Thursday, December 4, 2014

Across the Ocean...International Opportunities

I must admit I found this assignment a little intimidating because of the scope of this project. I reviewed several sites and could not come to terms with applying for a position that was not located in my hometown. Then it hit me, that this is my time to dream and learn. What if I could just pick up everything and move to Paris while improving education for young children? I have now let go of being grounded and begun to dream.

I am currently with working with refugee children and families. I hear the stories of how they left their war-stricken countries and have been uprooted. They have left so much behind in hopes for a better future in the United States. I am eager to learn more about how to assist these families in transition and feel that the organization Save the Children would be an ideal agency to work for. I am intrigued by the Human Resources Generalist position posted on their site. I have a passion for HR work and creating positive work environments. This position would bring together many of my passions in the field. This position would require a BS with HR experience in recruiting, learning, compensation and HR practice. The applicant would need to be proficient in Office and ideally understand the Ceridian, SharePoint, and Cornerstone applications. I am familiar with none of them.

I also enjoyed reading about the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. I learned that this organization provides platforms for communication amongst teachers (NAECTE, 2014). I know it's hard for teachers to network with one another with ratio standards, but this venue may provide them with the platform they need. While the job positions that were posted appeared to be from a variety of local colleges and centers. One such position, Preschool Instructional Assistant, appealed to me and I meet the qualifications of the position which include possession of a BS in Education or higher degree as well as the ability to teach nature lessons regardless of weather.


My current position is with a local diversity center in which I work with families from all over the world. Upon reading about the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), I found they work to ensure ....They have a variety of positions available from temporary consultant work to secretarial and professional positions. Under professional opportunities, various sectors are listed. The Educational sector appealed to me as it entails working to ensure educational quality for all children across the globe, celebrating diversity and ensuring the protection of human rights. I see so many families come to the United States and listen to their stories of their lives in their home country. I believe a position such as this would permit me to grow in my knowledge and share my compassion for helping people. The position requires an advanced degree in education, or a variety of other specialties along with the ability to communicate fluently in English and or French with a working knowledge of the other language. There are experience levels indicated for various positions along with management experience (UNESCO, n.d.).


References

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (2014). Job opportunities. Retrieved from http://www.naecte.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29&Itemid=42

Save the Children. (2014). Careers. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6226565/k.BFEA/Working_at_Save_the_Children.htm

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (n.d.). UNESCO Careers. Retrieved from http://en.unesco.org/careers/professional

3 comments:

  1. Hi, Arlene.
    I have to admit that I found this exploration a bit intimidating as well. You are so right, it can be hard to imagine working outside of our little area - especially when you feel so dedicated to the work that you are already doing with the children in the area. As I started reaching out and searching for international organizations I found myself getting excited by all of the wonderful opportunities that I found! So many of the organizations are making incredibly impressive efforts to advocate for children's rights and education around the world. Save the Children is an organization that I was attracted to as well.

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  2. Arlene,
    I am glad you began to see the benefit of international opportunities after giving the assignment some thought. I think working international will make an early educational professional more experienced. A person who has seen the world usually sees things that are done a different way. This gives the professional time to appreciate what is already done in their own country or learn and bring backed shared knowledge from a different part of the world. Either way our children are better off with our own life experiences.

    Sherry

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  3. Arlene I can't imagine packing my life up and moving across the world however it would be a great experience! These are great organization you shared. What qualifications does an individual need to work with your organization?

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