Professional Goals, Hopes and Dreams

I work for an Early Head Start program where quality is always being discussed especially since it helps with our funding. We use different types of assessment to rate our quality such as the Infant/ Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), and The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). We are rated using based on materials provided, interactions between children and teachers, and health and safety to name a few.

We have professional development training almost every month as well as online training that we complete. The online course is already paid for and we have assigned courses to take but we are more than welcomed to take other courses.

Some of my professional goals are to attend a national early childhood conference. I believe there is so much I could learn from one of these conferences. Also, it would be a great opportunity to network and meet other professionals in the field. Some of the challenges are cost but I’m grateful for the promotion I have received at work that has given me a major increase in pay. I used to be one of the early childhood teachers who was making $25-30 thousand a year and living in the Washington DC area that is not a lot of money to live off of.

My ultimate goal is to be an advocate for the field. We must advocate for teachers and children to really make improvements. If teachers are making low salaries it is hard to give your all for the children, we service because we often have to figure out how we will help ourselves.

Sharing Web Resources: NBCDI

The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has different affiliates in over twenty communities across the nation. These networks partner with children, families and other organizations to implement literacy, health, juvenile justice, parent engagement and college-readiness for young children.

In exploring the website further, I did find that the organizations does not offer a weekly newsletter. They do have a social media account on Instagram that does share upcoming events. 

The NBCDI is working towards equity for young African American children and their families. As I looked into two of the affiliate websites, I learned that the DC affiliate offered a resource titled “Being Black Is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child. This publication discusses the challenge Black children face such as limitations and deficits within education. The Chicago affiliate is hosting a nutrition event. The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) and Too Small to Fail, BCDI-Chicago’s Nutrition Education Project promotes healthy eating by offering nutrition education to children and families.

Through these affiliate resources and events the organization is creating awareness within the community. These helpful resources can help children and families gain access for their needs to be meet in order to become successful.

References

https://www.nbcdi.org/affiliates/chicago/events-programs/nutrition-education-project

https://www.nbcdi.org/resource

https://www.nbcdi.org/affiliates/dc-metropolitan

Global Children’s Initiative

Equity is when every child has what they need to succeed. 

 The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has global efforts to achieve outcomes for children. Persistent gaps in education and health associated with socioeconomic disadvantage impose enormous burdens on individuals, communities, and societies worldwide (Harvard, 2010). Harvard partners with Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.

In Brazil the NCPI partnership has created a science-driven early childhood movement on how to apply developmental science to inform programs and policies.

In Canada, the AFWI seeks to bridge the gap between “what we know” in science and “what we do” in policy and practice.

  In Mexico, Aceleradora de Innovación para la Primera Infancia, has a strong interest in human development and they are enhancing child outcomes through adult capacity building.

The insight I have gained is how these organizations are understanding the importance of how the brain development and the effects it has on young children. I also like how not only are considering the effect of the rain and young children but how adults have an effect on young children.

We must provide children with positive experience to help their development.

References

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/

 
 

Sharing Web Resources: NBCDI

National Black Child Development Institute

In the news section of NBCDI there is an article that discusses black health and how NBCDI and four other organizations are working together to launch a major health initiative. This is relevant to my current professional development because as I am teaching the children, I work with the importance of going to the doctor I also have to communicate this information with their families. When you are introduced to healthy practices it can have a lifelong effect.

The NBCDI website shares highlights on last years annual conference. Some of the guest speakers were Angela Rye, CNN political commentator, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom. This already shows how education and politics can support social change by coming together to have discussions. The NBDCI is an organization who is creating social change for African American children.

Another insight I gained from the website is looking at some of the events they have had such as Girl Power, World Literacy Crusade of Florida.   Girl Power is designed to provide programming for young girls that builds confidence, competence, and pride; re-engages girls in academic settings by supporting their success; and works with them to avoid incidents that may require them to come into contact with or under the supervision of the juvenile justice system (NBCDI, 2020). I think this is a great effort because literacy is important especially for low income families. My job is currently working on a literacy effort to help get the whole school engaged in more reading.

https://www.nbcdi.org/point-of-proof/girl-power-world-literacy-crusade-florida