Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Farewell to a Time Well Spent


      Two years ago I taught a class of early childhood educators and I came to a topic in the curriculum concerning anti-bias education and respecting diversity. I assigned an article on gay, lesbian, and transgender families. One student refused to do the assignment because it was “offensive to her religion”. I asked her how she would communicate with a diverse family such as one of the ones in the article. She explained that she was in a private center and they did not allow those people. She explained that she would tell the child that what his/her parents did was wrong in the bible and in the eyes of God. Now, I’m a pretty passive person; I can generally see past statements such as these because of the culture of my region. However, the student’s response to my questions angered and offended me. How did I respond to her? I told her that a child should never be made to feel bad about the home from which they came. This experience made me understand that I wanted to teach early childhood educators to be respectful of all children and their families, how their respect affects the children and their families, and why it is so important. Therefore, I chose a Master’s program in Early Childhood Studies with an Emphasis in Teaching Adults.

            As I come to the end of this journey through the Master’s Degree program here at Walden University, I am experiencing a wide range of emotions: elation, relief, empowerment, and a sense of impending loss. While I am happy to have achieved a major goal in my life and proud to have gained such important knowledge, I am also going to miss the connections I have made with my colleagues throughout this program. I have come to rely on the positive and respectful critiques of colleagues, their biased and unbiased opinions, and their contributions to my learning. I have learned that forming a community of professional learners, who can share their experiences, their knowledge, and their ideas with each other, can heighten the understanding of all learners. It helped me to realize how valuable my colleagues are in and outside of my profession.

            I have spent many years working with young children and their families. I have worked with mothers in rehabilitation programs in a low income child care center; I have worked with upper class families in a private child care center; I have worked with young children in the public school system; I have worked with teen parents, incarcerated mothers, and families in their homes. Throughout all of these experiences I saw the differences in families. I saw the differences in their children, and I knew that there were some families and children who needed more support than others. Those are the families I have a need to help. A child, beautiful and innocent, should not be held responsible or blamed for their parent’s choices or situation. All children deserve the same opportunities to learn and grow. This Master’s program has helped me to understand that as I advocate for these children and families, I can give the young children those opportunities to learn. Further understanding that I can advocate for children in many different ways allows me to feel confident in my advocacy efforts.

         Perhaps the most surprising learning aspect for me has been my increased ability to find research that is scholarly and appropriate to topic. I often spent days researching a specific topic, finding little information no matter how many different ways I worded my search. Notice the joy on my face as I do research for our final topic. Yet, with all of the practice, I began to feel more and more confident. Learning to do this type of research has also assisted me in my career. I monitor and train infant and toddler teachers. They often come to me with concerns about parents, child behaviors, or resource referrals. I am now better able to provide them with the necessary tools they need based on valuable research practice.

            I will leave this program knowing that I can achieve great things based on my experience here. I have achieved my goal of obtaining my master’s degree, but I have a continued goal of becoming an effective leader. I have learned that being a leader is so much more than bossing a group of people. A leader is understanding and inspiring. A leader is a friend and a colleague. A leader is a model of ethics, and the voice of the minority. Leaders listen and share. I aspire to be a leader in the early childhood education field. I aspire to share my knowledge, my experiences, and my passion with other educators, community leaders, families, and young children. I have learned how to become an effective leader. I must put my knowledge into action. I can achieve my goals.

            Finally, I would like to extend a most heartfelt thank you to all of the students and instructors who have helped me through this experience. Inside and outside of the classroom, we have communicated in a collaborative way in order to fully understand concepts; we have helped each other understand directions for assignments and encouraged deeper thought on topics; we have used our social media page for emotional support. At times I needed a great deal of support and at other times I tried to support others, but I know that I would have had an even greater struggle without all of your support. Please stay in touch. Contact me if you need support and look me up if you are ever in Milton, WV. I wish you all the best of luck in your careers and in your lives. Amanda Martin, amandasmartin@gmail.com

My Beautiful Daughter being Spiderman!





"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths pure theatre."
- Gail Godwin



"If you're going to equalize the academic playing field, you've got to get the kids in early childhood programs."
- Paul Vallas 





Saturday, October 13, 2012

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally


            As an early childhood educator I have a responsibility to continue my professional growth. That growth includes exploring employment opportunities that address issues in the early childhood field globally. Children and families throughout the world face many different problems for which they need support. Within many international organizations there are employment opportunities that allow me to make a difference in the lives of families and children. Recently I explored three such opportunities.

            Save the Children (2012) is an organization with a mission to embolden the advancement in the way people and governments around the world serve children “and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives” (Save the Children, 2012). Changing the lives of children and families is an aspiration of mine. Within this organization I would be capable of making that change worldwide. Save the Children often provide emergency services in areas of the world ravaged by war, environmental disasters, and economic depravity. These emergency services include educational supports. The organization has many openings for emergency relief personnel, but there is one open position that I found appealing. They are seeking an “Emergency Education Cluster Coordinator” (Save the Children, 2012). This position requires the applicant to coordinate emergency educational efforts in an attempt to provide continued education to children in countries or cities where an event has caused a halt in such education. The applicant is required to have excellent communication skills, applicable education, experience leading highly collaborative groups, and experience in humanitarian response.  I do not qualify for this position. I have no experience with humanitarian aid, but I think that it is something that can be achieved.

            Free the Children (2012) is an international organization dedicated to providing children with the tools and education they need in order to become citizens of change in their communities. Removing barriers such as poverty, access to education, and unfair child rights laws is one of the many goals of this organization. Armed with a passionate belief that children need supporters of their rights throughout the globe, I looked for opportunities within this organization. They currently have an opening in Toronto, Canada for a Partner Relations Coordinator (Free the Children, 2012). The applicant would have the responsibilities of managing projects and coordinating different departments within the Free the Children organization. To qualify, I would need a post-secondary degree in an applicable field, strong oral, written, and analytic skills, and an outstanding work ethic. I am not well-versed in organizing different collaborative groups within a charitable organization, but with experience and practice, these skills may be achieved.

            The Association for Childhood Education International (2011) is an international organization with the purpose of helping educators recognize and value the uniqueness of individual children, and working globally on the quality and equity of education for children from infancy to adolescence. Education of children is the basis of my professional career. Furthering my efforts to promote education worldwide could provide enormous professional satisfaction for me. Therefore, I researched opportunities within this organization. While I could find no employment opportunities per se, Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is looking for executive board members. From applications, they will nominate people who are educators from the global community, are from the nonprofit management sector that influences the impact of education, and /or are practitioners and academics in the education field. They would need to have a commitment to ACEI’s mission and goals, as well as being representative of different nations, and possess strong leadership and skills. I do not possess the skills and qualifications necessary for this position, but may be capable of entering into this organization as an intern or a low level position.

            It is difficult to imagine myself working in another country. The thought of being unfamiliar with my surroundings and of feeling lost in communication due to language actually frightens me quite a bit. I have never really been an adventurous person. However, I seek to adhere to the advice of “do something every day that scares you.” If I do adhere to this advice, I think I would be quite capable of making a positive difference in the lives of children and families on a global level.


References:

Association for Childhood Education International. (2011). Qualifications for candidates for the   acei executive board. Retrieved from http://www.acei.org

Free the Children. (2012). Careers. Retrieved from http://www.freethechildren.com

Save the Children. (2012). Careers. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org

Saturday, September 29, 2012

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


Professional early childhood educators are continuously learning, advocating for children and families, and attempting to spread knowledge to others.  Helping family’s help their children grow and develop in the most positive way possible is a passion I pursue wholeheartedly. I am familiar with organizations and programs within my state and local community that help me nurture my passion. Yet, if I were to become involved in a national or federal program or organization with the goals of helping families to help their children, the impact of my work could reach more families and expand across many states. Researching such organizations can broaden my career choices and help me explore new ways to educate and advocate for young children and their families.

                As I began my search, I thought about the national organizations that I felt made the greatest impact on young children and their families. One of the most influential organizations in the early childhood education field is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Besides being a leader in setting developmentally appropriate standards for early childhood education, NAEYC also assists on public policy concerning early childhood, does research, provides professional development opportunities, and encourages early childhood programs to strive for excellence in care and education. I find this organization particularly appealing because it gives educators the tools they need to provide the best care and education services to children and families while also encouraging collaboration with community resources. They currently have a position open for an Accreditation Coordinator. This person would assist all NAEYC Accreditation staff with “understanding and interpreting the standards” (NAEYC, 2012) of the accreditation process. To be qualified, I would need to hold a degree of a BA/BS or higher in the early childhood education field, have an understanding of NAEYC and its practices, have 3-5 years of experience in an early childhood education program, and to communicate effectively orally and through writing. I am currently helping four of our programs through the accreditation process. It is rigorous and time-consuming, but the teachers and I are learning a great deal about quality.

              I next looked into a federal program listed under the Department of Education. I searched the federal job site for vacancies in the Office of Early Learning (OEL), which was established in 2011 to collaborate with Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in order to recognize the importance of early learning. The OEL leads the Early Learning Initiative which has two main goals: “(1) enhancing the quality of early learning programs, and (2) increasing the access to high quality early learning programs especially for young children at risk for school failure” (United States Department of Education, 2012). Programs such as Head Start and Early Head Start fall under this initiative. I find it refreshing that the current administration sees such a huge benefit to early learning. I would be proud to be part of the team that strives to provide quality programs and access to them for children and families in need. While I’m sure there are many job opportunities in the program, I found one that was particularly interesting. It is an Education Program Specialist (USA Jobs, 2012). This job entails informing superiors on appropriate and current education research for young children in order to fully prepare them for school. The position requires a Bachelor’s Degree but the candidate only needs nine or more hours in education courses OR they can substitute four years of applicable experience. I find this intriguing because in this position I would actually get to contribute to federal laws and standards that contribute to the improvement of early childhood education programs who receive any federal funding. I am in no way qualified for this position, but it is something in which I aspire.

               A final national agency that I believe to be a shining benefactor to early childhood education is Zero to Three (Zero to Three, 2012). This organization is a leader in advocating for families, young children, and early childhood educators by providing research, resources, education, and information and contribution on public policies for the growth and development of infants and toddlers. It is an indispensable resource for me as a professional in the Early Head start program. I found no current job openings. However, there is a listing for an unpaid internship in with the applicant would conduct research for public policy recommendations as well as assist in training parents and educators in appropriate practice with infants and toddlers. This person applying must be in an undergraduate or graduate program and must possess excellent written and oral communication skills. This sounds very appealing, but I am not in a position where I can do an unpaid internship, so I looked for a position that is not currently available but may be in the future. To my elation, Zero to Three has a program called “Reflective Practice and Program Development” (Zero to Three, 2012) in which they encourage the building of relationships between educators, young children, and families for optimal care and education. I would certainly enjoy being a member of this team. Helping educators learn how important relationships are and how to foster those relationships to build trust is one of the key aspects of a successful early childhood education program.

                In relation to working for Zero to Three, I spoke with our local representative who works with the organization. His name is Joe Priece. His main job is to certify CDA applicants by administering the written exam and the oral interview. He travels quite frequently, but finds his work very fulfilling. “I meet many educators who are aspiring to provide the best care and education to infants and toddlers. They make great sacrifices that include low pay and little recognition for creating the base for solid and positive developmental growth for young children. All people should be so lucky as to meet these kind of individuals daily. It’s a very positive thing in a sometimes very negative world. (J. Priece, personal communication, September 28, 2012). Mr. Priece also offered his services at any time to help make improvements to our program. He told me that his job required a B.A. in early childhood education, experience with being a mentor and advisor to CDA students, supervisory experience, and excellent written and oral communication skills. “It also helps to be passionate about infants and toddlers,” (J. Priece, personal communication, September, 28, 2012) he added seriously.

                                                                                References:
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). Naeyc jobs. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org

United States Department of Education, Office of Early Learning. (2012). Early learning initiative. Retrieved from website: http://www.ed.gov

USA Jobs. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.usajobs.gov

Zero to Three. (2012). Internships. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org

Zero to Three. (2012). Reflective practice and program development. Retrieved from      http://www.zerotothree.org

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels


      As an early childhood education professional, it is my responsibility to be aware of the local, regional, state, and national resources available to the children and families that I serve. I keep abreast of those resources, but I’ve never really looked at how I may fit into those organizations. I am quite happy and comfortable in the positions in which I am currently employed. In addition to working as an education specialist for early head start, I’m also an adjunct instructor at a local community and technical college. Both positions satisfy many of my professional passions. Therefore, exploring local, regional, and state agencies and organizations in order to gain information about how I would fit into them, was a new experience.

      I began my search regionally. The Regional Family Resource Network is a nonprofit organization that coordinates meetings for community members that include families and community representatives. The members are encouraged to collaborate with each other and to reach out to other resources to improve human service locally. I find this community of practice particularly appealing because it enlists local families to be on the board of directors. Soliciting ideas from families who are in the thick of any issues seems to be the best way to solve human service issues. This is a community of practice that offers only volunteer opportunities. I would be eligible as a community member, a family member, or as a resource professional. I need only contact a member of the board of directors to request the location of the next meeting to become involved. More information is listed on their website at http://www.regionalfrn.org.

      I next researched a state funded program called West Virginia Birth to Three. This is a statewide early intervention system that provides intervention services to children under the age of three who have a delay in their development, or may be at risk of having a delay, and their family. Evaluated children who show a delay in one or more developmental areas, or who are considered “at risk” due to environmental factors such as poverty or other family stressors are eligible for services. Because I advocate strongly for early intervention services for children and frequently praise the benefits, I believe that I could feel passionate about this type of service. They have openings for all related professionals, therapists, and specialists. I could quality for a developmental specialist or a service coordinator which both require a bachelor’s degree in child development or related field, along with experience working directly with families. More information for West Virginia Birth to Three and their related service can be garnered at http://www.wvdhhr.org/birth23/.

      The final resource I chose to review is the local child care resource and referral agency. This agency works with families, early childhood programs, and community organizations to provide families with the information and resources they need to choose a high quality early childhood program for their child(ren). The agency also provides financial support for eligible families for child care fees and parent training opportunities. Working with families who struggle to make ends meet, requires me to contact this agency frequently. They are very helpful and I find them to be an invaluable resource to families and other community agencies. Helping families identify quality in early care and fund tuition to gain access to that quality would be very fulfilling for me on a personal and a professional level. There were no positions available at this time but I am qualified for many of the positions in the agency. Two that I would consider applying for would be Early Childhood specialist- Infant/Toddler or Family Services Coordinator. Both require a bachelor’s degree in early education and two years supervisory experience. For more information on the local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency for my area, please visit http://wvdhhr.org/link.

References:

Saturday, September 8, 2012

And The Countdown Begins...

It is with great pleasure that I begin my final leg of the journey to my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Studies. I have learned a great deal, not only from the classes, but also from all of the students with whom I have shared this journey. I spent many hours beyond bedtime, hours that I could have been spending with my now three year old daughter and my husband of now ten years, and hours that I could have been spending relaxing, working toward this goal of attaining my Master's Degree. I know that many, if not all, of us have made sacrifices in our personal lives in order to become masters within our professional field. I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who has assisted me in my journey by giving my suggestions and critiques to further my critical thoughts. Please contact me for any assistance I may provide anyone in this course or beyond. Thank you for sharing this journey with me, and good luck to everyone!
-Amanda Martin

P.S. I have posted a link with this to a humorous take on the state of child care for young children and families.

http://archive.org/details/AH-a_day_without_childcare

Saturday, April 21, 2012

A Note of Thanks...

This past semester has been one of many new experiences and learning opportunities for me. Other students in this section, EDUC 6165-5, have encouraged me to deepen my thinking allowing me to grasp the concepts of this course in a more effective way. I want to thank everyone for your words of wisdom and your support throughout this course. I have nothing but appreciation for you all. Please accept my best wishes for you in the future.

Sincerely,
Amanda

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Adjourning From a Group

Adjourning from a group can be difficult or quite easy depending on the relationships I have formed while in the group. Before going through my bachelor’s program, I went through a two year course designed for early childhood educators working in child care centers. The program discussed child development, family relationships, and community partnerships. It lasted four semesters and you remained with the same people throughout the entire two years. Lasting relationships formed around the program. Many of us only knew each other from class, but even still we were quite taken aback at how upsetting it was to say goodbye at the end of the two year period. After learning and growing together as early childhood educators, it was difficult to know that many of us would never see each other again. We collaborated on projects together, helped each other through professional and personal troubles, and supported each other’s learning. The rules of respect had been established in the beginning and maintained throughout the course. Before the last class, we decided to have a pot luck dinner celebration on the last night of class. We signed up to bring different dishes or drinks, and on the last night, we turned in our final projects, ate, and talked for a bit. Then we all said goodbye. Some good byes were tearful because we knew we would never see each other again. Some goodbyes were full of laughter as we shared silly stories about things we had said or done in the previous two years. Overall, the adjournment of this group was by far the worst I had experienced, with regard to emotional goodbyes.

I expect that adjourning from the other graduate students in the program will not be as difficult as adjourning from the previous group I described. Even though many of us spent a great deal of time together within the same classes of the program, many of us have never met and we haven’t really formed an emotional bond. There are several other students that I have relied on when I had some confusion about an assignment. We would email each other back and forth. There is also a great deal of support in our blogs, but without the face-to-face contact, I’m a little detached emotionally. It was established in the beginning that we were to listen respectfully to each other (or read comments and respond respectfully as the case may be). We are a learning community and I feel that I could comfortably participate within our group discussions. I think our adjournment will focus not so much on goodbyes, but on congratulating others on their accomplishments.

I believe that all groups need the final stage of adjourning (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 235). It not only provides closure to the project, but also allows members to feel that something worthwhile has been completed. They will now feel comfortable moving onto something else. We in the master’s program will feel an accomplishment. We will feel that we have completed a goal to expand our education further and are now comfortable taking the next step in our careers or our educations. Adjourning allows for one project to end so another project may begin.

Reference:

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.