Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

I mentioned the Christian Early Childhood Association in my discussion post this week.  It is a Community of Practice (CoP) of which I have been a member for 16 years.  I have gained practical teaching strategies, networked with other directors, and benefited from shared resources through this organization; and therefore I plan to continue to be a part of the CECA CoP.

I also just renewed my membership to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  This CoP keeps me abreast of current research and position statements regarding important issues in the early childhood field and links me to quality professional articles through their publications, YC: Young Children and Teaching Young Children; membership also means discounted NAEYC conference rates and discounts on NAEYC bestsellers.

I participated in classes sponsored by the Midwest Whole Child Development group and checked out learning materials from their resource library.  The classes were set in round-table forums to foster discussion and sharing of ideas. I participated in their Director's Toolbox workshop which helped me develop practical skills needed in my role as preschool director and gave me an opportunity to network with other local preschool directors. I have lost touch with them, but would like to re-connect with that CoP.

I am currently a preschool director/teacher and am not looking for a new job for the upcoming school year; however, I am considering taking a teaching position as a kindergarten teacher the following school year. One of the articles I read in our Issues and Trends class, Graue's (2009)  Reimagining KINDERGARTEN really struck a chord with me and has planted the seed of interest in making a difference in a kindergarten classroom.  I plan to update and renew my teaching license this Fall and to submit my resume to local school districts.  I will be monitoring job openings on a regular basis.  I also plan to observe some kindergarten classrooms during the upcoming school year.

I have searched Kindergarten positions currently available and found a concise summary of job qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from a four-year college or university

MO State Certification in Early Childhood (B-3) or Elementary Education (K-6) or (K-8).

According to the Kansas City, MO school district (https://kcmsd.cloud.talentedk12.com/hire/viewjob.aspx?jobid=2774):

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

• Prepares course objectives and outline for course of study following curriculum guidelines or requirements of state and school.
• Lectures, demonstrates, and uses audiovisual teaching aids and to present subject matter to class.
• Prepares, administers, and corrects tests, and records results.
• Attends data-team meetings and implements research-based instructional strategies
• Assign lessons, corrects papers, and hears oral presentations.
• Teaches rules of conduct.
• Maintains order in classroom and on playground.
• Counsels pupils when adjustment and academic problems arise.
• Discusses pupils' academic and behavioral attitudes and achievements with parents.
• Collaborates with parents, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
• Keeps attendance and grade records as required by school.
• Coordinates class field trips.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

This job requires that the employee be able to: sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, use hands, fingers, reach with hands and fingers; bend, stoop, lift objects of at least ten pounds.  Job requires the employee occasionally to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.  Visual ability requires mono and color vision, close vision, distance vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. 

Christian Early Childhood Association. (n.d.) Christian early childhood association.  Retrieved from http://www.CECAkc.org  

Graue, E. (2009).  Reimagining KINDERGARTEN.  School Administrator, 66(1), 10-15.  Retrieved from Education Research Complete database. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (n.d.).  National association for the education of young children.  Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org