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

 

The government organization that appealed to me was the U.S. Department of Education organization. I learned that they provide information about funding, policies, research, news and even blogs about different aspect of education across the world. I was really interested in the Parents & Families, Teachers and Preschool-12 Reforms selection where you can find some of their latest studies or policies in those areas. They even had a page about Parent and Family Engagement that would provide substantial information for my Community of Practice.

 A Job opportunity under that U.S. Department of Education that grasped my attention was Enforcement Director. The position is a part of the Senior Executive Service (SES), a special group of senior government leaders that have the ability to govern with strong competence and diverse experiences. In this position I will have access to promote parental engagement on a national level. I would be able to connect with various leaders, administrators, teacher, and parents to create several Community of Practices that address the challenges that relate to the lack of teacher-parent engagement and how it is affecting the children’s ability to learn. 

The Administration for Children and Families is another that captured my interest. It is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their budget allows them to service and support over 60 programs. They provide assistance for Head Start, Early Childhood Development and Strengthening Communities Fund. They will be a great resource of even a great sponsor for my community of practice.

The job search under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the same as the job listing of U.S. Department of Education. The Senior Executive Service (SES) position is the most appealing and challenging position on their job list. There was only one position that seems to be similar to what I am doing now as Director and it was an Education Technician (Child Development). This position would require me to fulfill all the responsibilities and duties of governing over a child care center.

The last but definitely not the least is the High Scope Foundation. This nationally known research foundation has a history that leads back to 1970. Over the years there studies has lead them to develop curriculums that foster child-adult interaction. They built their curriculums to provide support in every area of a child and their families’ needs. They provide ongoing training for teacher and parents as they learn or discover new initiative techniques.

I have been an advocate for High Scope for 13 years and enjoy learning more through their methods. In my search for a position, I found that they are seeking to employ a Principal/Specialist for Shanghai – Nanjing – Shenzhen. This position would allow me to continue to advocate the need for parental engagement in a new country. It will allow me to see how our cultures beliefs are in regard to building partnerships to enhance their child’s learning experiences.  

There are a few skills and experiences that I would have to require before being able to obtain these positions. I must obtain a position within the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that gives me the experiences and skills that I need to be considered a senior level employer. I need to be familiar with the needs of the company and in-line with their mission. In regards to High Scope, I must gain previous experiences as a principal/specialist in an American High Scope program. I know I have set very high goals for myself and that it will acquire me to be committed to accomplish these major ambitions; with hard work and determination one or more of them are possible.      

References

Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference: Previous     Conferences. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

ED.gov. (2013, June 1). Retrieved from U.S.Department of Education : http://www.ed.gov/

HighScope Inspiring Educators to Inspire children. (2013). Retrieved from HighScope Education Research Foundation: http://www.highscope.org/