Time Well Spent

As I type this last and final blog for this journey, I am experiencing a variety of emotions.  Sadness because it is the end and I have felt as if you all have been part of my family.  Happiness and joy simply because the late night homework sessions are over and that wonderful piece of paper will be coming in the mail soon that will elevate my ability to rise up in my organization.  But that piece of paper is much more than that.  It is a way of life for myself and setting the bar for my own children.  My children have seen the struggles that I have had to endure as a working mother and fulltime professional - fulltime student.  I chose to take the path that most do not want to take.....But I-We have accomplished what most will not.  WE HAVE A MASTERS DEGREE!!!!

Ok...enough of the mushy stuff.  Right?

I have always been an advocate.  It is by birth I believe simply because of my parents.  Choosing to get a masters degree in Early Childhood Studies-Early Childhood Public Policy and Advocacy to me justifies my ways of life and my dreams of seeing this field become a topic for all those that want to invest in our children's future and society.  Paying it forward is a practice I believe that all EC professionals experience in their line of work.




Learning throughout this past eighteen months has been a challenge and at times feeling as if I was on Easy Street.  I think putting the spotlight on the specific characteristics and skills that a person in Public Policy and Advocacy should have was a learning lesson for me.  I have realized that not everyone has to advocate for the same purpose.  Setting goals as a professional come easy to most but I found actually thinking of a goal and implementing that into a challenge was very difficult at times. But I overcame that feeling of a failure after posting them to the discussion the feeling slowly drifted away. 

I want to thank all of my colleagues and professors for the experience this past year.  You all have contributed to my ability to set future goals and to  move forward with new ideas that will improve my "village".  My future goal is to be a director of Marine and Family Programs at my installation.  I am going to make a difference in the lives of our military families.  I spoke of the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child".  Just think if you did not have that one person in your community that did not give that piece of advice or that helping hand.....You would not have been that parent that your child looks at with so much love.  I want to be that helping hand....scratch that....I am that person.

  

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

I chose UNICEF as an organization that delivers a message that appeals to me.  Young Child Survival and Development is an article that I read that is very informative and was effectively communicated to the readers.  As Sharma (1997) shares about advocacy,  a message is a concise and persuasive statement about an advocacy goal that captures what it is needed to be achieved, why and how.  One of UNICEF’s key advocacy messages is to end child mortality.  As I sit here looking at my children completing their homework, I could not imagine being a mother watching her children suffering and on the verge of losing their lives because of the environment they live in.  UNICEF (2011) has a saying “The chance to survive is a right owed to every child.”  Just that saying alone is powerful and an eye opener. I would love to take part in this organization.

The goal that they have set is to reach the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) which in detail means to lower the child mortality rate worldwide.  Already it has lowered 47 % since 1990, but it needs to be more.  This organization is going to accomplish this goal and they are accomplishing this by providing low-cost interventions such as vaccines, antibiotics, micronutrient supplementation, insecticide-treated bednets, improved breastfeeding practices and safe hygiene practices (UNICEF, 2011)  Donating proceeds assist with this cause along with partnering up with other advocacy organizations that assist with spreading the cause. 

In the last course the Heifer International was an organization that appealed to me.  Their concept is pretty simple; why ration a cup of milk when we can have the cow.  Teaching the concept to pay it forward is a way of life with the Heifer International.  Connecting communities through providing agriculture and farm animals is a technique that Heifer believed would and has ended poverty and hunger in countries that are lacking with support from their government and of a trade that is economically successful.  Sharing the training they received to other community members and passing on their first female offspring to another family in the community.  Heifer believes this will help with families achieving self-reliance (Heifer International, 2011).  This organization sounds amazing and definitely one that I would not mind assisting with. 

FHi 360 is an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives in lasting ways by advanced integrated, locally driven solutions (Academy for Educational Development, 2011).  This organization have on staff experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research and technology.  This organization in hand supports over 70 countries and all of the US.  I found this organization to be very easy to find a career with.  There are intern positions and paid positions all over the world. 

All three organization are very valuable to the human race.  All three provide resources and valuable strategies that assist with the improvement of the human race.  They are not prejudice against any part of the world.  All three just want to see people happy and successful in whatever they are trying to accomplish. 

Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm

Heifer International. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2011, from http://www.heifer.org/

Sharma, R. R. (n.d.). An introduction to advocacy: Training guide. Washington, DC: The Academy for Educational Development, SARA Project.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). (2007). Early childhood. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/index.html

Job/Roles in the ECE Community/National and Federal levels

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is an organization that is very interesting to me.  They are a community of practice that have created this organization.  They hold a variety of duties that involve representing over 90,000 local school board members.  They have a national connections that have the insight on what the legislature and White House officials are working on to improve the education field.  This organization has a variety of professionals involved that engage in community practices that are aiming for the same future outlook with our children’s education.  You can get involved with this organization simply by signing up. 

HighScope is another organization that I find fascinating.  HighScope Educational Research Foundation in Ypsilanti, Michigan is an independent, private, nonprofit research, development, training, and public outreach organization. HighScope serves a national and international audience committed to promoting high-quality early education for young children. They are a diverse organization of approximately 50 professional educators, researchers, publishing staff, and administrative staff. A small demonstration preschool with two teachers provides an opportunity to observe implementation of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum. HighScope-trained independent Field Consultants implement training throughout the country. At this moment they do have job opportunities within the Michigan area as teachers and teacher assistants.  I personally would love to be a field consultant.  To gather statistics that would assist with any type of research that would improve the way early childhood education curriculum is implemented would be a great experience.  I would assume that the most valuable skill needed for this position would be to communicate with a variety of people. 

My last organization that I dove into was the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR).  Being a woman in this society has become easier because of organizations as IWPR. 

IWPR’s work on Early Care and Education addresses:

• Strategies for improving access to quality, affordable child care;
• The need to integrate a range of family supports into a comprehensive early childhood system;
• The economic development benefits of  strengthening the early childhood sector;
• System-building approaches, and costs and benefits involved with early childhood expansions; and,
• The importance of improving job quality among early childhood educators.

Looking at all three organizations, they all contribute so much to improve the quality of life for everyone.  Especially a child’s life.  All three are available online and are great organizations to belong to.   

 http://www.iwpr.org/initiatives/early-care-education#sthash.n6qQue0I.dpuf

http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=112

http://www.nsba.org/advocacy/federal-legislative-priorities/early-childhood-education

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

I have always been fascinated by advocacy.  Especially when it comes to the wellbeing of children and their families.  As we continue our journey in this course we have the opportunity to sneak a peak in other early childhood organizations, agencies, and communities of practice. 

One particular program that is nationally recognized in most states is Guardian Ad Litem.  A Guardian ad Litem advocate is a trained community volunteer who is appointed, along with a Guardian ad Litem attorney, by a district court judge to investigate and determine the needs of abused and neglected children petitioned into the court system by the Department of Social Services.  This organization is a mandated by the North Carolina General Statute 7B-601.  Each state has a Guardian ad Litem program.  Briefly looking over the numbers, this organization alone assists over 15,000 children a year state wide.  GALs complete 30 hours of training before being sworn in by a judge and appointed to advocate on behalf of a child. In addition to advocating for the child, GALs will attend continuing education trainings (Guardian ad Litem, 2014).  An application, a screening interview with staff, and a criminal background must be conducted before any further involvement is to happen with this organization.  I chose this organization simply because of the importance of it.  Being a trusted adult that a child can feel safe to talk to and have their best interests in is a very powerful role in the eyes of a child.  Being in that category alone is a blessing and what I want to be observed as by a child and their family members.

Onslow County Partnership for Children is a local agency in my community that is a very valuable resource for anyone involved in a child’s life.  OCPC is a private non-profit agency that advocates and provides services for the healthy development of children, by building the strengths and capacities of families, care-giving professionals, and the communities in which they reside (OCPC, 2014). OCPC is on the frontlines of best practice and serves as a translator to the community of new discoveries and developments in the field.  The four key roles are all opportunities that interest me a professional wanting to be involved in the lives of my community other than the role I have now.

OCPC serves four key roles on behalf of the community (OCPC, 2014)

Human Services Provider; direct services to children and families, including home visiting, parent support, military family support, intervention services, and childcare access and referral.

Professional Development Hub; coordinates and hosts a menu of mentoring, training and technical assistance programs for the teachers and administrators that serve the county’s children in non-school setting. 

Administrative services provider; administrative services to a host of non-profit organizations including program evaluation, fiscal management and accounting. 

Community Convener and Thought-Leader; hosts many community events, they are engaged in community-wide initiatives such as Shape Onslow County. 

The last course I took was amazing and it introduced my colleagues and me to some amazing new agencies that are assisting children and their families. Heifer International is one that caught my eye.   Their concept is pretty simple; why ration a cup of milk when we can have the cow.  Teaching the concept to pay it forward is a way of life with the Heifer International.  Connecting communities through providing agriculture and farm animals is a technique that Heifer believed would and has ended poverty and hunger in countries that are lacking with support from their government and of a trade that is economically successful.  Sharing the training they received to other community members and passing on their first female offspring to another family in the community.  Heifer believes this will help with families achieving self-reliance (Heifer International, 2011).  The opportunities to volunteer and take on a mission in a country that is in need of some guidance with the way of living is a great opportunity that I would love to take on.  Seeing the end result one that I would love to see. 

Guardian ad Litem. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.nccourts.org/Citizens/GAL/Default.aspHeifer International. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2011, from http://www.heifer.org/

Onslow County Partnership for Children (2014). Retrieved from http://www.onslowkids.org/

Profile of a Volunteer

The first volunteer I met was my mother.  Being a volunteer mom is not the easiest role as a parent.  Being a Girl Scout leader was a role that my mother took with ease and never at any moment appeared to be frustrated or lack of interest.  My mom was always the leader that made each girls experience fun and a learning experience.  With the limited funding available she would dip into her own pocket without even thinking twice about it.  The love and attention she gave to each girl involved in this wonderful program for children is indescribable.   I really do not even think my mom even witnessed the confidence she gave each girl in our Girl Scout troop.  With the Girl Scouts in hand my mother assisted with the beginnings of friendships among girls that included lessons in life that will stay with all of us throughout our adolescents.  My take-away from my mom’s position was to always be kind and care for others.   

 

 

 

To elaborate what Girl Scouts take part in with advocacy, I have included an example of how important this organization is to girls and their families around the country.   Girl Scouts of the USA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office has worked across party lines with Congress and the Executive Branch to educate and raise awareness of the issues important to girls and young women. Through their advocacy efforts, they inform and educate key representatives of the government's legislative and executive branches about issues important to girls and Girl Scouting and help demonstrate to policymakers that Girl Scouts is a resource and an authority on issues affecting girls (Girl Scouts, 2014)

Girl Scouts. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/advocacy/

Using Social Media to Get Connected

I began my “social media” life some years ago with Facebook.  At first I began it to share family photos and to keep in touch with my family members that live away.  But now I use it to find contacts, investigate, and to use as a way to communicate with organizations and others.  YouTube is another social media that I use daily with my children and with my program.   I am addicted to finding motivational videos for EC professionals.  One specific I love is the Soul Pancake series.  The video above is a perfect example of St. Jude's hospital advocating for their program.

I believe that Facebook and YouTube are both great tools that assist with effective advocacy.  They are both free advertisement and are both popular sites that most people in society use daily.

 

My question to my colleagues is what types of social media would you use to promote their advocacy subject?  When speaking to my husband that is the administrator for a military teen program stated that the teens are more into using Instagram.  Is that one that you all would use?

Advocacy Messages

 

 

I love this quote!  It speaks for any educator that have dedicated their lives to educating children, making a difference.  As an educator I think that we at times forget that we are worth so much more than we see ourselves as.  I believe the message alone is effective because of the audience it is directed to; educators.

 

 

This caught my eye simply because as a society generated by men we forget that they want to have fun and enjoy their families at home.  I think of my husband with my children and how much they love him.  They look forward to him coming home each evening just to do those afternoon basketball games or my daughter sitting with her clarinet and my husband listening to her as if she is in Carnegie Hall.  We have to advocate for those fathers that DO want to be involved in their child's lives.

 

Educators are trained to recognize the signs of any type of developmental delays, mental instability, or abuse.  As parents we typically ignore signs of any type of delays, we simply believe our babies are simply babies.  As we advertise these types of ad's the messages can get out and families start to realize that maybe, just maybe their child is displaying some signs of autism.  As a sibling of an autistic brother, it was hard to accept the diagnosis but without his Head Start teacher, his diagnosis possibly could have went years without a diagnosis.