Exploring National Possibilities in Early Childhood

Commonsense Media is a national non-profit organization based in San Francisco. The organization defines itself by the motto "We rate, educate, and advocate for kids, families, and schools".  I view them as a trusted source of reliable information about media and technology in the lives of young children and their families.

They are hiring! On their website, they have a lovely promotional video describing the work they do and the folks they like to recruit to join them in their mission. They boast that every day is different and passionate people looking to have a positive impact on the world are welcome to join their community. They are looking for a person to fill the position of development internship. The job requires event planning and production skills, ability to create power points and marketing materials, and research a donor base. They are seeking an individual who is multi capable (aren't we all?) and energetic. The job promises a flexible work schedule.

Although it sounds like they are looking for me, I would miss working directly with families. I love teaching.

The United States Department of Education needs all of us to elevate the voice of the early childhood teaching force in America. As it turns out, they too are hiring! They have several jobs listed on their website. The Education Program Specialist in the Office of Innovation and Improvement is one that caught my eye. The position is housed in the Parental Options and Information Office.

I am not cut out to be a federal employee. My heart aches for my colleagues who work at Head Start. They are buried under paperwork, regulations, and mandates to the point of madness. I would find myself extremely frustrated at the daily frantic pace of government work that seems to go nowhere at times. Nope, not for me.

I have been a member of the National Education Association (NEA) for as long as I have had my teaching license. I am proud to be one of the three million members of this teacher's union. The organization identifies their mission as "Great Public Schools for Every Child" and I applaud them. Great public schools are the foundation of our democracy.

I have been the Government Relations Chairwoman in my local Winona Education Association for years. My work takes me to the Capitol in Minnesota several times a year. I am comfortable in that arena and although I do not consider myself a lobbyist, I do lobby. The NEA has an opening for a lobbyist. The job is described as promoting public schools and public education through lobby efforts. It requires five years of experience, which I guess I have and asks applicants to be skillful in navigating public policy, writing, and a willingness to work evenings and weekends. Hmmm, maybe?