Commitment to Professionalism
Part 1
As an early childhood education leader, I am passionately committed to effective leadership because it helps foster a positive and inspiring culture for employees and high-quality experiences for students. Studies show that effective leadership is a critical issue because institutional leadership is presently an education policy priority across the globe (Berkovich & Eyal, 2020). Effective leadership will ensure the learning experience is smooth and accommodative for learners. Effective leadership is essential to teachers when advocating in society as it also promotes teachers’ emotional well-being. The assignment will describe the focus of my advocacy effects and creating my commitment to profession statement.
The Focus of My Advocacy
The focus of my advocacy is to propose why having effective leadership in a centre can benefit teachers and learners. The issue I would wish to address as an advocate is that learners fail to get the needed support and help at different centres because of poor leadership. Freeman, Decker & Decker (2018) affirm that every advocacy effort has to be personalized to meet a specific audience’s need for information on the issue one has identified and the role they could play to assist one reaching proposed solutions. Most public and private institutions do not produce the desired results because of poor leadership. Thus, I will offer strategies and research to persuade my audience of the importance of effective leadership in institutions. I will also partner with the State Department of Education to assist me in spreading my ideas across society.
One Individual Group
Freeman, Decker & Decker point out that one technique that helps ensure success is creating coalitions of networking and support with other groups or officials that share one’s course. Therefore, creating an alliance with a group or individuals to provide support and resources is part of effective advocacy. A group that I can contact is the California Department of Education. The rationale for choosing it is that the California Department of Education states, “California Department of Education sets guidelines and general rules for public school systems across the state, which include effective management and leadership, teacher qualifications and pay, and teaching requirements” (California Department of Education. (n.d.). Therefore, I believe this entity is more knowledgeable on the issue of effective leadership and its impact on the success of the learners and institutions at large.
Individual Advocacy Strategies
The strategies I will use to gain individual advocacy on the issue include using magazines or writing articles for local California newspapers. I will also use community mobilization to engage my colleagues, families, and the community by talking to them one-on-one on the issue. I will write persuasive and factual articles that will move teachers and parents toward supporting effective leadership in schools to improve learners’ education.
Collective Advocacy Strategies
Collective advocacy entails professionals working in unison on behalf of a group of people (Freeman, Decker & Decker, 2018). Thus, this type of advocacy will require a tremendous communal commitment to raise the concerns. The approach I would use to gain collective advocacy support is through the use of social media. I will use social media platforms like Facebook, where I will join the local district Facebook page and groups where people and teachers communicate vital concerns and issues that they have. I would gain support through such sites by sharing this idea in this group. I will also join the California Association of Teachers, a teacher group that advocates for education professionals. Since this group’s mission is to be the voice of educators in California, it would be the best place to get the necessary support for my advocacy (California Teachers Association, 2022). For instance, there was a time when the group discussed the goals and qualities that they wished a new manager in a school should have and emphasized the need for effective leadership. Thus, this would be an excellent platform to gain collective support.
Two Talking Points
The two talking points on this issue that I can argue concerning this advocacy are; first, effective leadership motivates and inspires other employees to accomplish a common goal. Thus, an effective leader should be a risk taker, creative, and innovative to ensure an institution thrives (Freeman, Decker & Decker, 2018). With such skills, effective leaders will enhance collaboration and teamwork, strengthening combined efforts toward supporting learners. Secondly, effective leadership in schools can assist in fostering a positive and inspiring culture for teachers and a first-class experience for students and improve their performance. As a result, leaders at all levels within schools can work collaboratively to contribute to learners’ success and improved performance by developing the top talents required by the school leaders. In the long run, effective leadership would foster good behaviour, emotional well-being among teachers, and improved academic performance among learners.
Part II
How to Advocate on Behalf of Others
The NAEYC (2017) states, “the early years of a kid’s life are the most important time for learning, and right now is a vital time for us to support the future of our kids, our workforce, and our country. So our unified, diverse, distinctive, and collective voices are strong and powerful” (13.2). Therefore, teachers must speak out on the significance of education and provide partners and policymakers with opportunities and information so that kids are the first on their schedules. Consequently, as a teacher, I will advocate on behalf of the profession, families, and children by narrating my early childhood education story. I will post this story on Salisbury for publication. Secondly, I will seek collective support from California State Board of Education officials to express my proposal to them so they can advise appropriately. Lastly, I will join the California Association of Teachers because the group empowers educators to be better advocates for the education profession.
How I Will Support My Advocacy
I will support the development of future experts and leaders in the education frilled by first gaining the support of parents and community members. Gaining the support of society will help me strongly raise my concerns to the community for future tutors to see whatever I am trying to achieve. Secondly, I will provide people, parents, families, and educators with tools and resources, such as publications. These publications will entail all that is required to be an influential leader in the education discipline. The most critical aspect to remember is that learners view teachers as role models. Therefore, I will help teachers reveal their inner leadership styles so that they are suitable role models for learners. Lastly, I will encourage new teachers and educators to join the unions, especially the California Association of Teachers, as this group will assist me in finding the inner voice and support to become a strong advocate in the education realm.
Skills to Support the Field Away From Unskilled Workers towards Paradigm Professionals
Freedman, Decker & Decker (2018) affirm that as the field shifts towards increased professionalism, it is vital that program administrators and leaders within the field are active in entities that support their determination to remain engaged and informed professionals. As such, my efforts will help the education field by drifting away from unqualified employees towards model experts by setting high standards and expectations for leaders, students, and staff. Setting high standards and expectations for leaders will ensure quality education because the leaders will also set higher standards and expectations for employees, who will also develop higher standards for learners fostering improved performance and overall success of the institution. Influential leaders will ensure the incoming staff and leaders in the education field have more advanced degrees than the needed credentials. These employees will then work collaboratively with learners to help improve their performance and grades. Once they graduate, they can smoothly transition to college to acquire a degree in their desired careers. Most importantly, staff members will be mandated to join the California Association of Educators to assist them in being successful tutors and influential leaders.
References
Berkovich, I., & Eyal, O. (2020). A model of emotional leadership in schools: Effective leadership to support teachers’ emotional wellness. Routledge.
California Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.cde.ca.gov/
California Teachers Association. (2022, November 2). Home. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.cta.org/.
Freeman, N. K., Decker, C. A., & Decker, J. R. (2018). Planning and administering early childhood programs (11th ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
NAEYC. (2017, February 01). What can you do to support and advocate for children, families, and educators? Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/support-and-advocate.
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Question 
As leaders in early childhood education, we are in the unique position of creating partnerships with the community, organizations, and local government in an effort to promote the needs of the children we are serving. Through a program’s daily operation, we are witnesses to the specific issues that are facing the children, families, and community in which we work. When we highlight and broadcast these issues and advocate for a community’s needs, we are also advocating for increased awareness of the value and professionalism of the field of early childhood education. When we participate in advocating in our field we are further demonstrating that we are professionals that deserve to be valued and respected.
Commitment to Professionalism
After reading the week’s text, write a reflection in two parts:
Part I
Identify the focus of your advocacy efforts and give an example of an issue you would like to address as an advocate.
Identify one individual or group (local policy maker, state-level legislator, corporate leader, etc.) that you can contact for support of your issue and provide a rationale for choosing this individual/group.
Describe the strategies you would use to gain the support needed for this issue through individual advocacy.
Describe the strategies you would use to attract the support needed for this issue through collective advocacy.
Create two talking points (as discussed in Chapter 13) using one concrete example (refer to the key term in the chapter reading for a precise definition) for each point to demonstrate the importance of the issue.
These talking points should be appropriate to use when talking to legislators or the media about the issue for which you are advocating.
Part II
Create a Commitment to the Profession Statement. Remember, this is a draft that will continually be revised and modified as new information is acquired. Address the following:
Describe how you will advocate on behalf of young children, their families, and the profession.
Describe how you will support the development of future practitioners and leaders in the field.
Refer to Figure 13.1 “A Professional Continuum” and describe how your efforts will support the field away from unskilled workers and toward paradigm professionals.
The Commitment to Professionalism paper
Must be at least two double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing CenterLinks to an external site..
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Use the text and two outside sources to support your responses.
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Writing Center.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center.