Early Childhood Career Opportunities Pt. 2

Last blog post discussed how different organizations within the Chicago area could assist me in finding the perfect and most ideal career for my professional journey. With many fantastic opportunities in my hometown of Chicago, I also wanted to consider going outside my native state and into different states and/or coubtries3 to do what I do best- create emerging leaders.

This weeks focus is on national and federal positions that could inspire me to take the next big step in my ECE career.

An automatic organization would be part of being with The Department of Children and Family Services.

https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/Pages/default.aspx

I have previously applied to be a DCFS case manager before my degree was conferred and would like to apply after its confferal. A case manager would be in charge of making visits to different ECE locations and verifying centers and organizations are in compliance with regulation for the safety and security of all children.

They prefer you to have a B.A. but recommend you have a Masters and Early Childhood or Social Work experience.

Another organization is:

https://www.decinternationalsig.org

This organization has a community of practice that is catered towards my interest of international relations/education/ and collaboration. I find this most compelling because it allows for educstors around the world to discuss and collaborate on the best ways to resolve issues regarding to child development that affects children in first world and developing countries. As an ESL teacher for Early Childhood, I thoroughly enjoy the idea of discussing issues with leaders abd experts from across the globe in regards to child welfare on a global scale. This would sharpen my international knowledge while enhancing my skills as an educator.

Lastly,

http://worldomep.org

This organization was created after the second world war to bring awareness and social/political attention to the effects the war had on children in Europe. Years later, the organization operates on every continent and operates to meet the social and educational needs of young children everywhere. This past year, there was an annual summit to discuss global education and the welfare of children in Prague. Had I known, I would have loved to attend to meet and greet some of the worlds most influential leaders and experts in the fields of education, policy, child development, and international affairs.

Their USA division gives unique educational and professional development opportunities to their registered members- which I enrolled in a unique course for 8 weeks that highlights how the brain works in young chuldren and how their immediate environment affects their development! This is completely related to my capstone and I am so excited I found this resource. There is also opporrunity to volunteer abroad with NGO schools in developing countries like Haiti or gain employment in other countries on behalf of the USA division.

The primary qualifications are to have an interest in Early Childhood while also beliving in the mission of OMEP. Particular positions such as my enrolled course requires some background knowledge in ECE but is open to anyone. This is a great community of practice that has the ability to network into a great career in global educstion.

Opportunities in Early Childhood

Reactivating this blog has been a refreshing opportunity for me to connect and informalyl share my thoughts concerning ECE.

With my program coming to a close later this semster, I am nearing the point in my life where I may want to venture outside the traditional classroom and assist in ECE reform in other arenas. This is has been the ideal assignment as it allows me to narrow down my focus and career opportunities for me with my experience, interests,  and credentialing.

My hometown of Chicago is eventually wherr I want to return. Chicago is my home and has my heart. I have literally lived all over the world and Chicago will always bd my foundation. With our notoriety with gun violence and systematic corruption, it is easy to turn a blind eye and "move out". While many residents are choosing this option, I am opting to attempt to stay and make a way to rebirth Chicago back into ots bustling, sparkling enamor.

Local/State organizations within the ECE field I found that sparked my interests were:

https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/chicago/

http://www.eclearningil.org/index.php/

https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/sites/chicagoearlylearning/home/about.html

These are three organizations that I have not heard of or am familiar with in Chicago. After research, these organizations seem like the ideal opportunity for me to really get myself in the door with more behind the scenes work of Early Childhood Education and advocacy with positions available such as Parent Educator, Regional Stakeholder Manager, Community Partnership Liaison/Manager, Early Childhood Education Home Visitor, Early Childhood Behavioral Specialist, Education Quality Specialist, etc. I ABSOLUTELY loved all these positions because they cater to high-risk populations.

These are options that I have both heard of and am unfamiliar with within the field of ECE. I know my interests and passions rrst within working with families, continuing and strengthening diversity, as well as teacher quality. Out of the locsl organizations I selected, I want to learn alot more about Early Childhood Professional Learning program that is partnered with a prestigious research university in Illinois. With it being different programs under one umbrella, it allows me to hone in on a singular interest and build my career within that framework.

The qualifications are somewhat strict, many positions requiring 5+ years of managerial, program management/operational experience, and at least a Master's in Education. However, with me being a teacher for 4 years, this is also advantageous because I am coming directly from a classroom setting and amnable to give fresh perspective on how policy affects all levels of ECE, down to the classroom. I also feel its important to have a variety of individuals with different skillsets and strengths working together on a project with varying background.

I look forward to knowing more and searching for my dream career

Thank you

This course has allowed me to confront my biases head in and allowed me better be more inclusive and understanding of ideas that used to limit my interaction with other communities. I am excited to be a better educator that is more conscious in my lessons and teachings that are true representations of what I want my kids to take away into adulthood.

I have a goal that teachers have more trainings and education that allow for more perspctive on inclusion and diversity inaide the classroom.

Thank you to all my colleagues for sharing experiences and ideas that contributed to my growth and progress as a teacher and an individual.

Diversity

To me, Diversity means a lot of things ranging from inclusivity to transparency. However, a clear reflection of diversity and what I believe ia represented in my daily life through my connections, networks, and friendships. As an educator, I have had the privledge to be surrounded by people thatrepresent a new culture unlike mine. Through these experiences, I have grown to appreciate and accept all of humanity and our diverse members despite mass media and dominant culture and stereotypes. The photo I created is a representation of the many souls I have met these past few years who have turned from colleagues to friends to family

Anti-Bias Education

Recently, my classroom gained a new student-an immigrant from Sierra Leon. This student has a thick accent, dark, beautiful skin, and hair that coils upward in strong circular waves. The student also has yellow-ish eyes due to the high-concetration of melanin in their scelera (I had to research that).

One of my students, who is a great kid and means well, pointed out his yellow eyes and hair and said "Your hair should be straight like mine and your eyes are not blue; its thr wrong color". Without me knowing this little boy or not having taking this course, I would think the worst of his parents and up bringing and assume his parents don't do enough to expose him to different cultures and experiences and they feed him with ideas of "white is right" mentality. However, through this course and my progression as an educator, I took this as a teachable moment and explained to my student that 1) they were made PERFECT exactly as they are and are beautiful in their own way and 2) Not everyone is going to look the same and thats ok. Our new friend has hair similar to your teacher and you like my hair, you can like his too.

This allowed the new student to feel positive about himself while also associating postive similarities and traits with his teacher. This, also, allowed my other student to learn power is sharing differences while appreciating other peoples individual unique qualities as a postive thing.

Homosexual and Early Childhood

As I venture further into this course, I am combating my biases and -isms more to a point where I am forcing myaelf to ask critical and complex questions about my beliefs and opinions.

In the subject if same-sex relationships and bias in the classroom, I definitely feel strongly about the issue. Having equal representation of the families from all backgrounds is crucial to the overall development of a child. Representation leads to the validity and transparency of multi-family dynamics and units.

However, I am not a fan of promoting same-sex literature or activties inside the classroom. While we can teach children to respect all people and embody tolerance, bringing in such a controversial issue into the classroom can be problematic and raise concern to some families. I would not promote literature that had a ability to raise questions or form connections parents are not ready or willibg to discuss with their child. Emphasizing that that there are families that rather be the ones to lead the converstion of something so controversial and not be in a classroom lesson/setting.

With that, learned behaviors that promote and instill tolerance and respect are implemented so similar consequences would occur if verbal language was aggressive, threathening, and/or harmful in anyway to the children. Using derogatory remakes that breed prejudiced and srereorype would be immediately no longer recognized but also deconstructed so they losr power

Ultimately, having equal representation of ALL families is important but soIis the respect FOR FAMILIES to lend hand to one another.

Thank You

Thank you to all my colleagues for a great semester. Through this course I was able to wnhance my communication skills and grow professionally as an effective twam leader and communicator. I intend to use these practices inside as well as outside the classroom to better interact and convey/share ideas with other individuals. It was great reading all your blogs and sharing experiences.

My goal is to reach as many young hearts and minds as possible and bring change into our world to be better than it is currently. I am a huge advocate for diversity and inclusion and believe all children shoukd be celebrated and loved and the classroom is the perfect place to do that. These past few weeks have given me opportunity to learn how to be a better team player and utilize my strengths while also understanding where I lack and how others have the ability to fill in those gaps if needed.