Job Opportunities in Early Childhood

Opportunities in Communities of Practice

            I am excited about the opportunities that will be afforded me once my degree program is completed.  One opportunity is to become a preschool director.  A position just opened in Hanover County, VA for a Head Start Preschool Director (Hanover County Public Schools, 2013).  I am hoping that I can be considered for this position.  The qualifications include a teacher’s license, a master’s degree in early childhood with a specialization in Administration and Supervision, recent successful experience as an early childhood teacher or experience as an administrator.  Because I have been the Education and Disabilities Coordinator for nine years and for one and a half years acted as the Director where I am currently working, I am excited about the prospect.   It would also shorten my commute which my family would appreciate.

            Another opportunity is to teach at a community college, a college, or at an online university.  A Master’s Degree is required to teach at the college level.  Some online universities require a Doctorate to teach, but Averett University only requires a Master’s Degree for some classes.  I could also teach evening classes at University of Richmond (2013) or Virginia Commonwealth University (2013).  At this time there are no openings in the areas of administration or education at the community college or college level closest to where I live.  I am working on my résumé to include all of the activities in which I have experience.

            A third opportunity is to become a mentor for the Virginia Star Quality Initiative (Virginia Star Quality Initiative Mentor Toolkit, 2012).  To be considered for this job, a person has to have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in early childhood, be certified in CLASS observation tool and ECKERS, have at least five years of experience in early childhood education, and have good interpersonal skills to help guide the practice of teachers and teacher’s assistants.  Our program has been through ratings twice, and I am currently the chair of our local Smart Beginnings Program.  These skills give me experience and a working knowledge of the Virginia Star Quality Initiative.

References

Hanover County Public Schools (2013, September 11). Retrieved from

                http://hanover.k12.va.us/human_resource/vacancy%20flyers/Coordinator%20Federal%20Progr

                ams%20(2).pdf

University of Richmond (UR) (2013). Retrieved from  http://education.richmond.edu/faculty/index.html

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) (2013). Retrieved from

                http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/facjobs/facjobNew.asp?Item=5193

Virginia Star Quality Initiative (VSQI) (2012). Virginia Star Quality Initiative Mentor Toolkit.  Retrieved

                from http://www.smartbeginnings.org/Portals/5/PDFs/VSQI/Mentor_Toolkit