Local and State Organizations

First Steps is a state organization that is ran by Mississippi State University. It is funded by a grant from the federal government. First Steps is for parents and children from the ages of birth to 2. I have worked with the speech pathologists and the early interventionists with this organization as they have serviced children in my classrooms and center. The organization provides evaluations and assessments on children who might be developmentally delayed and or have physical or mental disabilities. Early Intervention is a local organization that is ran by the school district. Each school district has their own set of early intervention specialists and speech pathologists. These specialists evaluate, assess and provide cognitive and or speech/language services to children who show signs of delay for their age. Since the program is run by the school district they only start evaluating children from the ages of 3-5. These specialists are great references on how to help and expand children’s language skills and cognitive development. I use books from DLTK.com, a website that has a great amount of resources free of charge. These books use repetition and pictures to help the young children remember letter sounds, the letters and the meaning of words. The specialists actually use those same books when working with the children that receive services. Collaborating and working with specialists only enhances your classroom and its practices. 5 Star is a state organization that is funded and ran by Mississippi State University. The program is divided into districts and they have specific representatives for each district. 5 Star is a program that helps centers and homes to use best practices. They use the ITERS and ECERS rating scales to evaluate and monitor centers and homes. 5 Star rating is the best of the best in the state of Mississippi. You can be a one star, two star, three star or four star in this program. 5 Star is the best you can rate. This organization works with teachers and center administration on understanding the importance of routine, schedules, learning through play, centers, and choices. 5 Star is a great resource that helps build centers into the best learning environments possible. I am very interested in the Assistant Director’s position that is currently available at a local child development center in my area. I have applied and I am qualified for the position. This job requires at minimum a CDA and experience within the early childhood field. I am working and have almost completed my Maters in Early Childhood and I will have a specialization in adult learning. This is also part of the job requirements to teach and educate new teachers. I have great communication skills and I practice constructive listening. I promote parent/teacher relationships and feel parents should discuss any and all concerns with the teacher first. Assistant directors are not in the classroom and do not understand any and all problems or issues that may arise. I work well with other staff and I am an experienced classroom teacher that has built my knowledge and understanding for the field of early childhood by continuing my education. I also am interested in the Program Manager position at my current job, at the University of Southern Mississippi’s lab school. The program manager is responsible for maintaining and adhering to health department regulations, promoting NAEYC standards and 5 Star qualifications. The program manager overseas ten staff and the student teachers. The program manager must be a great communicator and mentor for her staff. The program manager provides a work schedule and creates time sheets for all staff that are not salary. This job does require a master’s degree in education or early childhood education. I will have this requirement in 6 weeks. I feel my most positive attribute is my communication and listening skills. I am a constructive listener and I feel that parents are our best references. Building a center starts with building relationships with staff, parents and children. I have all of those skills. I am very knowledgeable in 5 Star and NAEYC qualifications for a center, this is a big necessity. The program manager is on her own since the main office is over an hour away. I currently teach a course a semester at the University of Southern Mississippi and I like this part of my job a great deal. I would like to be an instructor full-time, especially at a junior college. We have two local community colleges that provide an associate’s degree in early childhood. Currently this degree does not transfer to the university I work at because the instructors are not accredited. I will be an accredited instructor and feel that I would be a strong asset to any community college that offers a degreed program on early childhood.