I have chosen the following three organizations because
their missions speak strongly to what I believe and they possess a wealth of
information which seeks to further bolster my continual development.
A. National Association for the Education of Young Childhood (http://www.naeyc.org/)
This organization is the world’s largest organization for
persons working with and on behalf of children 0-8 years. It’s mission being to serve and act on behalf
of all young children especially as it relates to educational and developmental
services and resources and in light of this I particularly like this
organization because of its clearly stated position statements on a wide range
of issues, that really guide our practice as well as its strong advocacy stand
on issues (http://www.naeyc.org/policy/advocacy). In addition, the wide range of resources available
to parents, teachers and children.
I am not interested in any of the available jobs however; I
believe that the knowledge acquired from the website can definitely forge a new
level of excitement and a desire to coordinate early childhood programs or serve
as an early childhood specialist.
B. Highscope (http://www.highscope.org/) is concerned
with the education of children and youth worldwide so they are very supportive
of parents and educators effort. The mission of the organization is to lift
lives through education. Highscope
engages in developing curricula, various types of training for teachers,
caregivers, administrators, curriculum specialists and teacher educators. They subscribe to active engagement. They ensure that children’s interests and
choices are at the forefront of what they do.
Highscope program adheres to best practices recommended by the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Head Start Performance
Standards and other guidelines that endorse developmentally based programs. Highscope program stands out from the other
childhood programs because it deals with research, application and validation. I chose Highscope because I had an
opportunity to engage in some research activities in 2003 and it was
interesting to see the wide range of skills our 3-5 year olds need to acquire.
Among the job opportunities I favor are:
a)
Early Childhood Specialist which requires the
development of curricula and training materials, engage in training using the
Highscope approach and participate in developing program and assessment instruments. Suitable candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in early childhood
education, child and family development, curriculum development, or related
field. Prefer early childhood ZA endorsement or a Master’s degree or higher
with an early childhood focus; 3-5 years of early childhood teaching and
caregiving and experience working with families; prefer a HighScope Field
Consultant and experience in infant/toddler curriculum.
b) Being an independent field consultant
is also any area that peaks my interest. This will really call into effect all
that I would have studies in my Masters program and probably a bit more. It will certainly provide opportunities for
me to merge theory with practice.
C. Early Childhood Unit-National
Children’s Bureau http://www.ncb.org.uk/ecu
This organization seeks to
provide quality services for young children by working directly with early
childhood institutions as well as through national networks. Its mission is to enhance the well-being of
young children as well to remove barriers which may be hindering children and
families from received desired services.
Every year the organization undertakes approximately 60 projects in
order to improve the life chances of children.
These projects fall under 8 key themes: disability; early years;
education and learning; health and well-being; involving young people; play;
sector improvement and vulnerable children.
I did not find any job opportunities but I will be
interested in jobs of an administrative nature.
For my specialization area I concentrated on “How Adult Learn” so I am
very interested in administrative portfolios such as coordinating early
childhood programs. Possessing a Masters
in Early Childhood Education and years of experience working in the field would
be considered ideal.
References
Early Childhood Unit-National
Children’s Bureau retrieved from http://www.ncb.org.uk/ecu
HighScope. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 28, 2011, from http://www.highscope.org/
National Association for the
Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/
