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
Jennifer, those are some good organizations! I admire your drive to impact early childhood education at more of a policy level. We need more people like you in the field! What exactly do you do now as a child care licensing counselor? I'm wondering if you're like my gal who goes around and comes in and makes sure I'm compliant with regulations every year.
ReplyDeleteStacey,
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I do. I go into child car centers 3 times a year and do inspections to ensure that the centers are following state regulation. I also council directors and teachers in what is best practice and what is safe for children. I provide technical assistance when necessary. Overall I ensure that child care centers and family daycare homes are providing safe, quality child care to the children in my area.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteMany spending decisions and policies are put into place without enough of our voices getting heard. These organization provide a voice for the children, families and educators in early childhood education. They play a crucial role in the direction of public policy in our field. I agree with you that there should be higher level of requirements for early childhood educators. Many teachers are ill prepared for the challenges that they face, especially when dealing with the diversity of the children and what role that plays in their education.