National/Federal Organizations:

NAEYC:

The first organization that I would identify as a Community of Practice is NAEYC.  NAEYC is a nationally recognized leader in early childhood advocacy when it comes to quality education.  Part of NAEYC’s (n.d.) vision statement is that all children will have access to high quality early education that provides developmentally appropriate curriculum, well-educated and trained educators, and comprehensive service to support all their needs.  The information provided on their website, through their magazines, and as a current member of their organization will be invaluable to me as I seek to create a goal and work towards change in early childhood quality standards.  One job posted that I may be interested in are a Manager, Affiliate and Member Relations, who supports 300 state and local components in an HR type position.  This position requires a BA and 3 years experience with a background in HR.  Although I have experience in HR in my employment background, I do not have a BA in this area.  Another position available is a Senior Director for NAEYC Academy.  This person leads a team of NAEYC staff in a Director role over several aspects of NAEYC, including standards, program quality, state affiliations, and research.  This position requires an advanced degree in nonprofit management, business administration or early childhood education.  It also seeks someone who has leadership background.  The job is located in DC, which to me would be a drawback.

 

http://www.naeyc.org/

 

 

Zero to Three:

 

The next national organization that I would identify is Zero to Three, which is the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families.  This organization provides resources to families and providers of early childhood, specifically focusing on information, training, and supporting professionals, policymakers, and parents to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.  Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong beginning in life.  One position available with this organization is a Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer.  This position is also based in DC, so that would be a drawback for me.  This is mainly a marketing position, requiring an advanced degree in business, with a knowledge of early childhood development, along with 12 plus year experience in the business development field.  This position does not interest me, nor am I experienced in this field.  The second position posted is for a Technical Assistance Specialist. This person is focused on making sure all staff and consultants receive the technical assistance they need, specifically with home visits, in compliance with state and federal standards.  This position requires a Master’s in early childhood, along with 8 plus years of experience in early childhood, specifically home visits.

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/

 

 

NCRECE:

 

The National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education focuses on research, findings, and leadership activities aimed at improving the quality of early childhood educations nationwide.  The center is based at the University of Virginia.  They provide a wealth of information regarding early childhood research and initiatives provided by the federal government and states in order to improve early childhood programs and standards.  Jobs available at NCRECE were not posted, but I would imagine they would mainly consist of office type jobs and research analysts.  I would guess that they would require a background in early childhood and research.  None of these positions would interest me.

 

http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/