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| Photo Credit: http://headstart.gbaps.org |
The Head Start program is one that tis always near to my heart. The mission of serving families and providing a high quality whole child learning environment encompasses much of my passion for this field. I had several siblings attend this program and I also had the opportunity to intern in a Head Start in New York. The knowledge and experience I gained in this short twelve weeks is still something I carry with me in my present position.
While none of my local programs are currently hiring, I do know a bachelor's degree or higher is required by many programs to be a lead teacher. If the degree has a concentration of early childhood then you are a prime candidate. Knowledge of knowing how to plan and implement curriculum is important for this position.
While none of my local programs are currently hiring, I do know a bachelor's degree or higher is required by many programs to be a lead teacher. If the degree has a concentration of early childhood then you are a prime candidate. Knowledge of knowing how to plan and implement curriculum is important for this position.
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| Photo Credit: facebook.com |
While many of us utilize the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), it is important to become involved with the state level programs. While living in New York and North Carolina, I was able to attend yearly conferences to grow my breadth of knowledge and I look forward to doing the same here in Washington. The values of bettering early childhood professionals in our own state and communities is a powerful message that still holds the national values and brings them home to make an impact locally.
Currently WAYEC is currently not hiring at the moment. I am sure experience in the early childhood field is important as well as higher eduction.
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| Photo Credit: lynnschools.org |
Child Find is a program that is known by varying names dependent upon the community/location but this program offers free screenings for young children who may have varying developmental concerns. This program is very important for any early childhood professional to support a family who may have concerns because early intervention is often the key to future success for every child.
While I was unable to locate any openings in my local area, I did locate other forms that listed requirements and Frederick Public Schools Special Education Early Childhood/Child Find Services Coordinator seems to be the most thorough with requiring immense experience as well as education.
While I was unable to locate any openings in my local area, I did locate other forms that listed requirements and Frederick Public Schools Special Education Early Childhood/Child Find Services Coordinator seems to be the most thorough with requiring immense experience as well as education.
While I currently love my position as a preschool teacher in a private setting, I know my heart yearns for me to help other early childhood professionals progress in a manner that reaches more young children. Occasionally I will do some job searching while watching television and recently I came upon a position that spoke to my heart and I knew it is what I want to do in the future. The opening was for an Education Specialist/Teacher Trainer. The description detailed a collaboration amongst myself and teachers to build valuable curriculum and also train teachers on classroom skills. Another aspect of the position is to ensure young children with varying abilities are supported in a manner that allows for full participation.
I am still quite young within the early childhood field, I know I want more experience in the classroom prior to stepping into this role. The listing did not require any more education that I have obtained thus far and there were not any extenuating certificates needed. I know I would need a dispositions and passion for wanting to help others to succeed and this is something that has been building in my throughout this my graduate journey. I often share my knowledge with my colleagues because I want everyone to be able to offer each child his/her best.
Sarah, that is wonderful that you have found a future role that speaks to your heart and aligns with your passion. I feel that some teachers get burnt out and just stay in the classroom because they feel bad for the children or it is simply a paycheck and they are afraid to step away and rejuvenate or find what they truly want to do. Do you have a timetable in mind for accomplishing your goal of the working you are currently doing and transiting to becoming an education specialist/teacher trainer?
ReplyDeleteI know where I find joy and that is in the classroom but I also feel great passion when speaking to the children about how important education is, but I feel that based on the degrees that I have obtained I have the qualifications to be a teacher but the degrees do not meet the requirements ( I lack a field experience to get a teaching license in Ohio) but I am able to get a PreK only license, which I feel in love with teaching the basics. So if I leave my current role as administrator at the daycare, that will be my next move is obtaining the PreK only license by taking the test for Prek licensure but I also have the ability to go back and renew my sub license and obtain a PreK assignment and maybe work from that angle and take the test while doing the work. But nothing is set in stone yet.
Mallory,
DeleteThank you for your reply.
At this moment I am truly waiting for the opportunity to become available. I did see a job posting a couple of months ago but I am currently committed to my position at the preschool I am with for another year. I just cannot leave the staff and families without a teacher. Also, I took on another position to cover for a teacher who needed a year for family time. Also, with the rate my family relocates due to military obligations, I am not sure if I will be able to take on the role in a manner that I truly want to so maybe in about 4 to 8 years when my husband retires and we are settled.
It can be rather frustrating to have the content knowledge but not the required experience. I had this struggle when I first began searching for a job after earing my BS in birth to age 5. I knew I was capable but I still had to prove myself. I hope you are able to accomplish your goal soon because it is well earned.
Sarah Kasco
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the resources that are available to you in Washington. It’s nice to learn something new! I live in Michigan so everything I look up has to do with my state. I understand you want more experience in the classroom first, but go where your heart calls you! It is sad sometimes to see teachers leave classrooms, however change is apart of life that we all have to cope with. My suggestion for you is when you do get a new position, I would be to write a letter to the families explaining that you will be leaving your preschool teacher position to pursue a position with your masters degree. I would thank the families for all their contributions and i would end in introducing the new teacher that will be taking your place. Obviously, this is assuming the center has already found a new teacher but if they haven’t, that choice would be yours whether to stay until they do. This is when matters become difficult because a new position will only wait so long for you to start. The responsibility lies with the director to make sure they hire someone new when you put a two week notice in that your leaving. I know it’s hard to leave a classroom. I have had to do it before to take higher positions, but the children ended up fine as well as the families. I even visited them on occasion after i left and the children loved seeing me. They would rush up and hug me and it was the best feeling! Have confidence in yourself that you can do this! Be you and never compare to anyone else’s teaching methods. When we don’t follow our own practices, when they work for us, that is when we mess up in trying to be like everyone else. In order to make a change, there has to be a change. I was once you a preschool teacher without much experience, but experience also comes with passion, which you have. I will be thinking about you and your continued success in early childhood!