The three things that I have learned from this program are...
1) networking with other professionals is critical as an early childhood professional. So much is gained from communicating and collaborating with others.
2) my dedication and passion for the early childhood field makes a difference in the lives of the children and families I serve.
3) Reflection is key to my success.
My long-term goal is to obtain my certification to become an English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher. I have already began the process by registering for two classes.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Teri and all of my colleagues for all of your support, feedback, and encouragement. If it were not for all of you I would not have been able to accomplish all that I have.
Thanks again! I wish all of you the best of luck with all of your future endeavors.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
International Jobs / Roles in the Early Childhood Field
The United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has 15 job openings related to education. The job that I was most interested in was an
Early Childhood Development Specialist.
This job is located in Kenya. The
qualifications needed for this job opportunity are an advanced degree in
education or a related field, eight years of related experience at national and
international levels, and fluency in English as well as another UN language.
Currently, Save the Children has 17
international job opportunities available currently. The job opening that caught my eye was the Education
Programme Manager position. This
position is in Lebanon. The
qualifications needed to fill this position are a degree in a related degree
in related field or equivalent work experience, 3 years of working with an NGO
in emergency education, experience of staff training and capacity building of organizational
staff and partner staff, flexible, adaptable, ability to improvise, results
orientated, familiarity with SPHERE standards guidelines and other humanitarian
standards, ideally fluency in written and spoken Arabic, and strength in
interpersonal communication and presentation skills.
The Academy for Educational Development
currently has 97 job opportunities available at this time. The job that seemed most interesting to me is
the Technical Advisor I, Monitoring & Evaluation position. This job opportunity is located in Equatorial
Guinea. The
qualifications required are a master’s degree in education or a related field,
10 years of relevant international experience required, professional work
experience or equivalent combination of education and work experience, demonstrated
experience in working in quality improvement at the classroom level, teacher
training, curriculum development, materials development, and support of
inspectors in active learning methodologies, fluency in Spanish, and working
knowledge of English, knowledge of formative evaluation in education projects,
knowledge of statistics and statistical software for education research, ability
to work in challenging country context, ability to interact with diverse
groups, including: clients, teachers and community leaders of various cultures,
cross-cultural communication skills, ability to work in teams and build
consensus with individuals at all levels, excellent interpersonal skills:
openness to sharing and listening to new ideas, ability to work independently
and meet deadlines, ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities,
and excellent oral and written communications skills.
References
Friday, July 26, 2013
Jobs and Roles in the ECE Community: National / Federal Level
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) currently has two job openings. The positions which NCTE is seeking to be filled are an Administrator Liasion and Senior Developer, Strategic Marketing.
The qualifications required for the Administrator Liasion position are:
The skills and experience needed for the Senior Developer, Strategic Marketing position are:
The National Council of Teachers of English appealed to me because of their core values and their recognition of bilingual and bi-cultural education as basic components of the English Language Arts field. Their core values include writing, literature, Integrated Language Arts, diversity, knowledgeable and caring teachers, advocacy, and public education.
Neither of these job opportunities interest me. I have no experience with teaching at a high school or college level. Nor do I have experience with marketing.
The Teachers of English of Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) International Association does not have any job opportunities available. TESOL International Association is mostly ran by member volunteers. However, TESOL International Association provides many resources to help one find a job in the English of Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) field.
The TESOL International Association appealed to me because of their mission to advance professional expertise in English language teaching and learning for speakers of other languages worldwide.
Currently, the U.S. Department of Education: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) does not have any job opportunities available at this time.
It was the Office of English Language Acquisition's mission that appealed to me. Their mission states that they "provide national leadership to help ensure that English language learners and immigrant students attain English proficiency and achieve academically" (OELA, 2013).
References
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html
http://www.ncte.org/jobs
http://www.tesol.org/about-tesol/association-governance/mission-and-values
The qualifications required for the Administrator Liasion position are:
- Having experience as a literacy educator at high school and college level.
- Bachelor’s degree in English, Education, or Business-related field.
- Experience working in an administrative role with a non-profit membership organization, a learned/scholarly society, or publisher/entertainment media company targeting high school or college educators.
- Experience in orienting and supporting volunteer group leaders, documenting decisions, or interpreting governance policies.
- Experience designing presentations, articles, or invitational messages for teachers based on interpretation of research trends or audience feedback.
- Experience and expertise working in a social network environment for professional purposes.
- Functioning as a consistent contributor and effective decision-maker in a collaborative, goal-focused, team-centered work environment.
The skills and experience needed for the Senior Developer, Strategic Marketing position are:
- Having a Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Experience as a senior marketing professional in a not-for-profit organization.
- A proven track record in membership and revenue growth.
- Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.
- Ability to establish and maintain, and adhere to budgets.
- Ability to maintain effective relationships with management, employees, and the general public.
- A deep understanding of NCTE's mission.
- The ability to travel.
- Expertise with using the full range of promotional media.
The National Council of Teachers of English appealed to me because of their core values and their recognition of bilingual and bi-cultural education as basic components of the English Language Arts field. Their core values include writing, literature, Integrated Language Arts, diversity, knowledgeable and caring teachers, advocacy, and public education.
Neither of these job opportunities interest me. I have no experience with teaching at a high school or college level. Nor do I have experience with marketing.
The Teachers of English of Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) International Association does not have any job opportunities available. TESOL International Association is mostly ran by member volunteers. However, TESOL International Association provides many resources to help one find a job in the English of Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) field.
The TESOL International Association appealed to me because of their mission to advance professional expertise in English language teaching and learning for speakers of other languages worldwide.
Currently, the U.S. Department of Education: Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) does not have any job opportunities available at this time.
It was the Office of English Language Acquisition's mission that appealed to me. Their mission states that they "provide national leadership to help ensure that English language learners and immigrant students attain English proficiency and achieve academically" (OELA, 2013).
References
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html
http://www.ncte.org/jobs
http://www.tesol.org/about-tesol/association-governance/mission-and-values
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels
It was difficult for me to locate local organizations or communities of practice (CoP) which appealed to me. However, it was easier for me to locate state organizations or communities of practice. The organizations / communities of practice that I found were the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, and Advocates for Children and Youth.
These organizations appealed to me because they are in the state in which I teach in, promote meaningful educational opportunities and experiences, promote and improve programs and policies, and support Maryland’s children and families to live a life free of discrimination.
http://www.acy.org/articlenav.php?id=8
These organizations appealed to me because they are in the state in which I teach in, promote meaningful educational opportunities and experiences, promote and improve programs and policies, and support Maryland’s children and families to live a life free of discrimination.
Currently, Advocates for Children and Youth does not have any job opportunities available at this time. I could not locate any available job openings with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland has two job openings at this time. The current positions are a Development Associate and Public Policy Associate. However, neither these jobs appeal to me.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Reflecting on Learning
It is hard to believe we are at the conclusion of yet another course. This course has helped me gaining a deeper understanding of the strategies available for working diverse children. My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional and for the children and families for whom I work with is to provide a safe, secure, supportive learning community. 
I would also like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of my colleagues. I have enjoyed working with you all and appreciate
all of your help and support throughout the last eight weeks. I wish you all the best of luck on your continued journey as an anti-bias educator!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Impacts on Early Emotional Development
I chose to explore West and Central Africa. I chose this area to explore because my school as a large population of children from this region. Learning about this area will help me become a more knowledgeable and understanding teacher to these children.
Some of the challenges the children in this region of the world are confronted with having their rights violated daily, diseases, malnutrition, poverty, violence, and AIDS. According to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF, n.d.), 40% of children in this region do not go to school due to poverty or traditional beliefs. Abuse and exploitation are some ways these children are having their rights violated daily. Some of the diseases which impact the children of this region are diarrhoeal disease, malaria, and other vaccine preventable diseases.
These experiences would affect a child's development and emotional well-being. Children who suffer with these challenges may have more difficulty with demonstrating self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identity. These children may also have difficulty with expressing comfort and joy with human diversity and creating and keeping deep, caring human relationships. These experiences may also affect how these children demonstrate empowerment (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Assocation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
UNICEF. (n.d.) Children in West and Central Africa. Retrieved on June 22, 2013, from:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html.
Some of the challenges the children in this region of the world are confronted with having their rights violated daily, diseases, malnutrition, poverty, violence, and AIDS. According to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF, n.d.), 40% of children in this region do not go to school due to poverty or traditional beliefs. Abuse and exploitation are some ways these children are having their rights violated daily. Some of the diseases which impact the children of this region are diarrhoeal disease, malaria, and other vaccine preventable diseases.
These experiences would affect a child's development and emotional well-being. Children who suffer with these challenges may have more difficulty with demonstrating self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identity. These children may also have difficulty with expressing comfort and joy with human diversity and creating and keeping deep, caring human relationships. These experiences may also affect how these children demonstrate empowerment (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Assocation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
UNICEF. (n.d.) Children in West and Central Africa. Retrieved on June 22, 2013, from:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
The Sexualization of Early Childhood
The topic of sexualization of early childhood is disstressing to me. Sexualization has a negative impact on a young child's development which could have a life-long impact on developing compassionate relationships . Children have many influences which effect their identity of themselves and others including music, television, advertisements, toys, clothing, media, and dominant culture. Everywhere you look there are invert and overt messages about sex, being sexy, and looking sexy. Children are inundated with messages of sex at very early age . This will in turn have a negative impact on a young child's identity development (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).
On many television shows and movies the characters are mostly thin, beautiful, and dressed in beautiful clothing. This message tells young children that they must look like and be like this to be accepted and happy. This is the wrong messages to send. Young children should be taught to respect and accept themselves and others for who they are not what they look like or wear.
If you were to walk down the aisle in a toy story full of dolls, they all have large breasts, small waists, and are skinny. These dolls all have makeup on and beautiful long hair. Again, this is a negative message that is sent to young children that they must look and dress a certain way to fit in.
Listening to the radio you will also hear about sexualization. It is everywhere. The DJ's talk about sex, cheating, being drunk, and other topics related to sex. The more that young children hear and see about sex will lead them to believe that their relationships are supposed to be like that too. And that is not the truth.
Walk down any aisle in a girls clothing section of a store, you will see short shirts, short skirts and dresses, low cut bathing suits for young children. It is sad to see that young children's clothing is promoting them to show off their bodies. Young children should not have the burden of worrying about whether they look "sexy" in their clothing.
To reduce the negative impact of sexualization on young children I would teach them to respect themselves for who they are. In the classroom I would only use specific materials and visuals which promote a healthy and positive identity development for the children. I would not have or use materials that promotes or encourages being sexy or masculine. I would encourage all children to try all activities. I would also provide specific activities that allow each child to explore similarities and differences (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).
The ways in which my awareness has been influenced by studying this topic has reminded me about the importance of intentionally and authentically teaching children about stereotypes and biases. For children to grow up with a positive identity, teachers and families must teach children honestly and age appropriately. Young children need to be able to talk to trusting and supportive adults who will answer questions and clear up confusion (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
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 on June 14, 2013, from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf
On many television shows and movies the characters are mostly thin, beautiful, and dressed in beautiful clothing. This message tells young children that they must look like and be like this to be accepted and happy. This is the wrong messages to send. Young children should be taught to respect and accept themselves and others for who they are not what they look like or wear.
If you were to walk down the aisle in a toy story full of dolls, they all have large breasts, small waists, and are skinny. These dolls all have makeup on and beautiful long hair. Again, this is a negative message that is sent to young children that they must look and dress a certain way to fit in.
Listening to the radio you will also hear about sexualization. It is everywhere. The DJ's talk about sex, cheating, being drunk, and other topics related to sex. The more that young children hear and see about sex will lead them to believe that their relationships are supposed to be like that too. And that is not the truth.
Walk down any aisle in a girls clothing section of a store, you will see short shirts, short skirts and dresses, low cut bathing suits for young children. It is sad to see that young children's clothing is promoting them to show off their bodies. Young children should not have the burden of worrying about whether they look "sexy" in their clothing.
To reduce the negative impact of sexualization on young children I would teach them to respect themselves for who they are. In the classroom I would only use specific materials and visuals which promote a healthy and positive identity development for the children. I would not have or use materials that promotes or encourages being sexy or masculine. I would encourage all children to try all activities. I would also provide specific activities that allow each child to explore similarities and differences (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).
The ways in which my awareness has been influenced by studying this topic has reminded me about the importance of intentionally and authentically teaching children about stereotypes and biases. For children to grow up with a positive identity, teachers and families must teach children honestly and age appropriately. Young children need to be able to talk to trusting and supportive adults who will answer questions and clear up confusion (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009).
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
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 on June 14, 2013, from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf
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