Exploring Jobs in the ECE Community

at the National/Federal Level

I would love to be a faculty member, trainer, or coach for NCPMI. 

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) provides support and training for stage and local programs in implementing early childhood multi-tiered systems of support to improve the social, emotional, and behavior outcomes for young children with or at risk for developmental disabilities or delays.  The NCPMI focuses on reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation and fostering inclusion.

The opportunity to be a professor or research professor at the Positive Early Learning Experience Center (PELE) at the University of Denver would an amazing opportunity.  

The PELE Center is devoted to improving the social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes for young children with special needs.  The PELE researches child development, assists school in providing evidence-based practices in inclusive settings, work with local and state programs to adapt the Pyramid Model to expand high-quality inclusion and eliminate early childhood suspension and expulsion practices, and provide training opportunities for educators and families.

To be an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education at a university, such as the University of Maine, would provide the ideal opportunity to prepare future early childhood educators that will be teaching young children with and without disabilities.  

The above jobs offer amazing opportunities to be of service.  To be able to positively impact the lives of young children with and without disabilities, their families, and the educators that teach them would be an amazing opportunity. 

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Unfortunately, these jobs require a doctorate in Early Childhood, Early Childhood Special Education, or a related field.  Maybe some day... until then, I will continue to work with the school administrators, teachers, and service providers in my region to improve the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of the children with special needs that are served in inclusive classrooms and self-contained classrooms.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

Exploring Roles in Early Childhood Education: 

Local and State Levels

Position: Child Care & Early Childhood Education Faculty

Responsibilities: 

• Prepare and teach courses in the field of Early Childhood Education
• Serve as a mentor to students in the Child Care & Development program.

Requirements:

• Master's degree in Child Development or Early Childhood
• At least three years of work experience in an early childhood setting with young children and their families, or public school teaching experience in Pre-K - Grade 3 setting.

Personal Interest in Position:

• Provides opportunity to teach future early childhood educators.
• Provides opportunity to provide future EC educators the knowledge and skills necessary in developing safe, inclusive learning environments that nurture the social, emotional, physical, linguistic, and cognitive development of young children with and without disabilities.

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Position: Inclusion Consultant

Responsibilities: 

• Consultation with center-based staff, family child care providers and parents regarding provision of services to children with special needs.
• Ongoing discussion with and feedback to teachers regarding all areas of child’s development and attainment of specific IIP, IEP or IFSP goals or outcomes.
• Documentation of the child’s abilities and needs through observation of the child in a natural setting.
• Developing an individual program plan and curriculum adaptations as needed.  
• Model interventions to staff and parents.
• Support program in adapting equipment for child’s use in the program to increase success in all areas of curriculum.

Requirements:

• BS or Master’s degree in Early Childhood: Special Education or related field.
• Experience within child care program(s)
• Knowledge of early childhood, special education and experience in working with children with special needs and their families.  
• Communication skills, written and verbal.

Personal Interest in Position:

• Provides an opportunity to positively impact the lives of young children with disabilities and their families.
• Provides opportunity to ensure access to inclusive early childhood education that nurtures the development of young children with disabilities and their families.
• Provides opportunity to increase the number of inclusive child care centers in the community, state, and nationally.

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Position: Early Childhood Special Education Specialist

Responsibilities: 

• Provide professional development and services, develop products, and participate in special project activities in the area of early childhood education for students with disabilities.
• Develop, present, and facilitate effective professional development.
• Provide technical assistance and customized services.
• Develop products to support instruction and programming.
• Assist in planning and developing special project activities, e.g., grant proposals, interdepartmental services, demonstration sites, research studies, and other customer-based projects correlated with early childhood special education.

Requirements:

• BS or Master’s degree in Early Childhood: Special Education or related field.
• Three years in leadership position(s) related to early childhood education for students with disabilities.
• Five years teaching or related experience in early childhood for students with disabilities
• Experience in developing and presenting professional development
• Knowledge of instructional programming for early childhood students with disabilities including the use of assistive technology
• Broad-based knowledge of rules and regulations related to special education
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills

Personal Interest in Position:

• Even though this is very similar to my current position, this would provide me the opportunity to work with a team of specialists that are focused on providing high quality services to educators, families, and children.
• Provides opportunity to work with the school districts and community in providing high quality early childhood education for young children (birth to 5 years) with disabilities and special needs.