TIME WELL SPENT

Deeply felt learnings from this program

I will strive to effect change in the lives of the children I teach. To teach as if my life depended on it, constantly aware of the impact and influence I will have on a child's experience and life. To be committed to excellence, equality, and quality in Early Childhood Education, treating all students equally and fairly.

To incorporate communication and with students from other countries into the student curriculum. When children are aware of the world around them, they become more sensitive to issues of diversity, which will in turn help them become well rounded positive contributing members of society.

The support and active participation of community: Parents, Teachers, Community Leaders, Clergy, nonprofit organizations, and medical professionals is vital in the nurturing and the academic, social/emotional, and physical development of a child.

Long-term goals

To be self employed as an owner and director of a high quality Early Childhood Learning Center for ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. Taking everything I’ve learned at Walden University and putting it into practice. The center would be in an at-risk community where I would give back to the community by hiring local qualified caretakers and educators. The center’s mission, goals, and vision would be centered around evidenced based practice / research, and excellence and equity in Early Childhood Education.

Giving back: Create a scholarship fund for at-risk high school students to attend college to study early childhood education. This will be given in the name of the Early Childhood Learning Center.

Farewell message

“If I can help somebody as I travel along the road, then my living will not be in vain.” Dare to be different! May you build careers worth having, businesses worth owning, and lives worth living. Good luck to everyone!

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI).

The mission of the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) is to promote and support the optimal education, development, and well- being of children and youth world-wide. They have several publications which include Journal of Research in Childhood Education, Childhood explorer and The Early Childhood Bulletin. The Global Summit on Childhood, a program within the Decade for Childhood, provides a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue among the global community about the experience of childhood. The 2016 Global Summit on Childhood brings together individuals from around the world and across disciplines to explore the role of childhood in ensuring a positive human future during a time of rapid change. This will be held in Costa Rica from March 30 - April 3, 2016. This organization interests me because it is all about making a better world for our children. ACEI believe all children should be educated in environments of fairness where there if freedom from bias or favoritism, and where access to and participation in educational experiences are the cornerstone of the home, school, and community. There are internships and volunteer opportunities:

http://acei.org/internships-at-acei

http://acei.org/volunteering

SAVE THE CHILDREN (STC)

Save the Children invests in children. In the United States and around the world, they give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. STC believes that by transforming children's lives now, we change the course of their future and ours. Since 1919, STC has been fighting for the rights of children—literally saving their lives and giving them hope for the future. In 2014, STC helped over 166 million children worldwide. STC provide services to children that include the provision of food, drilling or water wells, education, shelter, safetly, and everyday essentials. There are many philonthpoic pratners and corporate partnerships. Anyone can donate to this noble cause. 89% of funds are spent on programs and services for children and families in need. You can meet some of the children helped via the websites success stories: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.8846439/k.AF1D/Success_Stories.htm

You can click on this link to apply for jobs in the U.S. or globally:

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6226565/k.5717/Save_the_Children_Jobs.htm

UNICEF

UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, or United Nations Children's Fund. UNICEF is a non-profit international organization and one of the largest development agencies dedicated to working exclusively with children to eliminate hunger and disease.

Thousands of children under the age of five die every day due to the lack of proper nutrition, safe drinking water, affordable vaccines and other basic necessities that most people in the U.S. take for granted. “UNICEF's lifesaving interventions and programs around the world have helped reduce the number of child deaths by nearly 50% since 1990, and yet 18,000 children still die every day from preventable causes. UNICEF helped immunize 38% of the world's children in 2013.”

UNICEF has offices all over the world. In New York, the office is located at the United Nations. I would love to volunteer or work at UNICEF because this organization brings people together from all walks of life for the common goal of helping children.  The U.S. Fund for UNICEFs is seeking talented individuals to join their fight for child survival in various areas. They have online job application.

To donate to UNICEF: https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/donate-end-preventable-deaths-children

http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/survival

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/usa_contact.html

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Center on Developing Child- Harvard University

 I researched the Harvard University's Global Children's Initiative run by The Center on the Developing Child. What initially stood out for me was The Center's acknowledgment of moral responsibility to meet the needs of all children in all areas of their development. It is indeed our moral obligation as a human race to care for and protect our most vulnerable asset--Children. Especially if we are to thrive as nation because Children are our future. It doesn't matter the race, socio-economic background, religion, or creed--all children deserve to be treated equally. What also stood out to me was that the Center helps all children from the poorest to the richest. This was interesting because when it comes to global education and outreach, I usually hear or read about children from the poorest countries receiving assistance. Rarely do I hear about rich children needing outreach services. This really speaks to the Center's commitment to equity and excellence. What helps the Center in achieving excellence is their multidisciplinary approach to helping children, bringing together the best an most innovative resources. That is why I am so happy this organization exists that recognizes the needs of children across the globe from the poorest to the richest

.

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/

Employment

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Full-Time Employment Opportunities

Any available full-time positions at the Center on the Developing Child are posted on Harvard’s employment website at http://hr.harvard.edu/jobs/. All applicants for employment with Harvard University must apply for the specific job opening through this site. When searching for openings at the Center, select “Harvard Graduate School of Education” as the School/Unit or enter “Center on the Developing Child” in the Keyword field. For more information, please contact Harvard University Employment Services at (617) 495-2772.

Student Employment Opportunities

We offer work for highly motivated students in our offices at 50 Church Street and in the labs of our affiliated faculty across the campus. As opportunities become available, we will share them on this page. Sign up here to receive information on employment opportunities.

ZERO TO THREE

ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. I have uses this site all throughout my graduate studies. It has a plethora of information and resources for Early Childhood professionals. ZERO TO THREE'S Annual Conference is the premier training event for professionals working with children prenatal to age five seeking the latest information and training on early childhood research, best practices, and policy. This year’s event will take place in New Orleans, LA from December 7-9. Click this link for more info: https://ztt.confex.com/ztt/nti16/cfp.cgi

There are currently 500 job postings at: http://careercenter.zerotothree.org/jobs/

ACEI

 I researched the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). The mission of the organization is to promote and support the optimal education, development, and well- being of children and youth world-wide. They have several publications which include Journal of Research in Childhood Education, Childhood explorer and The Early Childhood Bulletin. The Global Summit on Childhood, a program within the Decade for Childhood, provides a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue among the global community about the experience of childhood. The 2016 Global Summit on Childhood brings together individuals from around the world and across disciplines to explore the role of childhood in ensuring a positive human future during a time of rapid change. This will be held in Costa Rica from March 30 - April 3, 2016. This organization interests me because it is all about making a better world for our children. ACEI believe all children should be educated in environments of fairness where there if freedom from bias or favoritism, and where access to and participation in educational experiences are the cornerstone of the home, school, and community. There are internships and volunteer opportunities

http://acei.org/internships-at-acei

http://acei.org/volunteering

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Family Ties of Westchester, Inc.
Family Ties is a not for profit organization. It offers a wide range of support groups, advocacy services, parent coaching, and connection to community resources, as well as respite and youth development opportunities. They act as the family voice in a variety of meetings to ensure that families' thoughts and concerns are heard. All Family Ties services are free, confidential and community-based.

The mission of Family Ties of Westchester, Inc. is to provide lasting and effective support services to families of children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges in Westchester County.

They pursue this mission by:

·         strengthening and nurturing families through a wide variety of support groups.

·         providing information and training to parents so that they are equipped with appropriate parenting skills.

·         empowering parents to be full partners in the planning for their children's treatment and services.

·         encouraging parents to be resources for their own families, other families and their communities.

·         being a part of a larger social justice movement that urges policy makers, social service professionals and parents to take responsibility for improving the lives of children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges and their families.

I see myself working with this organization because everything I’ve learned in my graduate studies is about strengthening families and providing education and support that address the social, emotional, and academic success of children. Family Ties provides early childhood services that include advocacy and support, and mental health and medical services. I could see myself working here as a child advocate. There were no job postings on this site.

http://www.familytieswestchester.org/our-mission

Harlem Children’s Zone

I have been reviewing the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) (www.hcz.org) website and I am very impressed with all the good work the organization is doing for the children in the Harlem, NY community.  HCZ has several schools in the Harlem Area that begin with Baby College all the way through High School. The HCZ has helped bring much needed awareness to the importance of early childhood education.

Mission:

“Our goal is simple—to give our kids the individualized support they need to get to and through college and become productive, self-sustaining adults. Realizing this goal is difficult and complex, particularly since we are working with over 13,000 youth, many of them with tough challenges. In order to achieve long-term success, children need consistent, comprehensive support. Our pipeline begins at birth and helps kids every step of the way until college graduation through exceptional education, social services, family support, health, and community-building programs. By continuously assessing the progress of our youth, we can leverage the power of our pipeline to fine-tune our programs and ensure that we are fully addressing the needs of every child, at every age.”

In 2013, The Harlem Children's Zone trained more than 100 AmeriCorps workers, whom they called Peacemakers. The Peacemakers served nearly 2,500 children in traditional public elementary schools in Harlem. Through their daily leadership, the students were taught a peaceful path through conflict resolution and tutoring. Low-income families also received assistance in obtaining critical services. Each of the Peacemakers received tuition assistance for their education, making their dream of a college degree that much more attainable.

This organization resonated with me because it is so important to give back. I learned this at a young age and it has helped me became a more well rounded individual--sensitive to the needs of others. Children need to learn the importance of service, and why not start at a young age.

You can apply for several positions via the careers link. There are 83 available positions in total, I will be applying for a position as a Childcare Worker at the Baby College because early childhood is my passion and the seeds of long-term success are sown in early childhood.  The Baby College fosters an environment “that ensures, from the time they are born, our kids are immersed in healthy, supportive environments that will enable them to thrive and set them on the path to school and college readiness.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-canada/post_5662_b_3947738.html

http://fortune.com/2014/03/20/fortune-ranks-the-worlds-50-greatest-leaders/

http://hcz.org/our-programs/

http://hcz.org/our-programs/the-baby-college/

https://hcz-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobsearch

 

UNICEF

UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, or United Nations Children's Fund. UNICEF is a non-profit international organization and one of the largest development agencies dedicated to working exclusively with children to eliminate hunger and disease.

Thousands of children under the age of five die every day due to the lack of proper nutrition, safe drinking water, affordable vaccines and other basic necessities that most people in the U.S. take for granted. “UNICEF's lifesaving interventions and programs around the world have helped reduce the number of child deaths by nearly 50% since 1990, and yet 18,000 children still die every day from preventable causes. UNICEF helped immunize 38% of the world's children in 2013.”

UNICEF has offices all over the world. In New York, the office is located at the United Nations. I would love to volunteer or work at UNICEF because this organization brings people together from all walks of life for the common goal of helping children.  The U.S. Fund for UNICEFs is seeking talented individuals to join their fight for child survival in various areas. They have online job application.

To donate to UNICEF: https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/donate-end-preventable-deaths-children

http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/survival

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/usa_contact.html

When I think of Research....

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

Throughout this course I have realized that research is very essential to early childhood education. There are several steps that contribute to research, which in turn provide valid data and information. I have learned that research takes patience, attention to detail, and an overall interest in what you are researching. 

 

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

In the beginning of this course I didn't expect to gain much interest from the study of research, but I must say that with the help and guidance of the professor, as well as my peers I have gained so much knowledge on the subject. I have a more open mind about research and though tedious, it is not boring if you are researching a topic of true interest.

 

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

Simplifying Topic Selection: This is very important because my topic was initially too broad and the professor assisted me with narrowing it down. I am grateful for this because I would have been all over the place and driven myself crazy.

Research design is also important because after I chose a topic, I had to determine how I would go about exploring the topic. I had to consider the “who”, “when”, and “where”. Next I had to figure out how I would collect data, what was going to work out and what wasn’t going to work out.

Conducting research was not as bad as I thought it would be because I had a plan and design, so that simplified the process a bit for me.

What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

Pinpointing a topic isn't as easy as it sounds. It took me a while to come up with the topic I chose. After reading up on selecting a topic and with the help of my Professor, I was able to narrow it down to what I thought was perfect for my research.

 

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

My perceptions have not changed. I have always valued the importance of early childhood research and evidence based practice. It is so vital to our field and the children we serve.

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Research Around the World

The website I chose to explore is http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

It takes you to a list of current early childhood research conducted by students in Sub-Saharan Africa. Because I am of Ghanaian descent, the study that caught my attention was Development of a Model Framework for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in their Early Years in Ghana by Susan Sabaa.

As we know, there are many third-world countries in Africa where issues like poverty, hunger, homelessness, Orphism, and lack of clean drinking water are very prevalent. In this project study, Susan Sabaa explores the possibility of creating a model framework for care of orphans and vulnerable children that fulfill their developmental needs. The concept behind this project is that orphans must be provided with a nurturing environment and specialized support for optimal early childhood development that meets their particular emotional and psychosocial needs as well as other developmental requisites (Sabaa, 2002).

This is what Early Childhood professionals do in the United States as well. We create systems to meet the needs of vulnerable or at risk children through familial and community supports and services, Individualized Education Plans that focus on the social, emotional, developmental, or academic needs, and governmental assistance. In the U.S. Orphism is addressed through familial intervention, foster care, and adoption initiatives. In Ghana, many children become orphaned when their parent(s) die from Aids (Sabaa, 2002). Familial supports are not so readily available as many family members live in poverty or have died from Aids as well. Children are then placed in institutions, which Sabaa is not a fan of because they often fail to meet the most basic early childhood developmental needs of the orphan (2002). She feels that institutions do not provide the bonding and attachment young children need to be emotionally sound. According to Sabaa, “Despite good physical and social care, the absence of a bonded primary caregiver may adversely affect the development of the child. It is my contention that the care-giving setting for orphanages must be made to reflect the home setting as much as possible with tender loving care practices well upheld” (p 13).

In the United States, all restrictive institutions/orphanages have been closed and children including orphans and those with disabilities are placed in the least restrictive environment possible. Deinstitutionalization occurred in the US between 1941 and 1980 (Crenson, 2001). It is the process of reforming child care systems and closing down orphanages and children's institutions (Crenson, 2001). While there has been progress made in Africa in regards to closing private orphanages, they still exist and this study in large part focuses on building a framework where orphans can come out on top with minimal damage to their development---especially since it is so prevalent in Africa.

It’s what all committed early childhood educators strive to do around the world—minimize the damage and empower our children to be great. The issue of early child care and development is gaining more importance as our societies become more knowledgeable about child development and care.

 

Crenson, Matthew A. (2001). Building the invisible orphanage: a prehistory of the American welfare system. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Univ. Press. ISBN 0674005546. 

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I have a four year old and from the moment I discovered I was pregnant, the research began-what not to eat, what to drink, what vitamins to take, etc… And the research continues ‘til this day. My daughter is currently in a school where the curriculum is more teacher centered than child centered. I’ve always admired the Montessori Method of learning because of the child’s freedom of exploration and learning through the senses. I love the independence children have in Montessori schools to learn and explore. That doesn’t happen as much where she is. So, I visited a Montessori school… a true Montessori school run by a catholic nun. It was everything I imagined and more, but unfortunately one aspect was missing—PLAY! Keep in mind that I visited the school three times and while there was a lot of learning and self-exploration, the children seemed bored. Perhaps, I caught them on a bad day(s). LOL.

I sat in on the Pre-K class at my daughter’s current school and the children were in circle time led by the teacher. Although, not child centered, the children were engaged and learning. I found myself in a pickle—the dichotomy of play versus learning. So, I did my research and came across an article on the NAEYC website, Research News You Can Use: Debunking the Play vs. Learning Dichotomy: http://www.naeyc.org/content/research-news-you-can-use-play-vs-learning

What I learned from the article is that it is not play versus learning, but play and learning. According to Snow, “Both direct instruction and play have roles to play in high-quality early childhood education.”  So now I had a decision to make. Her current school is very play oriented—while learning all the while. The children do so much from field days to plays to trips, almost every holiday is celebrated and my daughter has so much fun. She LOVES it there! So, I decided to keep her there and pay close attention to her academic advancement. I will continue to work with her at home as I’ve always done and stay on top of her education. Yes, I will be an annoying parent. Did I mention she started reading at 3 years, 8 months and who taught her…ME! I am learning to loosen up a bit and realize that she IS learning! I am happy with the decision I made.