By: Erin DelRegno
When becoming director of a child care center for the first time, you have many different thoughts and feelings. If you are already familiar with the program and staff because you worked there as a teacher, maybe you will feel completely ready. I was a Pre-K teacher in a childcare center, moving into an Education Manager position within a Head Start program. So, although I was excited, I was also very nervous. I knew many of the teachers I would be supervising had worked at these centers for a very long time; I’m sure they weren’t sure what to expect from this new person coming in. I also knew the large number of classrooms and staff I would be working with and was worried about prioritizing my time and being able to manage it all.
Regardless of what you are thinking or how you are feeling, this is still a new position for you and I know you are preparing and hoping to do the absolute best you can for the program, teachers, children, and families. As you get started on this new journey, I’ve included some tips below based on things I learned during my years as a director. I hope they help you to be successful and make a positive impact in your program.
There is nothing wrong with how you are feeling.
Anytime there is a big change
,
and everything is new, you are not go
i
ng to be completely comfortable.
You
need to
get your feet wet first so you can become more familiar with the position and the program you are working for
. Putting yourself out there is the only way to
gain new exper
ience.
Take it one day
,
and one task
,
at a time
.
I remember my first day; I was shown my office (
a
literal closet) and was told to read through these two huge binders about the
organization/
program and to go through stuff in the office. The desk, shelves, and floor were
filled and
stacked with binders, documents, etc. just thrown everywhere
(I could only get to my chair)
. So, I know firsthand that i
t c
an seem overwhelming at first
, but just like with everything else,
you will work through it
, and t
he more you do it the more natural it will become.
Ask for help.
Don’t be afraid to q
uestion what you don’t know
and
are confused about
, and let others know when you need support
.
No matter how much experience y
o
u
have, you
are new
to this position
and
are still learning
the ins-and-outs
and expectations
of th
is
center
and
organization.
Get to know
your staff
.
They are more than a name,
more than a classroom number,
more than
just
a
teacher you supervise
. Just as
you encourage
teachers to build positive relationships with
the
children
and families
they work with, it is just as important to do
this
with the teachers you are working with. This is
key and is
the foundation for everything else
you will do as a director.
Be respectful of your staff and others you work with.
I say the same thing when I talk to teachers; if you want
the children to be respectful of you
, you
need
to
giv
e the same
respect in return.
You are modeling for
your staff
and should
treat them the way you want to be treated
.
If you are disrespectful towards them (
i.e.
don’t
listen
to them,
boss them around, speak down to them or yell at them
,
etc.)
, that will filter down and
might
be
how they end up being
towards their coworkers, families,
or
the children.
Would you want to work very hard for someone that treated you poorly?
Do not go in there thinking you know everything
.
Don’t forget that the teachers you
’re
working with
also
have
knowledge and
experience
working
w
ith
young
children. I
saw
a former teacher
go
into
a
program as a new
direct
or; they had
so much
to
offer
. H
owever,
the
y immediately went in telling everyone what to do, how to do it, and it could only be done their way. This result
ed
in
confusion
,
b
acklash
from staff
,
extra stress
on everyone, and
only
lasting
a few months
as a director
.
Get to know the program first and w
ork on improving areas that are needed
,
not just
things you don’t like
or
wouldn’t have done in your
class
room.
Every classroom will be different.
Don’t expect every classroom to look the same or every teacher to do things in the same way. The same program expectations and outcomes can be achieved in a variety of ways. All teachers are unique, and they come up with some great ideas that others wouldn’t have thought of. Embrace their differences and their individual strengths; they can all be useful within your program.
You are
part of a team.
In
He
ad
S
tart
we had
different departments (health, family service,
etc.
)
. Other programs are smaller but maybe have a Pre-K Counts classroom
in the building
.
You are all a part of one program and are working towards the same goals for the children and families;
regardless of
the
funding
source
.
Don’t look at yourselves as separate pieces that shouldn’t interact with each other; work together as one cohesive group. This creates a positive work environment and camaraderie among all staff. You are all in this together!
Delegate
.
I
have to
be
honest;
I am
not good
at this
.
It would always be one of my goals for the following year. I
continue to work on this
,
and
highly urge you
to
do this
as well
.
This will not only h
elp your stress level and
prevent
burnout;
it will empower
your team members to take on
other
responsibilities
and develop new skills. Go over what is needed and check-in but t
rust
them to
do the task
. Just make sure not to overload
them; no one should take on too much at one time.
Your office may seem like an assembl
y line.
Your staff
will
come to you with questions, concerns, and ideas
.
This can be
overwhelming at times
because they always seem to need you for something,
but th
at shows
that
they respect you, trust you,
and
know
you
are there to support them
.
That is a great thing
.
W
hat
does
it say if staff never go to their director
?
Make time for them, b
e a good listener
, and
get them involved when there is a problem.
H
ave them be a part of the discussion and encourage them to
think of
possible solutions
.
Seek input from your staff
.
It is important that your teachers feel they have a voice and that their thoughts and ideas matter
.
Remember you’re a team
and they should be sharing in the decision-making process
–
They are the ones working more closely with the children and families every day.
I
f
they get to
be a
part of the
se
discussion
s
,
they will then understand the purpose of a change and the benefit it will have to their daily work. This will in turn lead to employee buy-in
, which is the only way any
meaningful
change will last.
Provide honest, specific, and objective feedback.
This may
happen
after you observe in a classroom or just during an informal conversation but should
occur
on a regular basis. You want to run a quality program for children and families and need to assure that teachers are always using best practices.
If an employee does need to improve in an area or is not following a program expectation you
must
address this. It may be uncomfortable but
giving constructive feedback and developing an action plan together promotes their professional growth.
Take pride in what you do.
If you are enthusiastic and passionate about what you do, then you will get your staff excited and energized about what they are doing
with the children
in the
ir
classrooms. If you are only there for the paycheck, it shows and will rub off on your staff. You are a model for them; they will care and work hard if that is what they see you do.
Always focus on boosting staff morale.
Working in an early care classroom is rewarding but also very demanding. When teachers
are happy
, they will give their best
and be effective in their work with children
.
Show your appreciation and acknowledge their efforts and hard work. A little can go a long way;
make them a snack or buy them lunch, give them
birthday
cards, plan staff outings, play games, you and other
s
can write recognition notes about specific things they did
,
etc. There is so much you can do; just know this needs to be consistent and sincere. Make them feel valued; it will make a big difference.
Your role as a director may be different than you are used to but know how important you are to a program. You will have numerous responsibilities and it can be hectic at times; you are keeping track of the entire center (or multiple centers), there will be a lot of paperwork, budgeting, training, scheduling, etc. But you will also become more comfortable speaking in front of groups, your communication and professionalism skills will grow as you interact with a variety of people, and your confidence in being a leader and making tough decisions will build.
I was not sure about moving from a teaching position to becoming a director and working more closely with adults instead of children. But you know, sometimes an opportunity presents itself and it ends up putting you exactly where you’re supposed to be. Embrace and enjoy this new position. Have fun with your staff and keep moving forward; you will find your stride.
Additional resources:
NAEYC – What Does It Mean to Be a Director
Self-Assessment for Administrators of Child Care Programs