Jobs/Roles in the Early Childhood Community: Internationally

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

      FHI 360 is a great international organization that focuses on the qualit  of education in countries that are in need for opportunities of better education for the children and their families in their local communities. The organization has a featured publication, Success in Primary School, which promotes its mission to improve basic education systems in ways that are sustainable so every child, grades K-12, has access to education of high quality.

      I think being a consultant in education and having the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world in need would be a very enriching and fulfilling experience.

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

     International Step by Step promotes research-based practices in early childhood education based on educational approaches that are heavily influenced by the likes of Piaget and Vygotsky.
     SbS classrooms foster democratic habits. Children are encouraged to:

• Make choices and accept responsibility
• Learn independently as well as cooperatively
• Be tolerant and respectful of differences 

      Using a thematic or project-based approach, classrooms are organized around developmentally appropriate learning and activity centers. The specific organization of this environment places a high priority on peer learning and ensures that children have the opportunity to make decisions each day. Activity centers are geared to the interests and learning level of each age group.

      I would enjoy a job with Step by Step that would allow me to provide training to educators and staff in the early childhood field in other countries. I did not see any specific postings but can’t help to think that there is a need for trainers who are willing to travel to other parts of the world.

 3.  Association for Childhood Education International. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.acei.org/.

      The mission is to promote and support the optimal education and development of children worldwide, and to influence the professional growth of educators and the efforts of others who are committed to the needs of children in a changing society.

      I like the fact that ACEI supports The Global Campaign for Education (GCE), a civil society movement that aims to end the global education crisis by making sure that governments act now to deliver the right of every girl, boy, woman, and man to a free quality public education.

      GCE was an influential voice in the World Education Forum in Dakar 2000 and setting the Education for All agenda for 2015. Since this meeting, 40 million more children have been able to go to school, and a financing mechanism (Education Fast Track Initiative) has been established to help meet the education goals. Yet, quality education for all is still far from reality, and close to a million people right now are being denied their right to an education that would change their lives.

      I think it would be fun and a great learning experience to work on the international level through ACEI as a Director of Conferences or as a Director of Advocacy and Outreach.

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Community at the National Level

http://www.naeyc.com

Founded in 1926, The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

Membership

NAEYC is the leading membership association for those working with and on behalf of children from birth through age 8. NAEYC convenes thought leaders, teachers and other practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders and sets standards of excellence for programs and teachers in early childhood education. NAEYC members include teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, and the public at large. Membership is open to all individuals who share a desire to serve and act on behalf of the needs and rights of all young children.
NAEYC members receive valuable benefits, including an award-winning publication, voting rights to elect diverse leadership to the NAEYC Governing Board, and the opportunity to add their voices to the NAEYC Call to Action. In addition, members receive discounted rates on books and multimedia resources, and reduced conference registration fees at the local, state, and national Affiliate levels.
NAEYC members living in Europe are served by our Europe AYC Affiliate, and International membership is available to those living abroad outside of Europe. The Global Alliance connects like-minded organizations, extending our reach worldwide.

Conferences and Meetings

Annual Conference and Expo
The NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo is one of the foremost professional development experiences in the early childhood field. Each year, NAEYC's Annual Conference features hundreds of peer-reviewed presentations and exhibits, and many other opportunities for educators to learn about the latest research, discuss new ideas for professional preparation, and network and share with colleagues. In addition, NAEYC’s local, state, and regional Affiliates host conferences throughout the year, offering many more opportunities for early childhood educators to exchange ideas and learn together. The 2011 Annual Conference was held in Orlando, Florida, November 2–5, 2011. The 2012 Annual Conference & Expo will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, November 7–10, 2012

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org

This advocacy group promotes policies and practices that supports children's healthy development, the love of learning and joy for living.  They put in a lot of time and effort on research and gathering information on the impact of the loss of creative play in our early childhood classrooms.

As I researched, I did not come across any specific job openings but I do think it would be neat to be a planner for National or State level early childhood conferences or to go out in the field and gather information for research and help organize and interpret the data.

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Education Community

The three state organizations that appealed to me for my community in the Early Childhood field are:

1.  http://www.earlychildhoodswi.org.  This early childhood development coalition consists of 175 members from 73 organizations in Indiana working in partnership to bring research-based, high quality opportunities to families, children and teachers.  Their strategies include partnering with businesses, schools, nonprofits and libraries to educate and support families, develop the capacities of caregivers and teachers as well as improve our community's knowledge and practices.

2.  http://earlychildhoodmeetingplace.indiana.edu.  This is a centralized Indiana website to find news, professional development options and initiatives and research briefs related to the early childhood field to keep people informed about current events.

3. http://www.doe.state.in.us/primetime/pdf/foundations/indianafoundations.pdf.
This site provides the foundations to the Indiana academic standards for young children from birth-5.  By providing specific skills and concepts and giving examples of instructional strategies, these foundations will support teachers, parents and caregivers as they develop appropriate experiences for young children to help ensure success in kindergarten,

Jobs I would like to apply for:

Instructional Strategist/Consultant
Educator for Adult Learners in the Early Childhood Field

Both jobs require training in the Early Childhood field and the experience and knowledge to be able to reach out and develop professional relationships so groups can form and meet on a regular basis to meet a goal that will provide positive outcomes for young children and their families.