Time Well Spent

Wow, I can't believe I am almost done.  This has been quite an experience.  Throughout this program I have learned so much, but this class in particular has been eye opening.  I have never seen myself as an advocate before, I always wanted to stay in the classroom with the children.  This class has shown me that I can effectively advocate change and that I enjoy doing so.  It has also forced me to form relationships with others in the field that I otherwise would have shied away from.  I enjoy working on my own and often forget how satisfying it can be to work with others towards a common goal.  Lastly, this course has taught me how vast this field is.  I have never imagined working at the international level (and still do not think I would enjoy it) but knowing that there are organizations working at such a level is amazing.  The work that United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) do throughout the world is amazing and deserves our support. 

My current 5-year plan is to get a job with the local partnership for children as a family childcare specialist.  I want to go around to local family childcare homes and help them improve the quality of their program and give them technology/advertising support. 

This course, more than some of the others, required us to really help each other.  We helped troubleshoot problems without our proposed challenge responses, we gave each other additional ideas for how to solve our challenges, and we helped each other locate employment opportunities.  Most of all though, we helped support each other through this very demanding course.  The support and encouragement I have received from all of you has been vital to my successfully completing this program.  Thank you. 

And now to our esteemed instructor, you are the best!  Of all the instructors within this program, I have never had one as helpful, encouraging, or supportive as you.  Your weekly newsletter was overly helpful, making the assignment straightforward and easy to complete.  Thank you for all your help through the course. 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Finding international early childhood organizations was by far the hardest of these assignments.  I think this may be because I have zero interest in working at an international level, though I do feel that these organizations do amazing work int the early childhood field. 

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/ceh/en/
The WHO works to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.  One of their programs that interests me is dedicated to children's environmental health.  It works to improve the health and safety of the world's children by improving the quality of the environments in which they live. 

Job Opportunity
National Professional Officer (Maternal and Child Health)
This looks like a very interesting position; helping mothers and children find adequate care.  It is however a position that I am not qualified for as it requires a medical degree and a Djibouti citizenship. 

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
http://www.unicefusa.org/
UNICEF works in over 190 countries to ensure that children's rights are being upheld.  Among their many programs is the School-In-A-Box initiative which distributes materials to hold a class anywhere.  Having a school to attend helps children in war torn areas or areas which have suffered severe natural disasters return to a normal life.  I think I would enjoy working on this project but there are currently no such positions available. 

The Academy for Educational Development
http://www.fhi360.org/education-global
This organization works in many different areas to improve the lives of the worlds inhabitants.  Two of their project areas interested me specifically: education and gender equality.  In the education sector, the organization helps supply schools with materials, trains teachers, and assists local organizations in creating educational opportunities.  The Academy for Educational Development also works to eliminate gender inequities.  They work to educate girls, improve the health of young women, and work to reduce sexual violence and early marriage.  When looking at job opportunities with this organization, I could only find high level office and budgeting jobs.  I would prefer a ground level, work directly with the communities type of job. 

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

I can not envision myself working at the Nation/Federal Level as I really enjoy working with the children in my community.  One of my favorite aspects of my current job is when the children come back and visit me when they're older.  I do, however, think there are some fantastic national programs that it would be very rewarding to work for. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children
www.naeyc.org
In week 2, I listed the North Carolina affiliate of this organization so it seems fitting that I list the nation level this week.  The NAEYC, as many of us know, is at the forefront of social change in the early childhood field. Working as a part of this organization would ensure that I amble to help the largest number of children possible. 


Job Opportunity:
I am very passionate about family childcare and think it would be wonderful if the NAEYC had family childcare component.  Currently the national equivalent for family childcare is the National Association of Family Childcare (www.nafcc.org) but it's efforts and successes pale in comparison to the NAEYC.  If ever a family childcare program were to start within the NAEYC, I would jump at the chance to work with them.

Skills:
Computer skills
Good communication and cooperation skills
Knowledge of the NAEYC accreditation process
Time management skills
Comfort with an advocacy position

The Partnership for a Healthier
http://www.letsmove.gov/partnership-healthier-america
The Partnership for a Healthier America is the federal organization that oversees the Let's Move initiative helping instill healthy lifestyles in America's children.  I think this is an important endeavor as childhood obesity continues to rise, creating health problems for many of our nation's children. 

The Education Team
http://theeducationteam.com/
I'm not sure if this organization counts as being national/federal because it is privately owned and operated, but it operates nation-wide.  It is a national placement service for early childhood professionals.  They help find teachers full time employment as well as help directors find qualified individuals.  Additionally, they have a pool of qualified substitutes that they place in programs on an as needed basis.  Many early childhood program in my area, and in the country as a whole, have problems with teacher turnover.  Finding qualified substitutes when you need one is often time consuming and costly, forcing many programs to hire someone who is under qualified, which of course is to the detriment of the children.  The Education Team strives to solve this problem in both center and home based programs. 

Job Opportunity:
There are no job opportunities with this organization at the moment, but I think it would be rewarding to work with them as a representative in my state.  Helping to ease the teacher turnover problem in North Carolina would go a long way to ensuring children receive a quality education. 

Skills:
Knowledge of state hiring laws and practices
Knowledge of state childcare laws
Good computer skills
Networking and communication skills

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

The Partnership for Children of Johnston County

http://www.pfcjc.org/index.php

This organization appeals to me because they work in all aspects of the early childhood field.  They help daycares prepare and pass the Environmental Rating Scale (NC quality assessment program) in order to gain fie star status.  They also hold parent, teacher, and safety trainings throughout the year.  They help parents find childcare and they run a resource library that loans materials to families, homeschool programs, and daycares.  The partnership also has early intervention specialists who can assist families and daycares in getting a child with special needs the accommodations and assistance they require. 

There is one person at the partnership who’s job it is to visit the local family childcare homes and offer help and resources to improve the quality of the program.  This person can help with the paperwork when applying to be a licensed home as well as do a mock rating scale assessment to determine what needs to change to gain more stars.  At the moment this position is filled, but I would love to have this job one day.  In order to fulfill this job, I would need:

·      Good communication and people skills

·      An extensive knowledge of area resources and the quality rating scale criteria

·      The ability to look at a program from an unbiased view

Childcare Services Association

http://www.childcareservices.org/

This organization helps support those of us who work I the childcare field, teachers, directors, administrators, etc.  They offer trainings for childcare providers; including nutrition and safety trainings.  The main reason I picked this organization though is because of two specific programs they support, T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$.  T.E.A.C.H. is a scholarship program that helps people working in the childcare field further their education.  For the childcare credential course, required in NC to be a lead teacher, they cover 100% of the tuition and even give a stipend to help pay for travel or a substitute, if needed.  Sadly, they do not offer scholarships for master’s students.  WAGE$ is salary supplement program that awards early childhood professionals a semi-annual bonus based on your level of education.  For those of you who have not heard of it, WAGE$ is available in NC, FL, KA, and NM. For each these programs you have to have worked in a program for six consecutive months before being eligible.  For the WAGE$ program you have to work six consecutive months before receiving each bonus.   I love how they are addressing the teacher turnover rate with this stipulation. 

North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children

http://www.ncaeyc.org/

This is the local chapter of the NAEYC.  It appeals to me because they continuously work to improve the early childhood field.  Every year, the NCAEYC holds a weekend childcare convention that not only provides excellent training but allows members of the field to network and learn about area resources. 

Sadly, there is no NCAEYC affiliate in my county.  Heading up such an affiliate is another job I am interested in.  I am unsure if this is a paid position or simply voluntary, either way I would like to work towards starting an affiliate in my county after I complete my Walden program.  Skills I would need include:

·      High level of competency with technology

·      Advocacy skills

·      Effective communication skills

·      Knowledge of the NAEYC accreditation process

Reflecting and Moving Forward

My most passionate goal for the future is to help children see themselves, and each other, as wonderful, important individuals who have the courage and the compasion to stand up for each other. 

Thank you all for your comments, encouagement, and ideas throughout this course.  I hope everyone is as excited as I am to be nearing the end of our program.  Good luck in the next (and last!) course. 

Impacts on Eary Emotional Development

I chose to research the Latin American and Caribbean region because Argentina is one of my favorite places and I'm always ready to learn more about it. 

Among the issues affecting the development of children in this area are chronic malnutrition and violence.  Children who are malnourished are unable to learn because their bodies are forced to focus on meeting the most minimal standards for survival.  It is obvious that when a child is malnourished there are problems with physical development, but it is also true that social-emotional development suffers.  Using the too-small about of nutrients that these children receive to perform basic bodily functions leaves nothing left over for learning how to form relationships. 

The Latin American and Caribbean region is also a violent area.  According to the website, nearly 70 percent of women in this region are the victims of violence, 50 percent of those are acts of sexual violence.  Children living around so much violence grow up without witnessing many strong, loving relationships and therefore do not know how to have one.  As we have learned in various reading for this course, what children see is often as, if not more, important that what we tell them.  Witnessing violence, even if you are not a victim, leaves a lasting impression.

As with most of the assignment I have done in this course, I am reminded of how important it is to provide children with positive experiences early in life.  We can not expect children to grow into competent, responsible adults if we do not give them the tools to do so.  These tools include adequate nutrition, healthcare, and a safe environment. 

The sexualization of children

When I read the expert from Levin and Kilbourne's (cite) So Sexy So Soon I was appalled.  I was truly stunned that there are children as young as four who are exposed to so much sex in the media.  As a parent I immediately tried to think of ways to shield my daughter from such exposure.  Then, after finishing the excerpt, I realized that shielding her is not the answer.  Being honest with her and available to answer her questions is a start.  But more importantly, ensuring that she witness and participates in loving, caring relationships.

Personal Experiences with the effects of a highly sexual environment on young children 

• When I was a student teacher for my undergraduate degree, one of my fellow classmates was placed in a middle school.  While talking with her students she discovered that to be part of the "in" crowd the children had to go through an initiation process much like joining a collage fraternity.  Part of this process was to have sex with another student on a particular rock in the playground.  Since the students wanted to be popular, many of them did so. 
• Recently, Disney released a Merida doll to support the movie Brave.  The doll, however looks nothing like the character in the movie, who has frizzy hair, a torn dress, and is attractive but large framed.  The doll is thin, in a low-cut pristine dress, with wavy, kept hair (Drexler, 2013).
• One of my children (3 yr. old) came to school last week with no pants on.  She picked out her shirt and told her dad that it was a dress.  When questioned on it's length, she stated that it covered her underwear, which to her meant it fit fine.  When she arrived at school, the first thing she did was ask her classmates if they thought her dress made her look pretty. 
• When I was in college, I attending a dramatic performance titled, The Vagina Monologues, where woman of all ages, races, and sexual preferences talked about their sexuality.  The most memorable among the experiences shared were those of women who were ashamed of sex and their feelings of sexuality.  Some went so far as to try and sew themselves closed to keep away the evil of sex.  Thinking back on this I am reminded of how damaging it can be if we ignore the sexuality present in today's media.  It is best if we are honest and open with children.  

I fear that the sexualization of today's children is going to lead to a generation of adults who believe they are only valued, and therefore only value others, for their outward appearance or what they can do for each other.  In the early childhood field, we can help combat this problem by stressing the value of character traits like empathy, caring, helpfulness, leadership, etc., above what a child looks like.

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