National Organizations

           In my research to find a way to better the national requirements for early childhood teacher training I have found several organizations that I would love to be a part of if the opportunity ever arose. They are the National Child care Association (NCCA), The National association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the Office of Child Care (OCC). These organizations take the time to research what is best for children and work to bring those standards to the field. NCCA and NAEYC have lobbyists and policy writers that help these organizations to bring new policies and standards to the field of early childhood development. Getting the government to hear what we need as ECE specialists is an important job and one that should not be taken lightly. The OCC is the organization that helps to write the policy and determine how to spend the Child Care and Development Block Grant that offers subsidized funding to states for low-income families.
         I am not in the market to look for a new job (I absolutely love the job I have now as a child care licensing counselor) but the opportunity to be a part of one of these organizations could maybe be a future goal or dream. Being able to help write or lobby for child care policy is something that I have been interested in for some time. I believe that those people are the voice for early childhood development. They have to have an extensive knowledge on child development and what children really need. They also have to have an extensive knowledge of how the field of early childhood works. Working in a child care center is a unique job and unless you have actually worked in the field or have a working knowledge of it you cannot possibly understand what is needed.


National Child Care association. www.nccanet.orgNational Association for the Education of Young Children. www.naeyc.orgOffice of Child Care http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ

 

Agencies for Child Development

           Working in early childhood development for the past 10 years has taught me that when working with children it is important to learn as much as you can and make connections that can also help you to learn and grow in the field. As I have made those connections I have learned to help other to make and use those connections as well. Local and state organizations that I have either been a part of or worked with at some point are the North Central Florida chapter if NAEYC, the Early Learning Coalitions and the Department of Education.

            The North Central Florida Chapter of NAEYC works to plan training programs and community events that help and educate the children of the community. I have volunteered with this program in the past to plan community events and work to bring education to the children in our area. They do not have employment opportunities, however, they do have volunteer opportunities. These opportunities range form just planning events to being on the board and running these events.

            The Early Learning Coalition is an organization that I have worked with a great deal in time as a child care center director. This organization receives federal funds to help pay child care for children from low income families. Because this is federal money they have to ensure the children they are funding receive quality care. They do this by monitoring the centers that contract with them as well as monitoring the developmental progress of the children the fund. This is a wonderful organization that helps thousands of children in the state of Florida. If I were to work with this company I would like to monitor the children’s development and help to pick the curriculum that the school were required to use. I would also like to be a part of their training development team and that helps to train the teachers in the area regarding child development.

            Another important state organization that helps children is the Department of Education. This organization runs and regulates the Voluntary Pre-kindergarten program in the state if Florida. Of all the organizations that I have researched and/or worked with in the past this is the one that I would love to be a part of. Regulating the teacher development as well as the curriculum requirements for this program is something that I would really love to get involved with. Teacher education and how it affects the children in the classroom is something that is of great interest to me. I believe that teacher education is the key to quality education for children. Teachers cannot provide quality care unless they are educated in not only how to care for children but also how the children grow and develop.

            All of these organizations are great organizations whose daily activities affect the child care programs in my area. They all want to help the children to receive the best care possible and work tirelessly to make sure that happens.