JOBS/ROLES in the ECE Profession

THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION: The National Governors Association (NGA)—the bipartisan organization of the nation's governors—promotes visionary state leadership, shares best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy. Through NGA, governors identify priority issues and deal collectively with matters of public policy and governance at the state and national levels. The NGA provides policy information through their Education Division that serves the K-12 population of providers. I chose this organization because I was able to identify a direct correlation of what I see taking place in the state that I work in. Many organizations and school systems are adopting the Common Core Concept, and it is being widely used. This assignment afforded me the opportunity to explore the origin of the Common Core Standards. http://www.nga.org/cms/center/edu Click on this Link to see if your state has adopted the common core standards: http://www.corestandards.org/in-the-states NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN: I chose NAEYC because I believe they are the anchor for our profession, and continue to lead by providing standards, and policy supports that help us become more knowledgeable and to BETTER ADVOCATES for the issues that affect our profession. No matter what topic you are searching for more information on NAEYC can be a great resource. http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ProfPrepStandards09.pdf UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: Office of Early Learning The U.S. Dept. of Education provides numerous services to those who service the field of Education as well as providing grant /loan opportunities for those individuals seeking to further their education. I also discovered that they sponsor grants for professional development initiatives that are specifically intended for low income families. http://www2.ed.gov/programs/eceducator/index.html PROFESSIONAL OPPORITUNITIES: https://jobs.davidsonccc.edu/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=287 http://www.childcareresourcesinc.org/about-ccri/employment-opportunities/ The Skills Necessary for these positions is as follows: documentation of excellent written communication skills; strong working knowledge of early care and education system; familiarity with current research and best practices in early childhood; and proficiency with computers and database systems excellent verbal and written communication; leadership, management and supervision skills; and strong working knowledge of CSEFEL Pyramid Model.

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Community

NAEYC Professional Preparation Standards: http://www.naeyc.org/ncate/files/ncate/file/faculty/Standards/NAEYC%20Initial%20and%20Advanced%20Standards%203_2012.pdf NAEYC has been an intricate component of my professional development since my undergraduate studies. I have found them to be a great resource for myself as well as to the professionals who work in day care centers who are seeking opportunities to increase the overall quality of their program as well as guidance and direction regarding the professional aspect of early childhood education in the 21st century. The professional standards serve as a tool and or guide for practitioners in the field who are seeking to establish and or enhance professional development initiatives. The employment opportunities associated with this organization (NAEYC) include but are not limited to professional development coach, professional development coordinator, community college instructor/advisor. NC Infant Toddler Program: http://www.beearly.nc.gov/index.php/ The NC Infant toddler program interests me due to their commitment to providing early intervention services that are designed to change the course of children with disabilities. As a habilitation specialist you get the opportunity to work with the parents as an advocate, while creating solutions and coordinating services for children ages birth to three. NC Institute for Early Childhood Professionals: http://ncicdp.org/about-us/ The NC Institute for Early Childhood Professionals is a non-profit organization committed to increasing the education and compensation or early educators working with or on the behalf of young children ages birth through twelve in early childhood educational settings. This initiative has been vital to my professional development, and has afforded me several opportunities to expand my experience in the field and to grow as a professional by participating in professional development opportunities. Some applicable skills might include the following: the ability to perform multiple, highly complex, technical tasks with a potential need to upgrade skills in order to meet changing job conditions. Specific skill-based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include: operating standard office equipment including using pertinent software applications; performing standard bookkeeping; planning and managing projects; preparing and maintaining accurate records; effective listening and communication; facilitating meetings; guiding others; instructional techniques; problem solving; record keeping; and training.