Time Well Spent

 October 2012 Our "Amazing Words" Hats

I look back over my master’s journey, and I can’t believe I have made it through such a huge accomplishment.  I feel very blessed to have been able to have had the opportunity to learn so much information, feel like I have all the tools necessary to make a positive change in the early childhood field, and have unconditional support from my family!  I have learned many things from this program, but the top 3 include:

1. Learning about the importance of anti-biased education- Prior to this program, I had never had a course about this topic, and it allowed me to really take a look at my current feelings and practices.  I feel much more responsive to others’ differences now!  Having this knowledge will help me in my career as I work with young children, families, and other educators. 
2. Professional connections- I have never had so many connections with so many people from around the world and with so many backgrounds.  I have learned through this program that having and maintaining these connections can truly help me become a better professional in the early childhood field. 
3. Play is essential- This is not news to me, but after completing my Capstone on this project, I can see how truly important play is in development.  The many studies I came across during my research clearly showed this importance for all children. I was continually shocked to see reports that showed how many early childhood programs, particularly kindergarten, had shown a large decrease in play as well as some programs completely eliminating recess. 

My long-term goal for the future is to advocate for more “play” at the kindergarten level in my school, as well as my school district.  After completing my Capstone, I now feel that I have the proper tools to do this!

I wanted to thank all of you for your feedback, ideas, and support during this journey.  I would love to stay in contact with you in the years to come to continue sharing ideas and offering support.  You can look my up on Facebook under “Kristen VanVleet”, or contact me via email at kristenvanvleet@hotmail.com. 

I will leave you with a picture of me and my girls.  As much as I have enjoyed learning so much over these last two years, I have these two cute faces waiting for some more mommy time! 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

I have never really thought about looking internationally for different roles in the early childhood field, until this assignment.  After finding these organizations, I am very interested in what they have to offer!

UNICEF- UNICEF is an organization that actively advocates for children’s rights globally.  They have a strong focus on newborn health, girls’ education, immunizations, against the spread of HIV/AIDS, and children’s environments.  When visiting their website you will be excited to find an abundance of information as well as their current focuses.  They have many jobs that are all over the world!  Employment with UNICEF appeals to me because it would be so rewarding to give back to children all over the world, most in very different environments than we are used to.  One particular job that I found with UNICEF is work as an Educational Specialist.  As an Educational Specialist you are responsible for planning, implementing, and following through with the education plan.  This job requires an individual to have a degree in education, social work, or a related degree.  They also need 5 years experience at the national or international level and be fluent in English and the country’s native language.  The only downfall to this job is that the countries that need the most assistance are countries that I would not want to take my own children.   

Save The Children-   This organization is a fantastic organization that works with children and families around the world to make a difference in their lives.  They also come to the assistance for areas that are facing devastation to help rebuild and recover the lives of the children and families involved.  The position here that most intrigues me is the Coordinator for Early Steps for School Success.  As a coordinator in this position, I would be responsible for providing parent education, services for children birth-5, and other training for other early childhood employees.  This position requires a degree in early childhood and 2-3 years experience.  You must have experience working in the homes with children and family.  This job is very similar to my job as a developmental therapist, except it is internationally instead of locally.   

Teaching for Change- This organization provides research and education for parents and family.  They are continually advocating for best practices and developmental appropriate practices.  They also provide professional development for educators.  They currently have a position available for a part-time developmental development specialist.  This specialist will work directly with professionals by training them on specific topics.  Obviously you would need to be an expert on these topics.