Communities of Practice

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Looking at organizations, agencies, and communities of practice that operate in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, I have not been able to locate many that fit my goal or challenge. Instead, I have chosen one in Lebanon, one in the US, and one in the UK. The three I would like to share:

1.      Lebanese Association for Rehabilitation and Development (TAAHEEL). Taaheel is a Non-profit, Non-Governmental Organization in Lebanon.  Its mission is to develop the abilities in children and youth so they can succeed in school and life. The goals of TAAHEEL include addressing the needs of children who need counseling, rehabilitation, and therapy. Not only do TAAHEEL experts help children become active learners, they also collaborate with families to support the children’s various challenges through providing ongoing seminars to foster parents’ awareness about engaging in their children’s learning process and leading them towards self-sufficiency. The organization recruits and collaborates with educators, teachers, counselors, and school administrators to help achieve a successful outcome. TAAHEEL also provides professionals and families with updates on research findings in the field of education. The employment opportunity that interested me within this organization is related to teacher training and family counseling, which involves mentoring new teachers and providing information to families concerning their children various challenges. The responsibilities include increasing parents’ awareness of the way to approach social, behavioral, and learning problems of their children.

2.      Family Involvement Center. Their mission is to support families and professionals to foster the emotional, social, and academic wellbeing of children. What I like about this center is its approach toward raising awareness of the importance of family support and inspiring meaningful partnership between families and professionals. They partner with several institutes that offer training opportunities, educational workshops, seminars, and conferences for youth, families, and professionals. They also promote social networks of natural supports by connecting parents and youth within their community. Because it is family based, the center reflects the values and voices of families, which allows me to get a better understanding of family concerns. Employment opportunities in this organization include training specialists, which is something that I have a great interest in. The post involves educating and empowering families and directs them on how to effectively collaborate with school personnel and establish solid relationships.

3.      The UKFIET Forum for International Education and Training. This is an online proactive forum where universities, non-governmental organizations, consultancy groups and professional associations have a vast opportunity to share knowledge and expertise. This includes research, training, teaching, and providing advisory resource to policy makers and practitioners in government, development agencies and NGOs. Educators and parents can initiate and engage in ongoing discussions of international education and development topics.  The members are driven by their strong desire to increase interaction between events and conferences. This CoP allows for the diverse and wide community to express opinions, voice concerns, test ideas, and engage in debate.While this CoP does not have opportunities for employment, it does offer a venue to reach out to other individuals and organizations, and obtain advice from veteran teachers and experienced parents. For the purpose of professional development, UKFIET organizes various events on education and development issues. In addition to publicizing and publishing on current concerns, it provides a network of expertise for research and consultancy and sponsors international Conferences on education and development. UKFIET collaborates with national and international commissions and associations, such as UNESCO, and makes presentations to government and aid agencies on issues of common interest and concern. The membership constitutes professional experts, yet it is open to everyone with a passion for teaching and learning.