The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning (CASEL, 2015) is a national organization that is important to me
because it is working on the initiative to implement social emotional learning
in schools from preschool through high school.
I believe this is an extremely important initiative and I would love to
be a part of it. They have extensive
research and information available about the importance of social emotional
learning and emotional intelligence and what difference it can mean for our
children. Unfortunately, there are
currently no job opportunities for this organization, but I would love to be involved
in any way possible. I have begun following their publications and work so I
can find ways to be involved in the future.
A national organization that I have been following for a
couple years now is the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). I have really enjoyed following this group
because they conduct research studies in the field of early childhood and
publish their work and findings to support high-quality, effective early
childhood education that supports physical, cognitive and social development
(NIEER, 2015). There are publications
and articles on their website I have used in grant writing as well as to
advocate for best practices in the field in my area and center. I have sent information from this site to my
board of directors so they can better understand policies and practices I wish
to incorporate in our program.
They currently have two job openings, one as an Assistant
Research Professor and another as a Data Collector. The Assistant Research Professor requires a doctorate
degree and ability to work in teams and conduct research through data
collections and analysis. I became
slightly interested in this when I took my research class, but this is not an
area I am prepared for as of now, but there are possibilities in the future.
The Data Collector is something I would really be interested in doing now. It is only part time, 2-3 days per week, and
you collect data on one of their ongoing projects. This is something I could do while I keep my
current position as a program director and is something I have applied for in
the past, but they were not conducting any research in my area. I do hope that research in my area becomes
open in the future where I can contribute in the field in this manner.
The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is a national nonprofit
advocacy organization that fights for the rights of equal and quality education
for all children, especially those in poverty, of color, and with varying
levels of ability (2015). Their
headquarters in in Washington D.C. but they have several offices spread
throughout the states, allowing them the capacity to impact the state and
federal levels. Since I work in a
population with families in extreme poverty and ESL children, I understand the
need for accessible, quality care for all.
I would love to have an impact in helping to bring about funding for
families who cannot afford quality care, as this is something I deal with every
day. I also am interested in this
advocacy side and pressing for best practices for all.
One of their current openings is a National Director of
Education Initiatives. What excites me
about this position is the ability to impact the early education through
training and professional development, proposing stipulations on the use of
grant funding including helping to determine the impact of curriculum,
instruction, assessment, school discipline, and school related practices. This is an area that I have thought a lot
about and through tours of early education classrooms in my local area, I have
not felt that they are following best practices and age appropriate
expectations. This could provide me with
opportunities to impact these initiatives more positively and speak out for
developmentally appropriate practices.
The position prefers a master’s degree and must have experience
implementing grants, collaborating with others, strategically thinking,
managing projects, and excellent communication skills.
Reference
Children’s Defense Fund (CDF, 2015). Careers. Retrieved from http://www.childrensdefense.org/about/careers/
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
(CASEL, 2015). About. Jobs. Retrieved from http://www.casel.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER,
2015). Job Opportunities. Retrieved
from http://nieer.org/about/jobs
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