HOW

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HOWS THE WEATHER IN YOUR CENTRE?
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SINGING IN THE RAIN ICEBREAKER

• With your tablemates, list as many song titles as
  you can think of that include weather-related
  words.

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Goals and objectives

• Understand the different dimensions that
  contribute to a centres work climate
• Recognize that perceptions vary depending on a
  persons role, deeply held values, and previous
  experiences
• Learn how to gather data to measure and monitor a
  centres organizational climate

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• Implement practical strategies for creating a
  great place to work
• Appreciate the unique and important role that
  directors play to ensure success

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• Each child care program has its own distinct
  personality and characteristics
• This personality/characteristics affect the
  quality of work life for staff
• This distinct atmosphere is defined as an
  organizational climate

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• Just like the weather, the climate of our program
  influences our feelings, our behaviors, how
  comfortable we feel in expressing our emotions
• These impact our relationships and the quality of
  our work!

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So, HOWS THE WEATHER IN YOUR CENTRE?
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tasK Assessing current conditions

• Weather metaphors are a helpful way to think
  about organizational climate
• Use Handout 2 to assess the current conditions of
  your program. Once you have finished doing this,
  use your weather related picture card and find
  your similar weather picture partner.
• Once you have found your partner, share your
  weather description and a few reasons why you
  selected those conditions for your program.

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ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE IS..

• The collective perceptions of staff about the
  quality of work life in a particular setting
• Different from job satisfaction
• Shaped by the personalities (attitudes, beliefs,
  values, perceptions) that come together and the
  leadership that guides them

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• When people work together, they effect each other
  and their environment
• Job descriptions may define job roles, but
  individuals shape these roles depending on their
  skills, knowledge and abilities
• At the same time, peoples attitudes and
  behaviors are shaped by the environment in which
  they work

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• This pattern of relationships is called the
  Social Ecological Model because it stresses the
  interactive nature between people and their
  environment

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School climate is much like the air we breathe
it tends to go unnoticed until something is
seriously wrong.- h. Jerome freiberg -
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Why is climate so important?

• Affects staff morale
• Impacts program quality
• Inspires commitment to organization thereby
  reducing staff turnover
• Develops positive relationships
• Teachers and administrators demonstrate all too
  well a capacity to either enrich or diminish one
  anothers lives and thereby enrich or diminish
  their program.

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COMMON CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

• SUPERVISORS ARE LIKE BAROMETERS!

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• Supervisors constantly assess fluctuations in
  their organizational climate, and work to make
  adaptations as necessary.
• One of the richest sources of informal data you
  have is concerns expressed by staff.
• TASK Write down the most common complaints that
  you hear from teachers and support staff.

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Common concerns and complaints

• Complaints from staff are usually not isolated
  problems. They are often symptoms of deeper
  centrewide issues. (example staff complaining
  that she does all the cleaning)
• Challenge is not to misdiagnose situation and
  merely treat symptoms of problem.

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Ten dimensions of organizational climate

• COLLEGIALITY people are social.
• We all need to feel that others care about us and
  our welfare
• Emotional support is a powerful force!
• TASK ON COLLEGIALITY

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PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

• Research has found that when professional
  development is a high priority, teachers engage
  in frequent, and continuous talk about teaching
  practices
• It should also be recognized as an important
  ingredient in a satisfying professional life.
• TASK PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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SUPERVISOR SUPPORT

• One of the most important ingredients supporting
  high quality is consistent and facilitative
  supervision
• In studies of different industries, about
  one-fourth of employees cite a lack of
  appreciation by their supervisor as their reason
  for leaving their jobs

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• Need more than just recognition or a pat on the
  back need open and regular feedback (not just
  at performance appraisal time!)
• Type of support provided should vary according to
  the developmental level of the teacher

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• ASK YOURSELF
• Do I have the pulse of what is going on in each
  classroom and the particular challenges the
  teachers face?
• Do the teachers seek out my opinion when
  challenges occur in their classroom?
• Does my supervisory style cultivate a culture of
  helpfulness?

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clarity

• Every early childhood program operates with a
  complex network of roles, relationships and
  expectations so the way policies and procedures
  are defined and carried out will influence the
  programs effectiveness and reduce staff tension
• Examples lack of clear job descriptions, job
  title and pay differences

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• Study of programs across the United States using
  the PAS found
• More than one-half of programs do not have
  performance appraisals linked by role to specific
  job responsibilities
• In many programs, staff work without a written
  contract
• Number of staff meetings held was related to
  employees positive or negative work attitudes

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• Communication should be consistent and clear
• Information flows both vertically (to and from
  Supervisor and staff) and horizontally (among
  employees)
• Policies and procedures / regulations must be
  updated regularly to meet the changing needs
• TASK HOW CLEAR ARE YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES?

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REWARD SYSTEM
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Reward system