Time Well Spent

Hard to believe that the time has come to say good-bye.  This online experience has been amazing.  If I think back to the first course and all there was to get used to, I see how far we have come.  From APA style, researching quality articles and websites, and organizing the many application papers, so much has been learned.

From this course alone, I have learned that making a change starts small, with identifying a challenge in your own community.  From that point forward, surround yourself with the people and organizations that share the same passion and desire and reach out to one another to meet the challenge.  Another learning experience is that of doing the research.  Identify why the challenge has occurred and what is already being done to meet the challenge.  From the information gathered, decide on goals to set and together, with your community of partners, set an action plan and reach for it.  Small steps may lead to bigger steps.  Lastly,  our work now may lead us to a much larger picture in the future.  Who knows where we will be in 15 years.  As we dreamed big in our last application assignment, we all put our professional dreams into words.  "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work."  (Colin Powell). 

So in closing, I hope you all take a few moments and decide for yourselves what personal and professional dreams you have and strive to reach those dreams.  It has been a great pleasure learning with and from each of you.  I wish everyone a successful career in the early childhood field.  I hope to keep in contact with you in the future.

   akline@ptd.net

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community- Internationally

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

This program resonated with me because of the interest of connecting education, health, technology, environment, economic development, civil society, gender equality, youth, and research.  They refer to their program as the 360 perspective.  The section that discusses the 360 partnerships reminded me of Brofenbrenner’s Theory, how all systems work together for the benefit of the whole child.  Partnerships for the Academy for Education Development include governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and the communities in which they serve. 

Their vision is that together all people and the community have the opportunity to reach their highest potential.  To do this, they work to empower individuals, families, and the community to find solutions to challenges.

Current Employment:

Intern, Research Gear up- Washington D.C.

A grant program with the U.S. Department of education that is designed to increase the number of post-secondary education for students of low-income families. 

Skills needed are proficiency with MS word and EXCEL

 

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

ISSA supports programs that support comprehensive services and advocacy tools intended to influence policies for families and children in the early childhood years.  Programs supported by ISSA include early childhood, primary school, equal access, teacher education, and civic participation in education. 

Members of ISSA are provided with professional development, information-sharing and networking, technical support in design and implementation of ECD programs, publications, and annual conferences.  

This program was of interest to me because it not only provides publications about the ECD field, but also provides training and mentoring to individuals and programs in the EC field. 

 

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

What caught my attention with UNICEF were the real life photos and descriptions of how children and families are living in severe poverty, including health, shelter, and education.  UNICEF has focus areas that include child survival and development, basic education and gender equality, HIV/AIDS and children, and child protection.  They are leading advocates for children’s rights.

Current Employment:

Although I was unable to open the many job opportunity sites, some that were of interest to me included:  HIV/AIDS specialist (Uganda), Education specialist (emergency and peace building)(Congo, Dom. Rep.), and Chief Child Protection (Pakistan).