of Ohio standards and regulations. Although I am well-versed in Kentucky regulations, I need experience in Ohio. 

References

Kentucky Department of Education. (2018). Professional learning communities. Retrieved from 

https://education.ky.gov/school/stratclsgap/Pages/plc.aspx  

Thank You!

This has been a tough few weeks for me professionally and personally. A lot of the information we shared has hit home and caused me to enact some major changes both at work and at home. Thank you for your support and wealth of knowledge.