National Communities of Practice in the Early Childhood Field

 Curiosity.....is the wick in the candle of learning.

-William A. Ward

Photo courtesy of Jessi Marie

 The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards.

-Anatole France

Curiosity must be instilled and fostered in every day of every child's life. We owe this as a service to the young minds who are developing every day they show up in our classroom. As professionals we have the responsibility to stay abreast new technology, research, and methods. I am sharing some national Communities of Practice which I think will be beneficial to everyone in the early childhood field.

                       American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, our current health care system does not meet the needs of children with mental health disorders. Although 1 in 5 children in the United States suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder, only 21% of affected children actually receive needed treatment. Mental illness is like any other disease; the earlier it is identified and treated, the better the health outcomes. I think this is an astounding fact and it explains why so many children are having discipline problems, they are simply not being diagnosed and thus; their problem is not being treated (American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d).

One employment opportunity they offer is a Program manager, which is grant funded

The person must;

- Be strong writing, verbal and organizational skills who has the ability to activate this phase of the program and manage related tasks in a team environment.

- Provide support to overall quality improvement (QI), research and program implementation goals and objectives related to this program under the purview of the position while providing oversight and support to the expert group involved in the program.

- Coordinate and implement multiple program activities, including clinical provider/family team involvement, meeting planning, report writing, and budgeting. Bachelors degree in public health, health administration, public administration, health policy, education or related field required. Masters degree preferred. .

http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/federal-advocacy/Pages/mentalhealth.aspx

I was attracted to this agency because they provide advocacy for many diverse issues dealing with children. Some of these include; access to care, safe and effective devices for children, food access, health and nutrition, violence prevention, and children’s mental health.

National Association of Childcare Resources & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies is the nation's leading voice for child care. It works with more than 700 state and local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies nationwide. It leads projects that increase the quality and availability of child care professionals, undertakes research, and advocates child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families (NACCRRA, n.d). This agency attracted me because it advocates the importance of choosing the adequate early childhood center and it also voices to parents how significant the first years are in the child’s cognitive development.This organization is currently looking for a person to;

• Respond to inquiries and requests for child care by phone, e-mail, live chat, and in person.
• Clearly communicate differences between types of child care, regulations, and/or exemptions so that families will be likely to choose options that promote safe, healthy learning environments for children.
• Educate families about the importance of school readiness and how quality child care can support child development.
• Collect, maintain, report, and use data related to child care supply, demand, cost, and quality.
• Participate in outreach activities designed to raise awareness and utilization of Child Care Resource and Referral Services.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred in child development, early childhood education, or related field. Minimum 5 years’ experience in child care setting or Child Care Resource and Referral.

http://www.naccrra.org/

                          National Child Care Clearinghouse Project

 National Child Care Clearinghouse Project  identifies resources that can be used to support family child care providers.

http://www.cwla.org/programs/daycare/clearinghouse.htm

CWLA who leads and engages its network of public and private agencies and partners to advance policies, best practices and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for vulnerable children, youth and families is looking for a Social Media Coordinator.

Job Description:
The Child Welfare League of America, a nonprofit organization located in downtown Washington, DC, is seeking a full-time editor and social media coordinator for its publications department. The person in this position will:

• Assist with Children's Voice magazine. This includes reporting and writing feature articles and columns; collaborating with other staff, interns, and freelancers to rework their stories for Voice style and audience expectations; and proofreading each issue.
• Manage CWLA’s social media accounts. This includes maintaining an active presence on Facebook and Twitter; enhancing CWLA’s presence on other networking sites, including LinkedIn and YouTube; and evaluating metrics of online engagement.
•  Serve as project lead for assigned book projects. This includes completing all aspects of editing; working with authors to ensure required permissions are obtained and queries are answered in a timely fashion; working with staff to develop a production schedule and achievable deadlines; and writing cover text and marketing copy.

Qualifications needed for this job include;

-Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.

- Familiarity with the Chicago Manual of Style; knowledge of APA style a plus.

- Ability to work with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Experience with InDesign or Final Cut Pro a plus. Ability to do internet research.

                                        References

National Childcare Clearinghouse Project. Retrieved on January 24, 2014 from

http://www.cwla.org/programs/daycare/clearinghouse.htm

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies. Retrieved on January 24 , 2014 from http://www.naccrra.org/

American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved on January 24, 2014 from

http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/federal-advocacy/Pages/mentalhealth.aspx

Communities of Practice For The Early Childhood Education Field

Texas Department of Family Protective Services

A state organization that appeals to me is the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (TDFPS) I have worked in the past with a branch which falls under the same umbrella which is Child Protective (CPS) on a volunteer basis and I have found the work to be very tiring and demanding but yet, very satisfying and a passionate cause.  Unlike CPS whose only focus are children, TDFS focuses on the whole family, including the elderly; and this is a population I have great respect for. Some opportunities currently available are caseworkers, social workers, investigators, and substance abuse counselors. The skills and experience necessary to fulfill these roles include ;

 

1. Knowledge of child development.
2. Knowledge of family dynamics.
3. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
4. Skill in effective verbal and written communication.
5. Ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
6. Ability to work with other professionals in the community.*

 

Texas Education Agency

Another place that attracts my attention is The Texas Education Agency (TEA). I think it would be interesting to belong to this community of practice because they are the ones who set forth the educational laws and standards in my state. Some jobs available in the TEA include Directors, Investigators, and Programmers. While these jobs are more demanding and they require more skills, they are also in the six figure annual salary. Some requirements to be met are;

 

1. Organize and direct program activities
2. Establish program goals and objectives that support agency strategic plans and legislative mandates;
3. Educator preparation programs, 
4. Facilitate and manage stakeholder meetings with diverse participants in order to make recommendations based on stakeholder input/feedback and policy needs.*

 

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas

 

I find myself drawn to this agency because I have always been an advocate for children. I think I started being one since I was in the playground at kindergarten and always wanted to defend the children’s rights; even if it meant getting in trouble sometimes. Children’s Advocacy Centers™ of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) is the statewide membership association in charge of representing all local children’s advocacy centers in the state. The jobs listed include family support counselor, center coordinator, and lead therapist. Some requirements include;

 

1.   Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) in social work, psychology, or related field.

2.  Working knowledge of child abuse dynamics

3.  Good organizational, communication and networking skills

4.   Successful completion of a background check, including criminal/CPS clearances*

 

 

*References

 

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Retrieved January 14, 2014 from

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/

 

Texas Education Agency. Retrieved  January 14, 2014 from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/

 

Children’s Advocacy Center’s of Texas. Retrieved Jan 14, 2014 from

http://www.cactx.org/