Time Well Spent

 Time Well Spent!

    About three years ago, I became aware that I was in a situation with my employer that caused me to not be able to move up in my career because I did not have the qualification that upper management had. The only qualification that I was missing was a degree in early childhood education. This was the moment I realized I needed to achieve a master’s degree. I was scared that I did not have what it takes to complete a master’s degree. However, my determination to be successfully encouraged me to make a phone call to Walden University. I am thankful for the kindness I received from the customer service representative. It influenced my decision to pursue a degree. Overall, the choice I made to complete a master’s degree has made me a better person and a better childcare provider. Trust me, the last six months have been a struggle for me. There where days I felt like quitting because the combination of life, career and school where overwhelming. However, my passion for my career and my support circle kept me focused on the prize.

    I have several deeply felt learnings that I have obtained from this program. I now feel more deeply about providing a high-quality service to the children in my care. I was not aware of everything that it took to provide a high-quality service.

    First of all, I now have a better understanding of funding for a program. Many funding sources set aside money for the specific propose of supporting an early childhood program. Funding can be provided in a lump sum or in stages to support an early childhood program. I am currently employed by the United States Navy Child and Youth Program. I now have a deeper understanding of the funds that come from the parents and the Navy that provide for my program. According to Planning and Administering Early Childhood Programs, “All organizations that receive public  monies must comply with federal regulations addressing issues such as fiscal accountability and nondiscriminatory practices. It is also essential to be informed about required  documentation, to stay up-to-date with required record-keeping, and to submit accurate  and complete reports on time. “ (Freeman, Decker & Decker, 2017, pg. 201). I now understanding the importance of keeping accurate documentation that will need to be submitted for inspection proposes.

    Secondly, a deep-felt learning that I have gained from this program is the importance of supporting staff in their effort to pursue their career in early childhood. Many lower-level childcare workers who are assistants that want to become lead teachers in a program do not have the income to that will allow them to purse their career. I believe it is vital that childcare facilities offer some sort of education reimbursement program. My employer provides a reimbursement program for all staff that wish to purse their education. The only requirement is a commitment to stay with the program for at least a year and half after the semester.

    Finally, I feel very deeply about making sure my staff feel ownership in regard to the program. I truly believe that if you encourage a staff member to produce their vision into the program while following the mission of the program outstanding results will be produced. It is important that staff feel appreciated in their efforts. I never want my staff member to not feel appreciated. During this program when I read the term “ownership” it resonated with me deeply. When I feel appreciated and I feel as though something is valuable to me, I work harder. Encouraging a sense of ownership will provide staff with an appreciation for their own efforts.

 

 

 

    Prior to participating in this program my biggest goal was to achieve a job position that is higher than my current. I achieved this goal last week when I accepted a Youth Director position in California. I am very excited about this new opportunity. Now my goal is to use the information I have gained in this program and use my twenty years of experience to be confident in my ability to be a successful Youth Director.

 

To my colleagues,

Thank you for taking this journey with me. I have enjoyed our discussions and your blogs. I wish you all the best of luck in your careers in the early childhood profession. I encourage you to always find the highlight of the day. Somedays will be tough but I promise you everyday a child shines light into our lives. I will think of all of you next weekend when I am celebrating in Paris!

Best Wishes,

                                                         Channette.ingram@gmail.com

Dear Dr. Rosalie Parrish,

I wish I was able to shake your hand and the hand of the previous instructors that I have had. I appreciate the time you all have taken to teach us and guide us through this program. You have guided us towards a positive direction in our lives and I am thankful. Thank you for the weekly encouraging emails.

 

References

Freeman, N. K., Decker, C. A., & Decker, J. R. (2017). Planning and administering early childhood programs (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.