Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels
There are many organizations and communities of practice in the early childhood field that appeals to me. In Florida, three of these organizations include the Early Learning Coalition of Broward County, the Children’s Forum and The National Black Child Development Institute. The Early Learning Coalition of Broward County appealed to me as their visions mirror my own with the provision of high-quality education to all children to assure their preparation to enter kindergarten and then elementary ready to learn.
The Children’s Forum appealed to me because of the myriads of services they provide through collaboration with other supporting organizations. I liked that their focus is on children, families, and early childhood professionals. They offer professional development and workforce initiatives for professionals in the field, quality improvement for early childhood programs, through the promotion and management of the Gold Seal Quality Care program, and the Help Me Grow system that provides families with early identification of developmental delays and links to community-based services and supports.
Finally, I was impressed by the focus on the strengths and unique needs of the black community. Their theme on the prudence of developing strong children rather than trying to rehabilitate damaged men based on a quote by Frederick Douglass caught my attention. As I have been blessed to succeed, it is my duty and privilege to give back to my community.
An available position in the field that interests me is Child Development Specialist. This job requires an individual who will contribute to the evaluation and assessment of children’s functioning in areas such as cognitive, social-emotional, and motor development et cetera. Leadership skills would be needed as the preferred applicant will be required to coordinate the planning and provision of early intervention services as needed and the interpretation of the results of the evaluation to the families. Requirements for the position include a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in early childhood with three years experience and possessing the knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices and techniques.
