Sharing Web Resources
The resource that I have been researching is The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).
http://www.nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php
There were several outside links that NIEER took me to: The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, NAEYC, The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), and Rand.
I explored the link to The National Education Policy Center (NEPC) which produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Their belief is that public education is strengthened when policies are based on sound evidence (NEPC, 2014, p.1). This organization has many articles, policy briefs, and think tank reviews. I was intrigued by the think tank reviews which are academically rigorous reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of selected publications. The expert assessments provide the public policymakers, and the press with the information needed to make informed judgments about the value of the conclusions drawn, and recommendations made in the reviewed reports (NEPC, 2014, p. 1). One article in the think tank review explained how Hispanic children have the largest achievement gap at kindergarten entry. Hispanic children have least access to preschool education because of limited access to public programs, inadequate outreach, and few dual language programs (Barnett, 2013, p. 3). A dual language Pre-k is critical to young children as bilingualism has cognitive, economic, and social benefits. The US must increase access to high quality Pre-k, especially Pre-k that meets the needs of young Hispanic children (Barnett, 2013, p. 5).
I also receive Preschool Matters...Today which is the NIEER blog. The blog that I received on February 10, 2014, states that all levels of government will have to increase their support for young children and families, including the federal government which can best lead the way by priming the pump-providing financial support and incentives that encourage and enable state and local governments to develop sustainable quality programs (Barnett, 2014, p. 1). Educational failure and inequality that plaques the country begins in children's experiences before they actually enter kindergarten. The need for quality early education is clearly greater than the funding we receive.
The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, http://www.fpg.unc.edu, is another excellent link to explore issues such as developmental disabilities, diversity, early care and education, physical and social health, international initiative, professional development, and public policy.
Other issues and trends that I found interesting is the debate about universal Pre-k.
Barnett, S. (2013). Young Hispanic children: Early learning needs and opportunities.
National Education Policy Center. Retrieved from,
http://www.nieer.org/resources/mewsletter/index.php
The National Education Policy Center. (2014). Think tank review. Retrieved from,
http://www.nepc.colorado.edu/think-tank-reviews
Friday, February 14, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 2
I emailed Eric Atmore who is an Associate Professor of The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in Africa and asked if he had any thoughts with regards to issues that are related to excellence and equity in the early childhood field, and this is his response:
Eric Atmore wrote, (personal communication, January 7, 2014), on excellence there is a global tendency that "poor children" must make do with "whatever they get" which is most often second class. Every child irrespective of socio-economic status deserves the best, so whilst excellence is relative, poor children also deserve excellence. On equity in the ECD field in Africa, our experience is that ECD opportunities, facilities and programs are not equitable (I doubt that they are anywhere in the world). African children generally get poorer quality nutrition, less appropriate learning opportunities and certainly less resources for education in general and ECD specifically.
"The majority of young children in South Africa have been negatively impacted by a range of social and economic inequalities" (Atmore, 2012, p. 1). As Mr. Atmore stated in his reply above, because of the inequalities and lack of excellence for early childhood education, health care, nutrition, and social resources, all of this has undermined the development of the youngest children. In 1995, South Africa signed the Convention of the Rights of the Child, established a Directorate for Early Childhood Development within the national Education Department, and also established the Children's Act all which deals with early childhood development programs and trying to develop excellence. In the Children's Act, it states that no child should be without the basic necessities of life. "There are 23,482 ECD sites in South Africa" (Atmore, 2012, p. 10). South Africa is in the process of developing a framework for ensuring the best interests of children. The Government has identified the need to increase access to ECD as well as enhance the quality of ECD programs and services. A lot has been done to impose access and quality of early learning programs but there is a long way to go to the enhancement of the service delivery.
We have the same issues in the states with regards to excellence and equity in the early childhood field. Issues such as poor teacher-child ratio, poorly trained staff, minimal salaries, remoteness from funding sources, and poor nutrition. We are fortunate to have Head Start as a resource for families and children who need help.
Atmore, E. (2012). Challenges facing early childhood development sector in South Africa.
National Development Agency. Retrieved from, cecd@iafrica.com
I emailed Eric Atmore who is an Associate Professor of The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in Africa and asked if he had any thoughts with regards to issues that are related to excellence and equity in the early childhood field, and this is his response:
Eric Atmore wrote, (personal communication, January 7, 2014), on excellence there is a global tendency that "poor children" must make do with "whatever they get" which is most often second class. Every child irrespective of socio-economic status deserves the best, so whilst excellence is relative, poor children also deserve excellence. On equity in the ECD field in Africa, our experience is that ECD opportunities, facilities and programs are not equitable (I doubt that they are anywhere in the world). African children generally get poorer quality nutrition, less appropriate learning opportunities and certainly less resources for education in general and ECD specifically.
"The majority of young children in South Africa have been negatively impacted by a range of social and economic inequalities" (Atmore, 2012, p. 1). As Mr. Atmore stated in his reply above, because of the inequalities and lack of excellence for early childhood education, health care, nutrition, and social resources, all of this has undermined the development of the youngest children. In 1995, South Africa signed the Convention of the Rights of the Child, established a Directorate for Early Childhood Development within the national Education Department, and also established the Children's Act all which deals with early childhood development programs and trying to develop excellence. In the Children's Act, it states that no child should be without the basic necessities of life. "There are 23,482 ECD sites in South Africa" (Atmore, 2012, p. 10). South Africa is in the process of developing a framework for ensuring the best interests of children. The Government has identified the need to increase access to ECD as well as enhance the quality of ECD programs and services. A lot has been done to impose access and quality of early learning programs but there is a long way to go to the enhancement of the service delivery.
We have the same issues in the states with regards to excellence and equity in the early childhood field. Issues such as poor teacher-child ratio, poorly trained staff, minimal salaries, remoteness from funding sources, and poor nutrition. We are fortunate to have Head Start as a resource for families and children who need help.
Atmore, E. (2012). Challenges facing early childhood development sector in South Africa.
National Development Agency. Retrieved from, cecd@iafrica.com
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Sharing Web Resources
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) provides me with many links to articles for research, assessment, the annual state Pre-K reports, and the blog, Preschool Matters. The blog, Preschool Matters, is sent to my email and always has pertinent information regarding high-quality early education. The research section is also informative with articles such as "Is Early Education Worth the Cost" or "There Is A Lot Of Talk About Early Childhood Education But Not Much Action."
In the Preschool Matters blog, the information about the success of the Perry Preschool project and the Abecedarian Project was interesting. I was surprised to read that in recent years, however, evaluations of the effects of some early childhood programs, most notably the Head Start Impact Study, have disappointed (Barnett, 2014, p. 1). Because of alternative early childhood experiences that have improved, comparison to Head Start gives the appearance of smaller effects for this program. This tells me that other daycare/preschools are now understanding how important it is to become a high-quality program.
NIEER projects that in 2030 all but 1 state would spend less on education from Pre-K though grade 12 under federal proposals that incentivize states to raise Pre-K quality standards, offer a full school day, and serve all children under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (Barnett, 2013, p. 1). Every dollar spent on a quality preschool program yields seven dollars to society. One article I read said that preschool access maybe a national security issue. Without enough skilled men and women available to serve in tomorrow's armed services, we endanger the future strength of our military. According to (Chandler, 2014), 75 percent of people from ages of 17-24 are ineligible to join armed services because they are poorly educated, have a criminal record, overweight, or otherwise unhealthy. Our biggest investment is early childhood education so children will grow up to be healthy, educated, and able to make important decisions about their own future. How wonderful that retired military officers are concerning themselves with early education. One retired General stated that early childhood education is not being funded as it should be.
Play and playful learning have a critical role in children's development and should not be lost to instructive teaching in preschools. Academic activities are embedded in playful learning and children learn socialization techniques, enhance language and problem solving skills, and cognitive skills. I understand that curriculum matters more when teachers are trained to implement it. My state needs more funding for the training of teachers.
Barnett, S. (2013). Expanding access to quality pre-k is sound public policy. National
Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from, http://www.nieer.org
Barnett, S. (2014). When it comes to preschool, modest results may be meaningful.
National Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from,
http://www.nieer.org
Chandler, M. (2014). Is preschool access a national security issue? National
Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from, http://www.nieer.org
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) provides me with many links to articles for research, assessment, the annual state Pre-K reports, and the blog, Preschool Matters. The blog, Preschool Matters, is sent to my email and always has pertinent information regarding high-quality early education. The research section is also informative with articles such as "Is Early Education Worth the Cost" or "There Is A Lot Of Talk About Early Childhood Education But Not Much Action."
In the Preschool Matters blog, the information about the success of the Perry Preschool project and the Abecedarian Project was interesting. I was surprised to read that in recent years, however, evaluations of the effects of some early childhood programs, most notably the Head Start Impact Study, have disappointed (Barnett, 2014, p. 1). Because of alternative early childhood experiences that have improved, comparison to Head Start gives the appearance of smaller effects for this program. This tells me that other daycare/preschools are now understanding how important it is to become a high-quality program.
NIEER projects that in 2030 all but 1 state would spend less on education from Pre-K though grade 12 under federal proposals that incentivize states to raise Pre-K quality standards, offer a full school day, and serve all children under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (Barnett, 2013, p. 1). Every dollar spent on a quality preschool program yields seven dollars to society. One article I read said that preschool access maybe a national security issue. Without enough skilled men and women available to serve in tomorrow's armed services, we endanger the future strength of our military. According to (Chandler, 2014), 75 percent of people from ages of 17-24 are ineligible to join armed services because they are poorly educated, have a criminal record, overweight, or otherwise unhealthy. Our biggest investment is early childhood education so children will grow up to be healthy, educated, and able to make important decisions about their own future. How wonderful that retired military officers are concerning themselves with early education. One retired General stated that early childhood education is not being funded as it should be.
Play and playful learning have a critical role in children's development and should not be lost to instructive teaching in preschools. Academic activities are embedded in playful learning and children learn socialization techniques, enhance language and problem solving skills, and cognitive skills. I understand that curriculum matters more when teachers are trained to implement it. My state needs more funding for the training of teachers.
Barnett, S. (2013). Expanding access to quality pre-k is sound public policy. National
Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from, http://www.nieer.org
Barnett, S. (2014). When it comes to preschool, modest results may be meaningful.
National Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from,
http://www.nieer.org
Chandler, M. (2014). Is preschool access a national security issue? National
Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from, http://www.nieer.org
Friday, January 24, 2014
Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 1
Getting to Know International Contacts-Part 1
Eric Atmore is an Associate Professor at The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in Africa and is the only response I received who is willing to communicate with me. He was on summer break until January 19th, but he did send me a comprehensive research report titled "Challenges Facing the Early Childhood Development Sector in South Africa" which he was the main researcher.
This paper covers issues from how important early childhood development is to the African children, teacher qualifications, ratios for teacher/children, nutrition, and government funding. According to Atmore, 2012, South Africa is home to 95,000 children living in child-headed households. In rural communities, such as Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and North West and Mpumalanga, sixty percent of children live in poverty. These children are more at risk than others of poor to services, inconsistent income and poor living circumstances. Children living in poverty in South Africa are vulnerable, often discriminated against, and isolated.
In South Africa, the majority of children from the poor communities do not have access to early childhood education programs because families cannot pay the fees and the distance to the programs are too far. In 1995, the the government signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that all children have the right to have the basic learning materials and resources, funding, security, proper toileting amenities, and electricity. Atmore, 2012, also stated that due to the extraordinarily high prevalence of poverty in South Africa, hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity are significant challenges facing children in communities across the country. Some interventions in nutrition are offered by many different providers such as NPOs and private companies. Food gardens and training on nutrition and agricultural development is also being used.
I researched the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre's website. There are many interesting links and articles that I explored. I read two articles on how important it is to break the poverty cycle especially in early childhood. According to Harper, 2004, there is clearly a crisis in childhood poverty of staggering proportions which has significant and long-term implications. It is the same for any young child in any country who lives in poverty; his health, education cognitive and physical skills, and emotional and social development are in danger.
Within this website, I researched the Campaign Against Child Poverty in Canada (CACP). Canada is concerned about the hazards to the future educational, social, physical development and employment success of the children who are presently living in poor families. The CACP believes that the public should be informed about the facts and the implications of children in poverty. "15.6 % of all children in Canada live below the poverty line" (Campaign Against Child Poverty, 2014, p. 1).
Most interventions or solutions to eliminate poverty lies in early childhood education. Early childhood education must be effective, accessible, and equitable and countries must invest in it. Even poor countries can develop such systems. According to Hill, Harper, and Marcus, 2004, Mongolia, one of the world's poorest countries has a valued kindergarten system. Resources are very important for the poor, but equitable access to these resources is crucial.
Atmore, E. (2012). Challenges facing early childhood development sector in South Africa.
National Development Agency. Retrieved from, http://cecd@iafrica.com
Harper, C. (2004). Breaking poverty cycles-the importance of action in childhood.
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre. Retrieved from,
http://www.childhoodpoverty.com
Hill, F., Harper, C., & Marcus, R. (2004). Early childhood care and development-
an innoculation against poverty or a daycare refuge for the very poor.
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre. Retrieved from,
http://www.childhoodpoverty.com
Eric Atmore is an Associate Professor at The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in Africa and is the only response I received who is willing to communicate with me. He was on summer break until January 19th, but he did send me a comprehensive research report titled "Challenges Facing the Early Childhood Development Sector in South Africa" which he was the main researcher.
This paper covers issues from how important early childhood development is to the African children, teacher qualifications, ratios for teacher/children, nutrition, and government funding. According to Atmore, 2012, South Africa is home to 95,000 children living in child-headed households. In rural communities, such as Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and North West and Mpumalanga, sixty percent of children live in poverty. These children are more at risk than others of poor to services, inconsistent income and poor living circumstances. Children living in poverty in South Africa are vulnerable, often discriminated against, and isolated.
In South Africa, the majority of children from the poor communities do not have access to early childhood education programs because families cannot pay the fees and the distance to the programs are too far. In 1995, the the government signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that all children have the right to have the basic learning materials and resources, funding, security, proper toileting amenities, and electricity. Atmore, 2012, also stated that due to the extraordinarily high prevalence of poverty in South Africa, hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity are significant challenges facing children in communities across the country. Some interventions in nutrition are offered by many different providers such as NPOs and private companies. Food gardens and training on nutrition and agricultural development is also being used.
I researched the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre's website. There are many interesting links and articles that I explored. I read two articles on how important it is to break the poverty cycle especially in early childhood. According to Harper, 2004, there is clearly a crisis in childhood poverty of staggering proportions which has significant and long-term implications. It is the same for any young child in any country who lives in poverty; his health, education cognitive and physical skills, and emotional and social development are in danger.
Within this website, I researched the Campaign Against Child Poverty in Canada (CACP). Canada is concerned about the hazards to the future educational, social, physical development and employment success of the children who are presently living in poor families. The CACP believes that the public should be informed about the facts and the implications of children in poverty. "15.6 % of all children in Canada live below the poverty line" (Campaign Against Child Poverty, 2014, p. 1).
Most interventions or solutions to eliminate poverty lies in early childhood education. Early childhood education must be effective, accessible, and equitable and countries must invest in it. Even poor countries can develop such systems. According to Hill, Harper, and Marcus, 2004, Mongolia, one of the world's poorest countries has a valued kindergarten system. Resources are very important for the poor, but equitable access to these resources is crucial.
Atmore, E. (2012). Challenges facing early childhood development sector in South Africa.
National Development Agency. Retrieved from, http://cecd@iafrica.com
Harper, C. (2004). Breaking poverty cycles-the importance of action in childhood.
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre. Retrieved from,
http://www.childhoodpoverty.com
Hill, F., Harper, C., & Marcus, R. (2004). Early childhood care and development-
an innoculation against poverty or a daycare refuge for the very poor.
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre. Retrieved from,
http://www.childhoodpoverty.com
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Sharing Web Resources
Sharing Web Resources
National Institute for Early Education Research
http://www.nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php
The Mission Statement of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) is to "conduct and communicate research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children. Such education enhances their physical, cognitive, and social development, and subsequent success in school and later life" (National Institute for Early Education Research, 2014, p. 1).
Some issues this organizations research team is involved in is to monitor and evaluate national and state progress of early childhood education, and to develop standards and regulations to improve access to quality care. They also find information on the status of early childhood education access and quality, and help to develop research and communication strategies so they can apply scientific knowledge to early education policy. NIEER also partners with other organizations to publicize vital information about early childhood education.
One article that was of interest to me was "Budget Deal Expands Some Early Childhood Programs." This article explained that thousands of young children would be eligible for early childhood programs because of a budget deal decided by lawmakers. These lawmakers are hoping the passage of a universal preschool for four year olds. This budget deal also restores funds that were cut from Head Start. "The deal includes $2.4 billion for a program that provides grants to states for child care assistance for low-income families..." (Hefling, 2014, p. 1). Advocates were encouraging states to create and expand all day preschool programs for low-income children. This budget deal still needs to be approved by Congress, but "Congress is acknowledging the importance of investing in a child's earliest years..." (Hefling, 2014, p. 2).
Reference
Hefling, K. (2014, Jan). Budget deal expands some early childhood programs. Retrieved
from, http://nieer.org/publications/journal-articles.
National Institute for Early Education Research
http://www.nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php
The Mission Statement of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) is to "conduct and communicate research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children. Such education enhances their physical, cognitive, and social development, and subsequent success in school and later life" (National Institute for Early Education Research, 2014, p. 1).
Some issues this organizations research team is involved in is to monitor and evaluate national and state progress of early childhood education, and to develop standards and regulations to improve access to quality care. They also find information on the status of early childhood education access and quality, and help to develop research and communication strategies so they can apply scientific knowledge to early education policy. NIEER also partners with other organizations to publicize vital information about early childhood education.
One article that was of interest to me was "Budget Deal Expands Some Early Childhood Programs." This article explained that thousands of young children would be eligible for early childhood programs because of a budget deal decided by lawmakers. These lawmakers are hoping the passage of a universal preschool for four year olds. This budget deal also restores funds that were cut from Head Start. "The deal includes $2.4 billion for a program that provides grants to states for child care assistance for low-income families..." (Hefling, 2014, p. 1). Advocates were encouraging states to create and expand all day preschool programs for low-income children. This budget deal still needs to be approved by Congress, but "Congress is acknowledging the importance of investing in a child's earliest years..." (Hefling, 2014, p. 2).
Reference
Hefling, K. (2014, Jan). Budget deal expands some early childhood programs. Retrieved
from, http://nieer.org/publications/journal-articles.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Getting Ready-Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources
When I started my journey to establish professional contacts in other countries, I was very excited knowing I was going into a different "world" of early childhood education. I sent emails to Germany, Italy, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, Spain, and many other countries. I received quite of few messages stating that a particular email was no longer valid. I was thrilled to receive a response from Germany, in German, saying they could not read my email. Fortunately my son speaks German and helped to translate the message. I also received messages from Italy and South Africa. For Italy I wrote to the UNICEF Office of Research and received a reply stating that early childhood education was not one of their main topics of interest and suggested Pakistan and South Africa. This organization suggested other websites that could help with my research:
http:www.unicef-irc.org/publications/700 which is for a children's publication
http://www. unicef-irc.org/publications/search/?Title=early+childhood&CatagoryID=O&AuthorID=O&SeriesId=O&Year=O&LangID=O&GeogID=O&Themeld=O&ISBN=
Eric Atmore, Associate Professor in South Africa, responded that his organization was closed until January 19th for summer break and that he would respond to me when he got back into the office. All I could think about was the warm sun and wearing shorts as I looked down at my snow boots! A few days later, Mr. Atmore sent an article titled "Challenges Facing the Early Childhood Development Sector in South Africa" of which he was the principal researcher, and he also stated that he would be sending more information in the coming weeks. I may have to utilize the alternative to part one if I do not hear from anyone else, but I am continuing to request information from other counties.
I have decided to purse information from The Division for Early Childhood and Zero To Threes: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families for part two in Expanding Resources.
When I started my journey to establish professional contacts in other countries, I was very excited knowing I was going into a different "world" of early childhood education. I sent emails to Germany, Italy, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, Spain, and many other countries. I received quite of few messages stating that a particular email was no longer valid. I was thrilled to receive a response from Germany, in German, saying they could not read my email. Fortunately my son speaks German and helped to translate the message. I also received messages from Italy and South Africa. For Italy I wrote to the UNICEF Office of Research and received a reply stating that early childhood education was not one of their main topics of interest and suggested Pakistan and South Africa. This organization suggested other websites that could help with my research:
http:www.unicef-irc.org/publications/700 which is for a children's publication
http://www. unicef-irc.org/publications/search/?Title=early+childhood&CatagoryID=O&AuthorID=O&SeriesId=O&Year=O&LangID=O&GeogID=O&Themeld=O&ISBN=
Eric Atmore, Associate Professor in South Africa, responded that his organization was closed until January 19th for summer break and that he would respond to me when he got back into the office. All I could think about was the warm sun and wearing shorts as I looked down at my snow boots! A few days later, Mr. Atmore sent an article titled "Challenges Facing the Early Childhood Development Sector in South Africa" of which he was the principal researcher, and he also stated that he would be sending more information in the coming weeks. I may have to utilize the alternative to part one if I do not hear from anyone else, but I am continuing to request information from other counties.
I have decided to purse information from The Division for Early Childhood and Zero To Threes: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families for part two in Expanding Resources.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
My Supports
I consider myself lucky to have multiple layers of support from many different sources in my life. My mother and father have been a huge positive influence on me with regards to my higher educational aspirations. They are only a phone call away when I am feeling discouraged or overwhelmed; just talking to them always makes me feel better. They also provide support in form of good advice and frequent encouragement. Without the consistent support from my parents, I probably would not have achieved as much as I have at this point in my life.
At work, I enjoy receiving constant feedback from not only the parents of the children in my care, but also from the Pastor of the church that my center is affiliated with. By listening to and incorporating this feedback, I can better refine and enhance my directing style and this provides me with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I feel that without this type of support structure at my job I would not be as comfortable implementing what I need to do without knowing how my performance was impacting the business. On the other end of the spectrum, this same system of support provides me with feedback on issues that I need to review in order to make the appropriate corrections or changes. Being a daycare director means that my job cannot successfully be executed in a vacuum, I must have the support and cooperation of my staff.
As a member of the Early Childhood Directors Organization, the concept of support and togetherness is also understood and respected between myself and peers. We support each other for the greater good of learning and sharing knowledge about being effective early childhood leaders. The support structure from this organization is unparalleled in our field. Without support from my peers I feel that my knowledge and skills would stagnate and my capabilities would be hindered. Having the support of a group of like-minded professionals is essential to me.
One challenge that I would anticipate would be explaining to parents why my staff and I do what we do concerning their child. I know that my education and longevity in the early childhood field will help tremulously as I communicate my opinions, and I would have the support from my staff and the Pastor from the church.
I consider myself lucky to have multiple layers of support from many different sources in my life. My mother and father have been a huge positive influence on me with regards to my higher educational aspirations. They are only a phone call away when I am feeling discouraged or overwhelmed; just talking to them always makes me feel better. They also provide support in form of good advice and frequent encouragement. Without the consistent support from my parents, I probably would not have achieved as much as I have at this point in my life.
At work, I enjoy receiving constant feedback from not only the parents of the children in my care, but also from the Pastor of the church that my center is affiliated with. By listening to and incorporating this feedback, I can better refine and enhance my directing style and this provides me with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I feel that without this type of support structure at my job I would not be as comfortable implementing what I need to do without knowing how my performance was impacting the business. On the other end of the spectrum, this same system of support provides me with feedback on issues that I need to review in order to make the appropriate corrections or changes. Being a daycare director means that my job cannot successfully be executed in a vacuum, I must have the support and cooperation of my staff.
As a member of the Early Childhood Directors Organization, the concept of support and togetherness is also understood and respected between myself and peers. We support each other for the greater good of learning and sharing knowledge about being effective early childhood leaders. The support structure from this organization is unparalleled in our field. Without support from my peers I feel that my knowledge and skills would stagnate and my capabilities would be hindered. Having the support of a group of like-minded professionals is essential to me.
One challenge that I would anticipate would be explaining to parents why my staff and I do what we do concerning their child. I know that my education and longevity in the early childhood field will help tremulously as I communicate my opinions, and I would have the support from my staff and the Pastor from the church.
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