Time Well Spent

I cannot believe this journey is already over! It has come so fast and felt like so long all at the same time. Throughout my time at Walden, I have learned so much. The first thing I learned was that when I work for something I can achieve it. For so long I struggled with feeling like I wasn't smart or capable of much, but being able to finish this program has given me so much confidence, and I am so grateful  The next thing I learned was that more than anything, I want to be an advocate for children. They are truly the future and each child deserves the best possible outcome in life. Children deserve to receive high quality education no matter where they live. I will continue to be a voice for children so that they can get what they deserve. The last thing I learned was that there are so many possibilities for me in my future because of this degree. It is difficult to do a lot with just a Bachelor's degree in Child Development. Having this education will allow me to accomplish more than I ever imagined.

One long-term goal that I have for myself, which I am very passionate about now, is to strive to ALWAYS be learning. I have grown to absolutely love learning and have a better understanding of what I can do to continue learning, even though I am no longer going to be in school. The amazing thing about learning is that we can never do too much of it.

I am so incredibly grateful for all of my professors and peers that have helped me along this journey. I would not be here if it weren't for all of you. I have felt so encouraged through my professors and have felt like I could always turn to them when needed. To all of my peers, CONGRATULATIONS! We did it. I have loved learning from each of you every week. You have truly inspired and taught me. I wish you the best in everything you do. I know that together we can change the world.

I would love to keep in touch with you all. You can find me on Facebook under Linzie Lee DeVaney. Good luck to all!

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

I have loved getting to explore different organizations on a state, national, and now international level. The first international organization that appealed to me was NACD, The National Association for Child Development.  They are an organization who help children with many different special needs get the services that can help them. They believe that a child's education should be overseen by the parent. Their job is to help parents achieve the goals that they have for their children with individual programs and daily communication (NACD, 2016). After looking into their organization, I was impressed with all of the tools that they have to try to help as many children as they can. It definitely seems like they have the best interest for children.

The second international organization that I found was OMEP. The goal of OMEP is to "ensure the well-being, rights, of children (birth-age 8) and their families" (OMEP, 2016, p. 1).  The reason I loved this organization was because they advocate for early childhood education through educating themselves, as well as others.  They truly stand up for what is right for children and look for ways to create a better life for children around the world. Their members represent many different groups of people in relation to child development, including: administrators, social service workers, lawyers, parents, and many more.

The last organization that stood out to me was HighScope. I did not realize that HighScope works on an international level, but their preschool education approach, which is research validated, is used all throughout the world.  Their goal is to promote high quality early childhood education worldwide.

A job that I found that I would definitely be interested in obtaining would be a curriculum specialist for HighScope. This position would require me to provide instructional support and coaching to Head Start teaching staff. I would likely need more training for this job, but because of my passion for early childhood education and the appreciation I have for this organization and Head Start, it would be something that I feel I would greatly enjoy.


References

http://www.nacd.org/who-we-are/

https://omep.us/about-us/

http://www.highscope.org/