National and Federal Communities

While searching for information I came across Teaching for Change. They are an organization that helps promote social justice through parent, student and teacher involvement. They also reach out to the larger community through the school and students to show how social change can happen by rethinking old values and ideas.  They have an early childhood component that involves observation of your classroom and feedback as to what is needed to become more culturally responsive.  They do have an online bookstore as well as a physical store in Washington DC, with books that could be read to preschool age as well as books for elementary age children and resources for teacher and adults.  They currently do have two position open one for the bookstore and the other is an instructional coach. 

My second organization is National HeadStart Association.  I love what HeadStart stand for: Parents advocating for their children and themselves. Giving parents a chance to go back to school or further their education.  Giving children a chance to grow and learn in a safe and developmentally appropriate environment.  The national web site has listing for conferences for both parents and teacher to attend.  They also have a jobs board that list nation-wide openings. In order to access job information you have to become a member, which I am currently not.

I now have a strange choice of places to check out the Unites States Department of Education.  It covers everything for how states and what state are exempt from No Child Left Behind to news letter for teachers and workshop we can attend.  But it also covers student’s loan and how to find the right college for yourself or your child. I did not find a place to apply for jobs this first time around looking at the website, I will have to further looking at a later date.

Resources:

www.ed.gov/

http://www.nhsa.org/  

www.teachingforchange.org/profdev/ecei/antibias

Exploring Roles

The blog this week is where I am at currently with my life.  I have been on a new job search for a year now.  Jobs within the local school districts in preschool whether it is through HeadStart, ECEAP or developmental preschool are hard to come by.  I would like to work within my local school district where my daughter attends so I keep applying for jobs at this point I am considering becoming under-employed just to get my foot in the door.  We are doing some creative thing in regards to meeting NCLB such as half days once a week for planning and conferencing both with parents and other teachers. In the k-6 grade level we have moved to 90 minutes of literature and math within the school day and have add in a new math curriculum that is hands on for k-3. 

The next job I have looked at but miss the dead line for applying will reapply if it comes open again is for our states new QRIS call Early Achievers. This job involves coaching or giving technical assistance to child care centers and family child care as they move up the tiers for more points and higher state reimbursement for child care services.  The job requires knowledge of child care and at least a bachelor degree.  Which I have both and a willingness to become a state trainer which I have no problem wanting to do since that is one of my capstone projects.

The last would be any job in any school district in the area or one in the Department of Early Learning which is where our QRIS system is located as well as our state licensing for child care centers and family child cares.  I have many of qualification for these jobs they just need to have an opening for employment. 

My saving grace is that I do have a job. I own my own family child care and I am able to use what I need to teach the children I care for to give them the best possible start to school and guidance in the later school years (1-6 grades). Also, whatever I have learned this past year I am able to use it as quickly as I can assimilate into my brain and make it mine.