Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Researching communities of practice within the early childhood field locally, in state and nationally was fun for me and also very enlightening. This provided me with an opportunity to explore. compare and  contrast the different agencies, their services and the job opportunities that are available. I began my search locally with the Muskegon-Oceana Community Action Partnership, Inc. This agency provides a vast array of services to five different counties in west Michigan. This non-profit agency seeks to assist low-income to moderate-income families with services from clothing to home weatherization programs. This agency also has a head start program that offers head start services to fifteen different locations in Muskegon and Oceana County. I first became interested in this agency during my undergraduate years and contacted the CEO, Kenneth Shelton regarding a possible internship but I relocated and was unable to participate. I feel that this is a great resource that I can use in my current profession as well as in my future profession in the early childhood field.


Another agency that I have a relationship with currently is the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District (MAISD). The MAISD provides strong educational services to the Muskegon County and provides a few services to neighboring counties: Oceana, Ottawa and Newaygo counties. The MAISD is a great resource for educational services for the state of Michigan, especially Muskegon County. I have contacted this agency several times in order to best help teens that are having difficulties in school. The MAISD services children grades K-12 and also participates in many of the school and job fairs within the Muskegon Community. The website is:
Last, the third organization that piqued my interest is the Michigan Department of Education. Through the MDOE, I have learned about the Project Great Start. This program provides services to children from birth to age eight, to ensure that children receive the proper health, reach age appropriate development and reach age appropriate school readiness (http://www.michigan.gov/mde). This appealed to me as I am able to learn from a state level what is being required of the school systems and other child caring programs throughout this state.

Outside from becoming an entrepreneur with a child and family learning center, I also would like to create a non-profit similar to the Muskegon Oceana Community Action Partnership that helps all families who are in need in the Muskegon area. I also am becoming a teacher at a learning center as well as a hospital. Both jobs, one in Michigan at KinderKare and the other at the Children's Hospital in Boston, require previous experience in working with children, excellent communication skills (verbal and nonverbal), willingness to work with children and their families, and a minimum of a high school diploma is required. Both positions also require a college degree as well. For instance, a hospital teacher in Boston must possess a Bachelor in Early Childhood Studies and be certified by the department of early education and care certified.

References:

Michigan Department of Education. http://www.michigan.gov/mde

Muskegon-Oceana Community Action Partnerships. www.mocap1.org

Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. www.muskegon-isd.k12.mi.us