- How did Lettie integrate her leadership work from each side of the triangle?
Lettie used the triangle, and worked together with the support of teachers and families to help create a vision for her toddler classroom. She wanted to make sure that her staff and families felt that they had a part in creating a program for the toddler classroom. She noticed that in most of the programs, the vision was on paper but she did not see it in the staff and the program itself. Lettie made sure that she focused on the children and the families, and include the staff, to help them feel involved and a part of the school. She focused more on the families rather than on the paper work.
- If you were to put relationships center stage in your management, coaching, and community-building routines, what routine or system might you want to start revamping?
I know that I want to make sure that the parents feel welcomed into the classroom. Making sure that I sustain positive relationships with the parents and the children. Rather than the parents seeing me as the office person who is in charge, I want them to see me as a teacher too who will help their child achieve goals and be the best they can be. I want to welcome them into our daily routines at the school and let them know that I am there for them. If there are things that I could help them with then they should feel free to come to me when they need. Of course, as a director I want to make sure that the parents know that I am there to provide for them and their child. I would also want to have my staff have the same idea of having strong relationships with each other and the families. Even though there are times where parents beliefs and personal beliefs clash, we should all be respectful to each other and work together in supporting the child.
- How would you describe Lettie's disposition?
I think that even though Lettie is the director, she made sure that she involved parents and was very involved in the classroom and learning about the children and their families. She related to them in many ways. She also built strong relationships with the staff and created an vision by visiting other programs and seeing what works and what didn't. She also had patience for making sure that she considered every idea from staff and parents to create a vision that incorporated everyone's idea. She made sure that everyone worked together to help each other. She wanted parents to feel welcomed into the classroom and do things with the children. She created a place for the children and families to feel at home and safe.
- What disposition do you want to strengthen in yourself to begin your revamping work?
I know I want to work on having my parents feel that they can talk to me about anything. Because I am so young, I feel like it is hard to relate to them because I do not have children, nor am I married. I also know that I need to work on my communication skills because I am shy. I want to make sure that parents will feel welcomed into the classroom and the preschool, but also maintaining professionalism. The children are the most important priority and I want to make sure that parents know that I am there to be there for their children 110% and that my goal is to make sure that their child is learning at their best abilities.
Tanks for you post i enjoyed reading about your personal insight to how you interact with parents, even though you don't have children you have experience with many which for some parents is considered as equivalent to their parenting. Being outgoing is one way to show your confident but leading by example is the best way. In regards to this comment, "She made sure that everyone worked together to help each other. She wanted parents to feel welcomed into the classroom and do things with the children. She created a place for the children and families to feel at home and safe."
ReplyDeleteWhat are some of the ways that you can make parents feel welcome? As you structure your classroom do you feel its the directors job or the teachers job to make a space for families and children to feel at home? How have your experiences shaped the way you would want to involve families?
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteHow does power influence how families are part of an early childhood setting? How does a shared power dynamic create relationships between a setting and families? How does a one-sided power dynamic (with power resting with administration) create relationships between a setting and families? How might a director establish a power dynamic or is some cases, disrupt a power dynamic steeped is history with little purpose? In what ways can directors imagine practice that includes families? How might you imagine this as director?
Cheers,
Jeanne
Hi Monica
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way that you did when I first started. Are parents going to listen to me? How can I relate to them? I had just graduated from high school and the experience that I had with children were with watching my cousins. I actually have had many parents over the years ask me if I had any children and my answer was always no until 9 months ago when I gave birth to my daughter. Do you feel that a teacher that has his/her own children has an advantage over one that doesn't? Is a teacher who has her own kids more credible to parents? Would you feel more comfortable leaving your child with someone who has their own kids? I think the most important thing in convincing parents that you are qualified to teach their kids is to have confidence. If you are confident you will be able to talk to parents regardless if you have kids or not. As a director, how would you support a staff member who has the same concerns that you do? How does your director support you>
Mahalo
Marisa
Aloha Monica,
ReplyDeleteHow do you think Lettie mentored and coached her staff? Are there other examples of how she involved staff? How do you think you could strengthen that mutual respect? Another student mentioned improving communication systems.
In what ways did Lettie relate to her children and families? How did her disposition influence that? She displayed patience to bringing people together. How do you think she set the tone for this safe environment? I can also relate in that I may not fully understand the situation and lifestyle of parents because I don't have children and aren't married either. Do you think that awareness and being proactive could help fill that gap? Could you get your team involved to help get this message across that you are there for families and their children? I find that it may not always be a feeling between you and a parent but a feeling they develop for their child's teachers as a team/whole.
Mahalo
Chloe