Time Well Spent
I can’t believe this will be my last blog post as a Walden University student. This experience had been an amazing journey, I am forever grateful for the professors I’ve come in contact with and for all my peers along the way! Specifically, to my peers; I have learned a great deal from all of your experiences, through your ideas, and from your suggestions, you have made me a better educator- THANK YOU! I have also learned a great deal about myself, my passion for the EC field is abundant, my vision for the future is clear, and future goals are accomplishable.
I believe the three main lessons I learned from this program are;
- Create goals that are obtainable and achievable. I know that I have the passion, dedication, and willingness to put my whole heart and effort into opening my own early childhood program. This is not a dream anymore; it will be my reality!
- Creating meaningful relationships. Creating relationships with children, their families, EC professionals, the community, and EC organizations is key to having success in our field. One relationship that I am proud of from this program is with Tobie. From the first class in this program to now you have helped me greatly, our similarities are endless, but our experiences are different! I am happy to know that I can call on you if I need you, and vice versa! Thank you- I hope to meet you at commencement! 🙂
- BE true to who you are! We all have our own passions, beliefs, expectations, and differences. Hold true to who you are, but also be open to differences, and always be willing to listen and learn along the way.
This Wordle that I created includes my passion and vision for the early childhood field!
As I finish this post, I’m slightly emotional from all the hard work I have completed throughout this program. The support I have received from all of you, our professors, my family, especially my sister Kerri, my director and my co-teacher Gina is overwhelming! We did it- we should all be proud of our accomplishments. Congratulations, I hope we can all meet in July at commencement! On a final personal note, I believe I will succeed with making an everlasting imprint on and in the early childhood field. For this I am forever thankful for this opportunity!
My contact information: helpingtoshapelittleminds@gmail.com or on social media: LinkedIn or Facebook under Kristi Coyne.
Before I go I’d like to share a few of my favorite quotes/poems that support my love of the field and what I believe emulates me as a EC profession!
International Organizations and Jobs in the EC field!
Three International Organizations:
World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP): http://www.worldomep.org
“OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organisation with Consultative Status at the United Nations and UNESCO. Founded in 1948, it defends and promotes the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and support activities which improve accessibility to higher quality education and care.”
The Policy and Advocacy tab was very exciting for me to read through. I really liked learning about their One World, One Goal annotative. The goal: “ensures all children get The Best Start in Life and for Learning” With this goal there are three targets to accomplish the goal- link to One World, One Goal http://www.worldomep.org/en/post-2015-sustainable-development-agenda/one-world-one-goal/
Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI): https://acei.org
“As ACEI’s mission to promote child well-being continues to strengthen and evolve with the changing world environment, the organization commits to bridging the gap between global initiatives and local needs. In this era of rapid change and increased connectivity, ACEI recognizes the significance of promoting international and intercultural understanding through dialogue and mutual respect.”
This site has many programs, events and campaigns. I was interested in the campaign called; Love Me, Teach Me. “The campaign is built upon four cornerstones, each contributing to the well-being of children and related intimately to children’s needs and rights. These four cornerstones are See Me, Hear Me, Love Me, and Teach Me, and they apply to all children, worldwide.” It seems like a wonderful campaign, that I would like to participate in!
American Institutes For Research (AIR): http://www.air.org
“Our Mission: AIR’s mission is to conduct and apply the best behavioral and social science research and evaluation towards improving people’s lives, with a special emphasis on the disadvantaged. Our Vision: Within the United States and internationally, AIR will be the preeminent organization that;
- produces improvements in education, health, and the workforce;
- addresses the needs of individuals, organizations, and communities;
- designs and advances statistical and research methods;
- causes practitioners and organizations to adopt evidence-based practices; and
- informs public understanding and policymaking by the best evidence.”
When I begin to explore this organization I was pleased to see that they have under the Our Topics tab a section for early childhood. All the information in this section is useful and helpful for an early childhood professional. http://www.air.org/topic/early-childhood
As I explored international early childhood organizations, I chose these three because they focus on the well-being of a child. Each organization in their own way expresses the importance of children, development, culture, and the importance of working together to meet a common goal through the world for early childhood education.
International Jobs:
Global Engagement Coordinator, NAEYC:
“Position Description: NAEYC seeks a proactive individual to provide administrative, logistical, and resource development support. This person will be responsible for maintaining strong collaborative relationships with all project partners and with NAEYC staff. The candidate will also be responsible for travel logistics for the department and periodically on-location support outside the immediate area and abroad.”
There are two qualifications that I do not meet. Those are the use of Spanish, Arabic, or Chinese and the fact that they are desirable and the knowledge of database systems.
Link to the job: http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=dd03dd3f0e5250db&q=Association+For+Childhood+Education+International&tk=1b313vfoea4ghc2a&from=web
Director of Early Childhood Education:
“United South End Settlements (USES) seeks an experienced Early Childhood Education (ECE) Director to provide oversight and leadership for the Early Childhood Education Program. The Director has overall responsibility for all operational, quality and financial aspects of the early childhood education program and must demonstrate excellence in leadership, communication and professionalism.”
Requirements I do not meet;
- 3-5 years’ management experience in an EEC licensed childcare facility, with supervisory experience.
- Excellent managerial skills.
- Experience in business/finance/marketing strongly preferred
- Spanish or a second language preferred
When I see you through my eyes, I think that we are different. When I see you through my heart, I know we are the same. –Doc Zantamata
Jobs & Roles in the ECE Community: National & Federal Level
Here are three early childhood organizations that are new to me but interest me greatly as an early childhood educator:
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (http://www.dec-sped.org ) This organization “promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children (0-8) who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities.” This organization supports families; any organization that is willing to make a different for a child and their families life is important for me as an educator to know about.
Association for Early Learning Leaders (http://www.earlylearningleaders.org ) I chose this organization because it’s mission and goal! The mission states “the Association for Early Learning Leaders is committed to excellence in the field of Early Care and Education by promoting leadership development and enhancing program quality.” And the organizations goal states “to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of directors, owners, emerging leaders and other early learning professionals to ensure quality programs for young children.” This organization interests me because of its commitment to enhancing leadership into quality programs.
ZERO TO THREE: Early connections last a lifetime (https://www.zerotothree.org ) I love the mission of this organization and use it often. “Our mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. At ZERO TO THREE we envision a society that has the knowledge and will to support all infants and toddlers in reaching their full potential.” ZERO TO THREE creates a place that supports children and their development.
Job opportunities that interest me in the early childhood field:
Developmental Specialist MA Early intervention: https://re22.ultipro.com/ELI1001/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID=*F3BA2598EB631035&__jbsrc=581D984B-463B-42D6-B016-B23097941D2C
Skills and experience that I would need to competently fulfill this role are:
- Master’s degree
- Third party and Department of Public Health Early Intervention Program regulations criteria
Community Outreach Coordinator, Strategy and Policy: https://nycdoe.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=216157&company_id=15651&version=1&jobBoardId=1112
“The Community Outreach Coordinator is responsible for direct outreach to eligible students and their families, leveraging interagency support and mobilizing existing DOE resources to recruit and enroll children across the city in Pre-K and other Department of Education (DOE) educational initiatives. S/he works in coordination with various DOE offices and is expected to meet daily goals through phone banks, outreach/visibility events, trainings, canvassing, and recruitment of volunteers. S/he will be responsible for creating an outreach plan to understand and most effectively reach families and assist programs within her/his designated district.”
Skills and experience that I would need to competently fulfill this role are:
- Two years of experience in community work or community centered activities
Inclusion Specialist-Social Emotional Early Childhood Project: http://www.indeed.com/cmp/United-4-Children/jobs/Inclusion-Specialist-Social-Emotional-Early-Childhood-Project-9d56f7c4b38dcc8e?q=Early+Childhood
“Provides extensive training and on-site observation and consultation services to classroom teachers enrolled in United 4 Children’s Social Emotional Early Childhood (SEEC) Project. This project focuses on increasing the skills and capacity of teachers working in early childhood programs to support children’s social and emotional development, and to address challenging behaviors in a pro-active, positive manner.”
Skills and experience that I would need to competently fulfill this role are:
- Registered with the State of Missouri’s training system
Exploring roles in the early childhood education community at the local and state levels
“You will not be good teachers if you focus only on what you do and not upon who you are.”
– Rudolf Steiner
As early childhood educators we focus greatly on the children and families within our classrooms. The passion we share for our field is immense, the respect and importance we are gaining in our local and state communities is wonderful! Our roles as early childhood (EC) educators is essential in young children’s lives. We are preparing these children to be constant learners, this sets the nature for success in all parts of their future lives. Part of our focus, as EC educators is to be aware of the changes in our field. When researching local and state early childhood organizations, I was amazed with the endless organizations that are offered to our field. I’d like to share the flowing organizations with you!
Early Childhood Organizations:
Quincy Community Action Programs: I chose this organization because it is in my backyard, I’ve lived in Quincy Massachusetts my entire life. “Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc. (QCAP) is the leading private nonprofit organization in the Greater Quincy area dedicated to reducing poverty and helping low-income people achieve self-sufficiency.” QCAP provided not only Quincy by four other cities/towns in our greater community. This organization “offers a variety of services designed to make sure that children grow up healthy, are ready to start school and are cared for in safe stimulating early education and care settings. We also offer programs that support parents and caregivers so they can work, attend school and strive to build a better life for their families. http://www.qcap.org/our-programs/early-childhood-education-&-care/head-start
Department of Early Education and Care: This community of practice is one I use often. It keeps me up to date with policies and new legislation. It is also filled with endless resources; family support, educator support, state regulations and mandates, and trainings for EC educators. http://www.mass.gov/edu/government/departments-and-boards/department-of-early-education-and-care/
Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MassAEYC): MassAEYC is directly associated with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). MassAEYC’s mission is “to collaborate with families, educators and agencies to support high quality early education and care through professional development and advocacy.” I attend a yearly conference that MassAEYC offers, it provides wonderful lectures and workshops for EC educators, there is also multiple vendors that setup tables and introduce the latest in play structure, educational toys, classroom resources and college programs (such as Walden University). http://www.massaeyc.com
National Child Care Association: This is an organization that is new to me. I like that it is an online community, with its home base in Morrisville, Philadelphia. This organization serves early childhood professionals and advocates alike. “Every day more regulations and legislation threatens our ability to provide quality early care and education services to children of working parents and to those parents seeking developmentally appropriate and safe experiences for their children. The National Child Care Association is the only voice you have to insure regulations and legislation are put forward for the benefits of children and their parents that preserves the current mixed delivery system of providers. This includes the quality, licensed, center based members of NCCA. We are your only voice.” http://www.nccanet.org
Strategies for Children: This is also an organization that I was unaware of, but pleased I found. Strategies for Children’s mission, “works to ensure that Massachusetts invests the resources needed for all children, from birth to age five, to access high-quality early education programs that prepare them for success in school and life.” This organization seeing the powerful impact that early education can have on a young child, they feel it is important to give all children access to high quality early childhood education. http://www.strategiesforchildren.org
Job Opportunities in the Early Education Field:
The following three positions are intriguing to me, although none of these positions are actually teaching in the classroom- I can see a greater chance for making a difference in not only a child’s life but also their families.
Regional Director: Little Sprouts
For this positions I would need: 5 years of progressive leadership, experience in management, and experience in managing multi-unit operations in early education. http://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=e9a74d4f40b22822&q=Child+Advocate&l=Massachusetts&tk=1b0r16mk7a4iq8n9&from=web&advn=2082973137134973&sjdu=GtIhB19Y80Q_8hx1qyOi39eQqdD3S19uw6Dpvygh5Kf_FMNOjuXPyRVq8fQOdQJFVDbZzXNsetDr1fOeivFD57qSXKv0Gtco5bg0a4Zh8BswhgRhh5XA0_lpupXTNSpHVGOpv9iMdXJH0KKrZJoPNg&pub=4a1b367933fd867b19b072952f68dceb
Family Child Care Home Monitor
For this positions I would need the following skills, experience in family child care, it’s also noted that bi-lingual applicants are a plus; I don’t know have a second language.
Community, Schools and Family Coordinator: Horizons for Homeless Children
For this position the qualifications state that you must have working knowledge of Boston Schools, experience with homeless children and families, and preferred fluency in Spanish. These qualifications I do not currently hold.
https://horizonschildren.acquiretm.com/job_details_clean.aspx?ID=1268&source=indeed
I’d like to end with a quote that I find very powerful and influential to the early childhood field, and those involved in it.
“Let’s make it a National priority to give every child access to a high quality early education. Let’s give our kids that chance.”
–Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America
One of my favorite quotes…
Peace: a state in which there is no war or fighting
Our world is sadly becoming filled with hate, we need to teach love, acceptance, tolerance, humility and kindness!
Words of Wisdom!
Farewell!
I’d like to thank all my colleagues in group one, all your input through our discussion board and through my blog have helped me grow as a student and as an educator! I truly appreciate everyone’s input, I have learned so much from you all. A special thanks to Jean and Tobie for all your support and encouragement! It has been great getting to know you all throughout this course and our previous ones together, I hope to continue learning beside you as we enter our specializations. Please feel free to connect with me through Walden email or on social media (LinkedIn or Facebook) to keep in touch! I wish the best to all of you, and I hope our paths will cross at commencement!
All my best,
Kristi
Team Development
The Five Stages Of Team Development: A Case Study
By: Gina Abudi
https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.php
This resource provides a wonderful format for creating and maintaining an effective team. Gina Abudi states that there are five stages of team development. They are forming, storming, norming, performing and, adjourning. Each stage holds an equal importance.
This week’s assignment asks us to; consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye.
“In the “adjourning” stage the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving off into different directions. This stage looks at the team from the perspective of the well-being of the team rather than from the perspective of managing a team through the original four stages of team growth. The team leader should ensure that there is time for the team to celebrate the success of the project and capture best practices for future use. (Or, if it was not a successful project – to evaluate what happened and capture lessons learned for future projects). This also provides the team the opportunity to say good-bye to each other and wish each other luck as they pursue their next endeavor. It is likely that any group that reached Stage 4: Performing will keep in touch with each other as they have become a very close knit group and there will be sadness at separating and moving on to other projects independently.”
When working in a group/team that you are excited to work in, when communication is expressed freely, you are respected, and that you have great success in accomplishing a common goal it is very hard to leave that group/team. It feels wonderful to work with others to accomplish a goal. The group/team that I had the hardest time saying good-bye to was my basketball team. Most of us played together from age 5 through high school. Together we played for multiple leagues; CYO, summer twilight, middle school, and high school. Within those years together we had multiple wins, even some championships, we also had losses. The losses are what kept us on task. We had a common goal and vision for our team. To respect each member of our team, listen and learn from our coaches, and to work together. This was definitely the hardest group for me to leave. I grew up with these girls, at the time of the completion of the group we were all going different ways; mostly to college. We had a high school banquet where we were able to express our thanks to our teammates, coaches, and families it was a wonderful completion to all the years spent together.
How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program?
The Walden University experiences thus far has been amazing. I feel as though I have created relationships with my peers throughout the seven course I have taken. I admire their insight, and value their opinions, advice, and experiences. Our diverse backgrounds and experiences has been very eye opening to me and certainly a point for growth and education. I feel as though my peers have made me a better early childhood professional. I have gained so much knowledge from each course. I would imagine that the ending of the program will be hard. I’ve invested a lot of my time and efforts with my peers and professors. I hope to gain a big network of early childhood professions that will exist far after we have completed our goal of receiving our master’s degree. I also hope to meet face to face, hopefully at commencement!
I’d like to end with the importance of introducing team work to the young children we work with in the classroom everyday. In my pre-k classroom we constantly talk about teamwork! We encourage the children to work together, and my co-teacher and I model this throughout the day. I have a five year old who has stated to use the slogan…
I think he’s on to something! 🙂
helping to shape little minds 