Professional Goals, Hopes, and Dreams

Where I live, one of the major issues being spoken about in childcare facilities is the pay raise of New York State.  Many owners and bosses feel that they need to expand the qualifications of their teachers that they are hiring because the amount they have to pay their workers is increasing to fifteen dollars an hour.  They do not want anyone coming into work for large sum of money that are not going to do their job.  Many childcare facilities are making sure that teachers have degrees and even assistant teachers are in the process of trying to obtain a degree.  I feel like it is a good conversation to be having but it shouldn't take up all of the time in a center.  There are greater concerns such as keeping a facility up to date with toys, classrooms, and supplies.

I was given the opportunity this year for professional development and I accepted it greatly.  I was given the chance to use my degree and my credentials to become the Infant/Toddler Educational Director.  Since the childcare facility that I work in is a dual-program, we need an Educational Director, as well as an Infant/Toddler Educational Director.  This was the first time working here in five years that I have been given an opportunity like this and have been able to move up in the company.  Since the child care center where I work is a franchise, there is always room to move up in the corporate world (not so much in the classroom).

One of my professional goals is to complete the EDTPA (teacher certification) for New York State.  By completing the EDTPA I can be a certified teacher in New York State for the Department of Education.  This also opens the door for me to be a whole-center director, not just an Infant/Toddler Educational Director.  This also can help me become a Universal Pre-Kindergarten teacher.

ZERO TO THREE : Part Two

This week, child care policy has caught my eye with a very interesting statement:

Second only to the immediate family, child care is the setting in which early childhood development unfolds for nearly six million children under age 3.  

After learning about economists, scientists, and politicians this week -- I feel like this statement is very relevant to this week's course learning.  This statement alone should be enough to get early childhood care programs funded.  It is cold hard facts that center's are needed for children to be taken care of.  Especially in today's society, living is expensive -- now imagine a growing family, that's twice, triple, or sometimes quadruple the amount of money spent than someone living on their own or a couple.  Growing up in New York, one of the most expensive cities in the country, I have seen the struggles first hand of having a family and having to care for children.  Many of the children that attend our daycare center are government funded children.  This means they are part of a voucher program.  However, this voucher program, you literally have to have no paycheck but they send you for job counseling services.  The second you make too much money, your voucher is cut and you now have to pay the daycare center out of your own pocket.  The minimum wage for living in New York City comfortably is close to making TWENTY DOLLARS AN HOUR. Let's be for real -- not everyone makes that and not every job offers that.

As learning advocates of early childhood education -- how can we change the world we are living in?  We need to begin to change these issues and trends that are becoming far too popular.  We need to make the world a better place for our children, so our children can continue for the future.

Getting To Know International Organizations: Part One

For this part of the blog assignments, I have chosen to research the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI).  I am intrigued on how others around the world view and operate their childhood educational systems.  I believe we can learn from others.  Their mission is :

To promote innovative solutions to education challenges and inspire action that creates positive, sustainable futures for children and youth worldwide.

Personally I believe we need more foundations like this.  Everyone should inspire action that creates positive, sustainable futures for children and youth worldwide.  After all, the children are the future of our generations, no matter where we subside in the world.  They will control what happens in the future, and I for one feel like they should have the most positive and best educational experience available to them.

There are three different programs involved with the ACEI and they are Center for Education Diplomacy, Global Schools First, and Innovative Exchange.  The program that caught my eye the most was the Global Schools First.

ACEI’s Global Schools First (GSF) program provides a school assessment and recognition opportunity for primary schools committed to fostering critical competencies—skills and knowledge—that children need to be successful in today’s complex and increasingly interconnected world.

 

ZERO TO THREE: Early Connections Last a Lifetime

I chose to research ZERO TO THREE for this blog assignment.  This is a great website for research from the prenatal stages all the way to three years old.  During assignments or even for my job in general I find myself reading through this website for answers to my questions or just to peak my curiosity.  

An issue or trend that has peaked my curiosity lately is trauma.  This website has a ton of information on how to deal with different issues that are dealt around trauma.  From abusive homes, to how to heal after a natural disaster, this website has it all.  The reason my curiosity is peaked so much is because what is going on in today's world.  It is so sad to see that we need to be prepared for trauma to happen at any given second in the childcare system.  We should be so focused on making sure we are teaching the children to the best of our capabilities versus looking over our shoulders every second to make sure they are safe.  We shouldn't have to worry about trauma as much as we do and I really hope this changes in the future.

For this issue I have also signed myself up for newsletters and have been researching other websites to get a better handle on these types of situations that can arise.  I am now the Infant/Toddler Director of our dual-program center and I feel like I should be more than well prepared for any situation.  I will do whatever I can to make sure the children are safe, the parents feel safe, and I feel good knowing I am doing whatever I can that I have the power to.

Expanding Horizons and Expanding Resources

The podcast pages would not load for me so I decided to research into The Global Fund for Children.  I really enjoyed learning about The Global Fund for Children.  I believe working to secure the well-being of our youth is extremely important and rare to find.  It is so meaningful that this company tries to impact this.  Transforming children's lives can lead to transforming the world we live in.  After all, the children are the future of our world.

For the second part of this blog I decided to immerse myself into the ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. I really enjoyed going through the website and learning all about this organization's website.  ZERO TO THREE works to ensure that babies and toddlers benefit from the family and community connections critical to their well-being and development. Healthy connections help build babies’ brains.  I can't wait to dive deeper into this organization, as well as the others to learn what their missions are all about.

My Supports

Throughout my daily life, I have supports that help me get through everyday.  Without these supports, I do not know how I would manage to get through with a smile and no worries.

1. My Family: This is a huge daily support.  Between my parents, brother, and fiance, I feel like I am unstoppable everyday.  They provide me with so much love and support, I always feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to.  They are the ones that pushed me to return for my Bachelor's and now look at me studying for my Master's Degree.  They talk me through challenges at work whether it is a challenge with a co-worker, my boss, or even one that I am struggling with within the classroom.
2. My Assistant Teacher: Without my assistant teacher (who I consider my co-teacher), my classroom would not be as productive as it is.  We mesh together so well that there is no tension in the classroom ever.  We finish each others ideas and never knock one another down if we have a different one.  We work together to create the best healthy environment for our children.  I have worked with other assistants before but none of them have measured up to Sanela.  We are yin and yang and together we create an A+ classroom.
3. My Best Friends: Without my closest group of friends I would not have that support outside of the workplace.  They let me lean on them when times are rough as I do for them when the situation is flipped.  We usually are together once a week where we are able to forget about the real world for a few hours and just enjoy each others time and company, without worrying about anything negative.

These supports help me stay focused and ready for each new day.  Without any of these supports, I couldn't imagine having any struggles.  These supports have become my emotional outlets where I can be myself and express myself with no concerns.  It would be extremely difficult to get through one day without having these people to turn to.

If I were to imagine that I had a challenge of no support at all, I do not know how I would accomplish my daily tasks.  Don't get me wrong, some days run so smoothly I do not need to turn to anyone.  However, there are those days that I feel like I may explode if I do not talk to someone about something that happened.  I have a lot of anxiety and I found talking to my close support system is one of the easiest ways to relieve that anxiety.  

Reflecting on Building Relationships

I feel as if each individual Personal Childhood Web is going to be different in some type of way.  I know mine is going to include those closest to me, and who have remained closest to me through-out my life.  I feel even though it is a childhood web, this lasts through-out our entire lives.  We constantly teach and learn from others as we grow older.  Learning never ends.

1. John – Father

Clearly when you hear father you automatically think of nurturing and caring, but it is so much more than that.  He is my hero and always was through-out my life.  He is a hard-working, determined and motivated man.  Family is his number one priority and most importantly my mother, brother and me.  I’ll always be considered “daddy’s little girl.”  The love and care I receive from him is like no other I will ever feel.  We have a special connection that will last a life time.  He would work nights when I was first born up until I was about four years old, so I would spend the mornings with him.  It would be me, him, and sometimes my brother depending if there was school or not.  He has taught me so much about life already and continues to teach me to this day.  I have learned how to have patience and how to make sacrifices for not only myself but those I care about.  I like to think I inherited his passion and drive.

2. Lisa – Mother

There is nothing that can compare to a mother’s love.  This statement is so true and I cannot wait to experience it for myself.  I feel as if I had an outstanding role model for a mother.  She is awe-inspiring every day and the type of independent woman I yearn to be.  Although her and my father make the best team she has taught me I do not need anyone but myself to make it far in this world.  Growing up we argued and challenged each other daily.  We still do today but I know it is in the best ways possible.  We are so much alike and that is why I believe we butt heads like we do.  Through-out all the arguing and challenging I have never felt more cared for by anyone else.  When my first-grade teacher did not teach me how to read, my mother made sure I learned and quickly if you ask me.  She didn’t want me falling behind in any type of education.  She continues to push me today to be the best version of myself possible.

3. Anthony – Brother

This guy has taught me so much in life and were only five years apart from each other.  There is just something about having a sibling that makes my life that much more special.  It’s a different type of learning with him.  It definitely doesn’t involve that same parental nurturing but something much more.  It will always be me and him through our lives.  When we were little he was excited to have a sister and since I was born he took me “under his wing.”  To this day he teaches me motivation, patience, passion and something as silly as common sense.  I learn through his experiences and I hope to be as knowledgeable as him one day.  I look up to him and admire his inspiration daily.

4. Rosario – Grandpa

When I was twenty I unfortunately lost my grandfather.  He is the most inspirational and admirable man that I know and was lucky enough to have in my life.  I learned through his experiences and the positives and negatives that he had to go through.  I would go to his house after school with my brother and have snack with him and on the weekends to have lunch.  I am grateful for the time we were able to spend together and the life experiences he taught me. 

5. Ms. Yolanda – Second Grade Teacher

This person is just as important to me as a family member.  She was the most caring elementary school teacher I had the privilege of having.  She made sure each child in her class fully understood each concept of everything that she taught.  She made sure learning was fun and creative and made me want to go to school.  After a rough first grade, I started to not like school.  Ms. Yolanda made sure she changed my mind.  She cared for all of her students and would even make phone calls home to inform parents how great we were doing.  I think this is important because parents are used to only hearing from the teachers when their child has done something negative.  What stood out to me the most was when Ms. Yolanda called my house when I had my ENT surgery over spring break.  Although I couldn’t speak to her because I just had my tonsils removed, she stayed on the phone for about a half hour just talking to me and making sure I understood that she was there if I needed her.