Project: Researching a Position in the Early Childhood Field
For this Project, you will need to choose one job that truly interests you. It can be one of the jobs you chose to learn about through your informational interviews, the job you wrote about in this week’s Discussion, or an entirely different job, possibly inspired by insights shared by your colleagues.
To complete this week’s assignment, choose the profession/job you are interested in learning about and write your paper according the following guidelines:
Section I: Introduction—Begin your paper by stating the title of the job you will be focusing on and provide a job description.
Section II: Essentials—S ummarize the following:
The education and experience you would need to qualify for this position
Expected average salary
Opportunities this job offers to positively impact the lives of young children and their families and to contribute to the field of early childhood/child development
Possible challenges as well as high points of a career in this job position.
Cite at least three sources in APA style for this information. (If applicable, one of your sources can be the informational interview you conducted.)
*Refer to the Walden Writing Center (http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/APA.htm) for help with APA style.
Section III: Conclusion—E xplain why this job appeals to you, i.e., how it aligns with your philosophy, specific theories of child development, principles of effective early childhood practice, and/or methods of working with young children and their families learned throughout the program. Also include the contribution(s) this position will help you make to the field and the ways in which it will help you grow personally and professionally.
Assignment length: 2–3 pages
Learning Resources
Required Resources
Media: Review the “Looking to the Future: Your Career in Child Development” video segments.
Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload Audio
Use the following resources to broaden your awareness of the range of jobs in the early childhood field and to decide on which job you are going to focus. (Note: These sources/Web sites are highly recommended, but you may also find other resources on your own).
Document: Early Childhood Practitioner’s Professional Pathway in Oklahoma
From: Morrison, G. S. (2007). Early childhood education today (10th ed., p. 9). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Reprinted by permission from Center of Early Childhood Professional Development, College of Continuing Educ., Univ. of Oklahoma
Web Site: Vocational Information Center: Early Childcare and Education Career Guide
http://www.khake.com/page15.html
Scan the titles listed under Child Care and Education Career Descriptions. Click the links to review at least five positions of interest to you. Note that the Web site below may be accessed from this site by clicking “Careers with Children” (eighth line in the first column).
Web Site: Personnel Improvement Center: Career Development
http://www.personnelcenter.org/choose.cfm
Web Site: NAEYC: Job Seekers
http://www.naeyc.org/about/careerforum/jobseekers
Web Site: Child Care Exchange: Employment Opportunities
http://www.childcareexchange.com/jobs/
Note: Though this Web site is based in Illinois, there are many jobs listed here that pertain to all states.
Web Site: Gateways to Opportunities
http://www.ilgateways.com/en/career-opportunities-and-job-links
Search Google to find out whether your state has a professional development plan. Type “career lattice early childhood education” or “career ladder early childhood education” AND the name of your state.
Optional Resources
Course Text: Bolles, R. N. (2018). What color is your parachute? A practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers (2018 ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
“The Flower Exercise” (pp. 125-197)
This section of the book is written to help you discern what job is right for you. You may find all or parts of this helpful on the journey toward personal and professional fulfillment in your career.
