One National Organization which appealed to me was actually suggested to me by a classmate. The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. I like this organization as it focuses directly on the support and issues relevant to the early childhood educator. The association also offers grants and awards to educators which appreciates the contributions of educators. There is also a link to job announcements.

                I have always loved the organization Zero to Three. This site may not appear to directly support my goal of teacher compensation and retention however it does at its heart, by highlighting the great importance of the early years on a child’s development it shows the importance of caring and professional teachers who impact young children.

                While not an organization of my own state the Texas Early Learning Council was suggested by a classmate as a link to a community of practice who had put together a Mentorship Program Toolkit. I am sure this will be useful to me as I develop my project and will be a great resource for ideas.

                One national job opportunity that appealed to me was Assistant Professor at a University in Washington which caught my eye as I happen to be vacationing there right now, this positon requires a Doctorate in Early Childhood Education, experience in preschool, birth to three and collaborating skills.

                Another position of interest was CEO/President of Community Services for Children. This organization provides leadership for Head Start Programs. This position preferred Non- profit experience and a Masters Degree.

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. (2015). Our purpose. Retrieved from  http://www.naecte.org/

ZERO TO THREE. (2014). Our Mission. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

Texas Early Learning Council. (n.d.) Professional Mentoring and Coaching Toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.earlylearningtexas.org/mentoring-toolkit.aspx

One local organization that I found appealing was the Colorado Department of Education. http://www.cde.state.co.us/  I explored this site as I considered my community of practice and felt it mirrored some of my missions such as better compensation for preschool teachers. The site also offered insight to job opportunities in the field as well as links to local early childhood organizations.

                The second local organization I explored is the Office of Early Childhood. http://www.coloradoofficeofearlychildhood.com/#!ec-resources--partner-organizations/cfat

This page was of interest to me as it touched on many topics and resources which could positively impact young children such as socio/emotional mental health, nutrition and links to early childhood councils

I also chose to look even more locally and explored the Denver Early Childhood Council.

http://denverearlychildhood.org/ this page had great links to training and opportunities for professional development. An extensive resource library and opportunities for community involvement.

                When exploring job opportunities a position that appealed to me was a Quality Assurance Inspector. This position is one in which I could impact young children by ensuring their school environment met health, safety and educational standards of excellence. This position requires a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Education or a related field. Preferred qualities include prior experience as an early childhood educator as a teacher or administrator and knowledge of best practice.

                The second position which appealed to me was an Assistant or associate Professor in Child, Family and School Psychology at the University of Denver. This position requires a Doctoral Degree in education, psychology or a related field and at least 12 years’ experience working in an educational setting. Preferred experience includes an educational or psychology licensure and accreditation.

                The third position of inters was an Education Support Specialist. This position required a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in early childhood or education or related field. Preferred experience includes a knowledge project management and leadership skills.