Week 4-Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

At least three national/federal organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you and why you chose them.

1.  www.unicefusa.org- This organization works to combat hunger within the U.S. which is a known result of poverty.  I chose this organization because poverty is a huge global issue.  I have been reading this website to help with my challenge and this organization has done a lot to combat the issue.

2.  www.justneighbors.net- This organization helps to give a voice to people who suffer from poverty.  The website also offers a local link that people can use to find the percentage of people in their neighborhood who need help do to poverty.  I chose this organization because it gives ordinary people who want to help with poverty and other issues a chance to help.

3.  www.voa.org- (volunteers of America) This is a national organization that assist with food, shelter, clothing and it gives everyone all over the world, a chance to help.  I chose this organization because they have thousands of organizations that help people on a global level.  Since poverty is much bigger than my community, I feel it is important to acknowledge their work. 

Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you:

#1- Infant and Toddler Teacher – Early Childhood Education Teacher

Description

If you are an innovative, detail-oriented and highly motivated Infant and Toddler Teacher looking for a great teaching opportunity with a supportive and well-respected educational organization, join our Infant and Toddler Program team at Celebree Learning Centers! We are seeking a creative and warm-hearted Infant and Toddler Teacher to plan and direct classroom operations, uphold our mission, vision and values and provide infants and toddlers in our program with a developmentally appropriate learning environment. As an Infant and Toddler Teacher with Celebree, you will provide support and guidance to your Assistant teacher, ensure that your classroom complies with all MSDE-OCC regulations and company standards and foster a welcoming and friendly classroom for all children, parents and visitors. You will maintain attractive and current classroom and hallway displays as well as an educational and informative Parent Board that is updated regularly. You will also create and implement thorough, timely and age appropriate lesson plans for each child based on their unique needs in accordance with weekly themes and our curriculum. 

Job Responsibilities:

As an Infant and Toddler Teacher with Celebree, you will manage effective classroom transitions and maintain open and continuous communication with parents as well as your Infant and Toddler Teacher colleagues, as our work day is split between morning and afternoon shifts. You will document every meal, nap and diaper changing for each child and accurately complete all other classroom paperwork such as accident reports and attendance records. You will also maintain open and effective communication with your Center Director.

Additional responsibilities of the Infant and Toddler Teacher include:

 •Working with infants and toddlers on facial and name recognition, motor skills, sign language, sensory experiences and tactile activities

•Maintaining the appearance, cleanliness and safety of your classroom

•Communicating effectively with parents through greeting them by name, addressing concerns in a timely manner, giving positive feedback and providing regular updates on their children’s development and classroom activities

•Identifying opportunities and issues in the classroom and working with the Assistant Teacher to resolve them

•Maintaining the appropriate CEU level each year

•Attending all team meetings, trainings and events as requested

•Presenting a positive and professional image at all times by adhering to our uniform requirements

•Maintaining confidentiality regarding families, colleagues and yourself 

 Requirements

As an Infant and ToddlerTeacher with Celebree, you must have exceptional verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, especially with parents, as well as patience, flexibility and effective classroom management skills. Our ideal Infant and Toddler Teacher is an organized problem-solver who recognizes the light in a very young child’s eyes as knowledge taking root and innovates lesson plans that are developmentally appropriate and cognitively rich. You must be able to think outside the box to develop and implement lesson plans and activities that maximize the opportunity you have to impact childrens’ cognitive development. You must also be able to follow detailed safety requirements and regulations.

Additional requirements for the Infant and Toddler Teacher include:

 •High school degree required; Associate’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education strongly preferred

•Being 19 years of age or older

•90 hours in Child Development and Curriculum Planning and 45 hours of Infant and Toddler Training

•9 hours of additional training on communications with staff, parents and the public if you have not completed college coursework

•Minimum 1 year work experience with infants and toddlers in an approved setting, one year of Early Childhood Education college coursework or a combination thereof required; additional infant and toddler experience preferred

•Comprehensive working knowledge of child behavioral and developmental stages as well as MSDE-OCC licensing requirements

•Excellent work attendance

•Valid CPR and First Aid certifications

•Basic computer literacy

•Ability to work on the floor with students and lift up to 50 pounds

•Ability to pass a background check and drug screen

•Experience implementing and working with Creative Curriculum a plus

 #2 Regional Field Education Coordinator

Job Requirements:

Education and Professional Experience

 Bachelor’s degree required

Outgoing personality with strong communication skills

Experience in sales or social work preferred

Must be comfortable making cold calls

Salesforce (or other sales database) experience preferred

Must be comfortable working in collaborative team 

General Attributes

The desired candidate must have an entrepreneurial approach to building and sustaining effective partnerships and business operations

Highly organized individual able to multi-task and manage multiple relationships at various points in the pipeline

Enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in an atmosphere of constant change

Strong organizational and communication skills, the ability to work and contribute in a team environment

My Ideal Community of Practice

This is a follow up to my blog this week.  I wanted to include the websites for the organizations listed in my blog: www.MSDE.org, www.djs.state.md.us/, http://dhr.maryland.gov.


This is also an additional list of the requirments for juvenile service workers and social workers in this field:

•  Develops and implements procedures to ensure effective and efficient case management operations in county or geographical region;
• Acts as a liaison to community organizations to develop and coordinate after-care plans and services for juveniles;
• Requires knowledge of the processss and procedures of the juvenile court system;
• Requires skills in applying various screening and assessment tolls to identify juvenile needs, behavior modification goals, appropriate treatment services or after-care planning

My Ideal Community of Practice

At least three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you, and explain why you chose them

Maryland State Department of Education-This appeals to me because I could be a teacher, director, and educator which all fall under MSDE.

Maryland State Department of Child Protective Services Board of Childcare-This appeal to me because I can be a social worker.  This position advocates on behalf of children’s rights which I love and would do without pay.

Maryland State Department of Juvenile Justice Services-This appeals to me because I can make a direct impact on children’s lives.  Many people feel that only teenagers are a part of juvenile rehabilitation services.  However, many children come in as young as eight years of age and they are still in the early childhood developmental stage. 

Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you:

• Social worker-Social workers help to ensure the safety and well-being of children.  This position appeals to me because I feel that social workers are advocates for children’s rights.  I love children and feel that they have voices that are often unheard.
• Childcare director-Childcare Directors handles the day to day structure and management of childcare centers.  This position appeals to me because I currently own my own small daycare center.  I feel that in the future, I would love to manage the day to day activities of a larger center because I will be interacting with more children and helping to guide other educators in the right path.
• Department of Juvenile Services-Department of juvenile services works to rehabilitate special behavior children.  I would love to work in this department because I would get the chance to make a direct impact on children’s lives.  I would encourage them to straighten up and get on the right path toward success.  I would also seek to get counseling services to get to the root of the child’s issue.

Skills and experience that you would need to competently fulfill each of these roles

These jobs are currently available and hiring in my state.  The skills needed for this position is at least a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood.  In addition, many of these positions require at least 5 years of experience in a similar position.  Communication skills, ability to be a team player, ability to work extended hours, and a valid driver’s license are the basic requirements.  An overall commitment to the position and children is a top priority.

Keep In Touch!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my colleagues!  This has been a wonderful learning experience for me.  I feel that I have learn so much from these courses and my colleagues.  I wish everyone the best and hopefully we will meet again either in our specialization or at the commencement ceremony.  My personal email is: chantrelljones@yahoo.com.  I am also on facebook under chantrell jones.  Feel free to keep in touch!

Adjourning

Yes, high-performing groups are the hardest to leave because you learn so much from these groups.  Groups with the clearest established norms are easier to accomplish the given goals.  I feel that once the goals have been met, it is hard to break from such a productive environment.

I was in a work group at my previous job and this group was one of the hardest to leave.  This was my very first job, besides a summer job, that I obtained on my own and absolutely loved.  I worked at Sears in the women’s section.  This department was made up of high school girls from different schools. Everyone had good grades ( a requirement for employment) and were very similar but different in many ways.  I enjoyed working with this group a lot because I was a very quiet person growing up.  This job helped be to open up to other co-workers and customers.  I learned my sense of fashion style, what looks were appropriate for different occasions, how to interact with complete strangers, how to express myself; most importantly, how to be considerate of other people I worked with.  Many of the other groups/departments had a very high turn-over rate and many of the employee’s felt that they weren’t valued and the leadership had failed them.  In the women’s department, this was far from the case.  My manager was excellent at recognizing when something wasn’t right with her employees and she was very relatable.  I stayed at this job for over 6 years all throughout high school and early college. I eventually had to leave because I was expecting my first child and needed to obtain a better income.  I always wanted to come back part time or anything just to be around the environment which had become an extended family.  However, that dream eventually seemed out of touch because I had a family and realistically, could not live off of that salary.

I really haven’t experienced any closing rituals amongst groups except once.  This was when I took a certification course in Early Childhood.  I remember the last day of class, everyone brought in a dish to celebrate the end of our journey.  We ate, looked back on projects and shared experiences.  At the end, we all promised to keep in touch.  However, I never reached out to anyone and no one has reached out to me.  However, if I saw them now, I would probably find out how their career was going since leaving the course.  Many times, either the group’s goal is met or the group just disseminated.  In learning environments, the closing rituals are normally followed with a graduation ceremony.

I feel that my colleagues established here at Walden University will be hard to leave.  While I’m on break in between courses, I feel the need to keep checking the discussion board for more posts.  I absolutely love the environment and the experience here at Walden.  I have had great communications with all of my group colleagues and I value everyone’s input, suggestions, and experiences.  Therefore, parting will be difficult.  I have already begun to look ahead at continuing education in some way or another.  I’m not sure if I will attend the commencement ceremony in person or via the internet but I am trying to come in person to meet the people who have inspired me so much.  I also hope that everyone can keep in touch maybe through our blogs.  If anyone is in the Maryland or D.C area, maybe we could meet for lunch from time to time.  I think it would be awesome to continue networking and influencing each other on this quest for excellence in the education field.

Adjourning is essential to me because it signals closure and allows people to recognize the good and bad things that happened in order to improve group communication in other groups to come.  It also gives people the opportunity to “reflect on their accomplishments and failures as well as determine whether the group will disassemble or take on another project.”(O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p 235)

O'Hair, D. & Wiemann, M. p.235 (2009) Real communication an introduction.  Boson, MA  02116

Conflict Resolution

I feel that I will use the 3R’s more often in my personal life and my work life.  For example, I work closely with my best friend who is also my mother and business partner.  This can be difficult at times because we don’t always see eye to eye.  She has tons of experience so many times, she can make decisions about the center without communicating with me or even getting my opinion.  At times, this causes friction between us because I feel that although I don’t have as much experience as she does, I have a lot to offer.  I don’t always agree with her “plan” and we then go back to communicating and brainstorming together.  This leads to a solution we both have agreed on.  I can recall a disagreement when we were designing the center and choosing colors for the early learning center.  Instantly, my mother wanted all primary colors (red, blue, yellow ).  I wanted a softer look like pastel colors.  Every time I walk into a center or school, I see the same colors and after a while, It seems uninteresting.  I wanted to create a design that would have our center stand out.  However, my mother would not back down on the colors she wanted.  She argued that those colors are brighter which will allow the children to learn easier and create a more playful environment.  I argued that the pastel colors weren’t bright but would soothe the children which would also allow them to concentrate and feel comfortable away from their parents.  In retrospect, this does not seem to be such a big deal.  I could’ve just given in to her colors and vice versa.  However, this was the beginning of our partnership and we were both going through a power struggle.  The 3R’s could have helped both of us to respect each others opinions and come up with a solution much quicker than we did.  In the end, the compromise was that we selected both colors.  In the toddler rooms, my mother’s primary colors were chosen.  My pastel colors are being displayed in the nursery for the infant children. 

After learning about the principles of nonviolent communication and the 3R’s, I feel that we could have come up with a broader range of solutions.  Had we both been respectful of each other’s opinion, reciprocated our ideas while even exploring other options, as well as being responsive to the children’s needs; we could have explored a wide range of ideas.  However, we are both satisfied with the outcome.  The children are learning and the overall goals have been met.  I just feel that we could have resolved things better with the knowledge I now have about conflict resolution.

Week 2 blog assignment

What do you think the characters’ relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?

I chose to watch a show called Gina D’s kids club.  I see a man with a puppet communicating with a child around age 12 on stage.  He seems to be asking her series of questions and she is responding.  The crowd is engaged in the topic.  I see some laughter and smiles from the audience which is filled with children.  The nature of their relationship seems friendly and kid structured.  The interviewer appears to be trying to relate to things children like.  He seems to be seeking some advice from the girl on stage.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing?

The seemed to be engaged in the topic they are communicating about.  The topic seems to be funny and interesting to children.  The audience is also very engaged and seems to be interested in the topic.  They all appear to agree on the opinions of the child being interviewed because I see laughter, head nods in suggesting that they agree, and hand claps.  The parents in the audience are also clapping after the child’s response.

Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?

I assumed that they all agreed on the topic when in fact the interviewer and the child actually disagreed with the adult on the show.  I also assumed that the audience were happy and agreed with the topic.  Actually, the audience was laughing at the adult on stage with the puppet.  The puppeteer was entertaining the group and using the puppet to engage the audience filled with children.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?

I think my assumptions would have been more accurate if I was watching one of my well known shows because I would have gone off of a previous plot.  Not only that, I would be able to predict the story line more closely because the plot of tv series normally is set for you.  The variance comes in with different episodes surrounding normally around events.  However, the character and their roles stay the same.

Write about your experience in your blog, including what you learned about communication from this experience and insights or “aha” moments you believe would be helpful to your colleagues.

I enjoyed this blog assignment.  I found it very interesting to see what my assumptions were and how closely they mirrored the actual events, story, or plot.  It also let me see how many times we can assume the wrong things and had this been on a more serious level, I would have assumed the wrong things.  I also would have missed a lot of important information that could be detrimental.  I also learned that some of the most well-known non-verbal gestures can have multiple meanings.  For example, just because someone is laughing does not mean they agree or having a great time.  It could just mean something is funny.  That was a true “aha” moment. lol