1.1 The Benefits of Early Childhood Education According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the largest membership organization for early education professionals, there are more than 300,000 licensed or regulated early childhood programs in the United States (NAEYC, n.d.). This figure includes a variety of for-profit and nonprofit program types, such as child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes. An early childhood care program is generally defined as an educational or child care service provided to young children, including infants through 5-year-olds and often also inclusive of older children in after-school programs. Such programs usually employ teachers or caregivers, as well as support staff such as kitchen workers or office assistants. The amount of time children spend in early childhood programs each day can vary from a few hours in a part-day preschool program to nine hours or more in a full-day child care center. With rare exception, these programs are run by early childhood administrators. The work of early childhood administrators has a significant effect on the lives of young children and their families, because early childhood education plays an important role in the healthy development of children and sets the stage for academic achievement and future success. Meeting the Needs of Children and Families For many parents, the top priority in enrolling their child in an early childhood program is to find adequate child care services so they can continue to work outside the home. In the United States today, more than half of the mothers of children under age five are in the labor force (United States Department of Labor, 2008), and four out of five young children with employed mothers receive child care by someone other than their parents (Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2010). Working parents may need flexibility in pick-up and drop-off times, some may need extended hours care, and all want care that is safe, high quality, and affordable. Parents also enroll their children in child care or preschool programs for social and cognitive reasons. They may wish for their child to interact with other children, or they may seek to develop their child's school-readiness skills to help prepare him or her for kindergarten. For children who are considered high risk for school failure, there are programs that provide targeted supports to help children develop language, literacy, and problem-solving skills. For example, publicly funded early childhood programs help children living in poverty who might not otherwise have access to early childhood programs prepare for kindergarten and later school success. Positive Outcomes of High-Quality Care The first five years of a child's life are a critical period of development. Children are learning essential cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and self-help skills necessary for success in school and in life. A growing body of research ...

1. 1.1 The Benefits of Early Childhood Education
According to the National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC), the largest membership organization
for early education professionals, there are more than 300,000
licensed or regulated early childhood programs in the United
States (NAEYC, n.d.). This figure includes a variety of for-
profit and nonprofit program types, such as child care centers,
preschools, and family child care homes.
An early childhood care program is generally defined as an
educational or child care service provided to young children,
including infants through 5-year-olds and often also inclusive of
older children in after-school programs. Such programs usually
employ teachers or caregivers, as well as support staff such as
kitchen workers or office assistants. The amount of time
children spend in early childhood programs each day can vary
from a few hours in a part-day preschool program to nine hours
or more in a full-day child care center.
With rare exception, these programs are run by early childhood
administrators. The work of early childhood administrators has
a significant effect on the lives of young children and their
families, because early childhood education plays an important
role in the healthy development of children and sets the stage
for academic achievement and future success.
Meeting the Needs of Children and Families
For many parents, the top priority in enrolling their child in an
early childhood program is to find adequate child care services
so they can continue to work outside the home. In the United
States today, more than half of the mothers of children under
age five are in the labor force (United States Department of
Labor, 2008), and four out of five young children with
employed mothers receive child care by someone other than

2. their parents (Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2010).
Working parents may need flexibility in pick-up and drop-off
times, some may need extended hours care, and all want care
that is safe, high quality, and affordable.
Parents also enroll their children in child care or preschool
programs for social and cognitive reasons. They may wish for
their child to interact with other children, or they may seek to
develop their child's school-readiness skills to help prepare him
or her for kindergarten.
For children who are considered high risk for school failure,
there are programs that provide targeted supports to help
children develop language, literacy, and problem-solving skills.
For example, publicly funded early childhood programs help
children living in poverty who might not otherwise have access
to early childhood programs prepare for kindergarten and later
school success.
Positive Outcomes of High-Quality Care
The first five years of a child's life are a critical period of
development. Children are learning essential cognitive, social,
emotional, physical, and self-help skills necessary for success
in school and in life. A growing body of research suggests that
children who participate in high-quality early childhood
programs are more successful, both academically and socially,
than children in poor-quality programs (Child Trends Data
Bank, 2006) (see the Focus On feature box for a discussion of
what constitutes high-quality care).
Longitudinal studies, which track the progress and development
of children over a long period, show that children who
participated in comprehensive high-quality early childhood
programs show lasting developmental differences, such as
higher scores on reading and math tests (Frank Porter Graham
Child Development Center, 1999). Studies also show that

3. children who participate in high-quality programs fare
significantly better than those enrolled in poor-quality or
mediocre programs. For example, the Cost, Quality & Outcomes
study published by the National Center for Early Development
and Learning shows that children who were in high-quality care
programs when they were three and four years old scored better
on math, language, and social skills development through the
early elementary years than children in poor-quality care
(National Center for Early Development and Learning, 1999).
Some of the strongest evidence of the long-term benefits of
high-quality early childhood care and education comes from
studies that have evaluated preschool programs that serve
disadvantaged children, from small models, such as the Carolina
Abecedarian Project, to large-scale programs, such as Head
Start. These long-term studies suggest that high-quality early
childhood programs can have positive effects on children's
academic achievement well into the high school years. Children
who participated in high-quality programs achieve higher test
scores in math and reading than children who did not, and they
are also more likely to finish high school and attend college.
Quality early childhood care is so important that federal
legislation mandates support for programs serving children at
every age level, from infants through school-age. Currently,
there are more than a million children enrolled in federally
funded Head Start programs and more than 1.5 million young
children in child care programs funded by the Child Care
Development Fund, the primary federal program specifically
devoted to child care services and quality (Children's Defense
Fund [CDF], 2012).
Children whose backgrounds make them at risk for school
failure, such as children living in poverty, gain the most from
experience in quality settings and are more negatively affected
by poor-quality experiences (National Center for Early

4. Development and Learning, 1999). For instance, students who
participated in high-quality early childhood programs are less
likely to require special education classes in elementary and
secondary school than children enrolled in poor-quality
programs (Committee for Economic Development [CED], 2006).
Focus On: A Commitment to Quality
Running any kind of business is a challenge, whether it's a bank
or a button factory, but running an early childhood program
carries an extra level of responsibility because early childhood
administrators are trusted to oversee the education, social
development, safety, and well-being of our youngest and most
vulnerable citizens. The NAEYC states in its Code of Ethical
Conduct that an administrator of an early childhood program is
committed to providing a "high-quality program based on
current knowledge of child development and best practices in
early care and education" (NAEYC, 2006).
Administrators create and support quality by maintaining high
standards, which are the benchmarks or bases for measuring
progress or levels of quality. Some of the most significant
indicators of quality in an early childhood program include low
teacher-child ratios; professional credentials of teachers;
meaningful interactions between teachers, children, and
families; a safe and learning enriched physical environment; a
research based curriculum; and accurate child assessment.
Low teacher-child ratios
Having more teachers and fewer children in a class means the
children will receive more attention from their teachers and, as
a result, gain more from the experience. Minimum standards for
teacher-child ratio are usually mandated by state licensing
regulations, but these standards vary from state to state and
many high-quality programs far exceed these minimum
standards.

5. For example, while many states mandate a minimum four to one
child to teacher ratio for infant child care centers, numerous
research findings demonstrate that infants receive much more
responsive, sensitive care when the ratio is three to one (Center
for Law and Social Policy [CLASP], 2008). The NAEYC
accreditation criteria, often the benchmark of quality for early
childhood programs, requires teacher-child ratios for infants of
either three to one or four to one, for toddlers 12 to 28 months
no more than four to one, for 2-year-olds no greater than six to
one, and for preschoolers up to 5-years-old no more than 10 to 1
(NAEYC, 2008).
Professional credentials and training of teachers
Unlike primary and secondary school teachers, there is no
uniform set of credentials or competencies required for early
childhood teachers. Yet the level of teachers' educational
backgrounds directly affects the benefits children receive in an
early childhood program. Teachers with specialized college-
level training in topics such as child development, teaching
methods, and curriculum are better able to support and
challenge the children in their care (North Carolina Rated
License Assessment Project, n.d.). Hence, there is a direct
correlation between the leader's credentials and experience and
the overall level of program quality.
NAEYC Director Qualifications
• 10.A.02
The program administrator has the educational qualifications
and personal commitment required to serve as the program's
operational and pedagogical leader. This criterion can be met in
one of three ways:
The administrator. . .

6. has at least a baccalaureate degree. [AND]
has at least 9 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level
course work in administration, leadership, and management
(which can be in school administration, business management,
communication, technology, early childhood management or
administration, or some combination of these areas.) [AND]
has at least 24 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level
course work in early childhood education, child development,
elementary education, or early childhood special education that
encompasses child development and children's learning from
birth through kindergarten; family and community relationships;
the practices of observing, documenting, and assessing young
children; teaching and learning processes; and professional
practices and development.
• 10.A.03
The program administrator demonstrates commitment to a high
level of continuing professional competence (see Program
Administrator Definition and Competencies) and an ability to
promote teamwork.
• 10.A.07
The program administrator and other program leaders
systematically support an organizational climate that fosters
trust, collaboration, and inclusion.
(NAEYC Accreditation Criteria, 2012a)
Interactions between teachers, children, and families
In high-quality early childhood programs, teachers are attentive
and respectful to children and family members. For example,
during classroom conversations they respond to children's
questions and requests, make eye contact, smile, and use a warm
tone of voice.
Physical environment

7. Children benefit from a physical environment that is safe,
comfortable, and that provides opportunities for discovery and
learning. Teachers in high-quality programs organize the space
and the materials so that children have enough room to play and
explore.
Curriculum
The curriculum implemented in a high-quality early childhood
program fosters children's cognitive development in key content
areas such as language, literacy, mathematics, technology,
creative expression, and the arts. Curriculum should also foster
social, emotional, and physical development.
Child assessment
In high-quality early childhood programs, child assessment and
curriculum goals are closely aligned. The child assessment
process is ongoing and supports children's learning.
Early childhood administrators must continually monitor and
assess the quality of care and education provided in their
programs. Formal, standardized measures of quality, such as
quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) and
accreditation processes, will be discussed in Chapter 3. Early
childhood administrators also monitor quality informally every
day as they interact with children and staff members and
observe classrooms and playgrounds.
Economic Benefits
One of the great pleasures of working in the field of early
childhood education is having the opportunity to build
relationships and provide learning experiences that will benefit
children for the rest of their lives. Among early childhood
professionals there is often a sense of shared optimism that our
work with children will help make the world a better place.

8. Research suggests that this conviction is, indeed, true. Studies
indicate that children who participate in high-quality early
childhood programs provide an economic benefit to society
because as adults they make more valuable contributions to the
workforce and the economy.
High school dropout rates among students who attended high-
quality early childhood programs is about 25% less than
students who did not attend high-quality early childhood
programs. High school and college graduates earn higher
salaries, which means they contribute more to the economy.
Additional studies indicate that adults who participated in high-
quality preschool programs when they were young are more
likely to be employed in higher-paying, skilled jobs (CED,
2006).
In fact, child advocacy groups often assert that every dollar
invested in quality early care and education saves taxpayers up
to $13 in the form of future contributions to society and savings
in remedial programs (Calman & Tarr-Whelan, 2005). For
example, funding invested in early childhood education that
improves program quality will result in more children achieving
success in primary and secondary school, and more young adults
successfully entering the workforce. The dollars spent at the
front end, in early childhood care and education, will diminish
the need for remedial programs for students who drop out of
high school and for job programs that provide training for
adults struggling to find and retain employment.
The powerful message behind these projections is that everyone
benefits from a commitment to quality in early childhood
education, even citizens who are not parents of young children,
because tax dollars spent on early childhood programs will, in
the long term, enhance economic vitality.
1.2 Early Childhood Programs: The Basics
The range of different kinds of programs providing early
childhood care and education today is broad and varied. Unlike

9. the systems of public and private elementary schools, the roots
of which were established even before the American Revolution
(Mather Elementary School, n.d.), early childhood education
has grown into a diverse professional field only in the last 50
years. The establishment of the federal Head Start program in
the 1960s, combined with the growing need for child care to
support working families in the 1970s, led to the rapid
development and expansion of early childhood programs
(Elkind, 2009). Today, the variety of programs available is
robust, and they are run or sponsored by entities as diverse as
corporations, churches, the government, or private individuals
or families.
Variations Among Programs
Early childhood programs will vary in many ways, and the
diversity of the programs can be seen in terms of who is served
and what services are offered. Programs can fall into a number
of categories, including state agencies, federal agencies (like
Head Start), college- and university-run programs (including lab
schools), and private for-profit or nonprofit facilities (which
include family child care homes and child care centers).
Variations in Terminology
A program marketed as a school is usually a preschool or pre-
kindergarten (pre-k) facility existing primarily to provide
education services, while a program labeled as a child care
center is usually designed primarily to provide care and
supervision for infants and young children of working parents.
Programs that aim to blend both care and education are often
called child development centers. In practice, the terms school
and center are often used interchangeably in early childhood
education, and both care and education occur in all early
childhood settings.
Note that despite their name, early childhood programs labeled
as schools are not necessarily part of a larger academic

10. institution. Some may be independent, freestanding programs.
For example, Beacon Hill Nursery School is an independent
early childhood program in Boston that offers half-day classes
for toddlers and preschoolers. Likewise, the Child Care Center
of Evanston in suburban Chicago is a full-day preschool
program that both cares for and educates the children of
working families. However, some early childhood programs are
part of a larger public or private school, such as Anne Frank
Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, which is a large public
school that houses several pre-k classrooms.
Some child care programs are part of a large child care
corporation, such as KinderCare Learning Centers or Bright
Horizons Child Development Center. Others may be part of
community-based human service agencies, such as Boys and
Girls Clubs of America. Employers sometimes provide on-site
child care, such as the Day Care Center at the Connecticut
Children's Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut, which
provides care for the children of hospital employees. Finally,
some early childhood schools include federally funded Head
Start programs that provide a structured curriculum, which
addresses specific learning goals in cognitive and language
development.
Home-Based Programs
In addition to schools and centers, most states allow individuals
to become licensed to care for groups of children in their
homes. While regulations vary from state to state, most licensed
providers must set aside a separate space, such as a basement,
specifically for child care activities. Many of the administrative
concepts and skills described in this book are also relevant to
family child care homes, but on a much smaller scale.
Ages Served
One characteristic that may differ from program to program is
the ages of the children served. Generally, early childhood

11. education is divided into four age groups:
infants (0–18 months),
toddlers (18–36 months),
preschoolers (3–5 years old), and
school-age (5–8 years old).
Some programs specialize in meeting the needs of just one age
group, such as a nursery school that offers preschool classes for
children between the ages of three and five. Some programs
may link two or more of these age groups, such as infants and
toddlers, together, and offer services that extend across both
developmental levels. Large early childhood programs may
provide services to all four of these age levels, from infant child
care up to after-school care for school-age children.
Hours of Operation
Generally, programs can be divided into two categories, part-
day or full-day. A part-day program might offer morning classes
for preschoolers that run from 9:00 a.m. to noon. In contrast, a
full-day program is usually open 10 or 11 hours each weekday
in order to provide child care services for working families.
Parents might drop off their children in the morning on their
way to work, perhaps as early as 6:30 or 7:00 a.m., and pick up
their children after work, around 6:00 or 6:30 p.m.
Serving Specific Needs
While many early childhood programs are created to provide
broad, general child care or educational experiences, some
programs meet a very specific need, such as a program that
offers gymnastics and dance classes to 4- and 5-year-olds, a
parent group that organizes parent-tot classes and parent
support meetings, or a drop-in child care program available for
shoppers in a department store.
In some cases, programs primarily serve the needs of parents,
providing child care, parent education, or parent support

12. services. In other cases, the purpose of programs is primarily to
serve the needs of children by providing educational, social, or
enrichment experiences. But all early childhood programs
provide some kind of balance, taking into consideration both the
needs of parents and of children.
Children With Special Needs
Many early childhood programs that serve a general population
of families also enroll children with special needs, such as
children with developmental delays or chronic medical
conditions. These inclusive programs work to integrate quality
programming for all children with the specialized intervention
or support services that are targeted to benefit the children with
special needs.
Other early childhood programs provide only services for
children with special needs. Early intervention programs and
therapeutic preschools provide therapy, care, and education to
infants, toddlers, and young children with special needs, as well
as support services for their families. Programs are designed to
respond to the individual needs of each child; for example, a
program might provide audiology services to a child with a
hearing impairment. Some of these services are mandated and
funded through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA). More details about administering programs for children
with special needs will be provided in Chapter 8.
Government-Funded Programs
Programs that receive public funds are primarily those that
provide full-day child care services to working families or those
that serve at-risk populations, such as families living in
poverty. Government funds or grants for early childhood
programs are created when new laws are passed that mandate
funding for a specific purpose. Funding levels may change over
time, depending upon legislative decisions. The money for
government funding comes from tax dollars, usually at the

13. federal or state level.
Whether a program receives government funding and to what
extent the program is funded by government grants will help
determine the structure and size of the program. For example, a
child care center that serves an economically diverse population
of families may choose to expand its services to include infants
and toddlers if it becomes eligible for Early Head Start funds.
For-Profit and Nonprofit Programs
A for-profit early childhood program exists for the financial
benefit of its owners or shareholders. Examples of for-profit
programs include small neighborhood child care centers run by
an individual or family, or a large child care chain, such as La
Petite Academy.
A nonprofit organization does not have owners or shareholders.
The organization exists for the greater good of the community
or of society. A nonprofit organization may make a profit, but
that profit must be used to further the mission of the
organization. Common examples of nonprofit programs include
small preschools associated with churches or other
congregations, and larger programs associated with national
human service agencies, such as the YMCA. A preschool or pre-
k program that is part of a public school is a nonprofit program,
as is a federally funded program like Head Start (see the Focus
On feature box).
Focus On: Head Start
Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood
education to low income children in centers across the United
States. Head Start serves children at risk for school failure and
includes children, regardless of family income status, who have
disabilities. In addition to the educational component, Head
Start also provides health, nutrition, and family support
services. Funding for Head Start is provided to public and

14. private agencies in the form of government grants.
Head Start was founded in 1965 as a summer school program to
help disadvantaged children get ready for kindergarten. It was
soon evident that a few weeks of instruction was not enough to
support children who were living in poverty and help prepare
them for success in school. The program was expanded to year-
round preschool for children ages three to five.
In 1994 an infant-toddler component, Early Head Start, was
added to serve children from birth through age three. Over the
years, more than 27 million children have enrolled in Head Start
(United States Department of Health and Human Services,
2010).
The broad goals of Head Start are to enhance children's
cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start
provides a learning environment that supports children's growth
in the following domains:
language and literacy,
cognition and general knowledge,
physical development and health,
social and emotional development, and
approaches to learning.
Some studies of the outcomes of Head Start have been
supportive, some critical, and some mixed. Many children who
participate in Head Start still enter kindergarten with below-
average skill and knowledge levels. Proponents of Head Start
argue that the at-risk population of Head Start students would
be at even lower levels without Head Start services (United
States Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). The
National Institute on Early Childhood Research has more
information on research about Head Start.
Sole Proprietorships and Franchises

15. Among for-profit programs, there are a wide variety of profit-
generating businesses models. One category is a sole
proprietorship, a business owned by an individual. Family child
care providers who run programs in their own homes are often
sole proprietors. Another common category is a franchise, a
business operated under a license from a larger company. The
Primrose Schools is an example of a corporation that licenses
its business model in return for a share of the franchise's
profits.
Administrative Accountability
For both for-profit and nonprofit programs, an organization
must set clear lines of authority for decision making and
accountability in order to function efficiently and effectively.
Typically, there is one administrator designated as the
"director" of the program. There may be other administrators,
such as an assistant director or curriculum director, who report
to the director. However, the person with the title of director
does not necessarily hold the highest authority. The director
may report to a board of directors, to a program owner, or to a
corporate headquarters, depending on the organizational
structure, or chain of command, of the program. That structure
is often represented in an organizational chart (Figure 1.1). The
chart illustrates to whom each staff member reports and shows
who is responsible for supervising other staff members.
In many early childhood programs, the director reports to a
board. Although board members are often volunteers, they are
legally responsible for the governance, or oversight, of the
organization. The responsibilities of board members are named
in the board bylaws, a document that describes the rules and
structure of the board of directors. Laws vary from state to
state, but all corporate boards, both nonprofit and for-profit,
must have bylaws to describe how they will be governed.
1.3 The Role of the Early Childhood Administrator
As demonstrated in the discussion of organizational structure,

16. the term administrator covers a broad category of different
leadership roles in early childhood programs. Administrators
may include center directors and assistant directors, curriculum
coordinators, teacher supervisors, and program managers. Most
frequently the leader of an early childhood program is the
designated authority who holds the title of "director" and is
accountable for the supervision of the program. For example,
Muriel is the director of a small independent preschool. Her
program offers part-day classes for three, four, and five year
olds. Her program is housed in three classrooms in a community
center that are rented from the local park district. Muriel's
program is small, serving about 50 children. In addition to
directing the program, Muriel serves as one of the coteachers of
the 3-year-old class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Pam is the director of a large child care center that is part of an
urban human service organization. Her center serves about 300
children in full-day programs for infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers, as well as an after-school program for children in
kindergarten through fourth grade. Many of the families served
by Pam's program are low income and eligible for publicly
subsidized child care. Pam oversees an administrative team that
includes an infant-toddler specialist, a curriculum coordinator,
and an after-school coordinator.
Yvonne is the director and owner of a suburban child care
center located near a commuter train station. Her program offers
full-day child care for about 100 children between the ages of
three and five. In addition to child care services, Yvonne's
program offers enrichment programs such as dance classes and
art lessons. Yvonne started the program as the only
administrator. As the center grew, she added an assistant
director and a bookkeeper to her staff.
Leadership Styles
Having courage and confidence and being articulate and
assertive are characteristics often associated with strong
leadership. But the repertoire of skills and abilities needed for

17. effective leadership in an educational environment may be
somewhat different from those needed in other contexts. For
example, leaders in early childhood programs must be flexible
and resourceful in order to manage and respond to the ongoing
changes in the educational environment.
It is easy to say good leaders must be flexible and resourceful,
but it is more difficult to identify the specific behaviors and
actions that demonstrate effective leadership. What does good
leadership look like? Recent research that follows successful
leaders in educational settings reveals some key leadership
behaviors: establishing clear goals and expectations, using
resources strategically, and ensuring an orderly and supportive
work environment. Furthermore, good leaders promote and
participate in the teaching and learning process (Fullan &
Boyle, 2010). This research suggests that a successful
leadership style in an educational setting is one that is
collaborative and participatory.
Responsibilities
The work of an early childhood administrator includes a very
diverse mix of responsibilities. Challenges vary from day to day
and from season to season. Most of an administrator's tasks can
be categorized into three groups: responsibilities related to
people, responsibilities related to resources, and responsibilities
related to information.
People
The broad purpose of any early childhood program is to serve
children and families, which means that working with people is
at the heart of the administrator's job. The three primary groups
of people administrators work with are families, staff, and
community members.
Administrators respond to parent inquiries, lead parent tours,
enroll children, and welcome families. They hire, train, and

18. supervise staff. Early childhood administrators also work with
community members such as neighbors, donors, business
leaders, public school principals, or park district board
members. Responsibilities related to this group might include
attending neighborhood meetings or writing thank you letters to
donors. Among these three groups—families, staff, and
community members—administrative responsibilities are quite
varied, yet all involve communication and building
relationships.
Resources
Managing, which means directing or overseeing, resources is
another important category of administrative tasks. Resources
include physical things, such as the facility, the materials and
equipment, and supplies, including food. Administrators carry
out a broad range of duties related to managing these resources,
such as supervising the janitorial staff, making safety
inspections, and ordering snacks or meals. In addition to these
tangible, concrete things, another important resource is the
staff, the human resources. Responsibilities related to managing
human resources include creating and managing staff schedules
and documenting payroll.
Information
Any administrative role in an early childhood program requires
a great deal of documentation or paperwork. In the 21st century,
the term paperwork now also includes managing a wide range of
digital information as well as hard files. Responsibilities related
to information management may include updating the program's
website, reviewing online child assessment portfolios, and
completing the forms required for the annual renewal of the
program's liability insurance policy.
Setting Administrative Priorities
Tackling the broad range of administrative tasks necessary to
run an early childhood program can be overwhelming, and the

19. ability to set priorities is key. Each day administrators must
make wise choices about which tasks are most important to
accomplish right away, such as responding to a parent concern,
while still budgeting time for long-term projects, such as
revising a staff handbook. Often the key to managing priorities
is finding a balance between different kinds of tasks.
For example, administrators who spend most of their time and
energy in classrooms, observing teachers and talking with staff
members, may neglect some of the important organizational
tasks, like overseeing tuition payments. At the same time,
administrators who spend most of their time and energy at their
desks, managing finances and paperwork, may risk losing touch
with what is happening inside the classrooms. All these tasks
are important and require regular, balanced attention for a
program to be successful.
A Day in the Life
What is it like to balance so many different roles and
responsibilities? Let's look at an example of a typical day in the
life of an early childhood administrator.
Suppose you are the director of a large child care center. Your
work day may begin before you even leave home, with a call
from a teacher who is ill and won't be able to come to work.
You quickly place a call to a retired teacher who has offered to
be on call as a substitute and arrange for her to cover the shift.
Once you arrive at the center, you unlock the door and welcome
the first shift of teachers and caregivers as they arrive to set up
their classrooms. As you turn on your computer, one of the
morning teachers informs you that the sink in the toddler
bathroom is not working. You briefly meet with the toddler
teachers and create a plan for the toddlers to share one of the
preschool bathrooms until you can get the sink fixed. You make
a quick call to the local plumber and arrange for a service call

20. later that morning. Meanwhile, families are starting to arrive
and drop off their children for the day. You greet the families
and answer a few questions about tuition balances and an
upcoming parent meeting.
The remainder of the morning is spent in an orientation session
with a new preschool teacher. You review the employee
handbook with the teacher and help her complete the necessary
paperwork for the employee files. You introduce the teacher to
the rest of the staff and spend some time with her in the
classroom, demonstrating important health and safety practices.
While you were working with the new teacher, the plumber
arrived and fixed the toddler sink.
After returning a few phone calls and email messages, you take
a few minutes to complete a grant proposal to a local
community foundation. As the teachers eat lunch with the
children in the classrooms, you eat a sandwich at your desk and
type up an agenda for the weekly preschool team meeting. Once
the preschoolers are settled for their afternoon nap, you meet
with the preschool teachers and address a variety of issues, from
a discussion of concerns about a very quiet child who is
reluctant to speak to adults, to a debate about what should be
the curriculum focus for the next planning period.
Following the preschool team meeting, you complete attendance
reports, observe the new teacher in the preschool class, and
greet families as they arrive to pick up their children. As you
put on your coat at the end of the day, you see the child who has
been having trouble speaking to adults. She is leaving the center
with her mom and waving to the new preschool teacher. The
child calls out, "Bye! Bye, Teacher!" You smile to yourself as
you turn out the lights and lock the front door.
1.4 Philosophy, Vision, and Mission
Suppose, similar to Lindsay in our opening scenario, you've just
been hired to develop and administer an early childhood
program in your community. Or suppose you've been hired to

21. build a new program from scratch. How would you begin?
Before you start making changes in an existing program, or
before you start ordering furniture and hiring teachers for a new
program, it will be helpful to take a step back and ask yourself
some important questions. What are your hopes for this
program? How will this program help children learn and grow?
How will it contribute to the community? These questions are
related to how you will understand and follow or develop and
define the program's philosophy, vision, and mission.
Program Philosophy
The vision and mission statements of an early childhood
program often reflect the organization's philosophy, that is, its
beliefs about how children best learn and develop. A program's
philosophy represents the core values and culture of an
organization and determines the roles staff members and parents
will play in the care and education of the children enrolled
there. The philosophy is used to guide classroom practices,
curriculum development, the hiring of teachers, and the
recruitment of families.
For example, a program that follows the Montessori philosophy
might emphasize the presentation and organization of classroom
materials, while a program based on the Waldorf philosophy
might emphasize children's participation in creative activities
such as music and dance. When parents read about the
program's philosophy in a brochure or on a website, they can
get a sense of whether or not that program will be a good fit for
their family.
The same is true when seeking a good fit in the hiring of
teachers: Potential candidates for teaching positions can read
about the program's philosophy and decide whether their
individual beliefs about teaching will match the program's.
Questions about philosophy during the interview process also
reveal whether a candidate's ideas about teaching and learning
are aligned with the program's philosophy.

22. Here is an example of how an early childhood program that's
based on the techniques of the Montessori method might
describe its philosophy:
Montessori Garden Preschool, White Plains, New York
At the Montessori Garden our goal is to nurture and expand the
minds of young children by providing a safe and peaceful
environment. We believe in the Montessori philosophy, which
supports the child's cognitive, social emotional and physical
development. We value cultural diversity and our teachers are
dedicated to supporting and encouraging the growth of each
individual child.
A basic idea of the Montessori philosophy is that carried unseen
within each child is the person that child can become. To
develop his or her physical, intellectual and spiritual powers to
the fullest, the child must have freedom achieved through order
and self-discipline.
Dr. Montessori developed what she called "the prepared
environment." Among its features is an ordered arrangement of
learning materials in a non-competitive atmosphere, which helps
each child develop at his/her own rate. Dr. Montessori also
recognized that self-motivation is the only valid impulse to
learning.
Used by permission of The Compass School.
Early Childhood Theory
The philosophy of an early childhood program is usually
aligned with a specific school of thought about how children
learn and grow, ideas based on research and child development
theory. Current information about what is considered "best
practice" in the field of early childhood education can be found

23. in the position statements and publications of professional
organizations, such as the National Association for the
Education of Young Children.
Generally, high-quality early childhood programs today take a
philosophical position that embraces constructivism. The main
idea behind a constructivist approach is that children build their
own knowledge through hands-on experiences. The
constructivist philosophy was developed and endorsed by
theorists such as Jean Piaget, who believed that young children
develop their own intellect through exploring their physical
environment (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969), and Lev Vygotsky, who
believed that children develop intellect through their social
interactions with other children and adults (Vygotsky, 1978).
Creating a Vision
While the program philosophy informs practice on a daily basis,
a vision is an image or idea of the best possible outcome for an
organization and the people it serves. The vision is what you
want your students and school to become. A vision can be
inspirational, a dream or hope for the future. An early childhood
administrator must have an understanding of where the
organization wants to go in order to move the organization
forward.
An organization's vision may be represented by a vision
statement, which is a sentence or paragraph that describes what
the organization hopes to accomplish. One leader, such as the
program director, may write the statement, or a team of
individuals involved in the organization may create it
collaboratively to increase support for the idea.
A vision statement should be written in a way that can be easily
understood by staff, families, and community members; and its
meaning should be broad enough to include all the functions of
the organization. An example of a very brief vision statement

24. might be "Early education for all." Or "A community of lifelong
learners." A longer example is, "The vision of Oak Street Child
Development Center is to create a diverse community of young
learners where every family feels welcome and valued."
A vision statement may include additional details or bullet
points that describe more specific components of the program
such as, "Staff will serve as role models for the children by
demonstrating a lifelong love of learning." The vision statement
can then be used internally to help direct and motivate the staff.
The vision statement can also be used to support the
administrator's work externally by helping the administrator
present the essential qualities of the program to the public,
including potential funding sources.
Defining a Mission
In addition to a vision, an organization also needs a clearly
articulated mission statement, which describes why the
organization exists, what it does, and who it serves. While a
vision statement inspires dreams, a mission statement inspires
action. A good mission statement is functional and concrete and
helps staff members prioritize and focus their efforts. It should
be concise, it should focus on the important outcomes the
organization works to achieve, and it should be broad enough to
include all the main goals of the organization.
A mission statement is an essential tool for an administrator
leading and supervising the work of an early childhood
program. It can be used to drive hiring practices, create or
revise policies, guide budget planning, and make decisions
about program growth and expansion. In a successful and
efficient organization, every activity is aligned with and reflects
the mission statement.
Here are three examples of strong mission statements from early
childhood programs:

25. Flagstaff Cooperative Preschools, Flagstaff, Arizona
Our mission is to develop the intellect, personality, body and
heart of each child by creating an environment and experiences
in tune with individual characteristics and family backgrounds.
We promote interactive experiences while at play, and support
the development of every child's self-esteem, self-reliance and
positive view of life through family and community
involvement.
Used by permission of Flagstaff Cooperative Preschools.
This mission statement explicitly names family and community
involvement as an important characteristic of its program, and
the use of phrases like "body and heart" of each child
emphasizes the program's holistic, developmental approach to
early childhood education.
The mention of "play" here suggests that learning through play
is a significant part of the program's philosophy.
The Compass School, Cincinnati, Ohio
The mission of The Compass School is to provide a safe and
nurturing environment that promotes your child's depth of
knowledge while inspiring a life-long love of learning.
Used by permission of The Compass School.
This mission statement is brief and direct. Unlike the previous
example, this statement does not use the word "family."
However, the phrase "your child" implies that the statement has
been written specifically for families. The phrase, "depth of
knowledge" emphasizes academic learning, while adjectives like
"safe and nurturing" soften the statement.

26. Rockford Public Schools Early Childhood Program, Rockford,
Illinois
The mission of the Rockford Public Schools Early Childhood
Program is to empower all young children to become effective,
enthusiastic, and socially competent learners by creating a bond
among children, their families, the school and the community.
Used by permission of Rockford Public Schools.
This mission statement is also brief and direct. The words
"empower" and "competent" emphasize the child's active role
and responsibility in learning. The final phrase in the statement
("among children, their families, the school and the
community") explicitly names all the important stakeholders in
the school's mission.
Table 1.1: Philosophy, Vision, and Mission as Administrative T
ools
Tool
What is it?
How do administrators use this tool?
Philosophy
Beliefs about how children best learn and
develop that represent the core values and
culture of an organization.
Administrators describe the program
philosophy during the enrollment
processto let families know what to expect; in the
hiring process to determine a good fit
between teachers and program; and to
shape curriculum development.
Vision statement
A sentence or paragraph that describes
what the organization hopes to accomplish.
An administrator uses the vision statement
to inspire staff members and volunteers to

27. strive for the best possible outcomes for
their organization and to build consensus
,collaboration, and commitment for the
work of the organization.
Mission statement
An organization's statement of purpose.
Administrators use the program mission
statement to determine program goals and
to assess how well the program's
outcomes match the purpose of the organization.
Writing the Mission Statement
Program administrators usually do not create mission statements
by themselves. A mission statement is often developed or
revised by a team of people, such as a board of directors, as part
of a strategic planning process. The process usually begins with
an information-gathering stage in which leaders conduct
discussions or focus groups with key stakeholders, such as staff
members, parents of enrolled children, and community
members, such as neighborhood associations, park district
boards, and local business owners. Participants may be asked
questions such as, "What do you see as the major purpose of our
organization?" "What do you think are the major strengths of
our organization?" or "In what ways do you think our
organization could improve?"
The team of leaders uses this information to discuss and draft a
mission statement. All parties involved then consider the draft
of the mission statement and make comments or suggestions for
the final version. This type of process, in which many opinions
and perspectives are considered, is called a consensus-building
process. Though time consuming, consensus building often
results in a stronger and more lasting outcome than a decision
that is made quickly by just one or two people.

28. Reference
Gadikowski (2013). Supporting Children's Socialization: A
Developmental Approach . Retrieved November 15, 2017, from
ashford.edu