Community of Practice & Career goals

 

This week we are exploring our community of practice (CoP), the people and organizations who support our career related goals. For this blog post I have to provide online links to organizations which can be pare of this CoP.

The National Association of Family Child Care: www.nafcc.org

The United Federation of Teachers, providers division: http://www.uft.org/providers

The New York State Early Childhood Advisory Council:

http://ccf.ny.gov/ECAC/index.cfm

NYS Association for Education of Young Children: http://www.nysaeyc.org

The other part of this blog was about researching career options. The following link helped me research career options with young children in NY.

My two top options include:

Adult educator:

Description: A person who leads adults to learn such as a community-based trainer, independent consultant or college faculty.

Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions: The adult educator has a depth of knowledge in a specific field of study gained from college preparation and from experience. Besides the subject area, the adult educator knows about the adult learner, stages of adult development, and systems in which adults work and live. The skills of an adult educator are planning and facilitating learning environments and content, public speaking, negotiation and problem solving, and active listening techniques. The adult educator has dispositions of kindness, tact, humor, empathy, and confidentiality.

Employment Settings: The adult educator may work for a community-based organization to provide training for its members or the community at large. The independent consultant works in a variety of settings dependent on the nature of the training being presented. It may be in small groups or to very large audiences. College faculty works in an adult classroom environment within a large bureaucratic organization. Some are adjunct faculty positions (part-time, contracted to teach one or more courses, on a semester-by-semester basis) or tenure track, full-time positions.

Required Qualifications: Usually at least a bachelor’s degree is required for the adult educator except in certain circumstances where the person's knowledge and experience are a consideration and their level of higher education is less of a factor. Many adult educators complete a train the trainer course/s in the content area in which they educate other adults.

Preparation: The adult educator prepares by meeting the educational qualifications, gaining sufficient experience to be a credible authority on a specific subject, and developing public speaking and presentation skills. Experience may be gained by presenting at local conferences, participating in local speaking organizations such as Toastmasters International, and being mentored by an experienced adult educator who will give helpful advice.

Alternate Pathways: Sometimes adult educators have gained experience in other fields such as religious education and involvement in community organizations, scouting, or PTA. The experience in speaking and leading groups of adults in addition to education and training can prepare a person for a career in adult education.

Job Outlook: Where people want to learn, there will always be a need for someone to help them, whether it is providing workshops, seminars, or college classes. This position may be self-employment on a independent contractor basis or it may be a formal contract or employment.

Earnings:When an adult educator works for an agency, the sponsor and type of agency determine the salary range. As an independent consultant, depending on geographic area, expertise, and prior experiences, self-employed consultant fees may range from $25 per hour upwards into thousands of dollars for a speech or presentation. College faculty salaries vary greatly depending on the college or university of employment. Factors that impact college faculty salaries include whether the institution is public or private, a two or four year school, etc.

Opportunity For Advancement: As an agency employee, advancement depends on the organization, the size and the kinds of training it offers. As an independent consultant, you are your own employer. As college faculty in a tenure track position, advancement occurs through the ranks of Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor. Each level has criteria for advancement with an increase in salary. College faculty are typically ten-month employees with the opportunity for summer employment or additional responsibilities within the academic year that may result in additional income. Professional development funds are usually available for faculty but may not be available for the agency employee or consultant.

 

http://www.earlychildhood.org/cdrg/exp_positions_p1.cfm


At this moment I am also in the process to becoming an NYS Early Learning Credential trainer http://www.nysaeyc.org/trainercredential/.


A second option is to also work as a family childcare provider:

Description:

Family Child Care Provider - A person who operates a registered family or a licensed group family child day care business in a private residence.

Family Child Care Alternate Provider - The pre-approved substitute for the Family Child Care Provider who works in the licensed provider's home.

Group Family Child Care Assistant - The assistant who is an employee and works in the residence of the owner/provider. (See ASSISTANT TO HEAD OF GROUP - POSITION 3.)

Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions: The family child care provider has knowledge of child development, health, safety and nutrition. The provider uses good speaking and listening skills to communicate with children and their families. The provider plans routines and activities that contribute to each child's physical, intellectual, emotional, and social well-being. Critical thinking, problem solving and techniques of child management are important skills for the family child care provider. This position requires skills in working with young children, an appreciation for all kinds of families and cultures, a respect for the family as the child's first teacher and the willingness to work as a partner with the family.

Employment Settings: Family and Group Family Child Care is offered in the provider's own residence or in an approved residential home. In the case of the Alternate or Assistant, the employment setting is the home of the registered/licensed provider.

Required Qualifications: Eighteen years of age, minimum of two years experience caring for children under six years of age or one year of experience caring for children under six years of age plus six hours of training or education in early childhood development, and three references. (NYSOCFS 417.13 (a) and 416.13(a)). All persons holding this position must be cleared through the NYS Central Registry of Child Abuse and fingerprints submitted to required authorities.

Preparation: This is an entry-level position with minimal preparation required. Some people take early childhood courses in high school and/or college as preparation for employment. All new providers are required to take the NYS OCFS approved 15 hour health and safety training prior to registration or licensing.

Continuing Education: Thirty hours of training completed every two years of the registration or licensing period which consists of:

• Principles of childhood development, including the appropriate supervision of children, meeting the needs of children enrolled in the program with physical or emotional challenges and behavior management and discipline
• Nutrition and health needs of children
• Child day care program development
• Safety and security procedures, including communication between parents and staff
• Business record maintenance and management
• Child abuse and maltreatment identification and prevention
• Statutes and regulations pertaining to child day care
• Statutes and regulations pertaining to child abuse and maltreatment

Alternate Pathways: People may move from a position in center-based child care operations to a family child care business of their own or they may move from being an assistant to having their own program.

Job Outlook: More children are cared for in family child care homes than in any other form of non-relative care. Many people prefer a home setting for their child rather than a school-like setting, especially for infants and toddlers. The demand for this kind of care is expected to continue.

Earnings: A group or family care provider's earnings are dependent upon management practices, demand for service and level of quality. It is up to the provider to make this business successful.

Opportunity for Advancement: The family child care provider is self-employed. The provider may expand the business to group family child care by applying for a group family child care license and hiring assistant providers to maintain adult/child ratios with larger numbers of children.

http://www.earlychildhood.org/cdrg/exp_positions_p7.cfm


The last link provides excellent information on preparing for employment, writing a portfolio and creating a resume to obtain a job in the field of early childhood.
 http://www.earlychildhood.org/cdrg/prep_employ.cfm