Time Well Spent

I cannot believe we have come to the end of our journey with Walden University. For me it is a little surreal. I remember a little over two years ago beginning this journey and thinking I was getting way in over my head, because at that point I had only been in the field of early care and education  for three years and was nearly clueless. I know that I have grown so much both personally and professionally and it is because of Walden Instructors and my colleagues. I am so grateful for everyone who has given me words of encouragement and their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences.

Some of the things I have learned while on this journey are:

Relationships are so important. We must build relationships with colleagues, children, families, other professionals etc. Building a community of practice will help us share our passion and find ways to improve the lives of young children. I was so fortunate to have met someone who I greatly admire (Dr. Pam Schiller) while working on my capstone. Two years ago I know I would not have had the courage to engage in a conversation with her.

I have also learned that my early childhood experiences have shaped who I am today and though I understand that I had no control over my upbringing and I also know that I am not worthless it is very difficult to push those feelings and emotions aside and believe that I am someone who can make a difference. But, I know I can and as I have worked through these courses I have gotten better at controlling my emotions and feeling a sense of worth. I have also developed a very strong passion to teach others about social-emotional development and how it impacts a child for the rest of his or her life. I am a perfect example!

During my time at Walden I have learned the importance of researching the plethora of resources available. Before taking courses with Walden I used only a few resources such as NAEYC and Childcare Exchange, but now I know of so many more and have utilized them time and time again; and I know I will continue to use them as I fully intend to continue learning. My education does not end with the completion of my Master’s Degree. Will I go on to pursue a Doctorate? Probably not, my children are young, I own a business and I am involved in many volunteer projects that I just do not think my sanity could take on a doctorate. But, I fully intend to stay up-to-date on best practices and issues and trends in early childhood.

My goals are first and foremost to continue learning. I know I have so much more to learn.  I would also like to teach at a community college someday, as well as become a trainer for early childhood professionals. I have been in contact with Dr. Ed Dunkelblau with the Institute for Emotional Learning and will be enrolling in his online classes soon to learn more about training others in social emotional learning. I am working toward accreditation at my current center and plan to open another within the next 5-10 years.

 

Again, I want to thank all my colleagues and instructors because without you I probably would not have made it through this program. I wish each and every one of you great success in everything you do. It is with mixed emotions that I say good-bye; and I hope we can stay in touch and continue to collaborate over the years. My personal e-mail is cdudleytx@yahoo.com. I hope to hear from you and if there is ever anything I can do to help please do not hesitate to contact me.

“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.”

- Maria Montessori

 

Early childhood education is an urgent educational, economic and moral imperative. Without it, we face a long-term national economic security crisis.

-J.B. Pritzker

 

How one handles success or failure is determined by their early childhood.

-Harold Ramis

 

 

Jobs/Roles In ECE Community: Internationally

As I began researching early childhood international organizations I realized there are so many organizations, groups, and individuals who work diligently to improve the lives of young children, yet we are still struggling to get the world to understand the importance early care and education.  It is a little disturbing to me that more people know about how Miley Cyrus behaved at a concert than they do about how important the first five years are to young children. All the research and data is out there, now how do we reach every home around the world?

The organizations I chose did not have job listings, with the exception of UNICEF, however, I felt they would be organizations for which I could see myself working.

The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is an organization dedicated to promoting the optimal education and development of children in a changing world through various programs and projects that align with ACEI's mission. ACEI is committed to supporting and advocating for access to education, equity in educational settings, quality educational content, and the child's right to education. ACEI recognizes the significance of promoting international and intercultural understanding through dialogue and mutual respect. Over the years, ACEI members have acted as social change agents, involving themselves in various critical societal issues in their efforts to ensure that children around the world are protected, supported, and educated in ways that allow them to reach their full potential.

I found it interesting that ACEI began as a Kindergarten Union (IKU) in 1892, by educators concerned with the professional preparation of kindergarten teachers. In 1931, it evolved when the National Council of Primary Education joined with the IKU to form the Association for Childhood Education (ACE). Finally, realizing the critical importance of advancing childhood education throughout the world, ACE added "International" to its name in 1946, becoming the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). Today, ACEI has members in many nations, country liaisons, and network groups.

They have a program I really liked call Love Me, Teach Me. The purpose of this program is to promote the needs and rights of children everywhere. The campaign is built upon four cornerstones, each contributing to the well-being of children and related intimately to children’s needs and rights. These four cornerstones are See Me, Hear Me, Love Me, and Teach Me, and they apply to all children, worldwide.

I was unable to find career opportunities with ACEI, however, they do have an internship program:  Interns should be enrolled in a graduate degree program that focuses on global education issues with a particular interest in children's education. A focus on one specific aspect of childhood education, such as basic education or early childhood development, is also acceptable. Interns who have had some international experience(s) working or living outside the U.S., are preferred.

http://www.acei.org/

UNICEF is the world's leading children's organization and is active in more than 190 countries and territories through country programs and National Committees.  Over the last six decades, UNICEF has cultivated policy positions on a wide range of issues that affect children. UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. They have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and a variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. The organizations believes that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress.  UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. UNICEF’s workforce is made up of different categories of staff reflecting various levels of responsibilities and duties. Each category of staff has its own requirements.

There were several positions for Temporary Appointments. None of these positions dealt directly with early childhood education and I was unqualified for any of the jobs listed. Additionally, there were a few job openings listed in e-recruitment section however the majority were IT positions and one was for a Deputy Executive Director, Field Results, for which I was not qualified. There were many Consultancy Assignments listed on the website, but again, they were not in the realm of my skillset. I found one that peaked my interest though it does not deal with early childhood either. It is more of an inventory/transportation position (which is the field I was in before entering into the ECE field).

The position is for a Procurement Services Assistant

Under supervision and guidance of the Procurement Services Manager, the Procurement Services Assistant is responsible for processing  requests from analyses/assessment of partner’s needs, timely and accurate processing of cost estimates and sales orders; issuing and expediting of orders and deliveries and reporting to meet/satisfy the needs and expectations of partners. The Procurement Services Assistant will act as focal point for assigned Key Accounts and Key Partners as well as for specific countries/regions as assigned.

 KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES, DUTIES & TASKS:

·         Performs all procurement services activities in compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Supply Division Manual and other applicable procurement procedures.

·         Manage and monitor Key Accounts and Projects for assigned partners, under the guidance of the Procurement Services Manager and Officer and in line with procedure requirements.

·         Analyse requests, identify and address any potential operational risks, and communicate with partners, country offices and SD centres to ensure the clarity of specifications, appropriateness, delivery requirements and delivery dates.

·         Prepares cost estimates for warehouse items, including freight quotes in collaboration with business units and shipping unit.

·         Prepares sales orders for warehouse items and monitors and follows up on progress of sales orders to ensure that commitments entered into when preparing the cost estimates are met and transmits all relevant information to partner.

·         Ensures budgetary limits of the sales orders are respected.

·         Prepares and provides timely and regular status / monitoring reports as well as ad hoc reporting requirements to partners and other offices in UNICEF.

·         Closing of transaction files, ensuring adequacy and completeness of information in accordance with guidelines.

·         Ensures good communication and support to partners throughout the whole procurement process.

·         Provide inputs to the discussions and analysis on PS operational improvements.

·         Support key accounts and key partners to ensure timely response to queries and follow up on ongoing issues as required.

·         Other duties as may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:

 Education, Work Experience, Technical Competencies & Languages:

• High School Diploma/A Levels and technical or university courses in Business Administration or related field
• Five years of work experience in a similar administrative function with proficiency in use of data processing systems

·         Fluency in English and working knowledge of another UN language is desirable

·         IT Skills and working knowledge of SAP, Microsoft – Excel, PowerPoint and Word software

COMPETENCIES OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:

Values and Competencies: Our Core Values reflect attitudes and convictions that are shared across all UNICEF staff and include diversity and inclusion, integrity and commitment. The successful candidate must believe in the core values and have the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for UNICEF’s mandate. The required competencies for this particular position are:

•    Communication, (Level 1)
•    Working with People, (Level 2)

•    Drive for Results, (Level 1)
•    Analyzing, (Level 1)
•    Learning and Researching, (Level 1)

•   Planning and Organizing, (Level 1)

•   Following Instructions and Procedures (Level 1)

http://www.unicef.org/

ISSA is the third organization I researched. I was delighted with all the information I was able to glean from this site. I learned that ISSA promotes inclusive, quality care and education experiences that create the conditions for every child to be happy and reach his or her full potential. The organization does this through three different pillars of action: ensuring equal access for all children; promoting high-quality and professionalism in early years, and supporting parents and communities to take part in their children’s development and learning. The programs and activities implemented focus on:

1.Raising awareness of the importance of quality care and education, through informing the general public and influencing policies. 

2.Developing resources for practitioners working with young children.

3.Nurturing the capacity of organizations in the network. 

4.Piloting and evaluating programs. 

5.Strengthening alliances. 

 

I was unable to locate any job openings for this organization. I had not known about this organization in the past and feel it is one I will be able to use in the future. I am definitely adding it to my list of resources.

http://www.issa.nl/

It would be an honor to work for any one of these organizations.

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

The Devereux Center for Resilient Children works to promote the social and emotional well-being of all children by building resilience, using strengths-based approach and strong partnerships between families, teachers, and others who work with young children. DCRC’s Mission is to promote social and emotional development, foster resilience and build skills for school and life success in children birth through school-age, as well as to promote the resilience of the adults who care for them. Comprised of education, mental health, and research professionals, the DCRC team develops strength-based assessment and strategy resources supported by some of the best and most thorough developmental research in the fields of social and emotional development and resilience.

Devereux’s focus on primary prevention and promoting children’s resilience began in 1996 with the founding of the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative. After nearly 75 years of providing behavioral health, rehabilitation, and special education services to individuals with special needs, Devereux directed its attention to the emerging understanding of the preventable nature of some emotional and behavioral problems. Initially focusing on preschool children and a few years later expanding the scope to include infants and toddlers, to date the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative has reached over 3 million children.
Though I think this would be a great organization to be involved with, I was unable to locate job openings with DCRC.

www.centerforresilientchildren.org

	HighScope Educational Research Foundation in Ypsilanti, Michigan is an independent, private, nonprofit research, development, training, and public outreach organization. HighScope serves a national and international audience committed to promoting high-quality early education for young children. HighScope is a diverse organization of approximately 50 professional educators, researchers, publishing staff, and administrative staff. A small demonstration preschool with two teachers provides an opportunity to observe implementation of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum. HighScope-trained independent Field Consultants implement training throughout the country. There were two positions posted on the website were for two part-year teachers. The job requires a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood education or a BA and coursework equivalent to a major relating to Early Childhood Education with experience teaching preschool age children. I would be more interested in a field consultant position, however, I could not find the qualifications for the position. www.highscope.org Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is the nation’s leading organization advancing the development of academic, social and emotional competence for all students. CASEL’s mission is to help make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education from preschool through high school. Through research, practice and policy, CASEL collaborates to ensure all students become knowledgeable, responsible, caring and contributing members of society. CASEL is currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of Development Coordinator. Qualifications and experience for the position are: CASEL seeks an individual who is highly motivated and committed to CASEL’s mission. The ideal candidate will have the following experience, expertise and skills: *Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; with one to two years of related experience. *Experience in fundraising, logistical coordination and project management for high visibility activities is preferred. *Must be well organized, detail oriented, able to prioritize and possess strong analytical skills. *Database management experience. *Knowledge of the prospect and donor management process including research vehicles. *Ability to gather data, analyze information and prepare reports. *Ability to foster effective working relationships within a team environment. *Strong interpersonal skills, as well as demonstrated proficiency in writing and verbal communication skills. *Outstanding customer service skills. The desire to work in a highly collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where taking initiative, working well in teams of internal and external colleagues, and perseverance in the face of challenges is a must. www.casel.org

Though I think this position could be fun and interesting for a period of time, I think I would prefer to be more involved and hands-on work with children and adults researching and helping to transform schools to ensure children receive the support needed to be successful in school and in life.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

 As I sit and daydream about what I would do if I had the opportunity to do anything in life, I am drawn to helping children. The more I learn and the more I see in life, the more I realize I was destined to help children. Before I entered the ECE field I was preparing to go to work for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). I had been a volunteer for many years when the Executive Director asked me to come aboard as a casework manager. It was about that time that I needed care for my two year old twins and could not find quality care. I opted to enter the ECE field instead. CASA is a wonderful organization that speaks up and advocates for abused and neglected children. I could easily find myself working as a casework manager if I was not working in the ECE field. I continue to volunteer and serve on the board, which gives me the best of both worlds. I can continue to help abused and neglected children through advocacy at the same time as I help young children develop and grow in the early childhood education field.

Our program collaborates with an organization called Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). ECI is a statewide program for families with children, birth to three, with disabilities and developmental delays. Basically, if we see a need for ECI we make a referral to the parents who then contact ECI and schedule an appointment. ECI first sees the child in their home, then any future visits can be conducted in our center. ECI has several positions in their program. However, the position which holds my interest is that of an Early Intervention Specialists (EIS). I could do this on a contract basis and still continue working in the early care and education field. ECI has created its own credentialing system. Early Intervention Specialists earn their credential by completing specific training activities on their Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). Once all of the training activities on the IPDP are completed, an EIS is awarded a certificate declaring his/her status as an EIS Professional. EISs must obtain 10 contact hours of Continuing Professional Education each year in order to maintain their credential. EISs must also complete 3 hours of ethics training every two years in addition to the 10 hours of CPE. ECI employees or contract personnel are eligible to become an EIS with at least a bachelor’s degree in one many related areas such as child development, family studies and sociology (and many more). This is something I could begin working on rather quickly.

http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/careers.shtml

I have also explored the option of teaching at the local Community College in my town.  Hill College has a “Johnson County Campus” just five minutes from our program.  According to the website there are various adjunct instructor positions available. Candidates must hold a Master's degree with at least 18 graduate hours in the teaching discipline. Additionally, candidates should have the knowledge base on how to teach via new instructional formats (internet, 2-way video, etc.) or be willing to receive training on new formats. I don’t have the 18 graduate hours in the teaching discipline, but I would be willing to take the necessary classes to fulfill the requirements. The early childhood education instructor will be retiring next year and I would love the opportunity to teach classes at this campus.

www.hillcollege.edu/employment

 

If I were willing to move out of Texas I would apply for a position at the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Learning (CSEFL) at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The website does not have an employment link for CSEFL. Job listings are plentiful, but they are all for Vanderbilt University. I searched through pages of job openings, but could not distinguish if any were for the CSEFL. I have a passion for learning more about social-emotional development and what better place to learn and put into practice what I have learned!!

 http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/search.html

 

Finally,  I would like to become a trainer for the early childhood education field. I have taken steps to make this a reality. I have applied and have been accepted by the Texas Training Registry to conduct trainings for the early childhood field. At this point I have only conducted one training since being accepted, as my schedule has been completely hectic lately. But once I have completed my coursework through Walden University I intend to write and conduct trainings more frequently.

If the sky were the limit and I could do anything my heart desired, I would still work to help children.

 

My Early Childhood Wordle

Saying Goodbye and Good Luck

This semester has been a very good semester with an abundance of great information and learning experiences. I thank my colleagues for their insightful and informative posts as well as all the support throughout this course. As we move forward into our specializations we may not have the opportunity to continue communicating and supporting one another via discussion posts and blogs for our coursework. I hope I have been as supportive and helpful to my colleagues as they have been to me. I wish each of you the best of luck and hope to see you in future courses. We, of course, have our blogs and can keep up with one another through the blogs, but I also understand that life happens and it is very easy it is to move forward and lose track of all those who touched our lives in one way or another. I am very guilty of moving forward and not looking back. But, if for any reason I can ever be of help to any one of you my personal e-mail is cdudleytx@yahoo.com. Best wishes and God bless.

Crystal

The Adjournment Stage-Saying Good-Bye

Over the years I have been involved in different groups. Some have ended abruptly do to unresolved conflict or the splitting up of a group due to time constraints. However, there have been groups in which I have been involved that have come together, brainstormed, came up with a plan and implemented the plan. Though few have followed all the way through with the adjournment phase. I think this is a crucial piece that too often gets overlooked.

However, when I began thinking back to a time when a group in which I was involved made it through to the adjournment phase, I found it difficult to remember such a time. But, the more I thought about it (I was definitely over thinking it) I thought of our program. We develop teams often to look at different aspects of the program and utilize the strengths of our staff members on committees. About two years ago we were looking at changing the way we did our summer school age program. So we put together a committee which comprised our school age teachers, the director and myself. We met several times between January and the end of the school year to develop a plan for the summer months. This committee worked very well together, showing respect for each other’s ideas. We left our final meeting in a very upbeat, excited sense of accomplishment. As the summer went on we lost one of our lead teachers to the oil field (they pay much better). This was devastating to us as he was amazing with the kids. But, we chose not to let it get us down. We continued to meet bi-weekly throughout the summer taking notes on what worked well, what needed improvement and what needed to be scratched all together. Once we wrapped up for the summer and the kids headed back to school we met one final time to go over all our notes from the summer.  At the end of the final meeting we felt a sense of accomplishment and agreed we would all be on the committee for the following year. So though our committee came to an end for that particular year, we knew we’d come together again. So we really didn’t have to say “good-bye” to one another, but we did say “good-bye” to that particular committee and group dynamics.

I have also experienced groups where we had to say good-bye and it was more difficult. This would have been on a more personal note such as when I divorced my first husband. I left our marriage and our group of friends behind—as well as his family. This was very difficult as I had established some very good friendships with some of our friends and many of his family members. But, I moved on and formed new friendships. Since then some of our mutual friends have reached out via Facebook and have reestablished communication.

Though I have experienced very few groups who moved through the adjournment phase I would tend to believe that the high performing a group the harder it would be to say good-bye. I would also think that it will be a little bittersweet to say good-bye to our group of Master’s Degree colleagues. We all understand the dedication and work it takes to go through this program. We all have lives outside of school and have to find time every week to get assignments completed on time. I know I find it very difficult some weeks to squeeze everything in. We all share this understanding and I know we each respect the others for the time, effort and dedication it takes to go through this program. Though we will be saying good-bye, I am sure some will stay in contact with one another for support throughout our journeys in the early care and education field.

According to Gina Abudi (2010) adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork to ensure time to celebrate success of the project and capture the best practices for future use (or lessons learned). It is also a time for the team to have the opportunity to say good-bye to one another.

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html