National Professional Opportunities

This week we were asked to identify three national agencies or organizations we would like to work for. These are the three that I chose.

1.    The National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning (https://education.uw.edu/faculty-and-research/centers/NCQTL)

The goals of this organization are:

• To identify the research-based practices that support school readiness.

• To work with Head Start programs and staff to inform development of relevant training materials and products.

• To improve professional development through individualized and innovative coaching and mentoring strategies for Head Start teachers and staff.

• To encourage effective transition to kindergarten.

• To professionalize early childhood education and to develop and implement degree-bearing higher education curricula that is affordable, accessible, relevant and effective for Head Start teachers.

          

   The reason this organization appeals to me is the school readiness aspect. I am a firm believer that children can be prepared for school in a developmentally appropriate way, and after hearing Dr. Joseph (the program Director) speak, I believe they are doing some great things at NCQTC to make strides in that direction. I would need a Doctorate degree to work there as a faculty member, but there are several positions working as support staff that only require an undergraduate degree.

2.   National Center on Child Care Professional Development Systems and Workforce Initiatives aka: The PDW Center

(http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/child-care-pdw-center)

The goals of this organization are to:

• Provide TA in coordination and consultation with OCC, OHS, and the Child Care Technical Assistance Network (CCTAN) partners to maximize and individualize TA for States and Territories.
• Create TA tools to support State/Territory professional development system’s self-assessment and decision making.
• Support infant/toddler/preschool and school-age communities of practice.
• Develop and maintain a repository of early childhood education distance learning criteria, policies, and procedures.
• Support evaluation, design, and building of criteria that recognizes credentials, promotes reciprocity, and improves workforce access.
 

     The reason this organization appeals to me is the strong technical assistance component. I work for an organization that receives support from the PDW center and I think it would be exciting and fulfilling to work with other states in this capacity. Experience in the field working with children and adults and a Master’s Degree in EC are the requirements for employment.

  
     3. ICF International Early Education Senior Technical 
         Assistance Specialist 

            (http://icfi.jobs/virtual-usa/senior-technical-   
             assistance-specialist-early-education telecommute/
             19B6B419C3F344219855D66AFAAFBC2B/job)    

            

The goals of this organization are to:

• Support T/TA staff to work with grantees in school readiness initiatives; professional development of TA staff; sustainability of non-compliance and deficiency corrections; and other Regional and Office of Head Start (OHS) priorities as identified.
• Assist with strategies that develop collaboration between Head Start Programs, State and local agencies as well as other community partners supporting the HS/EHS grantees.
• Maintain on-going communication with the Regional Program Manager and Program Specialists (to include T/TA updates, new materials/resources), partner with T/TA staff, develop progress reports, goals and quality improvement plans to ensure high quality services are being provided. 
• Support the development and implementation of TA plan for grantees ensuring implementation of all client (ACF) priorities. 
• Collaborate closely with peers and federal staff in the provision of training and/or TA to grantees and other primary audience. 
• Build strong, positive relationships to facilitate ongoing communication, collaborative planning, and shared problem solving. 
• Coordinate Training/TA with ICF project staff, other federally funded technical assistance partners, and/or other TA partners 
• Develop and facilitate peer linkages between grantees (state and local grantees). 
• Participate in presentations at national meetings and conferences. 
• Provide a monthly record describing the TA activities provided in the Information System Technical Assistance Management database. 
• Participate in weekly TA team and full-team conference calls.
•  Develop information products useful to priority users. Stay abreast of the latest research, tools, and resources that support the TA activities in order to be effective and understand the challenges the grantees face. 
• Support client designated priorities and special projects, including development of TA materials (e.g. issue briefs, handouts, brochures, presentation kits, and webinars).
• Help design and facilitate meetings sponsored by the client. 
• Participate in hiring, termination, and annual performance appraisal procedures for all assigned project staff.

        This position appeals to me because it is outside of my comfort zone and would really challenge me to grow. This organization is tied to the NASDAQ stock trading world, and they work with agencies to help build financial capacity. It would be challenging to braid the information and experience I have with this “new world”! It would also be fun because it is based at home with some national travel. For this position it is Master’s degree preferred, 12+ years of training and TA expertise, collaboration experience with early care and education systems and State and Federal stakeholders, development of adult curriculum, knowledge of Head Start and child care, and computer skills.

Professional Opportunites

Wow! It's been a few months since we had a blog assignment for school. This is my last class and I am pleased that blogs will be a part of our weekly work because they allow for the most creativity as far as our assignments go.

The blog this week focuses on three organizations or communities of practice that appeal to me and that I would like to belong to, and three jobs in the field that I would like to have .

• United Way of Utah (UWU) is an outstanding agency whose primary focus is breaking the cycle of poverty by focusing on early childhood. Two specific UWU initiatives that interest me are the expansion of the 211 number with Help Me Grow and Promise Neighborhoods. 211 is a number that people can call to find resources about anything, and UWU is partnering 211 with Help Me Grow-whose mission is to promote the importance of developmental screenings-to ensure that all parents of young children who call the number know about screenings and early intervention support. Promise Neighborhoods are working with extremely low income communities to ensure that their young children have what they need in order to be ready for kindergarten.
• Higher Education Consortium of Utah is a new group comprised of the heads of early childhood college programs around the state, as well as key stakeholders. The purpose of this group is to collaborate on the curriculum being taught in the programs and establish what elements are important for students to have in order to be prepared for work in the early childhood field.
• Early Childhood Council, or Early Childhood Utah (ECU), is the group established in statute for every state to coordinate policy and work around young children and their families. Two initiatives that interest me in this group are Strengthening Families and School Readiness.
• State CCDF Administrator-the skills needed for this job are an understanding of CCDF Funds and how to best spend them. There is a lot of paperwork and meetings with this job but I believe it could be fun.
• University Professor-my Master's degree is actually all that is standing in the way of my becoming an adjunct teacher, and I have several opportunities awaiting for the fall semester. I have been fortunate that the other two skills needed (an understanding of how to teach adults and early childhood development) are things that I have been working on for many years.
• Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Provider-I will also need a Master's Degree for this position and an understanding of the Head Start Performance Standards. The position I am interested in is working with American Indian/Alaska Native programs, so I will also need to study more about how to work with those groups in a culturally relevant way.