Time Well Spent

After days of experiencing problems, I am curious to see if this works.  This is insane as I cannot type in my assignment but it is allowing me to type in these sentences.  HELP!!

International Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community

     As I explored the various early childhood international organizations it was encouraging to come across so many that support the fundamental basics of ensuring that all children are educated to their fullest potential.  I was reminded that all educators should be dedicated to increasing awareness of early childhood issues, not just locally but universally, while promoting growth and providing children the necessary skills and knowledge that they will need to be successful in life.  There were numerous early childhood international organizations and communities of practice that immediately caught my attention based on their mission and significant work to help all children globally.  Therefore, below are three international organizations or communities of practice that captivate me.

1.    Save the Children does an outstanding job at supporting educational programs for 120 countries and 64 million children globally (Save the Children, 2012) in the classroom and at home around the world. I am very interested in this network as their educational programs are set in training teachers to learn how to engage their students through effective teaching practices, coach parents and caregivers to help their children learn early on, so they are school ready, offer ways for parents and community volunteers to get kids reading and doing math outside of the school setting, introduce children to the power of artistic expression, and to make sure that children do not stop learning during crisis’s.  There were various job opportunities available as they post positions throughout the world on all different levels.  The position that caught my attention was for an Early Childhood Development Advisor in Mozambique.  The person is responsible for hiring staff for program activities, ensuring that monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are in place to improve and measure its direct impact, represent Save the Children in national forums and share best practices regarding Save the Children’s experiences in community-based preschool education projects.  The required skills and experience needed for this position are to hold a Masters Degree in International Education, Developmental Psychology, or Cultural Anthropology with Early Childhood Development focus, have a minimum of  three  years experience in early childhood development, be fluent (orally and written) in Portuguese and English language skills, have strong understanding of holistic child development and the ways children learn, including early-literacy methodologies, have proven experience in managing teams and working well in partnerships, have a solid understanding of educational curriculum development and dynamic training methodologies, operational in managing budgets, proficient in implementing strategies that generate community and partner ownership to ensure sustainable results, and good interpersonal skills with ability to communicate effectively at all levels.  It is apparent that I do not have many of the skills outlined above and would need extensive training in international education along with becoming fluent in other languages.

2.    The Association for Childhood Education International is a nonprofit global community of educators and advocates who broadcast information about and advocate for desirable conditions, programs, and practices affecting children , infancy through early adolescence.  This community of practice was created as the International Kindergarten Union in 1892, by educators concerned with the professional preparation of kindergarten teachers. Their mission is to globally promote and support the optimal education and development of children, from birth through early adolescence, 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 (Association for Childhood Education International, 2012). The position that caught my attention was Executive Board Member.  This position entails the person to demonstrate a commitment to the organization’s mission and vision, express a sincere commitment to the education of children, worldwide, have broad knowledge of the childhood education field with an understanding of global movements that impact the lives of children, have strong leadership skills, be able to represent diverse global geographic locations, display a strong desire to promote excellence in nonprofit authority, represent a range of professionals invested in children’s education and well-being, be able to speak with excellent communication skills (verbally and written) and possible living and working in more than one nation.  I feel that I am working my way towards having the necessary skills in being an Executive Board Member with the exception of living and working in more than one nation (which is optional).

3.    The Academy for Educational Development is dedicated to improving the lives of all individuals by incorporating impressive solutions, through their wide set of practical areas, to deepen ones understanding of many complex issues in enhancing human development.  This organization attracts me as it is very innovative in improving people’s lives in a vast number of areas.  The job opportunity I am most interested in is that of an Early Childhood Specialist.  I would be responsible for providing technical assistance and training to Head Start Grantees in areas related to school readiness, training and career needs of staff, and collaboration activities.  The requirements for this position is a minimum of a BA or BS Degree in Early Childhood Education (preference of a Master's degree), minimum of 5 years experience in programs serving young children, theoretical knowledge of child development, experience working with Migrant and Seasonal communities, experience working with both education administrators and teachers, and being fluent in Spanish (Academy for Educational Development, 2011).

4.    Another community of practice that I feel is worthy of mentioning is the International Reading Association.  This organization is a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy by improving the quality of reading instruction, publicizing research and information about reading, and encouraging reading as a lifetime habit. They continuously celebrate educators by honoring effective literacy teaching in our ever-changing world (International Reading Association, 2012). Their job opportunities are those offered through employers whom are members of their organizations, so I did not find anything to note.  However, I would be interested in being a part of one their Special Interest Groups, Literacy Development in Young Children. Through this group, awareness is made of and support for emergent reading and writing. They disseminate information about innovations in instruction, assessment, and research related to young children's literacy development. 

When investigating international early childhood organizations it is good to witness teachers, communities, families, government officials volunteers working together to make a difference in the lives of all children by advocating for the essential needs and rights of every child in all nations.

** The cite to my personalized blog is http://waldenspedtchr.blogspot

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

Association for Childhood Education International. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.acei.org/

International Reading Association. (2012). Retrieved from http://reading.org/General/AboutIRA.aspx

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