Exploring Roles In The ECE Community

As I began to explore my opportunities in the ECE Community I came across several advances for my career. I first checked the NAEYC website and I found a position as a Head Start Administrator in San Antonio, Texas. The descripition included: Under administrative direction, is responsible for providing overall leadership in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all component aspects of the Head Start Program. This position requires a high degree of knowledge about Head Start Performance Standards, and all component aspects of the Program. Responsible for liaison, coordination, and staffing for the Head Start Policy Council. Exercises direct supervision over assigned staff. This position is a "grant funded" position and has no disciplinary appeal rights to the Municipal Civil Service Commission. This position is likewise subject at-will employment status and can be terminated at any time for any reason. The educational requirement included: Qualifications: •Master's Degree from an accredited college or university •Five (5) years experience in program development and budget, including three (3) years of supervisory experience. •Any applicant selected for this position must have a background check completed with results satisfactory to the City of San Antonio and successfully complete the City of San Antonio’s two-phased Cash-Handling Certification Training. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: •This position requires a valid Class “C” Texas Driver’s License or the ability to obtain a valid Class “C” Texas Driver’s License within thirty (30) days after becoming a resident of the State of Texas. Use of your own personal vehicle may at time be required and proof of Liability Insurance will be required. •Head Start program oversight experience. •Knowledge of the Head Start Governance and Municipal Government processes. •Knowledge of Federal and State rules and regulations pertaining to grant funded programs. •Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, Public Administration, Social Work, or a related field. To fulfil this position I would need to a Texas licenses, need to complete two-phased Cash-Handling Certification Training, and knowledge of the Head Start Governance and Municipal Government processes and knowledge of Federal and State rules and regulations pertaining to grant funded programs.


Another site I visited was a site for educators seeking employment at universities. On this site I found a position for Early Childhood Professional Development Coordinator and Lecturer at Tufis Univeristy. The descripition include :The Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development invites applications for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Professional Development Coordinator & Fulltime Lecturer, beginning August, 2012, with a two-year renewable contract. We seek an exceptional teacher, collaborator, and leader to prepare, mentor, and support students and professionals engaged with young children, their families, and their schools, as we advance our commitment to equity in early childhood in urban education settings.
Specific areas of expertise might be teacher development/inquiry; technology, science, arts, or math literacy; curriculum development; special education; inclusive classrooms; dual-language learners; child care and educational policy; early intervention; infant mental health; or equity issues in education.
Duties: working with the Director of Early Childhood Education to develop, administer, and monitor pre-service and professional training for early childhood professionals, including state certification programs; collaborating with multidisciplinary faculty and community partners; developing revenue streams to support this work; advising students; and teaching two courses each semester. The educational requirements include: A masters degree in early childhood education or a related field (e.g., Special Education, Elementary Education, Child Development) as well as demonstrate commitment to urban education issues and the integration of theory, research, and practice. The successful candidate will have experience with young children 0-8, including service delivery/practice and classroom teaching. Teaching experience at the college level (undergraduate or graduate) is required. Experience supervising early childhood development professionals and developing programs for professionals working in early childhood fields is required. Understanding classrooms and the role of large, urban community organizations in the education and care of young children is necessary. Experience with professional certification processes, multi-agency collaboration, or service learning is desirable. The skills I need to development for a university level is more class room experience and curriculm developing.

My final interest came from an site for early childhood job seekers and this position was for a Regional Manager in Seattle, Washington. The descrupition include: Child Care Regional Manager Position in Seattle, WA Have you been a Regional Manager, overseeing several child care programs or a successful Director of a large program and wondering what your next career move might be? If so, this position might be the perfect opportunity for you! Bright Horizons is hiring a Regional Manager to join our Bright Horizons Family in Seattle, WA. As the Regional Manager, you will work closely with the leadership teams of multiple centers to create a rich environment for children, families and staff to reach their full potential. The educational requirements include:  We are looking for the following qualities/skills in our Regional Manager: • Passionate about ECE, children, families and teachers • Exhibit strong skills in both written and oral communication • Attention to detail with focus on goals and results oriented • Excellent follow up and takes initiative • Strong fiscal management skills • Spirit of teamwork and professionalism Educational Background and Experience: • Degree, BA or MA in Early Childhood Education or related field preferred • Experience with managing multiple child care centers strongly preferred • Ten to twelve years experience as a Center Director or comparable management supervisory experience. The skills I need to develop more knowledge of the NAEYC Accrediation process, gain experience of the Client Sponsored Child Care, and managerial skills.

My Final Goodbyes

I am preparing my blog as my heart begins to feel heavy only because we have come to the end of another interesting but yet fulling class. I must say that this is been an eye opening experience for me these past 8 weeks and without you guys comments, support and motivation I wouldn't been able to make it. I thank you. I want to wish all of you guys well with great success. We are done with our core courses and now its time for our specialization areas and soon graduation. I want you guys to always put your best foot forward in whatever you do and to keep God or whomever you serve 1 st in your life. If you need anythign please don't hesitate dropping me a line via-email.

Team Building

I remember when I was in the academy for the Sheriff Department for 8 weeks with a total of about 36 individuals. On the first day or orientation I didn't know what to expect I just look at it as I am going to do these 8 weeks graduate and have a good paying job. Little did I know that each day each week me and my classmates became closer and closer to each other. We began forming study groups with each other to ensure we all past the test, workout session so that those that was physically meeting the requirements met the requirements and even began eating and going out together. You can say we were one big happy family.
Out of all the groups I have been involved in I would definitely say that my academy class was the hardest to leave. Even though after graduation we were going to the same place but we would no longer see each other like we did for 8 weeks and we had the greatest class counselor ever. On our last day we did a team bilding and even though we had already bonded well it made the team bulding exercise even better. On graduation we all cried tears of joy and we have our class counselor a token of our appreciate. Right before graduation we all sat in  a circle and we talked about the ups and downs of academy and how at the end we all made it.
I feel adjourning is essential to teamwork because it tells you your strengths and weakness what you can achieve as a team to continue or to get stronger.

Nonviolent Communication

Its funny that we are suppose to blog about htis particular topic of nonviolent communication. I can recall a recent situation in my personal life when I was having just a small heated conversation and both of us were going back and forth and no one could hear no one because of the yelling. I suddenly realized and ask myself why are you yelling because this is not a way to solve a situation. So I just hushed and allow the other person to continue vent because at this point that is what they was doing because I began to listen. I think allowed them to get whatever it was off of their chest and I remember in order to have a civilized conversation you have to respect, respond, and reciporate.  Once the other person observed my actions they were able to calm down and we were able to began an adult conversation. By the end of hte conversation we both listen to each other views and we were able to agree and disagree without being disagreeable.
I believe that the only thing that changed the disagreement was one had to show respect for the other so both parties ended up respecting each other.
The question I have for my colleagues is what other way could this been avoided.

Who Am I as a Communicator

    As I participated in this week's assignment I learned that even though I feel I am a better listener than a talker to a point I talk every now and then people looked at me as a better talker when it comes to meeting people or just talking in general. Its odd because I am kind of shy when it comes to talking in public or just opening up to people, but I guess as I get older I find it as a gift of evanglism.
    
      When I saw my results it just boost my confidence up to want to speak more. I was told that it makes it easier for people to get to know me when I talk because I am a humble individual and when I speak if some I love I have passion about the topic or conversation.
With that information shared about me it works highly in my favor because i'm in a career to where I talk to young people almost all day long and sometime I talk to others to try to get them involved in volunteering.

      I was taught not to talk so much and just listen and I guess now its the opposite talk much and others will listen. Now when it comes to my personal life it takes me a minute to get to talking but once I get to talking then that is the ice breaking. I guess I have to feel comfortable when it comes to talking unless I am already close to you. I am still working on that one.

Communication and Culture

When it comes to communicating effectively to people of different cultures I have to say that I honestly don't change my approach with getting my message across. I simply made sure that I am understood. I ask if ther is any questions and it is I answer them to the best of my ability or I try to explain in  different way. I feel that if you change your appproach due to the fact you are dealing with different cultures that is not allowing an equal opportunity. When it comes to politics, sexual orientation, religion, and race I stay open minded and I am not bias to either group. I try to be a neutral individual and keep all lines of communication open so that people will recieve the vibe that I am a very easy person to talk to. Once thing I would definitely do is to ensure that my nonverbal communication skills matches up with my verbal communication skills to prevent misunderstanding. At the end of the day practicing good communicatin skills rather is nonverbal or not is the key to all understandings

Nonverbal-vs-Verbal Communication

I watch a tv show entitled Bridezilla and I was definitely suprised. Bridezilla is a show that I never watch so the experience of watching it with the sound off was kind of funny to me. With the sound off just reading their body language you can tell they were upset, cursing, and making everyone around them miserable. Once I added sound it was no difference. I would have rather watched it without sound because of how everyother word was a curse word. I think if I have watched a show I was familiar with it would have been a little different.

If I could have did this particular assignment on a show I was familiar with it would have been either Sanford and Son or Golden Girls. With the sound off on these shows you can read their body language and laugh all day but at some moments they have a blank expression but what they are saying could be funny. Once you add the sound its just as you figured you are able to put the nonverbal with the verbal. In my opinion Bridezilla just wasn't for me and my interest was quickly gone and I was waiting desperately for something esle to come on.

I have learned that you can get a mix messege with nonverbal communication because sometimes your body language will speak differently from what your are explaining thats why I feel it is always good that your nonverbal matches your verbal when it comes to communication.