Leadership Matters

1
Leadership Matters

• Julie Brower

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What we know Education matters

• Directors level of formal education is a strong
  predictor of overall program quality. 1
• There is a positive relationship between the
  quality of administrative practices and quality
  of childrens learning environment in
  center-based programs. 2
• Directors with higher levels of education and
  specialized training in program administration
  are more likely to support the professional
  development of their teaching staff, secure and
  maintain program funding, and achieve center
  accreditation 3
• 1. Bloom, 1990, 1996 Cost, Quality, and Child
  Outcomes Study Team, 1995 Kagan Bowman, 1997
  Lower Cassidy. 2007 Phillips, et al., 2001
  Rohacek, Adams, Kisker, 2010 Vandell Wolfe,
  2000 Vu, Jeon, Howes, 2008 Washington, 2008
• 2. Dennis, 2010 Lower Cassidy, 2007 MCECL,
  2010 National Center for Children and Families,
  2008.
• 3. Boom, 1996 Bredekamp Willer, 1996 Fowler,
  Bloom, Talan, Beneke, Kelton, 2008 Iutcovich,
  Fiene, Johnson, Koppel, Langan, 1997MCECL,
  2008 Rous, Grove, Cox, Townley, Croumpoton,
  2008

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What we know- Most directors were
once teachers

• Approximately 90 of directors have been
  teachers, but only one-fifth report that they
  actively pursued an administrative position. 1
• Only 27 of directors state they were
  well-prepared for their administrative role.
  Over one-half of directors describe the
  transition into their new role as overwhelming. 2
  
• 1. Rafanello Bloom, 1997
• 2. MCECL, 2003

4
What we Know- the scope of the directors
responsibility is similar to an
elementary
principal

• Most states require that school principals hold a
  masters degree and an administrative certificate
  1
• The NAEYC identifies that best practice for
  program accreditation is that an administrator
  have a minimum of a bachelors degree with 24
  semester hours of specialized education in early
  childhood and 9 semester hours in administration.
  2
• Administrator qualifications are decreasing. In
  2001, 72 of the directors reported having a
  bachelor degree or higher, in 2008, only 66 of
  directors reported having a bachelors degree or
  higher 3
• 1. (hhtp//nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/
  cclr-directors.html).
• 2. NAEYC (www.naeyc.org).
• 3. Fowler, Bloom Talan. Beneke, Kelton, 2008
  Herzenberg, Price, Bradley, 2005

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What we know-Training makes a difference

• Directors with greater levels of administrative
  training report significant gains in their level
  of competence. Staff at their programs perceive
  the work climate to be more positive and
  productive.
• Bloom, 2010 Bella Bloom, 2003 Bloom Bella,
  2005 Bloom Sheerer, 1992 Mietilcki, 2010.

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What we know-Director credentials are linked
to more effective
administrative

• There are 24 states that define and recognize the
  administrative competency of center directors by
  issuing a director or administrator credential.
  In Most states the credential is voluntary. 1
• NAEYC recognizes 28 administrator credentials in
  its alternative pathway for meeting director
  qualifications for center accreditation. 2
• Directors holding a credential score
  significantly higher on measures of
  administrative quality and are more likely to
  have centers that are accredited by NAEYC.
• The credential level of the director is a
  predictor of classroom quality. 3
• 1. National Child Care Information Center
  Center (http//nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/pd-cred
  entials.html).
• 2. NAEYC (www.neayc.org0.
• 3. Lower Cassidy, 2007 Fowler, Bloom, Talan,
  Beneke, Kelton, 2008
• 4. Vu, Jeon, Howes, 2008

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Circle of Influence training

• Train the Trainers

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Identifying My Group

• Office for Young Children
• This agency promotes and improves the
  availability, affordability, and accessibility of
  quality early education and child care in a four
  county region.

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Directors group

• OYC supports a monthly meeting for area childcare
  directors
• I attended one of the meetings the end of
  September to tell the directors about myself. I
  told them about Taking Charge of Change/Train the
  Trainer and my project.

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Workshop Evaluation

• The most important thing I learned in this
  workshop about shared decision making and
  participative management is
• It was an eye opening experience and the entire
  content helped me to realize not to stay in a rut
  and to open up more to collaboration with staff
  members and parents
• I reflected on my style and I probably dont
  include others in my decisions-but I see that it
  is important and will try to change and do
  better- Already have!!
• Being thoughtful about the stakeholders. Giving
  teachers by in on decision making
• The importance of including staff when making
  decisions that are going to effect the daily
  operation

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I would like to learn more about

• How to motivate people and build staff morale
• How to handle or approach behind the scenes
  staff complaining and griping
• Staff getting along or gossip elimination
• How to better support and encourage teamwork
  building stronger relationships among my staff

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One new idea I hope to try out when I return to
my job is

• Asking more open-ended questions and using the
  finger voting system if its needed
• At the next staff meeting I am going to encourage
  staff to help set the agenda to make it more
  meaningful to them
• Meeting with the summer staff and plan together
• Survey staff and get their input on current
  procedure and what they would like to change

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The following suggestions might help strengthen
this workshop in the future

• More open discussion and participation
• A quick summary list to help remind us of key
  points in good leadership
• Get ideas from directors before hand regarding
  things that they struggle to get staff involved
  in and use these as examples during the training
• Comments on time the training was held and the
  room the training was held in.