Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Teaching in Early Childhood Education has been my passion since 2010. I have had the opportunity to work with all age groups including: Infants, Toddlers, 2's, and Preschoolers. Today I work as a Head Start Preschool Teacher promoting school readiness daily for 3-4 year old children. Although my job is very fulfilling upon the completion of my M.S I desire to move outside of the classroom and into advocacy, administration, and/or home visiting. The three organizations I have choose to do that are below:

Ounce of Prevention-Chicago based organization supporting Early Childhood Education through programming including: Educare, Home Visiting, Doula Program, and Head Start/Early Head Start.
www.theounce.org

The Home Visitor 

Job Summary: Responsible for managing a caseload of ten to twelve children (caseload may include pregnant women), integrating the full range of Early Head Start/Head Start components into service delivery: child development and early childhood education, child health, safety, oral health and nutrition, mental health, and family services and social service support. The Home Visitor focuses on promoting the positive parent-child relationship, and collaboratively works with families of young children to identify strengths and needs. The Home Visitor serves as an advocate for families of young children, and builds the necessary relationships in the community to provide appropriate linkages and resources for further support.

ChildServ-Helps at-risk children and their families build better lives and reach their potential by providing community-based programs, including counseling, early childhood education, foster care and adoption services, residential group homes and community support to vulnerable children and families in Cook, DuPage, Kane and Lake counties.
www.childserv.org

Parent Coach - Chicago Southside

Job Summary: Under the direct supervision of the Clinical Supervisor, the Parent Coach is generally responsible for providing agency and community‐based parenting services, including parenting classes, assessments, and individual consultation. In conjunction with other foster care and clinical staff, the Parent Coach.

March of Dimes-Chicago Chapter raising awareness for prematurity.
www.marchforbabies.org

Development Specialist 

Job Summary: Responsible for coordinating and executing cost-effective fundraising events in order to meet fundraising objectives of the March of Dimes in the Chicago market. The position acts as a liaison between the March of Dimes and the community by recruiting volunteer and event participants as well as coordinating event logistics.

Some of the skill sets needed to fulfill these roles include:

• Develop logistics and manage events
• Communication Skills- Written and Verbal.
• Family support, parent engagement, and community partnerships files and/or database records, providing constructive feedback.
• Technology Knowledge
• Ability to manage a Case Load