Final Summative Assignment: Strategic Plan

• Section 2: From the text, we know that a center’s core values grow from the personal core values of its program director, who plays a key role in the culture and practices of a program. Imagine that you are in a position of leadership at this organization that you have chosen to work with for this course.
•  Reflect on what you believe the sources of the program’s core values are or what you think those sources should be, and draft a new or updated Core Values Statement for the entire program that you would hypothetically use as a foundation if you were the program director. You may need to refer to Chapter 2 of the text and/or the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct(2011).
• Section 3: Using the hypothetical Core Values Statement and referring to your weekly assignments (Evaluation of Program Manuals, Environment Evaluation, Supporting Developmentally Appropriate Practices, and/or Part 1 Commitment to Professionalism Assignment), create two goals that you would be able to use to support a strategic plan. State each goal and then explain the following:
  • How will this goal support the growth of quality for the program?
  • What are the benefits of reaching the goal?
  • How will you measure if  you have reached the goal?
  • How is this goal achievable? Have you got the resources to achieve this goal? If not, how will you acquire them?
  • Why is this goal significant to the quality of the program and its core values statement?
  • How long would it (hypothetically) take to meet this goal?
  • Who are the people you might need to organize for action to meet this goal?
  • What is one potential obstacle to reaching this goal and what are two potential solutions to this obstacle?
• Section 4: Create a definition of leadership for yourself as the last step of this course. This definition should be able to serve as a basis for your work as a leader. This definition can be simple and may evolve over the course of graduate school and then your career.
• Referring to you Core Values Statement, define how your core values shape the expectations you have of personnel and programs, your philosophy for promoting quality and effective early education, as well as your overall leadership approach.

The Final Summative Assignment

2.1 DEVELOPING A STATEMENT OF YOUR PROGRAM’S CORE VALUES

The core values of a program of early care and education express the foundational, essential beliefs thatguide every aspect of its operation. They should reflect the knowledge base, history, and traditions thathave shaped the field of early childhood education as well as the philosophy of teaching and learningand beliefs about the purposes of education embraced by the program’s sponsor, leadership, and staff.They must also respond to the needs and values of the community that the program serves.

Core Values of Early Childhood Education

The process of developing a statement of the program’s core values begins by considering theprofessional core values of the field of early childhood education that are part of the National Associationfor the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct (NAEYC, 2011). They provide afoundation for the commitments all early childhood educators make to the children and families theyserve, to each other, and to their communities:

· Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the human life cycle

· Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn

· Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family

· Recognize that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture,1community, and society

· Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague)

· Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues

· Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships thatare based on trust and respect.

A center working to identify the particular core values upon which its programming is based shouldbegin by affirming its commitment to these core values. It may then, after careful consideration, decide ifit is appropriate to add to, expand upon, or elaborate on them to reflect their particular center’sphilosophy of teaching and learning, their views about the purposes of education, and the needs andvalues of their community.

Theories of Teaching and Learning

A center’s approach to teaching and learning is based on theories of child development. This knowledgebase guides teachers’ day-to-day interactions with children, families, and colleagues; its curriculum; andeach classroom’s layout, daily schedule, materials, and equipment.

While not all early childhood educators agree about which theories are most accurate, the field is unifiedin its belief, as expressed in the core values in the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct that teachers of youngchildren must be familiar with theories of child development and must understand how these theoriesinform their work.

A Brief Review of Developmental Theories That Have Influenced Early Childhood Education

Theories of cognitive development that describe how children learn, and theories that explore children’ssocial and emotional development, are essential components of early childhood educators’ professionalknowledge. They have guided the field’s thinking about what we believe children ought to know and beable to do and how we teach. It is important to remember as you review these theories that this is just asampling of the important research that has helped us understand children’s learning, growth, anddevelopment. Be mindful, as well, that scholars continue to build on these theories, and to conductresearch that will guide our work in the future.

Theories of Cognitive Development:

Through the years, three major theories of cognitive development have influenced our understanding ofhow children learn. The first, which dominated the literature from the 1930s through the 1950s, is the maturationist view, which applies a biological and genetic lens to development and learning (Gesell,1931). Maturationists can trace their roots to the teachings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who believed thatchildren’s growth and increased maturity are natural processes that unfold overtime (Peltzman, 1998).Arnold Gesell’s research during this period demonstrated how genetics and biology guide the process ofmaturation and influence, to a great degree, what children can do and can learn. This work led to thedevelopment of age-based norms describing children’s behaviors and warned against imposinginappropriate expectations that would pressure children to perform beyond their developmentalcapacity.

A second school of thought that influenced education from the 1950s through the 1970s is behaviorism(Skinner, 1938). B. F. Skinner taught that the environment, rather than genetics, has the greatestinfluence on learning. Behaviorists can trace their beliefs to those of John Locke, who popularized thenotion that children were “blank slates” to be shaped by their experiences (Ezell, 1983–84). Behaviorism,with its emphasis on children’s experiences, provides a theoretical rationale for direct instruction withsequenced goals and objectives. A behaviorist teacher describes or models desired behaviors and usespraise to reinforce appropriate responses. There are serious limitations to a behaviorist approach toteaching young children: learning is defined by observable behaviors, success depends on a system ofrewards and punishments, and the teacher rather than the child is viewed as the source of knowledgeand understanding.

The third theoretical approach to teaching and learning, which is consistent with brain research andsupported by research investigating how children learn, is constructivism. Constructivists, beginningwith the work of Jean Piaget (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969/2000) and Lev Vygotsky, (1978), help us understandthat children learn by interacting with the people and things in their environment. Piaget’s theorydescribes four stages of children’s cognitive development:

· During the sensorimotor stage (birth—2 years), infants learn by exploring the world with theirsenses. Object permanence and a beginning understanding of cause and effect develop during thisperiod.

· The preoperational stage (2–7 years) is marked by children’s increased ability to use language. Theydevelop memory and imagination, which means they can think about the past, present, and futureand enjoy make-believe.

· Elementary-age children (7–11 years old) are typically in the concrete operational stage. During thisperiod, they begin to be less egocentric, which means they understand that others do not share theirperspectives, thoughts, or experiences. Concrete operational children are beginning to thinklogically but often rely on materials they can manipulate to solve problems.

· Adolescent formal operational thinkers (12 years and up) are able to solve abstract problemssystematically and can engage in theoretical and hypothetical reasoning.

Piaget applies this constructivist theory to help us understand children’s acquisition of language, thecharacteristics of their moral reasoning, and their understanding of geometry and time. Hiscontributions provide convincing evidence that demonstrates children’s ability to direct their ownlearning.

 This video describes Piaget’s theory of cognitivedevelopment with examples illustrating young children’sincreasing abilities to understand the world around them.Watch this video to learn about Piaget’s influential theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxo8zkgd07E

While both Piaget and Vygotsky are constructivists who emphasize the essential contributions hands-onexperiences make to cognitive development, Vygotsky places greater emphasis on learning within asocial context. For that reason, his theory is described as social constructivism. Vygotsky provides insightsinto how both children and adults can benefit from the help of a teacher or more capable peer whoguides or scaffolds (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976) their efforts to solve problems that are too difficult forthem to manage independently. Vygotsky labeled the difference between what learners can doindependently and what they can do with expert coaching as their zone of proximal development (ZPD).Just as scaffolding is removed as building project nears completion, the scaffolding provided by the moreskilled coach who stretches the learners’ performance can be removed as students’ ZPD is expanded andtheir mastery builds (Vygotsky, 1978).

Vygotsky also focused on how culture shapes development. He described culturally developed “tools ofthe mind” (i.e., symbol systems, such as language) that demonstrate how children’s culture preparesthem to understand their world.

While it is instructive to be familiar with all three of these theoretical perspectives of cognitivedevelopment, it is important to appreciate that research-based best practices in early childhoodeducation take a constructivist approach anchored in the work of Piaget, Vygotsky, and scholars whohave continued in this constructivist tradition.

Theories of Social and Emotional Development:

Teachers of young children appreciate the importance of nurturing the growth and development of the whole child. They recognize their responsibility to support children’s social and emotional developmentand the potentially life-long influence they can have on the children in their care. Three theories of socialand emotional development are particularly important for early childhood educators to understand.

Erik Erikson’s (1950) psychosocial theory takes a life span perspective. It describes how socialexperiences shape individuals’ personality and influence their mental health. Erikson identified eightstages: each of which involves a conflict that marks a developmental turning point. The first of Erikson’sstages, trust versus mistrust, typically occurs between birth and about 18 months of age. This conflict isresolved successfully when infants experience responsive and consistent caregiving that leads them totrust that their needs will be met. If care is inconsistent, caregivers are emotionally unavailable, orbabies feel rejected, the result is likely to be a fearful and mistrustful toddler. Each of the remainingseven conflicts involves a similar turning point that has the potential to lead to either personalfulfillment or less-than-optimal development. Erikson’s theory takes an optimistic view by including thepossibility of revisiting conflicts that were not well resolved, repairing the potential damage toindividuals’ healthy emotional development.

Urie Bronfenbrenner also described how children’s relationships, and the social environment in whichthey live, influence their emotional development. His ecological systems theory puts the child in thecenter of five overlapping systems of relationships and identifies the contributions that robust,interconnected systems of relationships make to children’s development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Bronfenbrenner, 1989):

· Microsystems are made up of the child’s powerful relationships such as his family, child care setting,and peers.

· Mesosystems are interactions between two microsystems, such as parent-teacher interactions oremployer-supported child care.

· Exosystems are relationships the child is not part of but that impact him none-the-less. Examples ofa child’s exosystems include his mother’s workplace and his parents’ circle of friends. A child isaffected by his mother’s workplace when her responsibilities frequently require her to travel out oftown, upsetting the child’s ordinary daily routines.

· A macrosystem is the child’s cultural cultural environment. It includes the values, attitudes,religious, and political beliefs he encounters in his home and community.

· Chronosystems add a time-related dimension to Bronfenbrenner’s theory by considering how a childhandles life’s transitions as well as how he is affected by historical or cultural events. Consider howthe birth of a sibling affects a 3-year-old differently than a 13-year-old. This is an example of howchildren experience life transitions differently depending on their stage of development. The impactof cultural events also changes over time in two dimensions. The terrorist attacks of September 11,2001, were experienced differently by preschoolers than they were by students in high school. Theimpact of that tragedy also changes over time—the anniversary marking 9/11 is likely to become lesstraumatic as the years pass.

Bronfenbrenner is also remembered as one of the founders of the federal Head Start program in the1960s. The ecological systems theory remains one of Head Start’s guiding principles, illustrating howBronfenbrenner’s influence continues to be felt in programs that keep their focus on children and theirfamilies (National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), 2006).

And finally, we consider attachment theory to help us appreciate the importance of consistent, attentive,nurturing care, particularly for infants and toddlers. This work began in the 1950s with Harry Harlow’sresearch with monkeys. He demonstrated that attachment, the close emotional ties between infants andcaregivers, does not depend on food, but rather on warmth and security. John Bowlby extended this lineof inquiry in the 1960s. He identified infants’ biological predisposition to form attachments anddescribed infants’ preference for their primary caregivers, whom they seek out for comfort whenstressed or upset. Mary Ainsworth worked closely with Bowlby and took the next step in thedevelopment of attachment theory by designing an observation procedure, the Strange Situation, whichis used to describe the strength of the relationship between mothers and their babies (Spielberger, 2004).

Insights gained from attachment theory are particularly important to early childhood educators becausethe long-term benefits of secure attachments with consistent, reliable caregivers include higher self-esteem and self-confidence, increased social competence, and school success. Insecurely attachedchildren, and children who do not have the opportunity to develop secure attachments to consistentcaregivers, are less likely to be confident and less likely to do well academically (Coleman, 2003; O’Conner, McCartney, 2006; Wong, Wiest, & Cusick, 2002).

Each of these theories of social and emotional development helps us understand the importance ofchildren’s early experiences and inspires early childhood educators to nurture responsive, respectfulrelationships within and beyond the classroom.

Philosophical Views About the Purpose of Education

Philosophers have been offering their views about the purpose of schooling since the time of Aristotle.Writing in the 3rd century b.c., he explained that the key to fulfillment was a well-rounded educationthat included training for the body as well as the mind (Smith, 1997/2001). Aristotle’s pupil Platoexpanded on these ideas in The Republic in which he described a life-long educational journey thatprepares citizens for full participation in society (Smith, 1997). A wide range of philosophers haveweighed in on this issue since these long-ago eras, and the debate about the purposes of schoolingcontinues.

American scholars of the modern age have made significant contributions to these discussions. One ofthe best known of these philosophers is John Dewey. Dewey believed it was important to providechildren opportunities to be active learners exploring their communities as preparation for their fullparticipation in America’s democracy (Dewey, 1938). His work is particularly applicable to earlychildhood educators because he specifically addressed those working with young children by providing afoundation for the child-centered progressive movement that flourished in the early years of the 20thcentury (Cuffaro, 1995; Reese, 2001). NAEYC and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialistsin State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) echo Dewey’s values in their joint position statement oncurriculum, assessment, and program evaluation. It affirms early childhood educators’ “belief in civicand democratic values … [in] supporting children as individuals and members of families, cultures, andcommunities” (NAEYC/NAECS/SDE, 2003).

Today’s educational leaders take a broad view of the purposes of schooling that “extend far beyond whatis measured by standardized tests of students’ content learning” (Sanger, Osguthorpe, & Fenstrmacher,2013, p. 3). They stress the importance of focusing on students’ physical, social, emotional, and cognitivegrowth and development while preparing them to be life long learners who have developed the ability tothink clearly, communicate effectively, maintain positive relationships with others, and contribute tosociety (Sanger, Osguthorpe & Fenstrmacher, 2013; Widdowson, Dixon, Peterson, Rubie-Davies, & EarlIrving, 2014). These are the skills, aptitudes, and attitudes that many believe will be the most importantin the current technologically enhanced learning environment. The question we ask remains, “What kindof citizen do we need to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century?” The core values thatguide your program should help you answer that question.

Considering the Values of Your Community

Many members of the community you serve have a stake in how successfully your program of early careand education meets their needs. It is important to consider their needs and values as you draft thestatement of your program’s core values. Obvious stakeholders include young children and their familiesas well as personnel in the public and private schools the children you serve will attend. There are,however, other stakeholders that might not come to mind so quickly. Traffic around your center mightimpact your neighbors; and the services you offer, and the success and reputation of your program mightbe felt by companies that sell, rent, and manage nearby homes and apartments. The community’sbusinesses and employers, including stores, restaurants, manufacturing, and construction companiesalso have a stake in the reputation and success of your program.

Consider asking representatives from as many stakeholder groups as possible the following questions toidentify the needs and values of your community:

1. What do you believe an early childhood program should contribute to your community?

2. What are the most important services our program should provide?

3. Do you have any concerns about the current operation of our program of early care and education?If so, what are they?

Other factors to take into account are the cultural, demographic, and social—economic characteristics ofyour community. What services will be most important to this population? Would the families you servebenefit from subsidies or other supports provided by local, state, or federal programs? Investigating theanswers to the questions in Figure 2.2 will help your program to be culturally competent.

Figure 2.2

Becoming Culturally Competent by Identifying Your Community’s Needs

These efforts, which are designed to help you understand the perspectives and opinions of a wide rangeof stakeholders, will serve your program as a simple needs assessment. It will help you understand andprioritize your community’s needs and values as you embark on your program’s comprehensive strategicplanning process.

A Better Way

Marie met with some of the parents who had recently withdrawn their children from her center becausethey could not pay their fees on time. This meeting prompted Marie to investigate programs that couldassist them with the cost of child care. She contacted her local resource and referral agency. They gaveher information about how her center could become eligible to accept children’s tuition subsidies anddescribed how eligible parents could apply for this support. Marie’s program was quickly approved toaccept the state-funded subsidies, and before long, several families were using tuition vouchers to helpthem pay their children’s fees. These efforts helped several neighborhood children stay at her center andattracted a number of new families as well. Participating in the subsidy program turned out to be abetter way to serve her community while keeping enrollment high enough to balance the center’s budget.It was a win—win decision that was also the right thing to do.

Your Program’s Core Values

Once program staff have identified the theories of teaching and learning that best describe their corebeliefs, their views about the purpose of education, and how they believe they should respond to thevalues of the community, it is time to develop a statement of the program’s core values. It is thedirector’s responsibility to lead this process, which is potentially intense and time-consuming but also animportant investment of time and energy. Ideally, you will need to schedule several 2- to 3-hour meetings,over no more than a one- to two-month period. If you spread this project over a longer period of time,you will risk losing momentum and will have to review and backtrack to stay on task (Hudlund, 2012).

The process begins by being certain that everyone involved—administrators, all members of the staff,and, if appropriate, the sponsor and board of directors—understands what core values are, what theyare not, and why they are important. Core values are not instructional strategies or a list of the skills andknowledge competent early childhood educators possess. Rather, they are the qualities that the programconsiders to be essential—not just important or desirable, but the deeply held beliefs that are reflected ineverything you do. They are important because they communicate to the families and the communityyou serve, as well as all employees, what you stand for, and the principles that guide your work(Grusenmeyer, 2012; Heathfield, n.d.).

A center’s core values grow from the personal core values of its director, who plays a large role increating the center’s culture, as well as those of its employees. It can be difficult to identify your personalvalues, however, because you have absorbed them from your family, your culture, and your community.The first step is to ask each individual to reflect upon and identify his or her personal values. This is animportant place to begin because personal values are the foundation of professional core values, and youcannot identify what you are trying to accomplish in your work if you do not know what you view asimportant (Feeney, Freeman, & Pizzolongo, 2012). Ask each staff member to develop a list of no morethan 10 personal values that anchor what they do, think, believe, and accomplish. It is a good idea to askemployees to devote some time to brainstorming their lists of personal values privately so that you canwork on compiling a group list at the next meeting. These lists of staff members’ personal core valueswill launch the center’s work in developing a statement of its core values. Figure 2.3 is a list of values,those qualities that individuals believe are valuable and desirable in and of themselves. It is designed tohelp staff members identify their personal values.

Figure 2.3

Identify Your Personal Values

You can either collect individuals’ lists of personal values in advance or record them during the nextmeeting. The size of your staff and the amount of time you have for this work will determine how youwant to collect and record these responses. In either case the next step is to list all responses foreveryone’s review. The staff will then work together to identify related themes from individuals’responses. Remember, core values are not a laundry list of everything that is important; rather, they area succinct and carefully developed statement of the essential beliefs that are the basis for everything youdo. You should aim for no more than 10 “big ideas.”

At this point, you will want to add the core values from the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct to yourconversations because, as indicated earlier, they should be the basis of your program’s core values. Youwill also want to review the developmental theories and views about the purposes of educationdiscussed earlier in this chapter. They summarize the knowledge base, history, traditions, and theoreticalfoundations of the field of early childhood education. It is also time to consider the feedback you havereceived from your program’s stakeholders. Your reason to exist and your success will be measured byhow well you meet their needs.

Gathering and reflecting on all of this information will help you and your staff identify how the personalvalues you bring to your work align with what we know about children, how they develop and learn,what they need to be successful, and how your program will meet your community’s needs. For example,do you believe that children learn through hands-on real-life experiences? Do you believe strong linksbetween children’s home and child care experiences are essential? Those ideas would translate into aprogram that prioritizes authentic hands-on learning experiences and strives to strengthen the linksbetween children and families. As you discuss the core values that guide your staff’s work, you will beshifting the conversation from individuals’ personal values to the professional core values that guideyour work with children and families. We recommend that you work through this process using chartpaper so that you will have a record of the discussion to refer to as you take the next steps towarddeveloping a final product.

A committee might lead the next step of the process by rephrasing and wordsmithing the ideas generatedby the larger group. If you turn the task of polishing the statement of your core values over to acommittee, you will want to invite the review of the program’s sponsor and board of directors, and thentake the proposed final draft back to the whole group to be certain all the important, agreed-upon ideasare included. It will be useful to refer back to the chart paper from the previous large group meeting tobe certain everything is included.

Once your program’s statement of core values has been finalized, it is time to ensure that it is visiblewithin your center and beyond. You will want to post it in the center and on the center’s website andinclude it in handbooks for staff and families. It will become a living document when it is part of thecenter’s daily routines. Refer to it often when making decisions, complimenting staff on a job well done,or offering guidance to improve performance.

When a program’s core values are carefully thought through they should make the center proud—program staff have identified what they stand for and have created a tool to help them stay on course ineverything they do.

Review the process described in Figure 2.4 as you guide your staff’s collaborative efforts to develop astatement of your program’s core values. The core values in the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct provide auseful template even if you have decided to expand upon, or elaborate them further.

Figure 2.4

The Process of Developing a Statement of Your Program’s Core Values

2.2 DEVELOPING A VISION STATEMENT: IDENTIFYING WHERE YOUR PROGRAM ISHEADED

High-quality early childhood programs have some characteristics in common. All adhere to appropriatelicensing regulations. All are situated in facilities designed for young children, provide appropriateequipment and supplies to support caregiving routines and active and quiet play, plan carefully for thecurriculum they offer the children in their care, engage families in their children’s learning anddevelopment, and develop a plan for assessing their success.

Beyond these basic features, high-quality programs vary enormously. There is little consensus as to themost appropriate goals for children’s learning and development; there are no universally acceptedstrategies to reach these goals; there are many ways to reach out to the families of the children youserve; and there are many approaches to program evaluation from which to choose. Once your staff hascollaborated to create a carefully thought-out statement of the program’s core values, the next tasks areto create a vision statement that identifies your program’s goals for the future and a mission statementthat describes what your program is doing now, whom you serve, and why you do what you do. Becauseyour vision and mission statements go hand-in-hand it is important that the connections between themare clear (Gabriel & Farmer, 2009).

We will now narrow our focus to the process of developing your vision statement because, to paraphrasethe Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you want to go, any road will takeyou there.” Begin by making certain that everyone has a clear understanding of what a vision statementis and is not. It is not a roadmap to program implementation; instead, it is a clear, concise, inspirational,easy-to-remember view of what the program hopes to accomplish in the future. It is rooted in reality butfocused on the future. Like the statement of the program’s core values, its development should be acollaborative process that gives all staff the opportunity to shape the program’s future. Its developmentwill require you and your staff to invest a significant amount of time and effort; however, a clear,accurate statement of your vision of the future has the potential to keep the program on track toaccomplish its goals.

Vision statements generally have three components, which describe (a) why your program exists, (b)whom it serves, and (c) what it will achieve in the future—important ideas you should aim to express injust two or three sentences (Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje, & Miller, 2004; Van Korlaar, 2012). Considerthe examples in Figure 2.5. Are they clear and concise? Do they use simple language that is easy tounderstand? Do they describe what success will look like for this center? Are they easy to remember?

Figure 2.5

Sample Vision Statements

As you begin the process of developing your program’s vision statement, you might begin by asking eachmember of your staff to imagine visiting an ideal center. How would they answer these questions:“Whom does this center serve?” “How are you greeted when you arrive?” “What do you hear?” “What doyou see?” “What do you smell?” “Who is here, and how are they interacting with each other?” As theyimagine observing and walking around this ideal facility, they should notice the materials andequipment available in classrooms and outdoors, evidence of how teachers communicate with families, indications of the kinds of relationships staff have with each other and with the center’s administration,and the center’s emotional climate—how they feel while in this environment. Once they have engaged inthis visualization, ask partners to describe their vision to each other and then collaborate to developclear, concise, and easy-to-remember two- or three-sentence statements describing the ideal programsthey envisioned.

The next step is to ask each staff member to identify how your program is serving the children andfamilies in your community now, what you might keep the same, and what you might change as youthink about the future. Ask them to complete Figure 2.6: The Vision/Mission Worksheet individually sothat you can consider everyone’s perspectives as you move forward.

Use individuals’ responses to this worksheet to guide a discussion of the following prompts. Be certain tokeep notes of their responses—this is the raw material from which you will create your program’s visionstatement.

· In five years, our program will be:

· We will be recognized by our ability to:

· We are pursuing these goals because:

Now you are ready to develop a first draft of your vision statement. It should describe

· Why your program exists

· Whom it serves

· What it will achieve in the future

Work together with this large group to compose a clear and concise (two or three sentences) statementthat uses simple, easy-to-understand language and will be easy to remember. Ask everyone in theprogram to reflect on this first draft for a time, perhaps a month. During this period you may want asmall committee to be responsible for polishing the statement before you circulate it to the program’ssponsor, board of directors, representatives from some of the families you serve, and other appropriatestakeholders. You can then present a proposed final version to the staff for their approval and adoption(Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje, & Miller, 2004; Gabriel & Farmer, 2009; Mayfield, 2013b; Van Korlaar,2012).

It may be appropriate to ask a committee to refine and polish the first draft of your vision statement.

Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education

Figure 2.6

Vision/Mission Worksheet

You should be proud of having created an accurate, realistic, and well thought through vision statement.By involving the entire staff, you will have created a shared understanding of where your program isgoing that should inspire them to contribute to the success of that journey. It also announces to familiesand the community in which direction you are moving and where you are headed (Gabriel & Farmer,2009). Since your program’s vision is now clear it is time to turn your attention to how you will achieveyour goals.

 

2.3 DEVELOPING A MISSION STATEMENT: YOUR PLAN FOR REALIZING YOUR VISION

Programs’ mission statements are just as unique as their vision statements. Your program’s missionstatement will serve as a guide as you lead your program toward the future. Just as it was important tomake sure that all staff understood how your program’s statement of its core values and its visionstatement could contribute to your success, they must also understand what mission statements are andappreciate how they can guide your program’s future (Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje, Miller, 2004; Gabriel & Farmer, 2009). Mission statements describe what you do, whom you serve, and why you dowhat you do. Your mission statement will set a tone for how your center operates, create highexpectations for every staff member’s performance, and provide a clear focus for the center’s operation.It can also simplify decision making by providing you with an opportunity to ask yourself if what you aredoing, or plan to do, aligns with your mission (Mayfield, 2013a).

Like your vision statement, your mission statement should avoid jargon and should be clear, concise(aim for two or three sentences), and easy to remember. Consider the examples in Figure 2.7. Are theyclear and concise? Do they use simple, easy-to-understand language? Do they describe what theseprograms do, for whom, and why? Would they be easy to remember?

Figure 2.7

Sample Mission Statements

The process of developing your program’s mission statement can mirror the one you used to create yourvision statement. It should go smoothly since your staff has successfully completed the first two steps ofthe strategic planning process.

The Vision/Mission Worksheet (Figure 2.6) that staff completed earlier will again provide a starting pointas you begin the process. Ask staff to refer to it as you discuss the prompts below. Again, be certain tokeep notes of participants’ responses. Your staff will create your program’s mission statement based onthis discussion:

· This is what we do:

· This is whom we serve:

· This is what we do particularly well and how we are unique:

Now you are ready to develop the first draft of your mission statement. It should accurately answer thesequestions:

1. Why do we exist? What is our purpose?

2. Whom do we serve?

3. What do we do to meet the needs of children and families?

4. What values guide our work?

(Patterson & Radtke, 2009; Van Korlaar, 2012).

Use the notes from this discussion as the basis for the first draft of your mission statement. As before,you might want to task a committee with polishing the statement before you circulate it to the program’ssponsor, board of directors, some of the families you serve, and other appropriate stakeholders. You canthen present a proposed final version to the staff for approval and adoption.

You should be proud of creating an inspiring and motivating mission statement. It should be a dynamicdocument that clearly communicates the essence of your program to your staff, the families you serve,and your community. Take advantage of the opportunity to review your mission statement frequently sothat it remains relevant and speaks forcefully to your staff, the members of your board, and thecommunity you serve (Patterson & Radtke, 2009).

We know that all too often statements of programs’ core values as well as their vision and missionstatements are developed and then forgotten. This is most often the case when they have been written byone person or a small group without the participation and buy-in of the entire staff. These concerns willbe addressed if the processes described in this chapter are followed to solicit input, and when allappropriate stakeholders are involved in these documents’ final adoption. Once finalized, thesefoundational documents need to be made part of the program’s day-to-day practices and relied uponwhen making ordinary and not-so-ordinary decisions.

It is the director’s responsibility to keep these documents front and center. This can be done by includingthem in regular newsletters; posting them prominently throughout the center; and referring to themfrequently when interacting with families, making decisions, complimenting staff on a job well done, oroffering guidance and coaching to improve performance. We know that keeping them in focus is noteasy and often requires changing the program’s culture to one that is constantly striving to improve.However, the result has been demonstrated to be worth the effort.

Application Activity

Locate the vision and mission statements of three organizations. Read them carefully and askyourself these questions:

1. Are they clear and concise enough for all employees to understand and remember?

2. Are they specific enough that they would apply only to this organization, or could they beapplied to any organization of this type?

3. Do you think it is likely that these vision and mission statements actually guide theemployees’ decision making?

4. 2.4 PLANNING FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION

5. Once your program has identified its core values, and finalized its vision and mission statements, the next step in the strategic planning process is the creation of a plan to assess the program’s success. Appropriate assessments of your program’s performance will identify current strengths and areas for improvement. Increased demands for accountability also mean that it is likely that if philanthropic or public funds contribute to your program’s operation, that they will require you to administer specific assessments to determine the impact of their investment (Gilliam & Frede, 2012). This is why program evaluation has become one of the most significant responsibilities of an administrator, and one that she should welcome as a strategy to contribute to the creation of a culture that is consistently striving to improve.

6.

7. Types of Evaluations

8. Program evaluations can be formative or summative. Formative assessments contribute to programs’ efforts to continuously improve their quality (Paris, 2009). Summative evaluations, on the other hand, are typically used as accountability measures, providing information to external funders, regulatory agencies, and children and families about the program’s effectiveness and impact (National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement, Office of Child Care, n.d.). Results from summative assessments often determine a program’s eligibility for continued funding.

9.

10. Program assessments evaluate quality by focusing on program inputs that describe children’s experiences while in care; or program outcomes that measure the impact the program has had on children, families, or other stakeholders (Paris, 2009). Program inputs include both structural and process features. Measures of structural quality address group size; child—adult ratio; the specialized education and training of the staff; and indoor and outdoor spaces, materials, and equipment. Measures of process quality focus on characteristics of teacher—child interactions and their relationships. Program outcomes include measures of children’s cognitive, social, or emotional development as well as measures of the program’s impact on families—such as the level of parental involvement or parents’ increased knowledge of child development (Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, 2013).

11.

12. Assessing Program Inputs

13. There are a number of widely used instruments that focus on classroom environments and are designed to measure the program’s structural and process quality. Many can be used for either formative or summative purposes. When these instruments are used to guide a center’s efforts to improve its program, they can be administered by a classroom teacher or program administrator. In fact, teachers are likely to benefit from professional development familiarizing them with assessments that measure the program’s structural and process quality. When they use these tools to evaluate their own classrooms, they can identify what they are doing well and how they might improve. This formative assessment can be a valuable tool for programs striving to always improve their quality (Cecconi, Stegelin, Pintus & Allegri, 2014; Evans, 2012).

14.

15. When used as part of summative evaluations, these instruments are administered by highly trained and skilled evaluators. Refer to Table 2.1 for a short description of assessments that are widely used by programs for self-evaluation as well as by local, state, and national groups to evaluate the programs of early care and education they support.

16.

17. Table 2.1

18.

19. Assessments of Program Inputs Frequently Used for Formative and Summative Evaluation

20.

21. Assessment

22.

23. Ages/Settings

24.

25. Areas of Focus

26.

27. For More Information

28.

29. Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale (CCIS)

30.

31. Center and home-based settings

32.

33. Interactions and behavior of child care providers

34.

35. Visit fpg.unc.edu Search “Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale.” It is referred to as the “Smart Start Caregiver Interaction Scale”

36.

37. Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs (APECP)

38.

39. Infant, toddler, preschool, school age, and family child care versions are available

40.

41. Health and safety, learning environment, scheduling, curriculum approaches, interactions, and individualization

42.

43. Visit qassist.com Search “Assessment Profile” Click “The Assessment Profile.”

44.

45. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

46.

47. Infant, toddler, preschool and K–3rd grade versions are available

48.

49. Classroom organization, instructional, and emotional support

50.

51. Visit brookespublishing.com Search “Classroom Assessment Scoring System.” Click on each guide for specific descriptions. You will find a link to “the whole CLASS system” with an overview of these assessments on the page for each individual assessment.

52.

53. Environment Rating Scales (ERS)

54.

55. Infant/toddler (birth–2½ years), preschool (2½–5 years), school-age (5–12 years), and family child care versions are available

56.

57. Space and furnishings, personal care routines, language-reasoning activities, interactions, program structure, and relationships with families and staff

58.

59. Visit ers.fpg.unc.edu Click on links for descriptions of specific versions.

60.

61. Environment Rating Scale Extension (ECERS-E)

62.

63. Classrooms serving children 2½–5 years old

64.

65. Designed to be used with ECERS, it focuses on literacy, mathematics, science, and the environment

66.

67. Visit tcpress.com Search “ECERS-E.” Click on link for a full description.

68.

69. Preschool Program Quality Assessment Instrument (PQA)

70.

71. Center–based preschool programs

72.

73. Learning environment, daily routines, adult—child interactions, curriculum planning and assessment, parent involvement and family services, staff qualifications and staff development, and program management

74.

75. Visit highscope.org Search “PQA.” Click on the link for a full description.

76.

77. Program Administration Scale (PAS), 2nd Ed.

78.

79. Center-or school-based early care and education programs

80.

81. Personnel costs, staffing patterns, center operations, child assessment, fiscal management, family partnerships, program planning and evaluation, marketing and public relations, use of technology, staff qualifications, and professional development

82.

83. Visit mccormickcenter.nl.edu Search “program administration scale.” Click on link for a full description.

84.

85. Assessing Program Outcomes

86. Evaluations of program outcomes are designed to assess how children and families have benefited from their experiences. There are two approaches to assessing program outcomes. Informal assessments rely heavily on teachers’ observations of ordinary classroom behavior and often include samples of children’s work. Formal assessments are usually standardized tests that must be administered in a particular way. They are typically administered by trained assessors whom the children do not know (Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA), 2010).

87.

88. Informal assessments of child outcomes are recognized as being the most appropriate ways to evaluate what children have learned and how they are developing. Many teachers benefit from professional development designed to help them become more effective in using observations and anecdotal notes, portfolios that include samples of children’s work illustrating their growth and development across multiple developmental domains over time, and teacher-created checklists to assess children’s development and learning (Banerjee & Lockner, 2013; Susman-Stillman, Bailey, & Webb, 2014). This approach to assessment is a natural part of good teaching. Teachers find that identifying what children have learned and are now able to do contributes to their understanding of the impact they have had on children’s learning, which can be very rewarding. These assessments are also very useful at the classroom and center level to determine the program’s success in terms of the program’s core values, vision, and mission. Informal measures can also be useful to learn about the impact the program has had on the families of participating children. They might include program-developed surveys distributed to all families or focus groups designed to investigate families’ opinions about how well they were oriented to the program when their children first enrolled.

89.

90. image

91.

92. Informal assessments, including checklists, are the most appropiate way to evaluate what children know and are able to do.

93.

94. David Kostelnik/Pearson Education

95.

96. Programs that accept funding from outside sources are often required, however, to administer formal assessments to demonstrate how children have benefited from these investments (Allen, 2007). These tests are either norm-referenced, which means an individual child’s performance is compared with the performance of other children who have taken the test in the past, or criterion-referenced, which describes a child’s performance in terms of specific learning goals. Formal assessments have been standardized by being administered to large groups of individuals to demonstrate their reliability, that is, the likelihood that an individual’s performance will remain the same from one day to the next; and their validity, the degree to which the instrument measures what it says it measures (Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), 2008).

97.

98. Many philanthropic, federal, and state-funded organizations require assessments of children’s development and learning. Some of these programs require developmental screenings. These short, easy-to-administer assessments are designed to identify children who may have developmental delays. Their results may point to the need for more focused evaluations to determine if a referral to special services or remediation is appropriate (Allen, 2007).

99.

100. image This video describes the DIAL-4, an easy-to-administer and frequently used developmental screening assessment. Watch this video to learn about the usefulness of this assessment and how it is administered:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOVqhYMxK6Q

101.

102. Funding agencies may also require formal assessments of children’s learning. These tests can be either criterion and norm-referenced, can measure single or multiple developmental domains, and are designed to be administered by trained personnel. This kind of assessment is ideally linked to the program’s curriculum; however, researchers have found that is seldom the case (Allen, 2007).

103.

104. It is important to be informed about formal assessment strategies that your program might be required to have administered to the children in your care. While you cannot change the mandates of an outside funder, you can prepare children for the testing experience and help reduce the stress this testing might cause children and families alike.

105.

106. You can also join early childhood advocates who recommend the use of multiple measures, not just formal assessments of children’s performance, to measure programs’ effectiveness. They also recommend matrix sampling, which limits the amount of time individual children are tested by administering a portion of a test to several children, and that well-qualified professionals administer these assessments to ensure the usefulness of the data they report (NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2003). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and, more recently, Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant (RTT-ELC) requirements have caused grave concerns about inappropriate assessment practices in early childhood. Many young children are being required to take more tests than ever before. Early childhood advocates raise questions about the appropriateness of the instruments being used as well as the equitable treatment of all children, particularly children who are learning English as a second language, have disabilities, or live in poverty. Additionally, critics of some current testing practices question if assessments are being used for their intended purpose or are concerned that a single assessment may be used to evaluate a child or a program of early care and education (NAEYC, 2013).

107.

108. While it is true that program administrators may have little or no choice about how their program will be required to measure child outcomes, it is important to be informed about common approaches to child assessment, commonly used instruments, and best assessment practices. Refer to Table 2.2 for a short description of assessments that are widely used by local, state, and national groups to evaluate children’s development and learning in the programs of early care and education they support.

109.

110. Table 2.2

111.

112. Assessments of Children’s Development and Learning Frequently Used to Measure Program Outcomes

113.

114. Developmental Screenings

115.

116. Ages

117.

118. Areas of Focus

119.

120. For More Information

121.

122. Ages & Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ-3)

123.

124. 4 months–5 years

125.

126. Motor skills, communication, personal–social, and problem solving

127.

128. Visit agesandstages.com

129.

130. Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ-SE-2)

131.

132. 6 months–5 years

133.

134. Language, social/emotional development

135.

136. Visit agesandstages.com Select ASQ:SE-2 from the Products and Services pull-down menu.

137.

138. Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd Ed. (BDI-2)

139.

140. Birth–7 years

141.

142. Cognitive development, language, motor skills, and social/emotional development

143.

144. Visit riversidepublishing.com Click on Products A–Z; scroll down to “Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd Edition.” Click on “Product Details.”

145.

146. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Ed. (Bayley-III)

147.

148. 1 month–3½ years

149.

150. Cognitive development, language, and motor skills

151.

152. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “Bayley-iii” Click on “Product Details.”

153.

154. Brigance Screens—versions for children from birth-1st grade

155.

156. Birth–1st grade

157.

158. Cognitive development, language, motor skills, social/emotional, and literacy for K–1st grade children

159.

160. Visit curriculumassociates.com Search “Brigance Early Childhood Screens.”

161.

162. Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, 4th Ed. (DIAL-4)

163.

164. 2½–6 years

165.

166. Cognitive development, language, motor skills, and social/emotional development

167.

168. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “DIAL-4” Click on “Product Details.”

169.

170. Assessments of What Children Know and are Able to Do

171.

172. Learning Accomplishment Profile-D, 3rd Edition (LAP-D)

173.

174. 2½–5 years

175.

176. Cognitive, language, fine motor, and gross motor development

177.

178. Visit chtop.org Click on “Products.” Click on “The LAP System.” Click on “LAP-D.”

179.

180. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th Ed. (PPVT-4)

181.

182. 2½ years and up

183.

184. Receptive vocabulary

185.

186. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “PPVT-4.” Click on “Product Details.”

187.

188. Test of Early Reading Ability, 3rd Ed. (TERA-3)

189.

190. 3½–8½ years

191.

192. Reading, early literacy, and readiness

193.

194. Visit proedinc.com Search “TERA.” Click on link to TERA-3: Test of Early Reading Ability