Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

The first organization which interests me was the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC interests me as it is the world’s leading organization working on behalf of young children.  This organization holds a vision that all young children will thrive and learn in a society which is dedicated to ensuring that they reach their full potential.  NAEYC focuses on improving the quality and accessibility of early childhood education programs and services and on enhancing the development of children and families by connecting practice, policy and research.   This is an organization that I would love to work with.

The job opportunity which caught my attention were; Senior Director, NAEYC Academy of Early Childhood Program Accreditation. The position entails keeping the NAEYC standards as the gold standard of excellence.  The individual must also ensure the support of quality improvement and provide reliable and valid assessment of quality.  He/she must work with states and other systems to form partnerships that utilize NAEYC accreditation as a cost-effective way to improve early childhood programs.  Requirements for this position include an advanced degree in nonprofit management, business administration and/or early childhood education/child development; excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skill; and strong conceptual and analytic skills and talent for innovation. 

For more information visit the website http://www.naeyc.org/

The second organization I found is the National Education Association (NEA). This organization focuses on the educators and professionals of the education field and how they can better the lives of children and their families. They provide teachers with ideas for the classroom, lesson plans, and teaching strategies. Their mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.  This organization interests me because of its focus on education professionals. I believe that in order to provide high quality early childhood education we should have teachers who are educated in the field as well as them being supported.   

As far as job postings are concerned, I found an opening in North Dakota that interests me; that of Director of Teaching and Learning. This position requires among others that the individual to lead individual counseling and in-service workshops, access latest research on teaching methods and communicate it to members, monitor monthly Education Standards meetings, and to develop and coordinate training and workshops. The skills and requirements needed for this position include knowledge of Common Core Standards, knowledge of the state’s accreditation process, knowledge and understanding of adult learning, the understanding of teacher evaluation guidelines and the ability to work effectively and sensitively with individuals with diverse points of view and varied backgrounds and experiences.

For more information visit the website http://www.nea.org/

The last organization I selected is Zero to Three.  This organization was chosen as it focuses on providing information and knowledge that is founded on research and evidence based practices to professional, parents, and policy makers in their quest to support the development of children starting at birth. Zero to Three develops, funds, and support numerous projects to support families and professionals.  Zero to Three has a policy center in which research based resources relating to the developmental needs of infants and toddlers are shared with advocates and policy makers. 

A job opportunity which interests me in this organization is the position of Senior Training Specialist.  The position entails being responsible for project activities including but not limited to content development, training, and facilitation pertaining to The Prenatal Through Age Five Workforce Development Project. Requirements for this position include a Master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, special education, early childhood education or related field.  The individual must maintain an acceptable and respectful approach to others and must be self-reflective and empathic.  He/she must encourage and practice critical thinking. 

For more information visit the website:  www.zerotothree.org