•At least three deeply felt learning’s from this program

 I have learned so much as a student at Walden University that it seems awkward to narrow the experience down to three learning experiences. The first experience I would like to share is how confident I am as an adult educator because of my experience at Walden. The tools I have learned I will carry with me for a life time. I have learned more about eLearning, classroom management, effective teaching strategies and so much more.  I have confidence is my abilities to lead others in the field of early childhood education. I am thankful for the experience.

The second learning experience that has made a difference in my life is learning to recognize my biases. I think gaining a better understanding of why I am who I am and how I treat others is a powerful, growing experience. I love working with families from different cultures and backgrounds however before gaining a higher education I was probably more critical than I am now. I have learned the importance of acceptance. I have learned that I can keep my belief systems and still have an open mind. I now know how to incorporate all families into the classroom learning experience. I see the importance of everyone feeling accepted and seeing themselves in the early education classroom as well as the adult classrooms. Again, I feel blessed to have learned such valuable information.

The third eye-opener for me was exploring education across the country and world. Before my experience at Walden I had not looked beyond my own state or surrounding states. Now I have had the honor of researching programs across the country and worldwide. I have learned from programs that serve the needy, the homeless and disaster victims. My eyes were opened up to see how much early childhood cares about children and families beyond the classroom. The differences we can make are unbelievable.

•At least one long-term goal

One long term goal I have is to complete my Capstone project. I would like for all four year old children in Kelso-Longview to have access to high quality pre-kindergarten. When I chose the challenge I wanted to choose something I felt strongly about. I feel it is very important for children to get the right start in their education. I hope to see this come true in my area soon. The second long-term goal I have is to make it through my tenure process at Lower Columbia College. I was hired in January as full time ECE faculty. The process for tenure takes three years. I chose this as my long term goal because without my education at Walden I would not have the opportunity to be faculty. I love my job and I hope three years from now I can say the job is mine forever. The third long-term goal I have is to visit a needy area and support children and families. I am not sure where or when or even how. I will continue to pray about it and when God is ready to use me to help others in a bigger way he will let me know.

•A farewell message to your Instructor and colleagues

 I would like to thank everyone for their support over the quarters. I have truly enjoyed my experience at Walden. I have learned from the ups and downs. I have loved learning from the professors and the students. Thank you for the effort and hard work all of you have done to increase my learning experiences. I wish all of you the best of luck now and in the future.

Josie Zbaeren

Blog Assignment: Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Three international organizations or community of practice that appeal to me and why I chose them:

The first organization that sparked an interest for me is United Nations Children’s Fund.  The reason this particular organization interested me was because of the work they are doing for early education as well as equal education for boys and girls. “Education is a fundamental right and every girl and every boy are entitled to it,” (UNICEF, 2011). The United Nation’s Children’s Fund is an organization working to create a world where education is accessible to all.

The second organization I have an interest is Save the Children. Save the Children helps when disaster strikes. They help children in the U.S. and across the globe. They can provide food, medical care, shelter, schooling and other needs (Save the Children, 2013). I chose this organization because they take action when people need help. They help children and families when they feel life is too hard. I admire the work they do.

The third place I would like to learn more about for employment is an adoption agency. I have adopted a child through foster care and I would like to learn more about international adoptions / U.S. adoptions. I looked into American Adoptions.

Job Opportunities:

There are categories of employment through the United Nations Children’s Funds including International Professional, General Services, National Officer and Temporary Appointments. I could see myself applying for a temporary appointment for a new experience however I would wait until all of my children had graduated high school.

The job I would be most interested in for Save the Children is Education / Literacy / Child Development.  I am qualified with an undergraduate degree in Child Development / Psychology and (soon) a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education. I would also be willing to volunteer.

The job opportunities for American Adoptions include volunteer (foster care opportunities), Internships and Social Workers. I am not qualified for a social worker however it is still something I am interested in. I would be interested in foster care as well.

Skills and Experience:

The UNICEF requires all staff to have a degree from an accredited University.

They will not accept applicants that have received degree credits based on work experience (UNICEF, 2011). They also require work experience that is related to their line of work. They prefer that applicants speak languages recognized by the Untied Nations.

Save the Children uses a third party for hiring. I did not see their education requirements.  They help with education, medical needs, child development and humanitarian work (Save the Children 2013). I am sure a degree in a related field is required.

The employment skills for American Adoption include an education is social work, counseling and in business for the business side of the program. The current employees have a MBA, licensed Social Work and Counseling.

Josie Zbaeren

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

American Adoption Agency (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.americanadoptions.com/about_us/employment