Head Start Parents Grown Up

Our Head Start Manager recently asked me to check in with my staff to identify those who are former Head Start parents and of my 8 teachers, 7 of them are former Head Start parents.  That last teacher?  Just had her first child and I am interested to see if she enrolls her child within an Early Head Start.  What does this mean to me as a director of a Head Start program?

It means that these strong women were once parents entrusting a program like ours to care for and educate their children.  It gives me a new appreciation for the population we serve and for the population of my staff.

I love this kind of moment.

Building a Lending Library

I am currently in the process of building a Lending Library with high-quality children's books for our infant toddler center and the families who share their children with us.  I'm in the market for Spanish board books and wordless books.  English books seem to be in abundance which, while awesome, doesn't do much for our families who speak a language other than English.  Think I can find board books in Portuguese?  I'm going to try!

It's a pretty solid start!

Do you have a  Lending Library or any ideas on how to beef ours up?  I'd love some creative suggestions!

xo

Settling

I've been giving a lot of thought to the idea of "settling" in relationships...

We tend to think of settling as a romantic thought... but why settle for less than our children deserve?
Find your voice.

So last night, I posted on my Facebook page:  What if we stop settling for "good enough?" To me, that's simply not enough. Strive to be the best, be the change, be the difference.

Today I'm reminded of the Sugarland song with lyrics:

I ain't settling for just getting by

I've had enough so so for the rest of my life

Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high

Just enough ain't enough this time

I ain't settling for anything less than everything

I've been thinking about my relationship within the context of my early childhood center and the community that grows around me.  We serve a variety of income-levels at our site and I'm (surprisingly) a very passionate person about the quality of the services we provide.  
I don't think it's acceptable to offer a sub-par service to a family simply because they make less money.  Every family has a story and every child is an individual who deserves the best start in education possible.  No two stories are alike.

By no means am I a perfect director.  I know there are things I need to continue to develop to be the best support system I can be to my team.  I also recognize that there are some areas in which I am strong and can help others.  I am offended when others don't want what's best for our young children.  These children are the future (did you start singing that song? I did) and we are responsible for ensuring they are the kind of adults who can lead and help others.  They are a part of our community!

I have high standards and most times, people can reach or exceed them.  I refuse to lower my standards for child care because others have lost their light.  I can help you fan your fire or you can step out of the field.  The early childhood field needs more people with energy and excitement for this group -- not those who have been beaten down and dejected by the system.

I strive to be the best.  I don't always hit the mark, but I know my families and staff appreciate the changes being made around them to improve the quality of our program.  Some may say I'm too passionate.  

I simply have a fire that's been fanned over the years.  
Children are my passion and I strive to ensure they are well prepared for the world they are a part of.

I have chosen to find my voice and use it to support the lives of young children and their families.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

It's a simple, quick, and honest question that I ask everyone.  Repeatedly.

I ask people during the interview process.
I ask staff during professional development.
I ask co-workers, particularly on a day when I feel like they need a boost.
I ask myself almost daily.
I ask my husband frequently.

It's an important question that we sometimes forget to ask ourselves.  When you were little, people probably asked your cute little 8-year-old self what you wanted to be when you grew up.  In my case, I always said teacher.  Then second grade teacher.  And when I got my first teaching job as a preschool teacher, I said preschool teacher.  Then quickly realized that I wanted something different.  I wanted to make a bigger ripple in the education pool, if you will.  I let myself dream of being an Education Coordinator and when I saw the need for stronger leadership, allowed myself to dream of being a Site Director.  Let's be honest, no kindergartner is ever going to say "When I grow up, I want to be a Site Director of an infant-toddler center."  Well, maybe, if their parent is in a similar position.  But unlikely.

Dreams change.  Goals change.  The field changes.  We change.  

We have to keep reassessing our goals and passion.  The more time I spend working with infants, toddlers, and twos as well as the adults in their lives (parents and teachers alike), the more passion I feel about ensuring that this age group has a strong foundation of support.  I also want to make an impact in the area of teacher preparation.  What I learned in college, though helpful, wasn't really enough to prepare me for the real world of early childhood education.  What I really needed was a course in Head Start, which someday I would LOVE to teach.  I'll tell you what's up.  Anyone who wants to hire me to teach about Head Start, seriously, give me a call.  I will make myself available.

When you set a goal for yourself, be realistic.  Break that big goal of being a lead teacher into smaller steps.  You have a CDA in preschool -- fabulous.  Now what?  Let's work on that associates degree in preschool so you can be in the preschool classroom as an assistant teacher, learning the ropes and systems within that culture.  After a while, maybe you pursue your bachelors degree and perhaps (!!!) a teaching license so that you can be the lead teacher.  Goals take planning and patience.  Don't forget the patience.  Insert "Rome wasn't built in a day" line here.  And be open.  It's possible that along your path to pursuing that bachelors or even your associates, you will change your mind.  Maybe you will have an epiphany and decide that infants are your life's passion and you want to focus on that grouping.  Go for it.

Setting goals will keep you moving and learning.  It's when we stop learning that mold starts to gather and we get stale and bored within our settings.  I truly believe that this is the root of teacher burnout.  Keep going!  Maybe you will be the kindergarten teacher who teaches for 40 years -- but maybe your goal will change.  Maybe you'll have side goals that support your role as a teacher.

Keep moving forward --- no matter what.

Stay thirsty my friends.
Get it?  Hahaha, clever, right?

Routines for Children Ages 0-100

I depend on a smooth morning routine to make the rest of the day manageable.  This means waking up on time (possibly before my alarm), having time to plan an outfit (let's face it, I'm no fashionista), time for coffee, and a cushion of travel time so that I arrive to the center refreshed and excited.

Find me on a morning when I forgot to set the coffee maker the night before...
I'll be locked in my office sulking.

Find me on a morning when my alarm didn't go off because I set it for PM instead of AM...
I'll be locked in my office with wet hair & probably a scowl, particularly if it's winter or if I have a meeting that day.

Thankfully, I'm an adult.  I am responsible for my own destiny with regards to morning routines and can take steps to ensure I transition well in the morning.  I make coffee the night before, immediately after walking in the door.  I practically triple-check the coffee maker to ensure I've done this correctly.  I may have an issue with caffeine. 

Children do not have this same luxury.  Children are subject to the routines (or lack thereof) adults provide.  When children can predict the happenings of their day, they are better equipped to handle the day.  It's important that children be in school every day.  Two things there, yes, I call it school because all though we are providing child care, we're also teaching -- and yes, I know that sometimes parents have the urge to keep their children home because they have a day off or they want to spend time with their children.  That's cool.  All I ask is that parents give their child some semblance of a normal day.  Come to school in the morning, maybe stay for lunch, possibly for rest time, and then go about your adventures.

This is particularly true in the first months after a transition.  We're working to ensure that children trust the routines of their day.  If parents keep children home every other day, it creates an uneasy vibe.  Children didn't expect to come to school and as a result, drop off time sucked for the parents, teachers, and especially for the child.  We strive for consistency.  We're also working to support attachments within our center.  When children know what to expect, they are more confident and better able to focus on learning new things as they feel safe and secure in their environment and schedule.  This is true for all ages, up to and including adults.

That being said, let me give a quick word about when routines must be broken or changed.  Listen, we're busy people and things happen and somethings, we have to take the bus instead of drive or we have to shower at night instead of the morning.  The best way to prepare young children (and yourselves) for this type of situation is to talk about it.  Acknowledge that it's difficult and something unusual or new.  Let children know what's coming next, especially if it's something out of the norm.

Please respect the routines of children ... and recognize the routines that you depend on as adults and how you feel when someone or something goofs up your daily routines.  Does your day seem to take a turn?  Do you feel stressed?

The Gap

There's a gap in early childhood that we work diligently to close.  Children who come to us from lower income homes are often at a disadvantage and programs like Head Start and Early Head Start strive to ensure that those children are offered a high quality preschool experience in an effort to close that gap.

But like any gap, there are children falling through the cracks.  The system, at times, seems designed not only to keep families from succeeding but to keep them at the status quo, at least until their youngest enter the public school system and are being educated for 8 hours of the day at no cost.  It's heartbreaking as a child care provider to see families working hard to be successful and attempt to break through what can really only be described as a glass ceiling...

Here's a quick example for ya --
I work with some amazing parents.  This particular family has 2 children and they are a family of 4.  They qualify for child care assistance and Early Head Start.  While their co-payment is manageable, it's still pretty high. This mother works hard and was recently offered a promotion.  Sadly, instead of quickly saying yes, she had to deliberate as to whether she could afford it.  What?  Afford a promotion you ask?  Indeed, because if she accepts the promotion, her child care co-payment will go up and she won't be able to afford the new cost child care & would likely, in the end, have to resign or reduce her hours to stay home with the girls.

The cost of child care isn't going down.  Sadly, many children will be forced out of the high-quality programs and into private programming (where there are no standards of quality unless they are aware of and actively involved in early childhood organizations) or staying at home with grandmas and grandpas.  Not to say there aren't great home providers, though they tend to be the exception rather than the rule. I'm left wondering and worrying about the children who may no longer qualify for child care and are left in the gap.

How do we reach into the gap and ensure that ALL children have a high quality preschool experience so they are ready for kindergarten?  With all of this focus on "school readiness," we need to ensure that our tiny humans in the gap aren't forgotten.  But how?  And who will support this mission?