Time Well Spent

Over the past two years I have completely invested myself into this program not only for the betterment of myself, but most importantly, for my son. Mid-program I went through huge life changes: going through a divorce, becoming a single parent, relocated, my home being burglarized, switching jobs; all while attempting to complete this program and being a great mother for my son. I can admit I have shed lots of tears, become completely overwhelmed with making sure I submitted my assignments and posts on time and correct, and even contemplated taking an academic break to focus on my personal life. After talking with close friends and family I was able to refocus myself and realize God would not have allowed all this to happen without a reason and I could not give up on my dream. Overall, this Master’s experience has been life altering in numerous ways: personal, professional, and academic. I would like to thank all my professors and colleagues for being there when I needed you the most, even when you didn’t know you were my backbone and my unending support throughout this journey. I have learned so much about the profession of Early Childhood Studies: Administration, myself, and my true passion for helping and being the voice for others.

A short-term goal for myself would be to become an administrator within my current educational district in Channelview, Texas. After accomplishing that goal, I see myself becoming a leader in my community and state regarding Early Childhood Education, Development, and Success.

Again, Thank you to all of you from professors, colleagues, the technology people that I called once a month(lol), the financial aid dept, my family and friends, and everyone else that has continuously supported me and allowed me to follow my heart and passion to getting my Masters. Good luck to everyone on continuing our journey, I know we will meet one day on a professional platform!

Fran Logan

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

http://www.bread.org/---Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's leaders to end hunger at home and abroad.

http://www.heifer.org/--Heifer envisions a bold future as a world hunger charity, one in which more lives are transformed in a sustainable way. Their vision is to have a world where communities live together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet.

http://www.stophungernow.org/--Their overall organizational goal is to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-saving aid to the world's most vulnerable and by creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources.

I chose these three international organizations because they all embody my project goals. It was important for me to find a success blueprint and I feel I have found that model in these three groups.

VP of Strategic Partnerships
Department	Strategic Partnerships
Work Hours	FT M-F
City	Multiple
Description	SUMMARY: The Vice President of Strategic Partnerships is responsible for leading fund development efforts to financially support and enhance Feed the Children's mission, programs and goals. This position will be responsible for the creation and management of a well-coordinated, fund development plan for several areas of high-impact fundraising, including but not limited to: domestic and international Corporations, Combined Federal Campaigns and Workplace Giving programs, OKC-based Foundations and Corporations, and Special Projects initiatives. This position will oversee a team of fundraisers. The selected candidate for this position may reside in New York, Washington, D.C., or in Oklahoma City.

Education:
Bachelor's degree (BA, BS) with emphasis in business, marketing, communications or other related field or commensurate experience

Experience:
Ten years of overall experience working in high-impact foundation, corporate and major gifts relationship building and fundraising, with a demonstrated record of success in generating significant commitments from the same. Equivalent experience and success in high-impact business development and corporate sales will be considered in lieu of fundraising

7+ years of experience personally driving and managing the strategies for $1 million+ fundraising programs or campaigns or sales

5+ years of prior senior management experience

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

http://www.naeyc.org/--- The Nation Association for the Education of Young Children
This is one of the nations/worlds largest organizations that delievers standards on anything childhood related from education, nutrition, and health services.

http://www.crisisgroup.org/--- The International Crisis Group
this is an internation blog that allows a platform/forum for global communications on internation crisis issues including hunger and war. 

http://www.hungerreliefinternational.org/--- The Hunger Relief International
Hunger Relief International initially addresses immediate issues of hunger and unreliable access to food, also known as food insecurity.  Once HRI begins implementing nutrition programs in a community, our team crafts a long-term, strategic plan for development projects in partnership with the local community leadership.




LakeShore Learning: District Manager

Job Summary
We are currently searching for a District Manager to oversee all aspects of retail management—from training and developing staff to ensuring business strategies are correctly executed in the field. You don’t need a background in education, but a desire to learn is essential! As the leader of multiple store management teams, you set the tone and expectation for developing first-class retail teams who maximize store sales, provide customers with memorable retail experiences and run their stores in a manner outlined by 
Lakeshore.
·    Ability to travel throughout your district 50%–75% of each week
·    Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights and some weekends
·    Track record showing outstanding organizational abilities
·    Strong written and oral communication skills·    Knowledge of retail POS systems
 UT Health: Mentor, Education Outreach 
Department
Pediatrics-Developmental 
Job Summary
Where Creating the Best Hope for a Healthier Future Begins... 
The Mentor, Education Outreach position provides school level support to private childcare providers, Head Start agencies, and school districts to ensure achievement of the goals and values of the Children's Learning Institute. Trains and mentors classroom teachers and administrators in implementation of the Texas School Ready! 
The Mentor will work with pre-school teachers face to face or remotely on classroom instructional practices. The Mentor will also provide professional development support and guidance to teachers on using child progress monitoring and analyzing results to guide instructional practices. 
Additional Summary Specific to Job
Primary responsibilities include: 
- Work with CLI to order materials and ensure delivery to classrooms. 
- Support communities with developing schedules and facilitating professional development wiithin the guidelines provided by CLI. 
- Collaborate with Project Coordinator, Mentors and CLI staff as necessary. 
- Provide face to face or remote coaching to classroom teachers as scheduled and required, and use a variety of coaching strategies as trained. For example, Camtasia feedback & video coding. 
- Collaborate with teachers to develop lesson plans and daily schedules that reflect 3 hours of cognitive instruction. 
- Participate in web based courses (eCIRCLE postings, black board,etc.).
- Attend regularly scheduled staff meetings facilitated by CLI Project Manager. 
- Support, coaches, principals, teachers and others in understanding project components. 
- Analyze progress monitoring data to determine strengths and weaknesses and provide coaching strategies to teachers. 
Organizational Requirements
CERTIFICATIONS/SKILLS: 
Certified teacher preferred. 
MINIMUM EDUCATION: 
Bachelor's degree in related field required. Master's degree preferred. 
MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: 
Five years experience in teaching or related field. 
Departmental Requirements/Preferences
- Must have a Bachelors or Master's Degree in Education (Grades Pre-2nd grade) or Early Childhood. 
- Must have 2 years of Early Childhood experience. 
- Have a good understanding of using classroom observational tools 
- Good knowledge around technology (e.g. computer, video editing, phone conferencing, adobe connect calls). 
- Understanding of pre-school literacy screening and progress monitoring and how each informs classroom instruction. 
- Understanding of Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines, Head Start Child Outcomes, and child care licensing standards. 
- Demonstrate effectiveness as an early childhood teacher and/or early childhood staff trainer/mentor/coach. 
- Understanding of training and mentoring adults.  



 Requirements
·    3–5 years of related multiunit district management experience

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

>At least three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you, and explain why you chose them.

1) Department of Neighborhoods Education Initiatives: Sponsor of PBS Education is a great tool for parents to keep track of their child’s development. Help with different developmental and educational skills for children, including: education, fun and games, food and fitness, and issues and advice. They also have information about your child’s favorite PBS KIDS Programs, and online programs for parents. 

2) National Institute for Literacy: Shining Stars Toddler get Ready to Read: These publications show parents how they can help their child to read. Each book has four sections and is divided by age groups beginning with toddlers and finishing with 2nd and 3rd grade.

3) Greater Houston Partnership: This group prides itself on promoting living in the Houston Metro Area. Their website is constantly updated on upcoming events, programs, and volunteer opportunities in the area.

>Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you. Skills and experience that you would need to competently fulfill each of these roles

 1)    Houston Department of Education-

POSITION:  Program Coordinator JOB DESCRIPTION:  Promote and coordinate Cooperative for After-School Enrichment (CASE) initiatives in multiple school districts in Harris County.  Provide technical and program support and consultation to participating schools and districts.  Facilitate partnerships between schools and community agencies to improve the services offered at CASE sites. Special Knowledge/Skills: Strong communication, inter-personal, and teambuilding skills, Strong oral and written communication and presentation skills, as well the ability to build and maintain strong relationships, General knowledge of computer systems and software applications, Ability to manage multiple projects with minimal supervision

2) Houston, Texas Health and Human Services-

Position- Child Care Licensing Generalist: Job Description:  The position performs social service duties in the specialized field of regulating child day care facilities. The position promotes reducing risk to children in out of home childcare through the promulgation and enforcement of minimum health and safety standards Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Knowledge of the Texas Child Care Licensing Act, Family Code, and other laws and regulations relating to children and their care. Knowledge of child development, ages birth through 14 years. Skill in assessing immediacy of harmful situations, which might result in injury or death to a child and ability to take appropriate action. Knowledge of administrative practices and the organizational structure in child day care facilities.

Team Development: A Reflection on Adjourning

The adjourning part of every team development has always been the hardest part, but a few times I was too ready to be done with the group. My hardest team/group to leave has to be from my freshman year of undergrad. I completely loved that group of students in my first fashion course at LSU. We would all stay late nights and weekends busting butt to get our designs completed; and I loved that we all had the same work ethic. Like in this weeks readings and media segment, we learned the foundations of a successful team and that group of students definitely had each one to a T. It was nice not worrying if someone would do there part, had a clear undertanding of what was needed of them, and showed up ready to work and contribute equally to the team. I have also been part a few teams where I absoluted hated the team I was in and just counted down the days under the adjournment. These teams all had pretty much everything opposite of what a successful teams needs; no one wanted to work, everyone was either late or didn't show up for meetings, and I ended up do the entire project myself so I wouldn't fail because of someone else not wanting to do anything for the group.  Sometimes being a part of a group or team can be amazing, while other times you just want out before you even start. As a professional and adult now I have learned to work with what I have to work with and make the best of the situation, but that took some years to get use to. Now that I am the instructor for furture teacher, I teach them the importance of working together as a team and everyone doing their part for the success of the whole team. Especially as furture teachers, I want them to understand that we work with a huge TEAM from parents to student, coworkers and administrations, and even the community and government.

Communication Evaluation

This week I had my sister and brother-in-law evaluate my communication skills and then compared them three ideas and views. I feel my personal evaluation was a bit bias due to I think I communicate amazingly, I know I have some (very few) areas for improvement,  but none the less I believed I was doing pretty darn well in the communication part of my skills. My sister had very close views of my communication skills as I did, however, she was more harsh when it came to my listening skills. She felt I jump to assumptions easily and seemingly refuse to listen to others views on topics I feel passionately about. My brother-in-law had a completely different opinion on my skills and I am guessing hes feelings are a little more honest, but at the same time I kind of took some thoughts as him joking. He saw me as a good communicator when I wanted to be, I am a huge push over and people pleaser; which makes it hard for me to actually have/state my real feelings for anything, and he felt like I can get overwhelmed in stressful or new situations which causes my communication level to decrease.

After listening to my family's thoughts and evaluations of my communication skills I started to realize and pin-point areas in which they were referring to. I completely see where they were coming from and noticed myself trying to adjust my skills level and actively listen regardless of my personal feelings. I was completely surprised of my brother-in-laws honesty when I asked them to evaluate me. He actually wanted to have a sit down meeting to discuss ideas for me to improve my skills and become a better listener and less of a people pleaser.

Now that I have a clearer idea of what others see as my communication skills I feel I can adjust and hone my abilities to better suit my personal and professional careers alike.

Cultural Communications

Sometimes I do find myself communicating differently depending on the group I am speaking in front of. I adapt my delivery methods and techniques as it relates to the implied needs of the group. It is definitely easier to communicate with people I see as similar to myself because of my comfort level with them. However, I feel I am extremely empathic and desire to communicate with everyone equally and try my best to find a link or connection for smooth lines of communication. Some of the ways I adapt my communication skills when speaking with someone from another group or culture is to listen well, not interrupt, repeat what I understood, and try to speak clearly/ use facial expressions to get my ideas across. It is important to attempt to make another person comfortable when speaking/communicating with you, so that they are more likely to comprehend your point.

Competent Communicators

(oldest sister, older sister, ME, mom, dad, little brother, oldest brother)

 

I have a family of educators and what I feel are extremely competent communicators. The one that would stand out of all of us the most would be my oldest sister.

I believe my oldest sister is the strongest out of the family in communication because she presents herelf as a highly educated and professional person with a high vocabulary level and understanding. One situation that I know assisted her in becoming a more competent and aware communicator would be that her daughter (my niece) is mute, meaning she has to use sign language and non-verbal communication to communicate. Because of this my sister has focused in on listening, watching, and being completely engaged in the entire atmosphere of a conversation or in communicating with others. My sister is a highly successful female and commands attention when she enters a room, which also elevates her communication skills and effectiveness. Again, I do feel like many of us in my family are extremely competent communcators, but she is someone I would model my communication techniques off of.