Farewell

"Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind." 

Theodore Roosevelt

To think we have made it would be underselling our stories. Over the course of our time together at Walden, each professional I have come across has shared their stories. These stories included ideas, they included inspirations, but they also included anecdotes of the tangible work we have put into the field. My wish, for my colleagues, is that the words you have shared, along with the ideas you have helped to cultivate, can be shared across the world through bold actions. I hope that each of my colleagues and professors can continue to share their passions and inspire efforts in professionals, families, and children.

As I am completing my final few days in my my M.S. in Early Childhood Studies: Public Policy & Advocacy at Walden University, I can think of three major lessons I have learned throughout my experience. First, I have learned that the most valuable tool a professional has is their community. Be it a working community, a community of practice, or the community in which one resides. Looking around oneself to the people around you, the experiences shared, and the passions being driven can provide any individual with enough fuel and fire to overcome any challenges. A second lesson that I have learned from my experiences is that communication is a skill that is so deeply embedded in our everyday lives, but requires constant consideration. Communication can serve as a bridge or a wall, but I am the factor that determines how communication serves me. Third, I have recognized that the ECE world is just as big, if not bigger, than I have ever imagined. I can remember back to when I was graduating from undergrad and I had felt like there were so many possibilities for me. Though, in reality, I did not nearly understand how many avenues I could follow. Having completing my masters, I can now see that my efforts can be shared, my passions can be spread across families and children around the world in a myriad of ways. 

Looking towards the future, one goal that I have set for myself as I leave the academic world of Walden University is to take a leap of faith and leave my position as a classroom teacher. As much as I feel passion for directly impacting positive development in the lives of children, I want so badly to gain a new experience working with children through working directly with their families. I plan to spend time this upcoming spring sending out applications to a variety of non-profit organizations. Although I cannot specific declare the type of organizations that I will apply to, I do know that my goal is to gain experience in a new world, one of which I will find in the nonprofit sector. 

My Eye on International Communities of Practice

The organization Save the Children is one that appeals to me greatly for a variety of reasons. When I was first introduced to this international organization early in my studies with Walden University, I recognized that Save the Children is a group that focuses on the well-being of children across the globe. Although countless other organizations focus on the well-being of children, Save the Children is one that focuses on the basic human rights of children. Rather than focusing solely on education, or health, this organization is one that looks at the basic needs of children, and works to create greater avenues of access to safety and positive learning and developmental environments. 

The International Play Association is another international organization that I admire greatly. With a push for increased emphasis on academics in early childhood, the value of play experiences has begun to diminish. Where developmentalists and play specialists can see the impact that play can have on the health, well-being, and development of young children and their families, the rest of the world may not. The International Play Association has representation in almost 50 countries. All board members and general members are involved in the IPA through volunteerism only. Their work focuses on educating the public, and supporting the growth of, active play experiences for young children. 

The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an international organization that stood out to me because of it's strong position on gender equality. With our nation moving in such a progressive direction, it is important that the adults who work with children understand the science behind gender identification, the commercial influence on gender, and the presence of gender inequality around the world. UNESCO works in several countries to meet several objectives: "Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning; Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development; Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges; Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace; Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication," (UNESCO, 2011).

Potential Job Opportunities

Parent Educator with Child & Family Services 
https://child-familyservices.org/parent-educator-bachelors-level/

In order to obtain this job, I have a great head start in my qualifying education: the job requires the parent educator to have a bachelor's degree in a field related to education, and is preferred that a master's degree be obtained as well. Aside from education, this job would require me to be able to utilize productive, effective communication with families participating in the program. Along with strong communication skills to be utilized with families, I would be required to work collaboratively and reflectively on a team of fellow professionals. As this position is involved with families from multiple communities, I would need to be able to utilize culturally responsive interactions when developing and implementing sensitive support systems for families. I would also be required to work within organizational record keeping to maintain clear documentation and communication of each family's involvements within the program. 

Resources

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved fromhttp://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

International Play Association. (2016). Retrieved from http://ipaworld.org/

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved fromhttp://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/

Looking forward...

Zero To Three has always been an organization that is most appealing to me. Something that has drawn me to the group, is that all of their information is extremely user friendly. On countless occasions, I have recommended visiting the website to parents with infants or toddlers in order to gain some new perspectives or supports related to their specific situations, and the families had come back to me telling me how great the videos are, or how useful a particular article was. Regardless of SES or educational background, parents/caregivers with access to internet can locate and utilize their many resources. 

The International Play Association is one that has always served as an inspiration to me. Although the organization is international, theirs is a national chapter here in the U.S. The chapter was started in 1961, and is founded off of the United Nations' Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959) Article 7, paragraph 3: "The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right," (1959). Not only does this organization spread the word of this law, it works to maintain and create legislature protecting play in the lives of children across our country. 

The Council for Professional Recognition is a U.S. organization that works to support professionals in the field of early care and education by keeping current on the latest findings and trends in the field. Just as it is important to support children and their families, we must also make sure that a great deal is being done to support all future educators, regardless of the length of their education. This particular organization works strongly to support CDA candidates through their development and regulation of credentials and assessments. 

One particular job that I have been interested in for a few years is that of a Lead Teacher at the University of Vermont's Campus Children's Center. As a teacher in this program, I would not only be responsible as a member of a Reggio Emilia teaching program for 2-5 year olds, but also for overseeing the work of practicum students from the university's education program. Having interviewed for this position a few years back, I was fortunate enough to see how involved the school community was. During the hiring process, I was interviewed by a panel of school administrators, university administrators, classroom teachers, and a panel of school families. Upon the conclusion of my final interview, I was required to participate on an open-forum panel led by families in the school community. It was a major fuel towards my passions behind support families in the school environment; I had seen a school community function so beautifully by collaborating greatly with families. 

Some Favorites in the ECE Community

As I think of specific early childhood care and education advocacy groups that are highly appealing to me, the following three come to mind:

• Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.

This organization is working within the early childhood community to address the growing issues of technology in our youngest children’s lives. I have seen the negative effects of over-commercialization in childhood, as well as the lack of technological literacy experienced by parents and caregivers. As the world is rapidly changing, this organization is working to support adults in appropriately exposing children to technology, as well as addressing the highly negative impact the commercial world has on children.

• NAEYC

As an active member of NAEYC for the past several years, I have been fortunate enough to feel the power of it’s community. This specific organization houses several communities of practice, be in professionals dedicated to preserving play in early childhood classrooms, professionals dedicated to supporting health and wellness in young children and their families, along with a multitude of other issues. NAEYC has inspired me time and time again to remain active in the field, as they are one of the leader producers of research in the field within the U.S.

• The Child Advocate

When I had first come across this organization, I was amazed to see how many specific topics they work to address. Aside from the range of topics, I was (and still am) totally awestruck with the clear availability of various supporting professionals within each topic. For example, when looking through the information published by the Child Advocate’s website regarding drugs and medications, specific research articles are available alongside links to additional (outside resources).

Looking at specific jobs within the field that I would be interested in, these are a few that stick out to me.

• Family Advocate with Youth Advocates Program, Inc.

This specific role would require me to utilize my background and training in child development, as well as policy systems. As a family advocate with this non-profit organization, I would be responsible for providing home-based supports to young families with young children, home-school connections through relationships fostered at the child’s school setting, as well as center-based support groups.

• Program assistant for Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood

In order to assure my qualifications for this position, I would need to emphasize my own technological literacy. Along with that, I would be required to share in my enthusiasm and understanding of the impact the commercial world has on children. The job would specifically require me to help design campaign outreach, and maintain a level of flexibility when support different components of the organization's office. This position is ideal to me, as it would allow for me to see the many layers of a complex organization.

Profile of a Volunteer

My little sister, Kaitlyn, has followed in the footsteps of her older siblings (my brother and me) and has spent the majority of her youth and young adulthood considering the needs of others over her own. In her undergraduate years, she had attended college in Baltimore and quickly became involved in her community. Not only was she the president of her University's Habitat For Humanity student chapter, but she also began to work as a volunteer within different community outreach organizations working to connect community members with access to health-care. While working with these community health organizations, she helped to file new and existing client information, and in the process was able to learn about a whole community of peoples from their own perspectives. The impact of her volunteer work lent to a positive growth in the community, as she was able to institute more effective systems for practitioners to connect records and provide the community members with the most accurate services. Yet, although her major efforts directly affected her community, they made an incredible impact on her own life. Where she had never worked within a community such as the impoverished Baltimore community, she was able to understand the depths of the the social issues that plague their city and their lives. As she worked both in HFH and these community health organizations, she learned that the city's heartbeat existed in the lives of it's most needy, and the systems that need to be in place in order for improvements in their lives do not exist yet. Although any advocate that works on behalf of children and families understands that the world we hope to live in is not here yet, we can each do our part to build it. 

Using Social Media to Get Connected

Social media presents itself as a double edged sword. Something I find important to note, is that although social media can serve as an incredible tool for connecting stakeholders with information on topics that connect with them, it can also become a source for misinformation and negativity. Entering the social media world, one must realize how truly connected they are, the impact their words can have, and how important it is to speak intentionally into the world wide web. Technology is a sensitive topic of study, as it is so rapidly evolving we must be cognisant of our efforts to understand and utilize it to it’s fullest, and most rich potential.

Useful Social Media Tools

• Twitter: This format allows for stakeholders to access quick resources and updates from within the field. Organizations such as Zero To Three utilize platforms like twitter to increase involvement in advocacy efforts for major movements including the Rally For Babies.
• Facebook: This format allows for direct connectivity for advocacy groups. Facebook groups can be made public or private, allowing for controlled contributions towards informing and organizing stakeholders. Facebook allows for easy personalization for groups to invite new members, and share resources throughout.
• Change.org: This format allows for advocate to create and distribute mass access to petitions for change.
• Blogging- This format is a strong resource for helping advocate voice their opinions, and receive real time responses. Advocates can utilize this platform to inform the public of issues, share personal connections, and direct links to resources. This entire process is time logged, so advocates and stakeholders are able to track the movement and progress of their work.

Something I am curious of, is what we as a field can do to not simply utilize social media to spread our word, but how can we teach others to utilize it in the most effective ways? As children and families are becoming increasingly more active within these areas of technology, what resources are available to community members that support them in learning the vast depth of the the technological world, their connectivity, and how they can begin/continue to utilize social media as a direct facet of change for themselves and their families?

E-Advocate. (2011). Social media advocacy: Five influential steps. Retrieved from http://eadvocate.wordpress.com/social-media-advocacy-six-influential-steps/

Advocacy Messages

"Discovering Nature"

Families do not have to travel far to connect with their loved ones in nature. The benefits of being outdoors do not require major efforts and far distances. Families now have access to a search database that will provide them with information about the different types and locations of natural spaces in their very neighborhoods.

"When kids spend time outdoors, they get the chance to explore, use their imaginations, discover wildlife, and engage in unstructured and adventurous play. Additionally, studies show they have lower stress levels, become fitter and leaner, develop stronger immune systems and are more likely to become environmentally conscious in the future," (US Forest Service, 2016).

This message reiterates a lifestyle that generations before us were naturally privy to. With the changing economy, and growing communities, many parents and young people are often at a loss of their options for outdoor recreation. Through this PSA, families are able to see that there is a quick, easy, and free way to find new natural spaces to enjoy. The PSA also provides short, quick bursts of data supporting the value that natural exploration has on both children and entire family units. 

"Understanding is everything"

The simplicity of the visual depiction of this message is something that I found to be incredibly touching. The diagnosis of ADHD in young children is on the rise in the U.S. Approximately 6.4 million children ages 4-11 in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD in 2011, and appears to be rising by 3% yearly (CDC, 2016). As many parents with children with ADHD may find that their patience runs thin, or that their child simply isn't trying, this message works to empower parents of children with attention challenges. It works to build an understanding that their child's struggles are not intentional, and that there are resources available for both parents and children. Rather than build frustrations, there are people and tools that will help to grow understandings of the causes of attention challenges, and solutions that can and will work. 

Center for Disease Control. (2016). Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html#us

US Forest Service. (2016). Discovering nature. Retrieved from http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/Family-Community/Discovering-Nature#sthash.FThQ4iVx.dpuf