The first was published a few years ago. Its title is Beginning to End:The Life Cycle of a Child Care Center—A Director’s Story.
Having opened four children’s centers during my career, and serving as Director of each (the last had two-hundred fulltime children, about four hundred parents, and a staff of sixty-five), I learned a lot about hiring, training, building a teaching team, creating environments for children, working with parents, and building an organization where teachers grew and young children thrived. I did it all.
And then, for another decade, I consulted with other directors so they could build the best programs for their young children. I learned something from each experience I had and I wrote everything down for you, my younger colleagues. I created this blog, so you wouldn’t have to try, try, and try again. I had found the answers in my forty-year career and I was happy to share.
In Beginning to End, I have given you a roadmap to follow so that you, your teachers, your parents, and the children will grow and learn—optimally. It is filled with resources, how-tos, tools to use, experiences, and know-how—things I learned and used successfully along the way. This book presents me as the world saw me—my outer, more public life.
To help keep me evenly balanced and peaceful at work, in the face of the storms that sometimes occurred, I began to use several techniques and practices that helped me. And, little by little, unknowingly, I began to nurture an inner life within. This life, I kept to myself.
My second book, recently published, is The Way of the Elegant Spirit – The Journey Inward – A Book for Women. It presents the me that I have never shared—until now.
It is the story that lives within all women as they begin the third passage of life. This book is a memoir, the adventure of my lifetime and the experiences that perfectly set my course. And it is a roadmap, a navigation tool for women of all ages—with stories, practices, how-tos, and resources—to assist as you travel this path.
Along the way, I learned to believe in the unbelievable; to listen from within; and then, to act. The leaps of faith that I took were extraordinary, but everything somehow fit together perfectly in my life. This is my story, but it may well be every woman’s story. I share this part of me with you, so that you know what is coming and that you can embrace it as the gift it is meant to be.
These two books are truly “sister” books, though that thought never crossed my mind until I had read them, one after the other. They present the full picture of a woman’s life. They complement one another and they completed me—as a woman. Each book will provide a path for you to follow—at work and elsewhere.
Once you accept the position as Director of an early childhood program, your wheels will instantly begin turning. With enthusiasm, yes, but also with hundreds of questions—who, what, when, where, how, and why come to mind. Anxiety follows quickly, and then doubt begins to creep in! Can I actually do this job is the underlying concern. And before it overtakes the incredible opportunity you have been given, let me share a few things I have learned along the way.
First, being the Director is the most difficult, overwhelming, and exhausting job you will ever have—but, it is also the most gratifying! In fact, gratifying far outweighs overwhelming.
So, you’re in for the ride of a lifetime, and you need to be prepared before your first day on the job.
You will need to think long and hard about what kind of a director you will be. How will you work with others? How will you communicate with teachers and parents? How will you solve the problems that arise? How will you present yourself day in and day out? Will you collaborate with your team when you can? Will you seek others’ thoughts, ideas, and suggestions? Will you meet periodically with the parent group? Will you wander through the childcare center during the day taking it all in? Will you reflect on what you see, hear, and feel; and share both the positives, as well as the areas to work on, with your team?
What kind of a leader will you be? Will you set the tone for this childcare center on your first day? Will you lead by example, so that others will follow? Will you set clear expectations for your teachers, so that your team will know what and how to do their work? Will you set the bar high, so that teachers will grow and learn under your leadership? Will you support, encourage, mentor, coach, motivate, and inspire those who work for you? Will you keep calm and thoughtful in the storm? (there will always be difficult moments) Will you listen first? Will your sense of humor arrive just when it is needed? These are the things to think about as you create your vision of you—the director.
In my vision of myself, as director, I set the course. I learned that how I began each first day was really important, and that it set the tone for the whole year. I needed to know, for example, where we were heading as an organization (growing to capacity and becoming a community); what we would focus on this year (the principles of Reggio Emilia); what expectations we were to meet (following our vision as we planned the children’s days); what goals we were to accomplish (begin the process of NAEYC accreditation); and then, how. It was important that I considered all of these goals, and was able to articulate them so that I could share them during the year with my team(we needed to be traveling in the same direction). I had the opportunity at the beginning of each school year to set our course—and I took it!
I value quality and high standards. It is the way I work, and I have learned that many good people want to work in this kind of environment. I interviewed and hired hundreds in my career and they often told me that they wanted to do their best work—with directors and programs who valued this, who aspired to quality, and who had high expectations. I learned that people will rise to the challenge when the expectations were clearly articulated and when there is support to accomplish them. When people know what they need to do, they will do it. And, when people learn that you care about them and want them to succeed, they are with you until the end.
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” ——Theodore Roosevelt
I also believe that there is an appropriate way to work— with children, with families, and with one another. And I believe it is critical to our credibility as educators, and to our commitment to quality. People call it professionalism—and, yes, we directors hold the key to setting its tone, creating its climate, and fostering it in our programs.
The professional’s attitude is positive, courteous, and pleasant. You come to work ready to learn and do, and are motivated by a strong sense of individual and group purpose. You have energy, are interested in what you’re doing, and bring a sense of joy to your work. You know your own skills and abilities, and you strive to know as much as you can about the field, and your work within it. You are motivated to initiate new ideas, propose new procedures, and find solutions to challenges and problems. You do whatever is needed to get the job done, and to get it done well! And finally, you always add that something extra, go the extra mile, and exceed expectations.
Presenting the best you—on the first day as director, and every day thereafter—will set the tone for your entire organization. People will watch and take your lead. And you will all begin moving in the same professional direction—with passion, dedication, and positive energy. New staff will assimilate into the team quite easily as they observe your core group of teachers. You will be leading—and leading by example!
In my book, Beginning to End, I have devoted an entire chapter to the first days. I have given my real-life examples to help you navigate the beginning days of your new position, as Director. In the midst of any uncertainty, change, and chaos, if you can learn how to take control of your days, and keep your mind, body, and spirit intact, you will be focused, positive, and calm. It took me a few years to figure this out, but once I did, and noticed and felt how unflappable and peaceful I could be in the middle of a storm, I embraced these techniques. I am pleased to share them with you.
Create your vision of you and your program and then, teach it to others by your example. My best to you…
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” ——Henry David Thoreau
Beginning to End:The Life Cycle of a Child Care Center—A Director’s Story, is available onamazon.com Books, as well as on Barnes & Noble.
Beginning to End is the book I needed when I accepted the Director position at my first child care center. I could have used a roadmap to navigate the ins and outs of being a leader and of building an educational organization—at the same time. I could have used a book that was clearly written—with details and specifics, guidelines and know-how—to help create a vision for this new program; to build my team; to add the parent component; to set the stage for the children; to design environments and programs for them; to create and fit the many parts of the organization together; to make changes when they were needed; to think strategically and execute those plans; and to close the center if that decision was made.
This is that book! And, it is my story—inspired by the largest child care center that I opened during my career. I served as Director there for twenty years and ultimately closed the doors. I experienced firsthand, the entire Life Cycle of a Child Care Center from Beginning to End and I have a unique perspective to share what I learned.
What I bring to this book is a wealth of hands-on, real-life experience, humor, and common sense. I know the life of the education/business director. I have lived it. I know the joys and satisfactions. I know the problems and pitfalls—and the solutions and strategies to avoid them. I’ve learned a lot because I have built four unique early childhood programs in my career.
Beginning to End is a ‘how-to’ and memoir combined. It was specifically written as a resource for early childhood educators at all levels, but it has appeal and merit for other people-centered businesses as well. Take the ideas and approaches—use them. They work!
Beginning to End:The Life Cycle of a Child Care Center—A Director’s Story, is available onamazon.com Books, as well as on Barnes & Noble. Take what resonates with you and then, one day, pass on what you learn to the next generation of early childhood colleagues. My best to you!
As the manager—of a home, a classroom, a school, an organization, a business— our weeks are filled with details—hundreds of details that need our attention. We must deal with hundreds of pieces of paper; hundreds of conversations, emails, or text messages; hundreds of interactions—in person, over the phone, or via Zoom or FaceTime; and hundreds of tasks to be completed. All of this takes focus, skill, a bit of juggling, and extraordinary organizational ability.
And, most of us have both a career and a family, which easily doubles the details we handle. How do we do it all? And, how do we balance the demands of our work and our life?
Strategies, tips, short-cuts, realistic expectations, setting priorities, managing stress, and cutting ourselves some slack in the process of living and working help greatly.
For several years, I was the Director of Work Life Programs for a large business in Boston. My job was to support our 6,000-strong workforce by helping them to find the balance they sought between their work and personal lives. Without balance, we cannot be effective in either arena. So, we added relevant informational programs, educational seminars, resources, and discussion groups to what we called our “lunch and learn” workshop program/schedule.
Because the world is moving at an even faster pace today, and finding balance between work and life is still a goal to attain for many, I have included some resources we found helpful. My hope is that you will, too. The following are all available through amazon.com.
Getting Organized by Stephanie Winston. Practical tips on using time more efficiently, including ideas for organizing papers and belongings, managing family finances, and teaching children to be organized.
Organized to Be Your Best by Susan Silver. A practical approach to organization skills and time management, with reviews of available resources—from filtering systems and labeling devices, to software and personal information managers.
The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson. Simple breathing techniques that can be used to relieve stress.
Time Management for Unmanageable People by Ann McGee-Cooper. Alternative organization ideas for those who don’t respond to traditional time-management techniques. Suggestions for “visual organizers” who like to keep their work out where it’s easy to find.
The Stress Management Source Book by J. Barton Cunningham. A principle-centered approach, with information on how to deal with stressful work situations, life transitions, and loss. Includes self-tests, cites research, and offers catchy sayings.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals by Jeff Davidson. Covers all aspects of developing and implementing goals in seven areas of life. Includes lots of tips, work sheets, illustrations, and side bars. Includes a good section on career goals.
Don’t Say Yes When You Want to Say No by Herbert Fensterheim and Jean Baer. Best-selling all-time classic on assertiveness. Offers step-by-step suggestions for expressing needs, changing habits, and reinforcing skills.
Taming the Paper Tiger by Barbara Hemphill. Tips and techniques for managing all the paper and clutter at work and in your home, including how to set up a work center, organize your home computer, deal with bills and tax information, and keep track of family records and memorabilia.
From this vantage point in my life, looking back on the balancing act between work and life that I performed for forty+ years—sometimes successfully, sometimes not—I can give you a light at the end of the tunnel when I tell you that both work and life will get easier, less frantic, more deliberate, more satisfying, and downright enjoyable.
“This too shall pass!” This quote has followed me everywhere, and early on became one of my balancing strategies, my mantra. I had it written above my office door, where I could read it as each person entered! It helped keep me sane, and gave me the ability to put the situation at hand into perspective. I used whatever I could, whenever, to keep myself centered and focused.
For more ideas, tools, and strategies to use in your workplace, take a look at my early childhood leadership book: Beginning to End: The Life Cycle of a Child Care Center—A Director’s Story, available onamazon.com.These are my real-life, time-tested tips and techniques, and all of them worked successfully in my four childcare centers. I am pleased to share what I have learned. Take what resonates with you and then, one day, pass on what you learn to the next generation of early childhood colleagues. My best to you!
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. —Charles Darwin
And, isn’t that the truth
In my work as director of several early childhood programs, one of the important lessons I learned was that the only constant was change! Just when I’d get the staffing set—teachers hired, oriented, trained, and working together as a team—the enrollment would shift. Or, when the enrollment was at capacity, key teachers would make life changes and resign. The balancing act between having the appropriate team of teachers for the enrollment at hand was a constant challenge. It was always back to the drawing board! Over time, though, instead of reacting to it when it happened, I began planning for it in advance. I saved the better resumes from previous hirings and began my new teacher searches, much more quickly, with people we had already interviewed— and liked.
Another important lesson I learned was that problems and situations never arrived one at a time; rather, many happened simultaneously. With teachers, parents, children, and everything that accompanied these three groups—along with the environment, our facility, health and safety, and the budget—the potential for a problem was always there. And, with each situation came the need to take action and, often, make some kind of change. Some were small changes—hardly noticeable—but every now and then, a major overhaul was necessary.
We can’t wait for the storm to blow over, we’ve got to learn to work in the rain. —Peter Silas
Not all team members would see these necessary changes the same way. Some would feel insecure, confused, or uncertain. They might also feel a deterioration of trust or a sense of self-preservation. And, while we were making the sound decisions we needed to make for our organization, there was sometimes resistance from a few. This was harmful at first, but it ultimately backfired, because these people were seen by their peers as getting in the way of the solution. These were the people who were really no longer part of the team; the people who could no longer stay. Most on our team accepted that our organization was not changing to make our lives miserable. Rather, they listened and trusted that we were doing the appropriate things, and they grabbed hold of the future. From all of this, a new team was created.
Coming together is a beginning, Keeping together is progress, Working together is success. —Henry Ford
Throughout changes in our own programs, our work as directors will be to communicate, communicate, communicate! When we strongly communicate a clear vision for our organization—even if it changes every week—the vision will keep our teams from drifting. Any silence on our part will be interpreted as unfavorable. In the absence of information, people make things up and, inevitably, it is hurtful and creates panic. As directors, during periods of change, we must force ourselves to be on the front line. Even though we may be reluctant, we cannot hide behind the closed door of our offices—we must get out and be among our team. It will boost morale. Invite people to talk—it will increase our credibility and help us to uncover bad news before it becomes terrible news. When we can’t give answers (because of confidentiality), we can instead promise change, but communicate it carefully—that things will be different; that there is both good and bad news; that I’ll be honest with you. Always, always, always, protect our director credibility.
As the leader of our organizations, what else should we be doing during this time of change?
First, before anything else, we must manage ourselves.
Keep a positive attitude, but be authentic. Be enthusiastic. Be curious about the challenges and possibilities. Be interested in the opportunity to repair, solve, or create.
We must manage our emotions. They affect not only us, but the entire organization.
Keep a lid on venting and expressing ourselves inappropriately. Most importantly, be the leader. Seize the day. People in transition want to be led. Step up to the plate—make the difficult decisions and act on them.
We must also manage our teams, and put a great deal of energy into this! Raise the bar. Keep them busy, focused, challenged, stretching, and achieving. Motivate to the nth degree. Harness turbulence into positive energy. Harness concern into curiosity. Harness nervousness into attentiveness.
Re-recruit our best teachers. Our best teachers will jump ship if we don’t take care of them. Orient them to their new job description (the result of the change) as if we were orienting them to the organization for the first time. We do not want to lose any one of our top performers to our competition. Rather, we want to keep the best as the core of this new team. Create a supportive environment for them. Model the desired behavior. Begin to break the seemingly overwhelming tasks down into bite-size steps. Accomplish together; build on each success; and celebrate!
Guide our teachers during this time. Take the lead and advise them throughout this change as well. They are looking to us for confidence, calm, and support.
To my teachers, I would say: Control your attitude – especially now. Breathe deeply before you speak. Take some ownership of the change. Choose your battles carefully. Keep your sense of humor. Practice good stress management techniques. Invest in the future instead of trying to redesign the past.
Finally, since we directors make changes to solve problems; to fix untenable situations; to get back on track; to get better in our work as we, ultimately, reach for the stars—
I leave you with this:
Excellence … can be attained if you:
Care more than others think is wise … Risk more than others think is safe … Dream more than others think is predictable … Expect more than others think is possible … —Unknown
These are my real-life, time-tested tips and techniques, and all of them worked successfully in my four childcare centers. I am pleased to share what I have learned. Take what resonates with you and then, one day, pass on what you learn to the next generation of early childhood colleagues. My best to you!
The Japanese people have an expression, Kūki o yomu, read the air, which, in essence, means to take in one’s surroundings before acting; to take a few moments to use one’s senses; to observe and listen; to gauge what is happening in this place at this moment, before doing anything else.
Reading the air is a respectful practice. Enter a space or situation quietly and absorb what is going on—the level of activity; the level of conversation or silence; the level of engagement—how are others interacting, responding to one another, or are they not. The Japanese people observe and listen first. And then, they act or react in a way that fits the situation. If everyone is deeply engaged, talking quietly with one another, then enter in the same way. A loud and boisterous entry into a quiet place will have others shaking their heads and murmuring, “she does not read the air.” In Japan, reading the air shows respect to the people already involved, and to the situation at hand. It is a polite and considerate way of being.
We, in early childhood education, can also tap into this practice. Reading the air easily applies to the way we enter a classroom of young children; how we join a group of preschoolers already at play; and how we enter a conversation between colleagues. Do we enter quietly, respectfully, and take in all that is happening within the space? Do we observe and listen first? And then, do we enter in a way that fits with what is already happening? Do we read the air?
Or, do we enter the room with no thought to what is already happening in it and clumsily interrupt the activity and hum of the classroom?
Best practice teaching is often described as a cycle that involves watching and listening—with care. Teachers observe everything going on carefully, and listen closely to the children. Teachers reflect on, think about, and engage in dialogue with others about what is happening. Teachers respond thoughtfully in ways that support children’s ideas, questions, and thinking. Teachers gather data from the children, use what they learn, and act as a resource for the children. Teachers ask questions and discover the children’s ideas and theories. Teachers then find additional materials and equipment to test out the children’s ideas.
The best teachers of young children are keen observers and listeners. I suspect they read the air quite well and act appropriately and respectfully toward their children.
What about you? How do you see yourself? Are you adept at first reading the air in your classroom and then acting? Upon entering, are you respectful of the children and adults already engaged? Do you first observe and listen to everything going on? And do you then insert yourself into the mix with care and consideration?
If you haven’t yet spent some good time observing and listening to the hum of your classroom, I invite you to add this practice to your teaching this school year. It will take some slowing down a bit to actually do this, but once you begin to read the air you will see the enormous benefits for both the children and adults who live with you.
These are my real-life, time-tested tips and techniques, and all of them worked successfully in my four childcare centers. I am pleased to share what I have learned! Take what resonates with you and then, one day, pass on what you learn to the next generation of early childhood colleagues. My best to you!
Each year, required reading for my teams of early childhood teachers and supervisors was an article by M. Parker Anderson entitled, “Professionalism: The Missing Ingredient for Excellence in the Workplace.” It was required because, after years of living, working on this planet, and interacting with thousands, I agreed with Ms. Anderson’s assessment that, “professionalism is missing and unaccounted for” in so many places of work.
What has happened to our work force, our self-image, our civility to one another, our work ethic? It seems pervasive enough to say that we have lost our way a bit—when working with others, working for others, or simply working.
Somewhere along the way, doing one’s best has taken a hit. There is a mediocrity, a doing-just-enough-to-get-by attitude, even a cynicism that is far from the standard of excellence many of us desire for our businesses, our teams, our customers, and even ourselves.
Having said that, there are those who do exemplify the highest work standards, ethics, and values—and whose achievement and success tells the tale. There are those who are professional in their interactions with others, who dotheir best in each situation, on each project, and who feel a sense of pride and accomplishment at the end of the day.
So, how is it that some places of work foster professionalism? Who holds the key to setting the tone, creating the climate?
It begins at the top of the organization and winds its way through every classroom, every office.
When there is professionalism at work, you feel it! Trust and confidence come through in professional interactions. Long-lasting positive feelings toward staff members, toward the environment, toward the organization, and toward the services provided by the organization are established. Relationships are easily built among all constituencies. People feel taken care of.
What are some of the factors that contribute to professionalism? And, what can be done to move toward creating a more professional climate in your organization? It is certainly more than just the way you speak, act, or behave.
You dress to work. What you wear, and how you present yourself can be comfortable and stylish, but it must communicate that you are ready, focused, and prepared for whatever might come your way during the work day. What message do you send?
Your attitude is positive, courteous, and pleasant. You come to work ready to learn and do, and are motivated by a strong sense of individual and group purpose. You have energy, are interested in what you’re doing, and bring a sense of joy to your work.
You know your own skills and abilities. And, you strive to know as much as you can about your career field, and your work within it. There is a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to get better at what you do. And, a never-ending quest to find new information, and then share it with others. You continue to grow and remain energized.
You are also motivated to initiate new ideas, propose new procedures, and find solutions to challenges and problems. The bottom line is that a professional does whatever is needed to get the job done, and to get it done well!
A professional always adds that something extra, goes that additional mile, and exceeds expectations.
And finally, professionalism requires personal responsibility and accountability. Personal responsibility means arriving on time, meeting deadlines, performing complete and accurate work, returning calls and relaying messages in a timely fashion, and following through on required tasks. And, if things don’t go according to plan, the buck stops with you – you fix it!
Professionalism means displaying honesty, integrity, respect, and dignity in dealing with all people.
And, yes, ultimately, the professional hears the compliments, receives the accolades, and is known and recognized as possessing that elusive, but oh so important element, professionalism. I believe, an element worth striving for!
I invite you to look at yourself, your team, and your organization. What tone are you setting? Is professionalism a “missing ingredient” in your program? Or, is it alive and well, and recognized as soon as someone walks through the front door?
As the Director of an Early Childhood program, I’ve always loved beginnings. What a gift! To start fresh—to take what I’ve learned from the previous year and add it to my practice. To remember those things that went especially well, and keep them in this year’s repertoire. And, yes, to reflect upon those things that didn’t go as well as I had planned (Should I, this year, drop these ideas altogether or figure out what might work better?).
This is definitely the reflective part of my professional life. I think about everything that has gotten me to this point; I jot down thoughts as they come; and I begin to shape the year ahead. Someone once said (and I’m paraphrasing here), How will you know when you’ve arrived, if you don’t know where you’re going?
As I see it, that’s my job as the leader of the program, school, organization—to set the course. And, the best part of yearly beginnings is that I can reset it annually.
What I’ve learned is that how I begin each school year, each training session, each presentation, each meeting, sets the tone for what is to come, and the expectations that we are all to meet or exceed. It is that important!
As a leader, I’ve always had my eye on quality and the highest standards—for me, personally, for my team of teachers, and for the organization. My dad used to say, “It’s not worth doing, if you don’t do it well.” So very true—and, you know, it just feels better to do the best I can!
I have also learned that people will rise to the challenge—if it is clearly articulated, and the expectations set. I’ve set our sights high, prepared us well, and my teams have risen to the occasion!
To this end—to set the appropriate tone, and to move forward together—I focus on three things at the beginning of each school year.
I’ll mention them briefly in this post, but will write about each in more detail over the next months.
A Way of Being
I believe there is an appropriate way to work—with children, with families, and with one another. It is critical to our credibility as professionals and to our commitment to quality. People use the word “professionalism” all the time, but I’m not sure we always display it at work. It is so much more than the way we speak and act.
At each beginning, I set this expectation. I have a well-written article on this very topic to share with you. Lots to think about, and perhaps discuss virtually.
A Shared Vision
Years ago, members of my team wrote a beautiful document that outlined everything we thought to be important in our work with children, families, and one another; how we would design our environments; and what our infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten programs would include.
At each beginning I use these guidelines to be certain we are on all track. I’ll share some excerpts from, “We Believe In …”, to give you an idea of how we put our values to paper to shape the philosophy and vision for our program. It takes work to create such a document, but we’ve used it over and over again as a training tool. Definitely worth the effort!
Plotting the Course
As part of every beginning, I provide a roadmap for us to follow during the year—in the way of goals. What do we want and need to accomplish this year—as individuals, as a team, and as an organization? Sharing these goals, and the plan for accomplishing them, gets us focused immediately and all moving in the same direction. It also sets the expectation from the start.
In another upcoming post, I’ll share with you the who, what, why, and how of our goal setting process.
In my work as director of several early childhood programs, one of the important lessons I learned was that, as in my life, the only constant was change!
Just when I’d get the staffing set—teachers hired, oriented, and working together as a team—the enrollment would shift. Or, when the enrollment was at capacity, key teachers would make life changes and resign. The balancing act between having the appropriate team of teachers for the enrollment at hand was a constant challenge. It was always back to the drawing board!
Over time, though, instead of reacting to it when it happened, I began planning for it in advance. One thing I did was save the resumes of potential hires. If I found several really good candidates by interviewing them for a position, I hired the one I needed, but told the others that I would like to keep their resume on file and call them if something opened. This became my feeder system for hiring more quickly and more effectively. Many teachers who interviewed for a position with us eventually did become part of our team—albeit at a later time than originally planned.
Thinking more proactively, and planning for the inevitable, worked well for me and for my programs.
Here are a few other work habits to cultivate:
Become a quick-change artist. Flexibility and adaptability in any situation will win the day.
Commit fully to your job. Which means, doing whatever it takes to get the job done well.
Keep moving forward. Meet or exceed all expectations. Be the best you can be.
Accept ambiguity and uncertainty. It is temporary during change. Focus rather on the positive end result.
Behave like you are in business for yourself. See problems and challenges from a more global view and hold to your vision—no matter what.
Keep learning. Keep adding to your skills and expertise. Gather strategies that work for you!
Hold yourself accountable for outcomes. And make certain the outcomes are positive and successful.
Add value. Every way you can! “How can I be of service?” Go the extra mile.
Manage your own morale. You are responsible for you!
Alter your expectations as circumstances warrant. Changes take time, so be patient, adjust your thinking, and react accordingly.
Be the best example, the role model, in your organization!
And, because a good quote always just sums it up, I leave you with this:
EXCELLENCE … can be attained if you:
CARE more than others think is wise … RISK more than you think is safe … DREAM more than others think is predictable … EXPECT more than others think is possible …
The sun is strong, the rain is gentle, and the flower and vegetable gardens are thriving.
I don’t know who originally created the following ‘garden’, but beyond the play on words that will bring a smile to the reader, there is wisdom and guidance here for all of us.
This is a perfect reflection for this season. Enjoy!
Remember, what we sow, we later reap.
The Garden
5 Rows of “P”s purpose presence promptness preparation perseverance
4 Rows of “Squash” …gossip …indifference …criticism …negativism
3 Rows of “Let Us” …be true to ourselves …be loyal and unselfish …be faithful to our purpose
3 Rows of “Turn Up” … your enthusiasm …your conviction …your determination
This is the time of year to reflect—upon this school year winding down, and the next school year just around the corner. This summer, during your planning time, your goal-setting time, for directors and teachers alike, consider planting this ‘garden’ in your early childhood program. It’s a wonderful way to set the tone for the year to come.
For the last 40 years, I have been a successful teacher, director, and leader in the field of early childhood education. My blog posts, my consulting and coaching services, along with my broad array of training and workshops for early childhood educators offer a wealth of best practice materials and resources for those who aspire to quality in the field.
Thank you for visiting! I invite you to share your thoughts, and look forward to hearing from you.
