Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

This week I have imagined myself in a variety of jobs that foster the well-being of children, families, and the early childhood field as a whole.  It has inspired my thinking about the places I would like to work but also the roles I might like to take on, now and in the future.

Education Service Center, Region 20 (ESC-20) vision is to be the definitive choice for leadership, innovation, and the advancement of learning.  ESC-20 provides assistance to districts in the successful development and implementation of a school readiness integration model of coordinated funding that brings school districts, Head Start programs and child care providers together in a mixed delivery model.  I chose this center because they also provide leadership to ensure the effective regional implementation of appropriate instructional strategies in early childhood settings through technical assistance and professional development in the areas of developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum.  I have been to many professional development opportunities at this location.  Attending them gave me an insight into adult education.  Sadly, there are no current positions available at this time.        

T.E.A.C.H. is a research based comprehensive strategy to educate and retain early childhood practitioners, positively impacting outcomes for the children in their care. T.E.A.C.H. provides educational scholarship opportunities for people working in regulated child care centers and family child care homes.  They increase the knowledge base of early childhood professionals working with young children‚ thus improving the care these children receive, encourage child care programs to support the continuing education of their staff, reduces staff turnover by supporting the above goals while also requiring from participants a specified time commitment to their sponsoring program after their scholarship year.  They provide professional development for teachers and family child care home providers currently in the field.  What I like most about this program is the fact that they create a model of partnership for improving the quality of care that children in child care programs receive.  I would enjoy working here because of the impact they make on the early childhood workforce.  There are no positions available at this time. 

The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) Child Development Center is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and accredited by The National Association for the Education of Young Children.  The Center is a Texas Rising Star Child Care Delivery Service Provider.  The program is designed to enhance children's emotional, social, creative, physical, language and cognitive development through creative learning experiences in an educational environment.  I would consider a position as a lead teacher because their curriculum emphasizes developmentally appropriate play experiences based on the children's interests and ideas and encourages critical thinking skills.  Currently there are no positions available at this time.  If there were ever an opportunity to work at this location I would.

For more information visit their websites:

http://www.esc20.net/

http://www.texasaeyc.org/TEACH/

http://www.utsa.edu/cdc/