Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community - Internationally

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community – Internationally

The three international organizations that appealed to me are Save the Children, FHI360, and UNICEF. They appealed to me because of what they do for children throughout the world through education, protection, or research, or combinations of the three.

“Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves – a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When disaster strikes, we put children's needs first. We advocate for and achieve large-scale change for children. We save children's lives” (http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.html). They offer services and resources around the globe in the areas of child protection, education, emergency response, health and nutrition, hunger and livelihoods, and HIV and AIDS. I would be honored to work for Save the Children because of their amazing impact that they have had for so many children and families all over the world. They have several career opportunities that appeal to me, however many of them would be unrealistic for my personal situations and family commitments. Two of them that I would seriously consider would be that of a Program Specialist: Early Steps to School Success, and Specialist: Early Childhood Development. “The Program Specialist, ESSS is the on-the-ground Save the Children (SC) staff member providing technical and management assistance to partners in area to ensure the effective coordination, implementation and monitoring of early childhood education programming” (http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.html). The requirements of this position is a college degree in early childhood education or a related field that includes birth to three training, a minimum of three years of relevant work experience, and a valid drivers license. The Specialist: Early Childhood Development position is part of the International Program Department of Education and Child Development team with a central focus in the area of early childhood care and development. “The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Specialist will provide technical support to country offices in the design, implementation and monitoring of ECD programs” (http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm). The requirements for this position are a Masters degree in early childhood development or education, a minimum of three years early childhood development program design and implementation, experience in developing countries, excellent communication skills in English, fluency in Spanish, and a willingness to travel 30% - 40% of the time.

“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” (http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_introduction.html). Some of their focus areas are in child survival and development, basic education and gender equality, HIV/AIDS and children, child protection, and policy advocacy and partnerships. UNICEF also has several career opportunities that appeal to me, however the majority of them are unrealistic for myself. The one that interests me the most would be the Education Specialist. The Education Specialist is “Accountable for formulation, design, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of Education programme(s) to ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programme management, delivery and accomplishment of programme goals and objectives” (). For this position you should have an advanced university degree in education or social sciences, as well as eight or more years of professional work experience at national and international levels in fields relevant to education programs, the ability to identify and monitor gender inequality and equality issues, and fluency in English and a second UN language.

“FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions” (http://www.fhi360.org). FHI360 is grounded in research and science, strengthened by partnerships and focused on building the capacity of individuals, communities and countries to succeed. A career opportunity that greatly interests me in this organization is the ECE Specialist. The ECE Specialist provides technical assistance and training to Head Start Grantees in areas related to school readiness, training and career needs of Grantee staff, and collaboration activities. The requirements for this position are a minimum of a BA or BS degree in Early Childhood Education, a minimum of 5 years experience in programs serving young children, the ability to train and provide presentations to individuals as well as small or large groups, ability to prioritize and meet deadlines, and ability to travel 50% or more of the time.

Reference

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm

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

National Institute of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the largest scientific organization in the world dedicated to research focused on the understanding, treatment, and education of mental health. Most of the job opportunities are clinical so I would not meet the requirements of the positions, but working alongside the clinicians would be helpful to learn more about specific topics regarding mental health, and having the latest information based on research and brain development.

National Association for the Education of Young Children

http://www.naeyc.org

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children. NAEYC’s mission is “to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources (NAEYC Bylaws, Article 1., Section 1.1). An available employment opportunity that interests me is that of an HR Generalist. As an HR Generalist I would support and coordinate the day-to-day administration of the Human Resources Office and program areas. I would provide administrative and program support by coordinating recruitment, recordkeeping and training, and working closely with management and staff to support their needs and requests for assistance. The requirements for this position is a BS degree with several years of administration experience, as well as experience in working with a non-profit organization.

Zero to Three

http://www.zerotothree.org

Zero to Three is a national organization that provides parents, professionals, and policy makers the knowledge and know how to nurture early development. They offer an extensive amount of information on behavior and development for children ages 0-3, as well as in many other areas. The available employment opportunity that interests me is that of a Senior Writer/Training Specialist. As a Senior Writer/Training Specialist I would design and conduct trainings for federal staff, technical assistance providers, and early head start program staff. I would also maintain a system for coordinated communication and knowledge sharing with the early head start community. I would need to have knowledge and skills in the early head start program as well as have a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

    Three local organizations that appealed to me due to the services that they offer are Riverside County Department of Mental Health, Family Service Association, and Riverside County Office of Education. These organizations interest me both for their employment opportunities, and as potential communities of practice.

    The Riverside County Department of Mental Health offers a variety of services, awareness opportunities, and resources for families and the community.  “The Riverside County Department of Mental Health (RCDMH) exists to provide effective, efficient, and culturally sensitive community-based services to adults, older adults, and children who have or are at risk of developing mental illnesses or substance abuse problems; as well as to individuals on conservatorship. We strive to provide consumers with services that will empower them to achieve and maintain their own recovery goals and personal wellness” (http://rcdmh.org/opencms). I chose Riverside County Department of Mental Health because of my professional and personal experiences with them. They have locations in many Riverside County communities that allows for convenient accessibility to those they serve. They also reach out to the families of those they serve to ensure effective care. One previously available job opportunity is that of a parent partner. The parent partner is someone who has experience with a child that received services through the Riverside Department of Mental Health and can assist other parents/families with the process as well as inform them of what services are available to them.

    “Family Service Association’s Mission is to provide quality human services, child development, housing and senior services to residents of the Inland Empire and Desert Communities” (http://fsaca.org). Family Service Association (FSA) is a unique organization that started in the early 1950’s by offering high quality and affordable counseling services to the Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In 1985 they decided to expand their services to include high quality and affordable child development centers due to the growing needs of families. FSA has since expanded their services to also include nutrition programs, housing assistance, cool/warm centers, and services to seniors through housing and meals on wheels. FSA has many job opportunities that appeal to me but I would like to seek a management position in their child development program.

    The other local organization that appeals to me is the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE). RCOE is a large organizations with several departments within it. The department that I am most interested in is Children and Family Services. Through this department several state and federally funded child development facilities are operated. “These programs focus on children from low income families to help them receive early education and preparation for entrance into public school, and child care and development services to assist families on their road to self-sufficiency” (http://www.rcoe.us/children-family-services/). I would like to have Riverside County Office of Education within my community of practice. They are a large organization that serves many children and families, and because of this they would be a valuable resource.

References

http://rcdmh.org/opencms

http://fsaca.org

http://www.rcoe.us/children-family-services/

Adjorning

When working with a group there are several different stages of development. They are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The adjourning stage is very important. This week the question is about which groups had the hardest good bye's. I feel that the groups I have had the hardest time with saying good bye to were the ones where we all worked very hard to complete a task together. Then when the task was complete there was no more closeness between the group members, and we were no longer working together so closely. School groups, in class, or online have never been hard for me to leave because I do not feel that I have grown close to anyone of my classmates. Some things that I have done with my group members that I became close with was after the event or things we worked hard to complete together we would come together and discuss how it went and reflect on all the things that we had done together. We usually planned to stay in touch, or to come together next time we needed to plan something.

Conflict Resolution

This week we are learning about conflict resolution, and it has come at a perfect time in my life. I am experiencing many problems at work, and because of them I have asked to no longer be a supervisor, but am seeking other employment. The issue came from a disagreement, and turned into being set up and basically sabotaging what I have worked hard to create. In order to deal with my current situation, I have stepped into a teaching position, and have a different role. I am doing my best to show that I am a good employee, and I am sure that the other person will eventually learn that what she is doing will not get her any farther in her career, and it will eventually be visible to others that she was in fact the one that has not been doing her job as she should have been. I am kind to her, communicate what needs to be communicated, and take pride in my work.

How I communicate

This week I did three surveys to determine the type of communicator that I am, and I had two other people, a coworker, and my husband also take the survey and give their input into what type of communicator that I am. For the communication anxiety survey I found that I scored at a 59 witch is at the higher end of the moderate level. My score "indicates that you feel somewhat concerned about a number of communication contexts, but probably not all. This mid-point level of communication anxiety is what we call situational". This surprised me because I do not like to speak in public, or even to be the main speaking in small group meetings. I thought my level of anxiety would be at a more elevated level. When my coworker, and my husband did this survey about me they had scores also in the moderate level, but with a lower score. Although they know I have anxiety about speaking in public, they feel that I am good at it, and do not feel that I have a super high anxiety about it.

Next I took the verbal aggressiveness survey. For this survey I scored a 56. I found many of the questions in this survey hard to answer so I answered the best I could with the options that were given. My score showed that I am in the mid range of the moderate level. This score indicates "you maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others' viewpoints, and the ability to argue fairly by attacking the facts of a position rather than the person holding that position". This score also surprised me, and after reading the other descriptions of this survey I feel that I should have scored more at the low level that states "you are respectful of viewpoints and intelligence of others, and attempt to change their minds with gentle, inoffensive suggestions that do not attack their self-concept". When I read the scores of my husband's survey about myself in this area he scored me in the low level which as I stated before seems more appropriate. The score of my coworker's survey about me placed me in the none level, which I feel is very low, but I feel that it shows that I avoid any type of conflict in the work place, and I have only have a few times that I have had to engage in conflicts at work.

The third survey that I took was about listening styles. With this survey the results placed you into different groups. The groups are people oriented, action oriented, content oriented, and time oriented. My results placed me into group 1. I feel that this is very correct, but not how I strive to be, especially in the workplace. The description of the people oriented listening style is "you are empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others. This listening style helps you to build relationships, but it can interfere with proper judgment because you tend to be very trusting of others". This is true of me, but I have also learned how it can interfere with workplace situations. At times while at work I feel like I am on a tight schedule, and am very busy but try very hard not to show others that I do not have time for them, or am being impatient. I am happy to say that the score from my coworker also placed me at the people oriented level, but when she read the definitions of the different groups she said that she feels I am more content oriented. Being Content oriented is my goal in the workplace. My husband's survey also showed that I am people oriented, this did not surprise me at all.

Through the readings and surveys this week, as well as some life/work events that also happened this week I have learned a great deal. I need to ensure that I learn and put into place more of the content oriented listening style, and maintain my current styles for communicating. Although I feel I have a higher anxiety for communicating in public situations, or even small group meetings the ones I speak to or in front of feel that I am good at it and do not realize how anxious I feel. Also, I do not come off as being aggressive through my communication and that is something that I try to avoid, especially in the work place. I do feel that I need to speak up more, and be more of a leader in the workplace, as the way my coworker scored me seems to me as if I come off as being timid. These surveys have shown me a lot, and I think I will ask some of my other coworkers to complete them so I get a better idea of how others perceive me in the workplace.

Communication

•  Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

         I do often find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. It is not something that I do purposefully, or intentionally, and many times I try not to treat people differently. On the other hand though I do feel that at times, it is necessary to treat people a little bit differently. Sometimes people have different needs, and in order to meet those needs you need to treat them differently. I also use more formal language when I speak with certain people like my boss, and some of my coworkers. With other people I use more informal language.

•  If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

One thing that I have noticed about myself is that sometimes I find myself using shorter sentences, or fewer words when I speak to people that I know do not have great confidence in speaking or understanding the English language. I learn this by speaking with them, and when possible, I have a translator available to assist with communication. I have also noticed this when speaking to people with special needs on occasion. I feel like I don’t want to come off as speaking in technical terms and have the person I am communicating with not completely understand what I am saying. I try to be respectful to everyone, and don’t always know the best way to communicate.

I know that there are some things that I can do to become a better communicator. One thing that I need to learn to do more effectively is to ask questions during a conversation to ensure that I am understanding what is being communicated to me. Another thing I should learn to do is to always remain focused on the topic being discussed, and not be so distracted by the little details.