Saturday, May 31, 2014

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

As professionals it is very important to get acquainted with different organizations that support and advocate for early childhood programs. There are so many organizations that support children and their families; however, there were three that caught my attention.
            The United States Education organization is a remarkable association for all professionals, parents, and the community as whole should take part in (http://www.ed.gov/). The organization is filled with updated information that informs the public on laws that may affect early childhood community. It is a great place to gain information on new funding as well as keeping informed of budget cuts. Current jobs available at United States Education are supervisory general attorney. Job duties include providing expert legal and policy advice to case resolution teams and giving advice on all aspects of program operations within the regional office. One of the main qualification is a five years of professional legal experience.
            Furthermore, organizations such as the National Head Start Organization appealed to me because it is a place where advocates who share the same desire to make a difference in the life of young children come together to advocate as a united front(http://www.nhsa.org/ ).  Lastly, the Food Research and Action Center is an institution that come together to lobby for children living in poverty to have more resources (http://frac.org/initiatives/). One of the things that appealed to me is, the organization not only provides information on legislation and resources that can benefit families, it is making efforts to implement strategies for eliminating childhood poverty. Job vacancies include anti-hunger VISTA members in Maryland and Virginia. The position is for a one year employment opportunity. You must have a bachelor degree to apply for this position. Duties consist of detail-oriented planning and implementing skills and the ability to travel around the state for meetings and events.




Saturday, May 17, 2014

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

          
This week’s course assignments have affirmed to me how important it is to establish ongoing community practices in the early childhood field. Through my research I encountered many different organizations that I would want to collaborate with.  The first organization I would want to collaborate with is the Maryland Schools Division of Education (MSDE). Moreover, MSDE plays a major role in the early childhood education field. MSDE is responsible for all childcare licensing in the state of Maryland and they set the tone for the state requirements all childcare centers should uphold to. MSDE is also responsible for many grants and programs that both parents and administrators can utilize. It is a great way for professionals to stay inform with current information. The second organization that I found that would be useful is the Maryland Excel organization. The Maryland Excel is a voluntary organization set in place to improve and encourage quality improvement for both providers and families. It is important for me to create partnerships with organizations that encourage higher quality learning for children and provides information to parents on choosing the best care for their children. Lastly, the Maryland Rural Development Corporation is an organization that assists families in low income areas with resources to promote independence and a better quality of life. The knowledge of resources in the community that can benefit families is essential for professionals to be aware of.
MSDE have many job opportunities that early childhood professionals can apply for. One of the current employment opportunities is child care licensing specialist. A license specialist is the person who decides if child care centers and providers meet the regulations and requirements of state mandates and safety of children. Other employment opportunities include administrative specialist. Both job opportunities require at least 60 college credits and experience in management or teaching. There are many positions that are available in the early childhood field, the area of practice depends upon what a person choose based on experience and their passion.