Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Education Community

There are many organizations that cater to early childhood education in Maryland. The following are the organizations that caught my attention:

 

• Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children (www.mdaeyc.org)
• This organization is an affiliate with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (www.naeyc.org). They also have local affiliates that serve the different counties in Maryland. The mission of MDAEYC is to empower those who care for and educate young children. This would be a great community of practice because I would be able to network with other professionals and even experts in the early childhood field. They provide education to help individuals grow in this profession.   
• Maryland Family Network (www.mdchildcare.org)
• This organization works with everybody that is involved in helping young children. They work with parents, child care providers, advocates, employers, and even policymakers. Their goal is to enhance the early childhood education and child care available to Maryland’s children. For parents, they help families find child care providers within the state and for child care providers they offer training and education. This organization is a major resource for anyone working with children.
• Maryland State Child Care Association (www.mscca.org)
• This organization promotes the growth and development of professional licensed child care and learning centers in Maryland. As a member of this organization individuals have the opportunity to network with other professionals in the field on a national, state, and local level. Members also have the opportunity to meet with mentors that help with accreditation, credentialing, and regulatory issues.
• Maryland Head Start Association (www.md-hsa.org)
• Lastly, this organization offers education and training opportunities for Head Start programs. They educate the community at large on the issues of low-income children and families and school readiness.

 

I researched different job opportunities on CareerBuilder.com. I found a few positions that interest me. The first position is with Bright Horizons Family Solutions as an Education Coordinator. As the education coordinator, I would guide staff in the implementation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum, partner with parents, and impact the lives of children every day. Another position I found is a Center Director for La Petite Academy. The only major requirement for this position is a degree in early childhood education. Lastly, I found a position with The Goddard School as the Preschool Education Director. However, I do not qualify for this position because I do not have any management experience in a large, licensed preschool or childcare center.