Time Well Spent

Dear Friends,

After two years this is a very difficult time as to say goodbye to friends is not easy. I have enjoyed every moment here at Walden University, through many ups and downs. My loving friends you've been so important to me and I'll never forget you. In you I had everything; I had the motherly figure, a cool colleague, the smart English humor, a spiritual guide, an experienced professor, an eager mentor, and loving and compassionate teachers. You can say I had it all, so why does it have to end? Because, we have met the requirements, took the challenge, created future plans for ourselves and the children and families we serve as well as, made new resolutions to fight for children and their families.

I won't be far so please keep in touch, my email address is delihtfultan@yahoo.com.

Thank you to you all. I'll have you always in my thoughts.

Three deeply felt learning’s from this program:

1. Having a diverse group of students simply means recognizing that all the people are unique in their own way.

2. Their differences could consist of their reading level, athletic ability, cultural background, personality, religious beliefs, and the list goes on.

3. There has always been diversity in the classroom, but in today society it is important to embrace it and make positive use of it.

long-term goal

• Continuing to network and communicate with colleagues from various disciplines in order to learn from each others' best practices;
• Continuing to do research and readings on teaching practices that I can learn from.

International Organizations

The Hunger Project because of their mission statement which states “To end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world.”

World Vision International because of provides a range of interventions tailored to the context, including programs in education, health, economic development, microfinance, agriculture, water and sanitation. By helping community members help each other, World Vision ensures that the process of positive change continues long after development staff has left.

CARE is an organization in Atlanta, GA that “tackles underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change. Women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve basic education, increase access to quality health care and expand economic opportunity for all. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives in the aftermath.”

Job opportunities: CARE is seeking an experienced Senior Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Nutrition (MCN). S/he will play an integral role in strengthening CARE’s nutrition programming and integrating nutrition into programming for food security, humanitarian assistance, maternal health and early childhood development. Nutrition is critical to the broad range of development outcomes CARE seeks to achieve across sectors and contributes measurably to breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

CARE works to reduce poverty and increase social justice for the poor and vulnerable, focusing on the key role of empowering women to bring lasting change to families and communities. The CARE USA Health Equity Unit collaborates with partners in developing, supporting implementation, and evaluating programs to improve health and well-being, and to generate and share knowledge on the relationships between health, equity and empowerment to maximize global impact.

The STA, MCN will provide leadership and technical expertise in maternal and child nutrition programming; measurement of nutrition programming impacts and contribution to multiple health and development outcomes; documentation of the most effective program approaches; and knowledge sharing within CARE and externally. This includes focusing on inter-relationships between underlying social and structural causes of poverty, poor health and under-nutrition, and using women's and community empowerment approaches as one strategy to catalyze scalable and sustainable change. The STA, MCN will work closely with Country Offices in designing, monitoring, evaluating and providing ongoing collaboration and technical support for programming aimed at improving the nutritional status of women and young children. The STA will facilitate the integration of nutrition into other CARE program sectors, specifically the CARE International Food Security strategy and Maternal Health programming, which are priorities for CARE. S/he will develop technically appropriate materials and tools for capacity building that will meet the needs of varying cultures and work environments. The STA will also work closely with other team members to ensure that the most appropriate and up to date technical strategies and tools are used in implementation, monitoring and evaluation (including the use of data for decision-making), communications, and knowledge sharing.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership for nutrition throughout CARE International (CI);
• Technical Support to Country Offices;
• Coordinate knowledge generation and sharing;
• Build strategic partnerships;
• Secure funding for nutrition programming;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required skills:

• MPH with at least 7 years experience in global nutrition programming OR PhD in nutrition or related field with some additional training in nutrition, food security or other relevant specialization and at least 2 years experience in global nutrition programming;
• 2-7 years experience in nutrition programming and provision of technical assistance in nutrition, depending on academic background;
• Experience working with non-profit organizations;
• Experience in program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Demonstrated technical leadership;
• Experience with research and analytical skills;
• Experience working overseas;
• Experience working with donors, writing or reviewing reports and ensuring adherence to donor agreements;
• Technical expertise in nutrition;
• Support for nutrition programming or provision of nutrition technical assistance in developing country context;
• Relevant experience in community approaches;
• Program design, monitoring and evaluation skills;
• Excellent verbal and written English skills, particularly communication skills for diverse audiences;
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and operationalize program strategies;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships with government, donors, community leaders and other development partners;
• Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet software, and data processing;
• Ability to prepare presentations and write articles for publication.

References:

http://www.thp.org/what_we_do/mission

http://www.wvi.org/wvi/wviweb.nsf/maindocs/018080C3FFC683ED88257387007D112C?opendocument

http://www.care.org/about/index.asp

national/federal organizations

NCCP: National Center for Children in Poverty

The quote of the director as well as her passion which states “For young children to thrive, they need high-quality health care and early learning experiences, as well as nurturing parents who are economically secure,” said Dr. Jane Knitzer, report co-author and Director of NCCP. “Poor and low-income children regardless of where they live—have the same needs, but we found significant inequities and inadequacies across the states in their early childhood policies.”

UNICEF: United Nations Children’s Fund

Because their belief and values of children having rights, knowing the world is setting goals for the children, knowing that poverty can end if we focus on the children first as well as us saying “yes” to children.

NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Because of their

Goals

1.      “Improving professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education.

2.      Supporting early childhood programs by working to achieve a high-quality system of early childhood education.

3.      Building a high-performing, inclusive organization of groups and individuals who are committed to promoting excellence in early childhood education for all young children.”

Vision Statement

·         “All children have access to a safe and accessible, high quality early childhood education that includes a developmentally appropriate curriculum; knowledgeable and well-trained program staff and educators; and comprehensive services that support their health, nutrition, and social well-being, in an environment that respects and supports diversity.

·         All early childhood professionals are supported as professionals with a career ladder, ongoing professional development opportunities, and compensation that attracts and retains high quality educators.

·         All families have access to early childhood education programs that are affordable and of high quality and actively participate in their children's education as respected reciprocal partners.

·         All communities, states, and the nation work together to ensure accountable systems of high-quality early childhood education for all children.”

Executive Director:

A Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education ( Masters degree preferred) or related field. 5+ years of center management experience in an early childhood setting. Excellent written and oral communication and knowledge of early childhood curriculum needed. Ability to build strong relationships with staff, parents and the Board of Directors.

References:

http://www.nccp.org/media/releases/release_24.html

http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

The CDF better known as the Child Defense Fund

UNICEF better known as United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

Head Start

The three organizations above all focus on young children in poverty. Knowing that these organizations are making a difference in a child’s life is beneficial to me. With my assistance whether I am an assistant director or director in either organization, I can set forth the vision to empower.

Reflecting

Hi All,


I have enjoyed my time here and will miss the team. Thank you for all the support, insights, and help you have provided me over the past 8 weeks.

Team Building and Collaboration

In the winter of 2004, I left a job that I had for 15 years. It is a non-profit organization that inspires girls between the ages of 6 to 18 years of age to be strong, smart and bold. I started Girls Incorporated of Albany as a member to being a membership clerk to tutoring to have my own classroom as well as being a manager for my own center. Leaving that job and those girls was the toughest job, I ever had to do. The reason why I left is because I wasn’t making enough money to support my lifestyle as well as me wanting to go to school and better myself. As I look back, I’m glad I did what I did however; I still volunteer from time to time teaching and aspire the girls to be strong, educated, nurtured and loved. A lot of the girls, I taught back then still remember me and remember quotes and comments I gave to them. To this very day, I have to come by my job and tell me of her success and what I meant to her. At times, I want to cry, but then I look and smile and remember it was me that did that, it was me that helped her.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

Even though, I have been a manager in my department for nine months now, I have an employee that still compares to the manger before. I have tried to comprise, listen and give her my viewpoint of who I am and what I do and that I’m nothing like the manger before me. The manager before would yell at her associates; hound them like they were little children who don’t understand. She is the type of manger that does not respect most of her employees unless you were her favorite. At times, I feel she needs to move to her department and work back under her, because of the control the other manager has, but she is good at what she does and she has a respected amount of cliental. When I first took the position, I told each associate that I’m not there mama and we are here to serve customers and work as a team. I told them, I will respect, and listen and honor any request or any situations that may occur, however, all I want is respect and in open mind to any task that I may need done. What am I to do about this employee that refuses to listen and still compares me to the other manager?  My store manager already knew about her attitude so talking with him has failed he figures by me being a manger I can figure something out but I can’t, I don’t know what else to do.