After reading the many chosen challenge problem of my classmate, I have begun to look for national organizations that support a continuum in the education that children receive between preschool and K12 school. I think this is important because it is certainly a culture shock for children to go from an environment that supports creativity, play, and self-expression into ‘big kid’ school where they are required to sit at a desk for hours and undergo testing. What employment opportunities could I pursue in which I can impact a continuum for young children? Here are some national opportunities of interest:
- Chief of Instructional Leadership Development (CILD) is a position within the Education Activity Agency of the Department of Defense. There are three duty locations available: Peachtree City, GA, Sembach, Germany, and Okinawa Island, Japan. The Chief of Instructional Leadership Development (CILD) works directly for the regional Director of Student Excellence and is responsible for ensuring a quality education for every student by providing deliberate, purposeful, and collaborative opportunities for professional development and educator coaching for district and school leaders and leadership teams to optimize teaching, leading and learning. The CILD leads a team of professional educators who serve as consultants, coaches, collaborators, presenters, and facilitators within and across districts. Having both leadership and professional development expertise, the CILD will provide systemic leadership development for CIL staff, teacher leaders and school level administrators, district specialists, and district superintendents; provide professional development for the implementation and sustainment of systemic priorities such as the implementation of College and Career Ready standards; facilitate horizontal and vertical learning networks; and build capacity for proven innovative curriculum, instruction, and assessment best practices. This position requires 5 years of teaching experience and 4 years of preK-12 administration experience. The full job listing can be read at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/424441300.
- The US Army currently has several job postings for Child, Youth & School (CYS) Services Assistant Directors. CYS supports the Army Family Covenant by reducing the conflict between mission readiness and parental responsibility by offering quality programs for children, youth and students. Responsibility for assisting the supervisor in the operation of an assigned CYS program IAW all applicable regulations and standards. Acts as Director in Director's absence. Applies professional knowledge to plan, implement, and supervise a comprehensive program that promotes positive growth and development of children and youth. Ensures facility/outdoor venues maintain appropriate standards for condition and sanitation. Provides program oversight and accountability for the performance of assigned staff and the safety and well-being of children and youth IAW DoD, Army and local policies and standards. Ensures assigned staff follow risk management procedures (i.e., abuse prevention, identification, and reporting procedures; accident prevention, etc.). Monitors and analyzes adult/participant ratio sheets to ensure proper staffing policies are enforced. Prepares work schedules for assigned staff to meet ratio and group size requirements. Ensures children/youth are appropriately supervised at all times. Develops policies, procedures and SOPs to support program goals. The full listing is posted at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/427019500 .
3. The Common Core Standards were adapted in North Carolina in 2010 and the State received $44 million to assist in its implementation. Statewide implementation took place in the 2012-2013 school year. As quickly as it came in, it is being phased out. With overwhelming distain expressed by parent throughout the state (personal observation), the 11-member state commission that has been assigned with reviewing and revising the use of the Common Core Standards so they are not repealed and perceived as a waste of time and money. Having witnessed this unfold in my home state, I would be interested in working with the national organization responsible for guiding states in the use of the Standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is an organization that makes information about the Standards available to parents and stakeholders. There website is http://www.corestandards.org/. I would like to work for this organization to investigate how each state applies Common Core Standards, communicate that information to parents in an honest, easy to understand manner, and provide policy makers with accurate data to support or refute the various applications of the Standards. In this investigative role, my goal would be to build a continuum of educational practices that the Standards were initially designed to maintain. While I am not necessarily a proponent of Common Core, by working at an organization such as Common Core State Standards Initiative, my work would have a national impact by building better practices in the states that have already adopted Common Core and by creating better educational practices that allow other states to apply the Standards.