TIME WELL SPENT (THIS JOURNEY OF MINE)

Through this journey, I had the opportunity to learn who I was as a professional. I learned I was a leader with drive and determination to create change. I was able to articulate a problem and strategically develop a plan to work through it. I also learned on this journey is to have passion for the work that you do. Early Childhood has always been a passion of mine, but I learned how deep my passion was for this field. I definitely look at myself as an early childhood professional that is skilled and knowledgeable that can advocate for my passion. However, over this journey, I have learned to embrace the different perceptive of others and learn from it. As an early childhood professional, you should look at the differences as a teachable moment to be used to broaden your thinking. Over the time, I have learned what it is to be an early childhood professional, and be globally prepared for the world.

Long Term Goal

My long term goal is to speak at conferences, trainings, travel all around the world, and forum on early childhood. I want to be at level in my career where I am looked up for guidance in the field. I want the ability to share what I have learned and researched with other professionals. I want to leave a great legacy in the field of early childhood.


For Now (Farewell)

I'm thanking my instructor as well as colleagues for sharing your wisdom and knowledge during this time. Your positive feedback, thoughts, and concerns. I have gained so much will attending Walden University and met some wonderful individuals. To each of you who started on this journey with me, "We started from the bottom now we are here" I wish each of you nothing but the best. As we continue our journey, always remember our passion for children. Thank you all!! Best Wishes!!

Favorite Quote

"Knowledge not shared, is wasted" Clan Jacobs

Antowah Jackson (tayama754@gmail.com)

JOBS/ROLES IN ECE COMMUNITY: INTERNATIONALLY

The United Nations Children's Fund

The United Nations Children's Fund works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and improve children lives, providing health care and immunization, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The UNICEF focus is to build a world where the rights of every child are realized. UNICEF appealed to me because it focuses on assuming quality care for the children. They also focus on healthy development of children. Providing mothers and children with quality health care.

Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree and a minimum of two years related experience with direct donor constituent contact, event planning, or other relevant employment.
Excellent interpersonal, communication written and verbal, organizational and administrative skills
Ability and enthusiasm to communicate USF's mission.
Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel

Must be able to balance multiple tasks and adapt to change priorities

Save the Children  

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in 120 countries, including the United States. The goal of Save the Children is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children , and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities     Job Opportunity The Early Steps Coordinator   The Early Steps Coordinator provides Social/emotional development, language development and pre-literacy education activities for children and parents through regularly scheduled home visits. Parent/child support and education groups in schools and community settings Screening and referral for children at risk for developmental delay or health care issues. Transition to school activities that connect parents and children to the preschool or kindergarten they will attend. Responsibilities Recruit families for the program Develop and schedule program activities, including home visiting, parent/child groups, toddler playgroups, transition to school activities and other programmatic activities. Organize and conduct regular parent/child groups in the elementary school when possible Conduct child screenings and referrals Training and Technical assistance   International Step by Step Association(ISSA)

International Step by Step Association promotes equal access to quality education and care for all children(ISSA, n.d.). The ISSA is an organization that supports professionals working in the early childhood field with resources, training opportunities, and technical assistance. This association caught my eye because it focus on access to quality education for ALL children.

 

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

Save the Children. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.savethchildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k/8D6E/Official_Site.htm

 

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.issa.nl.index.html

JOBS/ROLES IN THE ECE COMMUNITY NATIONAL/FEDERAL LEVEL

National of Child Care Professionals: Association for Early learning leaders: I selected this national association because it is focused to help teachers and leaders in the early childhood field. Teachers of young children can never have enough resources or support to help make their job more meaningful.

http://www.naccp.org


National Head Start Association: This organization believes in the same basics of what children need from a center. Children are always a main focus and this organization feels that same way and provides tools to help other teachers make this possible.

http://www.nhsa.org


National Association of Early Childhood Teachers: This organization promotes growth among education in the early childhood field. They promotes advocacy and development of teachers.

http://www.naecte.org


Job Opportunity
Head Start/Child Development Center Director

Skills & Experience
I believe the skills that is needed for this job is a person that is passionate when it comes to working with children and help staff members and the importance they bring to the children lives. I feel as a leader you must bring as much information and experience as possible.

EXPLORING ROLES IN THE ECE COMMUNITY: LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS

PREK4WARD IS A FREE DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAM FOR 4 YEAR OLDS

The first early childhood program is the South MS PreK4Ward; generated by the Gulf Coast Business Council’s (GCBC) Master Class, in collaboration with a committee in Gulfport. This initiative is working to establish free, quality preschools for four-year-olds living on the Coast. Launched in 2010 out of a discussion of issues affecting education on the Coast, this early childhood programming has seen 100% of the children in the program making significant growth in school readiness skills.
PreK4Ward is led by a project director with an education background and is sustained by private funds from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Classes are conducted by a certified teacher and her assistant for twenty (20) four-year-olds ready to learn. The Creative Curriculum model serves as the basis for instruction with integration of the MS Early Learning Standards for 4-year-olds correlated with the Core Curriculum Standards.

I chose this organization because it is working forward to establish free and quality care for preschoolers age 4

HEADSTART IS A FEDERAL INCOME-BASED PROGRAM

When President Lyndon Johnson declared a “War on Poverty” in 1963 he established a program that would offer 3 and 4 year olds living in impoverid homes, free child care while their parents went to work. Today, the program had changed very little until its recent re-authorization of the Act.
Families whose income is 200% of the poverty rate or less ($22,000 for 4 qualify) for Head Start programs for their children. The program serves mostly 3 and 4 year olds, but also has a component for younger children who face significant challenges due to poverty. The program is funded with federal dollars that have been passed to local organizations that applied to receive funding. These centers also offer breakfast and lunch to their children and require little from parents, though parent programs are offered.
Recently, the original responsibilities assigned to the Head Start program were revised and re-authorized in Washington. Head Start was required to have their classroom teachers certified to teach and all assistants must hold a two year degree in a pertinent field.

I chose this organization because it promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children through the provision of health, educational, nutritional, social and other services that are determined to be necessary.

EXCEL BY 6 IS A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM

This program relies on support from community agencies, education entities, parents, and child care centers. Excel by 5 supports communities working to establish activities for young children and their families that will lead them to being a certified Excel by 5 communities. Community assessments, public forums, surveys of resources, integration with existing programs and sustainability are key components of the initiative. I has four major components-Community involvement; Family and Parent Support; Early Care & Education (which does provide direct training to early education in centers; Health and Safety. It ask communities to look, as they more through the cetification process, at family support elements that a community already provides while outlining the needs that still exist. The vision of Excel by 5 to support families with children age 0-5 by encouraging community based collaboration to draw upon research based best practice to use and enhance existing resources to optimize the care and education of young children by preparing them to enter school happy, healthy, and with skills they need to succeed.

I chose this organization because it focuses on a community of children. It emphasizes the important roles parents and early childhood educators play in the lives of children during the most informative year's birth to 5.   

Job Opportunities

Teacher I - possesses at least a job-related bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree and a substantial amount of content-related coursework; has primary responsibility for classroom operation including planning, carrying out activities, maintaining the classroom environment, supervising children; conducts parent/teacher conferences; supervises classroom volunteers; may also supervise teacher assistant.

Qualifications

Graduate from high school or equivalency (GED) and a current preschool, center-based Child

Development Associate Credential (CDA); or an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in early childhood education; or an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in a field related to early childhood education with preschool teaching experience.

Must be able to do the following:

Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;

Establish and maintain effective, working relationships with children, parents, staff, and program specialists.



Reference

www.excelby5.com

www.PreK4ward.org

www.gccaa.org

Through this journey, I had the opportunity to learn whom I was as a professional. I learned I was a
leader with drive and determination to create change. I was able to articulate a problem and
strategically develop a plan to work through it. Another thing I have learned on this journey is to have
a passion for the work you do. Early childhood has always been a passion of mine, but I learn how
deep my passion was for the field. I truly look at myself as an early childhood professional that is
skilled and knowledgeable that can to advocate for my passion. Lastly, over this journey I have
learned to embrace the different perceptive of others and learn from it. As an early childhood
professional, you should look at differences as a teachable moment to be used to broaden your
thinking. Over this time, I have learned what it is to be an early childhood professional, and be
globally prepared for the world.
My long term goal is to educate adults in the early childhood field, trainings, and mentor. I want to be at level in my career where I am looked up for guidance in the field. I want to be able to share what I have learned and researched with other professionals. I want to leave a legacy in the early childhood field.

I would like to thank my colleagues for sharing your knowledge during this class. I've gained so much knowledge during these 8 weeks of class. As we continue our journey, always remember our passion for children.

 

 

  

FIVE STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT

The adjourning stage in team development is when the project or task has come to an end. I’ve been in several groups, and some of them have been the hardest to say goodbye because project went so well, and it was effective. There is one group in particular I was in at training where we had set roles in the project, and everyone had the same goals. Everyone had expectations, and it was followed through by everyone. One of the closing ritual was we reflected on what we could have changed before presenting it to the group. Everyone was still happy on the job we did. Also, we did exchange information in order to keep up the professionalism among each other. This training was almost a year ago, and only 2 out of 5 I’m still in contact with, I wish it was all group members.

              In this master’s program, I’ve became connected professionally to many colleagues. I would like to keep the professional relationship going because there are so many colleagues with great experiences and passion for children. I would like to continue to learn from my colleagues. The adjourning stage is very important as professional that want to continue to grow. As professional, it is always good to look back and reflect on the task at hand. Reflecting can lead to growth within yourself and having the opportunity to learn from each other.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

 My colleague and I had a conflict with our center director about the hand washing process at the head start center. We have always used the proper Hand Washing Process, but the director wanted to change the process to one she came up on her own. The discussion went from bad to worse within 10 minutes. There were frustrated looks on everyone faces and feelings were becoming hurt. It seems like either side forgot about the issue at hand which lead into other concerns. After reflecting on this situation based on what I’ve learned, this meeting could have gone a different way. For instance, as a teacher at the head start center, everyone should have looked at the situation as, what can we do to come to a solution? First I should approach the situation as trying to find a solution from a “win win “strategy. This is where both sides could have a compromise on the hand washing process. We could have examined each process to see where we could trade off. Also, my colleagues and I could have been empathic to the director’s needs. It would have been an opportunity to be an active listener; we could have gathered the information, and acknowledging by talking through the information. By using this approach, the center director would have been willing to resolve the problem.

        After talking with my colleague, we both agreed the conversation could have gone better. I shared with her some information I’ve learned in class, and she is open to using some of these conflict resolution methods. We are going to have another meeting with the center director on next week, and we will be using these new methods learned this week.