Time Well Spent

Getting this Masters degree has been one of the most life changing experiences I have ever had. I really enjoy all that I have learned. I was able to look at my profession from a whole new perspective. I loved being in the company of such driven educators wanting to improve the education system. With each class I fell more and more in love with my career path and know that I am in the right place. I honestly can’t believe that this journey is over. I plan to continue my education beyond this degree so that I can grow as a professional. 

From this program one of my deeply felt learnings was in an area that I love learning about. Culture is such an important factor in early childhood education. I grew up in New York and was always fascinated by the great deal of diversity that I faced daily. Moving to Georgia, I learned that there are still several racial barriers and cultural competencies that have not been accomplished. I am so excited that culture is being pushed in child care centers. The center I worked in would have mostly Caucasian pictures and dolls, but the schools enrollment was very diverse. Today there are pictures around of different races, religions, abilities, and family styles. This program encouraged me to change the face of my school and create a more welcoming environment for everyone. 

I loved learning about inclusion during this program. Inclusion is important for more than just the student who may have a challenge. Inclusion is a lesson for everyone. The entire class can learn to live in a world where people with slight or major differences will be around them. It opens up for a more diverse environment. All of the students will get a more realistic view of life from a young age.

As a fairly new child care director I appreciated learning about budgeting. The class was right on time, because I was working on a budget for the first time. The budget class allowed me to realize how much really goes into a child care program. I learned a great deal about allocating money and emergency funds. I also learned how other child care centers get funding and how to apply for grants. 

My long term goal is to become a professional development specialist. I want to help teachers grow and learn more. I would be interested in teaching in a classroom setting, and possible online as well. I can talk about early childhood education all day. The opportunity to teach others about it and help them find direction and where they fit in is exactly what I want to do. 

This last class has been a challenge. I got some of the lowest grades I have received this entire program. I am now a better writer because of this class. Dr. Teri was blunt and honest about my horrible writing skills. I was near tears thinking I was not going to pass my final class in my masters degree program. Now I am more than grateful for her continuous pushing and support. I thank each and every one of you for your advice, and helpful words. We have grown together and I am grateful for this experience. I wish you all success and prosperity as you continue to work in the education field. 

If you would like to stay in contact place email me at: moniquevw13@gmail.com

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is a great international organization. This organization fights poverty. IThis organization is important to my community of practice because it focuses on economic growth and financial stability. with my challenge focusing on getting higher wages for early childhood educators, having an organization like this in my community of practice can be very helpful. They have a direct relationship with the economic status of other countries. 

The Director, Directorate for Education and Skills is an important role at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This person helps others attain more education, skills, and jobs. This person has to be a great leader as they will be working with senior management and others to help the organization progress. They will need an advanced degree in a social science or related field, several years of senior level experience, negotiating skills, and great communication skills 

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2013, from http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

The International Step by Step Association is an organization designed to provide quality care for all early childhood students. This organization would be great for my community of practice because it is filled with early childhood educators. In preparing to get higher wages for our teacher, it is ideal to have a large network of educators. Working with an international origination makes it easier to connect with a wide range of educators. 

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2013, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

FHI 360 is an organization that really got my attention. This organization sets out to help people in many different ways. They carefully research each challenge they set out to perfect. For over 40 years they have fought to help individuals, communities, and countries succeed. This organization advocates for several different groups but they have a heart for the education system. Tackling topics like peer education, art knowledge, education management, and literacy, just to name a few. I believe that this organization would be a major player in my community of practice. While I did not see any information on their website on better compensation for early childhood educators, I feel that if they are given the information and hear about the Worthy Wages Campaign they would want to take this on as well. 

FHI360 is currently hiring for a Director of Education Research and Evaluations. This person will lead business development opportunities for funding and conducting education research, manage quality improvement, and report research findings. This person will need 10 - 15 years post doctoral education in research and evaluation, experience in developing research, experience in international and U.S. education, and a collegial spirit and sense of humor.

FHI 360 The Science of Improving Lives. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2013,http://www.fhi360.org/