Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

My last post discussed opportunities that I would like to investigate further in my local community.  This week I will explore opportunities for me to pursue my passion on a national or federal level.  While moving into a position with organizations such as the ones I researched would be a major transition, I feel that simply by learning about the work being performed by these organizations will aid my search for the position that is right for me.

I began searching for organizations that I felt I would like to add to my ever-growing community of practice.  One organization that I feel centers around beliefs that compose a portion of my professional mission and vision is the Fred Rogers Center.  Their desire is to grow “confident, competent, and caring” individuals (Fred Rogers Center, n.d.), who value human connections, empathy, and compassion.  As they are located within the St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, my search was through the college’s website.  While they are currently only offering open positions on their main campus, this is certainly an organization I will be keeping a close eye on as they are located less than two hours from my current place of residence. 

Secondly, my search took me to NASBE (National Association of State Boards of Education).  This organization exists to “serve and strengthen State Boards of Education in their pursuit of high levels of academic achievement for all students” (NASBE, n.d.).  This organization was not offering any current full-time employment opportunities, but they do offer recurring internship experiences in non-profit and public sector.  These internships afford individuals the chance to work with board members, policy experts, education leaders, and government officials.  I do not know that this would be the right opportunity for this particular period in my career, but I do know that it would be an exceptionally valuable experience and would highly recommend it to others seeking a pathway to rewarding work in the field of early childhood.

Finally, I considered the available options with NIEER (National Institute for Early Education Research).  They are considering graduate students and upper-class undergrads for positions as data collectors to aid their research.  I think that this would be a great opportunity for students in the area, as they require several full-days of on-site training, but is unfortunately not a position that is open to me currently.  This organization is also searching for an assistant research professor at Rutgers University, where the group is based.  This position requires a doctorate degree and a strong knowledge of research methodology, and while it is not something that I am professionally prepared for, it certainly sounds like the organization has a strong foundation of substantial data from which they base their conclusions. 

I always find it interesting to research the interesting positions available in our field.  It strengthens my own desires and causes me to realize that there is truly a place for everyone to make a difference for children and families.  The greater I stretch my ambition and my boundaries, the more likely I will find the position that is meant for me. 

References

Fred Rogers Center.  (n.d.)  About Us. Retrieved from http://www.fredrogerscenter.org/about/saint-vincent-college/

National Association of State Boards of Education. (n.d.) Employment.  Retrieved from http://www.nasbe.org/about-us/employment/

National Institute for Early Education Research.  (n.d.).  Job Opportunities.  Retrieved from http://www.nieer.org/about/jobs

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

As I near the end of my graduate degree program, and my own children will be enrolled in elementary school full time, it will soon be time to begin my search toward a new chapter in the field of EC.  I have thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to be home with my girls and provide quality care for several children and their families over the years.  Although I could certainly persist in this role, I feel that there is something else out there for me. 

           

I began searching locally for positions and organizations that align with my desire to provide well-rounded, whole-child curriculum for children of all abilities and interests, while stressing a balance of topics, learning styles, and cultures.  The first organization I researched was the SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) program in my county.  This organization partners educators and families to work toward preparing children for kindergarten.  Their curriculum aligns with our current state early learning standards, but provides a combination of both in-home and group meetings.  It affords the opportunity for children and families to be met where they are, ready them for what they will be facing in the local elementary schools, and provide pre-assessments for early intervention, without the children being placed in a traditional preschool program.  The free programming is provided by groups of volunteer educators, administrators, and counselors at a local community center.  I became interested in this organization when I learned that I would have several hours available during the upcoming school year and began to research ways to positively donate my time.  This is definitely an organization that I will be contacting in the near future.

Secondly, I would love the opportunity down the line to work as a curriculum specialist within a local school district.  I feel that by immersing myself in the curriculum requirements of the early elementary grades, and could then work to inform local preschool programs as to what the expectations for the children will be.  I know that in my area, only programs that receive government funding (on any level) are privy to certain standards and requirements of the elementary level.  I have met with several educators who have been frustrated developing their own curriculum and assessing children properly when they are not being given the information they desire from the Department of Education.  I would work to break down these walls to provide greater equity in education for young children, especially those who attend independent private programs. 

The final local position that peaked my interest was a Site Manager for TNTP (The New Teacher Project), which is a non-profit organization committed to recruiting and training teachers of excellence for elementary schools across the nation.  While they began with the schools in greatest need, they began to realize that discrepancies in education exist across all demographics.  They believe that it is critical that educators receive proper training and support in order to properly serve their communities.  This specific position would entail partnering with clients within an at-risk school district near to me to perform an audit of their teacher recruitment strategies and selection processes.  After working to improve staffing attainment and retention models the Site Manager would follow-up to ensure that milestones are being met and that a team is developed to provide continuous real-time support for the district.  This particular organization not only seeks to bring greater equity in early education, but they also strive to advance teaching policies and practices. 

As I begin to dive further into the opportunities for me in the future, I would  also expand my search out-of-state and into varying areas such as program creation, implementation, and funding; data analysis of demographics and program results; and site inspection.  I look forward to consulting with my colleagues regarding positions and organizations in their areas as another tool in my search J