Course Goals
In reading the course description for Dynamics of Early Childhood Policies and Systems I found myself agreeing with the generalization that "early childhood professionals see the policy-making arena as an alien world, one in which they feel ill at ease and unequipped to participate" (The Finance Project,2013). This statement describes my exact feelings in regards to the policy-making arena of early childhood.
Therefore, my first goal for this course is to become a better "policy-oriented communicator" so that I will not feel "ill at ease" or "unequipped" to join in creating policies for the early childhood field which will provide families and young children with more comprehensive high quality services.
My second goal is learn how I can advocate locally more. While I am a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and I participate in their contact your State Legislator and other projects I have yet to determine how I can make more of a positive impact locally. I have recently joined the Southern Kentucky Association for the Education of Young Children (SKYAEYC) I am still trying to determine how to advocate more locally. I believe it is important to advocate both at the National level as well as at the local level. In the past 10 years I have seen the views regarding Early Childhood change dramatically with more governmental support and with more Colleges and Universities offering Early Childhood Degrees. I hope to be a part of the continuing positive change in the Early Childhood Field.
The third goal I have for this course is to learn more about Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS). While I am familiar with them somewhat as our local Head Start / Early Head Start program of course was participating in this program I would like to learn about how it works and how it impacts early childhood programs.
The last goal I have is to be able to put everything that I learn in this course into action in my professional career as an Early Childhood Professional so that I can have a positive impact on the early childhood services needed for young children and families.
