National and Federal Level Early Childhood Community of Practice


The first community of practice on the national level that appeals to me is the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

NAEYC Mission Statement

NAEYC's mission is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources (NAEYC Bylaws, Article I., Section 1.1).

I chose NAEYC because I am impressed in how involved they are in protecting the rights of children, families and educators.  They have so much information for teachers to keep them current on early childhood issues and for parents on parenting and research that shows why children need to be in the care of people who are passionate and committed to providing the best early learning experiences that they can. 

A current job opening at NAEYC is - Affiliate and Member Relations Manager
This job sounds interesting and would put me in an organization that is very active in early childhood education and supporting families with young children.
Some of the skills and experience needed for this job are a BA degree, 3 years related work experience specifically in component relations or association management along with successful work experience with volunteer and non-profit boards.


The next organization that I found interesting was the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families or commonly known as Zero to Three.   I chose this organization because they are so committed to infants, toddlers and their families.  They let teachers and families know about the current research about infants and toddlers and how to support their learning and development.
  "ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. 
Our mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life" (Zero to Three, n.d.).

A current job opening they have available is for a Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer.  The qualifications for this position are, 12 years of business related experience,

Understanding of the Social Sector, either from professional or volunteer involvement in a national

advocacy or non-profit organization, Sophisticated understanding of non-profit financial management, and able to contribute to development strategies across funding sectors where appropriate.

Education

Advanced degree in Business or related field. Knowledge of early childhood development and related

health, education, and public service systems a plus.

The next organization that I found is the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education  or NAECS-SDE.  

What is NAECS-SDE? NAECS-SDE (National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education) is a national organization for state education agency staff members with major responsibilities in the field of early childhood education. The Association promotes high-quality services to young children and their families through improvement of instruction, curriculum, and administration of programs. Members of the Association have an opportunity to share ideas and to work together toward the solution of common problems (NAECS-SDE, n.d.).

  I found this organization interesting because it is a support system for early childhood specialists who work for state education agencies.  They have more regulations to follow than a non-profit child care center and school that they have to be trained in what is expected of them as teachers by the government.   
I did not see any job opportunities at this time.  Some of the skills that I would need to fulfill a role with this organization would be to have a strong background in early childhood education and child development along with administrative background.  

References
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/
Zero to Three. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/
National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naecs-sde.org/aboutus