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Date: 12/7/2005 1:21:00 PM
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Author:
Terri
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Subject:Is it fair?
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What kind of message is it sending teachers when a director goes behind the teacher's back and rearranges the classroom?
I dont think this is a productive form of management but it happens all the time in my experience.
It happened recently to a coworker who told me the director never dicussed it with her, never pointed out changes to be made, but rather just went in during the teacher's off hours and completely changed the room arrangement.
If a director feels there are problems then shouldnt she first discuss it with the teacher who is the one who actually spends 8 hours a day in there?
Many of the things she changed were purely superficial. She put books out on the tops of the cubbies where children cant reach them, but for "decoration".
the teacher prefers a clean, uncluttered appearance to the cubbies.
Has this happened to you?
Can you imagine if a principle came into a third grade classroom while the teacher was away and changed the room arrangement without consulting the teacher?!
It would be considered overbearing and petty.
But in daycare although there is much rhetoric about empowering teachers, it seems directors too often expect teachers to follow, not lead, including in terms of how their rooms are arranged and how the class operates.
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Date: 2/19/2006 9:29:00 AM
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Author:
Cathy Abraham
(childcarediva@aol.com)
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Subject:rearranging a classroom
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As a trainer and someone that goes into centers offering technical assistance, I have learned the importance of working as a team with teachers, and respecting the fact that it is THEIR classroom. When you work WITH the teacher on this task, and engage them, they will usually buy into the changes. I try to use it as a training opportunity, and explain why I think something might work better. I listen to the reasoning the teachers have as well, and talk it through with them. Sometimes when I've had a teacher really resistant to change, I've tried to compromise and in the end, said "Please, just try it my way for a week. If it doesn't work for you, we'll change it back, I promise." Usually, it's the initial response to change that's the issue - and getting past that with some people.
The other piece I find... we don't discuss upcoming or obvious changes with children. They just walk in, and it's completely different. How would you feel if you came home one night and your house was completely re-arranged and you didn't know where things were? This is a great opportunity to walk through the room excitedly with children, and reinforce (by asking them) the appropriate ways to use each learning area.
Thanks for letting me voice my opinion.
Respectfully,
Cathy
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Date: 2/27/2006 10:30:00 AM
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Author:
Systems Administrator
(batkinson@excelligencemail.com)
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Subject:No it is not fair
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I am a director and I would never dream of doing this to any of my teachers classrooms. Now here is what happened to me. I went on maternity leave. After the baby was born I went to the center to "show off" my new little one to find my office had been completely rearranged and all my personal items put into boxes, none too carefully I might add. My supervisor felt that the women who was filling in temporarily for me should feel "at home". I, on the other hand, felt that my personal items served as a reminder that her position was temporary and that I would be returning. In bxing up my things a very precious piece of art work from my older son was ruined. When I did return I expressed my feelings to my supervisor who basically said get over it and never felt she did anything wrong. I ended up quitting three months later to take a new position because I felt like the feelings of the employees with that agency were just not that important to the higher ups.
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Date: 7/21/2006 1:32:00 PM
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Author:
Cindy Soliz
(Sunshyne318@aol.com)
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Subject:Directors changing rooms
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I have had that happen to me and one of my co-workers told me since I am on vacation this week my boss went in my room and wants to rearrange my room without talking to me and she has done this to several of my co-workers without warning and some went okay and several times it made things worse.
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Date: 2/4/2007 6:50:00 PM
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Author:
tricia
(tricia@wymore.net)
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Subject:what about the kids?
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I was suprised that nobody mentioned how unexpected changes to a child's classroom totally disprupts their day? I totally agree that a Director should never, ever touch a room arrangement without the teacher being their or without her permission. But I also think the kids need to be aware of what changes they can expect. Their entire sense of order in the classroom is disrupted. We announce at meeting time if theur will be major changes made to their classroom. And if it is minor, we do it with them and explain why we are making the change. Remember that is is not all about us - it's all about them!
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Date: 12/7/2005 8:00:00 PM
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Author:
mosquito - from Australia
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Subject:no its not fair
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I totally agree with you - it's not fair. I very nearly expected this to happen when I went away on holidays recently. About a month before I left the director, my assistant and I were discussing changes to my SMALL toddlers room. I wasn't changing a thing because I felt the room worked the way it was. My director wanted to change shelves around to create 'areas'. I was disagreeing as the room is so small and supervision can already be tricky because of the way the room is designed. My assistant was sitting on the fence trying to stay in both our 'good books'!!! When I came back from holidays I was sure that they would have rearranged the room but thankfully nothing was touched!!!! I can't understand how someone who doesn't work in the room (although she has done before) can say 'it will work better this way' instead of saying 'do you need any ideas?' or 'do you find problems over here?'..... I was not happy the day she was trying to rearrange my room and the only person who agreed with me was our lunch relief. I love the lunch relief people!!!!!!!!!!!
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Date: 12/12/2005 10:30:00 AM
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Author:
Mrs K
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Subject:not fair, but it happens
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I think its not fair to rearrange teacher's area with out communicating with them. It a trust issue and respect. A teacher gets use to a certain way and it helps them feel good at the room they are in and know where every thing is at. Directors think its there place and they are the director and can do this and it happens during breaks or shut downs...communication is the best things for everyone to get along. I would talk to the director on this and let her/him know that it bothwers you and your classroom is important to you to teach and support the group of kids in your care. Mrs K
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Date: 12/16/2005 10:41:00 AM
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Author:
Barb
(bjliben1386@aol.com)
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Subject:I would never go into a classroom to rea...
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I would never go into a classroom to rearrange it! First, I don't work in that room and wouldn't know where they want things to make it convenient for them. I would never think of doing such a thing. If I see a need to rearrange a room, I will discuss it with the staff in that room and let them come up with a solution. Staff needs to be guided, not blindly led along. They will never learn anything for themselves. We had a situation before preschool started with a new teacher wanting to make some room arrangements that I didn't feel were the best. We sat down and talked about them first. I have enough respect for the teacher to let her try it her way, even though I knew it wasn't the best, as long as there is adequate supervision of the children and there were no safety issues. After the first week, the teacher decided that it wasn't working and remembered my suggestions. She tried it and things went more smoothly. I'm not saying that my ideas are always right, but staff needs to learn on their own. We say that children learn by doing, and the same is said for adults.
And second.....I don't have the time to be rearranging a classroom on my own. I have enough work in the office to get done without looking for extra things to do.
This is just my opinion from my many years as a director!
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Date: 1/18/2006 3:45:00 PM
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Author:
Crystal
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Subject:I have had many a director come into my ...
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I have had many a director come into my classroom to make changes. They either remove items I have put in the room, rearrange the furniture or shelves, or add items to the room without discussing it with me. Sometimes, after I do some "spring cleaning" and rotate items into the storage room, I have had the director come in on the weekend and move some of them back.
I have not worked at a center where we had a universal curriculum. Therefore, I have developed my own ideas of what works. I do not use ditto sheets of any kind or art projects where I wind up doing half the work. My director has criticized me many times for the "messy" art I display on the walls. She says that parents like to see "nice art" on the walls and need "neat projects" to hang on the fridge at home. I don't have posters on my walls either, and have come in on Monday mornings several times and found posters put up. If I miss a day of work, inevitably, there will be a color sheet copied, colored, and taped on the wall.
Why do some directors feel the need to undermine their teachers? I arrage my room the way I need it to be to make my curriculum work. I choose items from the storage room to meet my needs, and rotate them so the kids don't get bored. This expands to making a shopping list for the director too. I make a list of the items I need each month to complete the projects I have plans, but when the director goes to do the shopping, she buys what she thinks I need, and if an item isn't something she thinks I need, she doesn't buy it. Then I'm left short or buying my own things.
I understand that the director (in my case) owns the center. But she should respect the teachers enough to at least discuss changes with us before making them. I need to feel like my opinion is valued, even if in the end we make the changes the director wants.
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Date: 1/19/2006 4:22:00 AM
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Author:
bethie
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Subject:Director education
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Your director needs some educating on the appropriate way to teach young children. Sounds like, in you, she has a teacher right under her nose that is interested and willing to teach the children in a DAP way and she is undermining that work.
Since she owns the center, I guess you'll have to bend to her philosophy of care for young children or find a new place to work that has a philosophy you can support. Personally I would look for new work.
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Date: 1/20/2006 9:04:00 AM
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Author:
Barb
(bjliben1386@aol.com)
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Subject:I have had a problem in the past with so...
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I have had a problem in the past with some of my staff doing most of the art projects for the children. They wanted them to all look the same! It is difficult, especially with teachers who have worked in centers a long time, to get them to stop doing that. A child doesn't learn to use scissors if the teacher does all the cutting. So what if it isn't perfect....it is their work. I had an art teacher in college tell us that once you touch a child's work, it is no longer theirs. With young children, the process is more important than the product.
I like messy art!
Last spring while doing a unit on mud, the preschool painted with mud on paper taped to the playground fence. They then used that for background for their unit on frogs. They also got to play in watered down chocolate pudding to get the feel of mud squishing between their toes! Yes, it was messy, but the parents knew several days before and dressed their children in very old clothes.
I wish I had more staff willing to think outside the box when doing activities with the children.
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Date: 7/21/2006 9:01:00 PM
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Author:
Anne
(claranne99@aol.com)
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Subject:Amen Barb!
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I used to work at a preschool where all of the art on the walls was identical and frankly, way too perfect. I am now working in a school where the child's art is their own. It is so refreshing and gives the parents a realistic finished product.
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Date: 7/30/2006 11:49:00 AM
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Author:
Annette Zweibohmer
(zwe@acegroup.cc)
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Subject:RESPONSE TO YOUR LETTER
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As a parent, I want to see projects that my child has done herself. Not ones that the teacher has done.
Who cares if they are "messy", at least it was my child's work and imagination!
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Date: 1/19/2006 8:20:00 PM
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Author:
Linda
(t0good@webtv.net)
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Subject:changing room
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Sometimes teachers get "comfortable" and are willing to keep an enviornment that isn't the best for the children only because it's the environment they are the most comfortable with.
Also, I have been known to see that one room seems to have too much of something so I'll take the "extras" and go put it in a room that may be lacking. Do I ask the staff for their permission? No. I don't feel a need to. The one who's lacking would politely refuse for fear of making the other teacher mad, and the one with too much would say, "Oh, she doesn't need this" and blow it off. With limited funds, I can't just run out and buy what I already have on hand.
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Date: 1/20/2006 6:52:00 PM
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Author:
Rudy
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Subject:WOW
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Wow I would hope you would respect your staff more than to just come in and remove stuff from the class without telling the teacher. Does that teacher have a right to come into your office and remove somethin you have a lot of????? What if it is the teachers personal stuff? I am glad I don't work at your center because I have a lot of personal things I bring to work and I would be very upset if you removed them.
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Date: 1/22/2006 5:43:00 PM
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Author:
Linda
(t0good@webtv.net)
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Subject:Re: wow
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We have staff meetings where I make it CLEAR that I would never take anyone's personal products - but my teachers don't tend to bring in things. I purchase the items that the teachers need. They make their requests and i can honor almost all of their wishes - but I also get the extras or the givens - the crayons, papers, paints, etc... that everyone needs. They are kept in a supply closet that's supposed to be for everyone and I like to keep it unlocked so that as the NEED arises, they can go and get what they NEED. Most of the teachers respect that and can control themselves - but I have others that NEED to use to take extra before they're even Low on something! Those things cost me money. I can't have someone hoarding all the crayons, or colored pencils, etc. If I'm going by a room and you've got 15 old boxes of pencils only slightly used, why shouldn't I take out 10 boxes of the new ones when I saw a room a few back with no colored pencils in their art corner? Now I can take those new ones to where they can be appreciated by some child who didn't the option of using them yesterday?
Another time I rearranged a room for a teacher was because she decided to put the tall shelves in the middle of the room, and had it set up so the kids had a very long runway looking space. That space was just screaming to the children - Run here! I spoke with her many times about it - especially after SHE complained about having to remind them constantly to stop running. I was also concerned that the shelves were no longer mounted to the wall. Then, over the course of the next week she had numerous incident reports over kids running in that space and crashing, getting hurt, etc, AND on one of the sheets, so wrote that it had a "domino" effect of kids falling into each other, the last one fell and hit the shelves which started to rock. I told her that day, she was to change the room to make it safer for the kids, or I'd change it for her. She NEVER changed it. It was in the best interest of the children that I change that setup, so that weekend I went in and changed it. She must like it, because there are no more incident reports coming and no more complaints about the children running around - Even better then that, though - the parents noticed the changes and complimented the teacher on it. I even had a parent say to me, "I really loved what she did with the layout of the room. Have you seen it?" I said, "Yes, she did a great job in there, didn't she?" The teacher was standing there, and she only blushed a little. She even found me the end of that week to thank me. She said her room is more organized now.
No, I don't know everything, but it is my program and there are certain standards they must adhere to. I wont budge on safety. Another is ditto sheets and predetermined crafts. The ends don't always justify the means. Just because it looks the way the teacher wants doesn't mean it was done in the best interest of the children.
Make your own scratch and sniff paint with the powdered no sugar drink mixs. 1 Tbs. of it with 1 Tbs. water. After the picture dries, they scratch their paintings and can smell it. Lots of fun
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Date: 2/19/2007 8:53:00 PM
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Author:
greg martina
(atl4greg@yahoo.com)
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Subject:applications
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would love to work at your school. sounds like you have your school together. I just got back into the feild and the school i am in are not where they should be if you are looking for teachers let me know willing to relocate.
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Date: 1/22/2006 9:28:00 PM
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Author:
Karen
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Subject:bossy
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wow, I agree with Rudy, that a boss who takes classroom supplies without mentioning it first to the teacher is being
rude and exhibiting poor management skills.
Being the director means more than being bossy. It means giving staff the respect and treatment that you expect them to give you and the families you serve!
If you feel a need Linda, to allocate center supplies and monitor supply quantities, why not ask a few teachers to form a committee to track supply needs? or, better yet, talk to your teachers as adults, and tell them when you need to rearrange or disperse supplies!!!!! You are asking for resentment to grow and hostility to form around your treatment of staff as if they dont deserve basic communication on issues related to their own classroom and the center! this kind of thing really infuriates me. Of course, it is just one more example of why there is a huge shortage of childcare workers...who would want to be treated like a child, bossed around by a director, and then get paid poverty wages????
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Date: 1/23/2006 2:15:00 PM
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Author:
bobbiann
(bigddog803@go.com)
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Subject:bossy?
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it is sad to see materials just sitting in a room unused and un-appreciated by the hoarding teacher. I hear so many times 'they don't play with it/ they don't really need it'. so what is a director to do to get the teacher to share with other staff? I can see hoarding supplies if they are never replaced, but 10 boxes of pencils when you need only a couple of boxes, what's up? maybe have a teacher sharing day for a staff meeting. bring your unwanted goods!
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Date: 1/23/2006 11:14:00 AM
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Author:
Linda
(t0good@webtv.net)
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Subject:Karen - did you not read my response to ...
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Karen - did you not read my response to Rudy? I am not bossy - We have staff meetings where they tell me if they need ANYTHING in the upcoming months that may vary from our regular supplies. I can get almost anything. But when it comes to the supply closet - which I leave unlocked in order to treat them like the adults they are - which is for everyone, it ticks me off to see someone with a huge amount of one thing and another teacher left with little to no things. New products are brought in every two weeks (at the least) and there is always enough. Yet, the teachers who have been with me the longest seem to think it is all theirs. They are reminded time and time again at our staff meetings that the closet is for everyone. One of my newer teachers said the last place she was at kept their closet locked. Every morning, they met the program director at the closet, got a day's supply and left. They then met back at the closet at the end of the day to retrun everything. That seems to me a good way to treat the adults as children with no self control. I don't want to ever wind up doing anything like that.
And as far as room layout - I don't care where the block center or anything like that is, but if there is a danger, and my teacher does nothing about it even after I meet with him/her, then I will take matters into my own hands. After all, the program is liable.
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Date: 1/24/2006 10:06:00 AM
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Author:
Barb
(bjliben1386@aol.com)
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Subject:I agree with Linda in room arrangement i...
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I agree with Linda in room arrangement if there is a safety issue. Tall shelves in the middle of a room, not fastened to a wall, are an accident waiting to happen. And can you imagine the law suit that would arise when the unattached shelf fell and injured a child? If the staff will not correct a safety issue, then i will do it my way.
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Date: 1/24/2006 8:01:00 PM
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Author:
Karen
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Subject:bossy management
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There is nothing wrong with your rationale for wanting to euqally distribute supplies.
However, there is something wrong when a director refuses to go to an individual teacher, (not make an announcement to the group at staff meetings), but actually go in and say nicely but assertively to the individual that the other class needs some pencils too! why is that so hard?
Instead, you basically sneak in and steal them away from one class to give to another! I dont think that is responsible, mature, or effective obviously. it seems it hasnt worked to eliminate the problem, and it sems that teachers still feel the need to protect their things at your center.
When a director avoids one on one communciation with teachers during situations that are perhpas more emotionally complex,it sends a message that everyone hears loud and clear.
Do not fool yourslef into thinking that your staff respects such devious and back door actions.
This isnt about supplies really, it is all about lack of skills to manage effectively, to lead, to inspire, and to motivate a team to work together. A director going behind teachers backs is a director without an ability to lead a team.
A good daycare relies on teamwork, and at the center of that team are teachers. Without their goodwill and effort, no daycare will survive.
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Date: 1/25/2006 11:27:00 AM
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Author:
Linda
(t0good@webtv.net)
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Subject:confrontation
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Karen - when I first read your response, I was a little annoyed thinking - why should I have to add another thing to my list of things to do - I couldn't see why I should have to have a one-on-one with a teacher who knows they're doing something that's a pet-peeve of mine. I figure, they're at the meetings, they're participating, why should I do another thing? But then I thought of it in terms of children - you can't expect them to listen to a command to the group and expect them to follow it outright. You'd do a little more one-on-one. So, this morning, I went to the 2 teachers I have this problem with and told them it bothers me & why it bothers me. I told them everything I have been saying here. One was really receptive and said she'd take more care to not take things she didn't need. The other just shrugged it off and said she didn't care and that if I didn't want her to take things I would need to lock the cabinet. Oh well - 1 out of 2 isn't bad. Then again, she's been having problems lately and isn't liking me much. I found her assistant alone in the room the other day with too many kids. I had to let her know I wouldn't tolerate that due to safety issues and if she did it again she would be reprimanded. That wasn't popular either.
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Date: 1/26/2006 5:06:00 AM
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Author:
karen
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Subject:much better!
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bravo! You did what a leader needs to do! You communicated! Nobody listens in staff meetings generally, and nobody feels compelled to change their behavior if it is not addressed personally. I feel directors owe it to their staff to have a real discussion privately, even if it is casual, to expres their ideas as well as to hear and really listen to the teacher's feelings and ideas. This is teamwork, it is professional, it is mature, and it is desperately needed in childcare centers. If teachers are not treated with respect and professionalism by the directors, then they will not be implementing the directors goals most of the time, of this I can assure you! Just as with children, it is more difficult to give time and energy, to listen, to respond individually to issues and problems, so it is with adults far more easy to dictate and basically "yell orders from across the room" than to communicate one and one.
Childcare directors in my experience are very lacking in higher level business management education and skills and so they operate on principles toward their staff that are neither appropriate nor productive. Until they begin, as you have begun, to see these staff as valued and important people in the running of the business, they will not be truely successful and the center will not be effectively managed.
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Date: 2/1/2006 2:49:00 AM
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Author:
karen
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Subject:I agree. respecting and communicating w...
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I agree. respecting and communicating will get you far. It won't always work but heavy handed ness won't either. Also we use positive guidance with childrlen...why is it we stop using it with adults?
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Date: 2/4/2006 11:57:00 AM
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Author:
bear
(infinitebeliever@hotmail.com)
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Subject:Directors-please resond...help--
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I would love any helpful suggestions-- I have a teacher, who has been employed for 18 years at the center where I am a first year Director, and she is driving me crazy. She is not a team player at all. She only worries about her class. and never wants to participate in any of our activities with the children, such as pj day, clown around day, etc - she says its too much trouble. LOL Anyway, my main problem right now is she is constantly harassing how other teachers are running their classes, as if they are not doing enough, etc. AND now we just hired a new cook who is great...and she is constantly MAD at the new cook, complaining IF the menu has to be changed at all due to lack of some supply we did not have, or like the other day, we were short two Teachers and the cook subbed all afternoon for us to give breaks. WELL this TEACHER griped and got so angry when the menu changed from bananas to apples because the apples were not sliced properly for her 5 yr old children! She was very upset and showed this in front of several other staff members , as she griped at the cook-- I was just returning from a break and heard the tale of this. I confront her and she said yes, I am mad, and it's her job to do it right. Well I explained we would in a pinch that afternoon and the kids had a nutritious snack with apples and juice, she got mad at me, stomped away saying...the need their apples cut in lengths. I was so mad at this point, I just shut up. but I think 5 yr old children can handle an apple...grrr.... anyway, I am not the owner of the center, and when I tell this type of behavior to the owners, they just say to ignore it and not let it get to me...however I am tired of this now...and it is causing so much stress at our center and now especially on our new cook. I do not want her to quit...the other day, this same teacher complained because she did not like the way the pizza was made....the hamburger was still frozen, so we used sausage instead....this was another day of doing what we could..(We have had teachers out with flu) anyway--it was a minor thing but the whole day was stressed because this ONE teacher out of 10 staff members was mad at the cook, and at me for this error/change--ANY SUGGESTIONS???
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Date: 2/4/2006 3:09:00 PM
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Author:
Narelle
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Subject:Its hard confronting staff members that ...
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Its hard confronting staff members that have been there so long and your the new kid on the block - but you are the director, so it does put you in a hard position. I would call her in for a meeting (maybe you could do an overall staff apraisal so it does not look so directed at her and it will give everyone a chance to speak to you about how the feel weather it be about her or anything else, knowing that you will keep it confidetial)
My guess would be that she is stressed out and in need of a holiday (how many years has she been in the one room - maybe a change of room could help)
good luck
Narelle
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Date: 2/6/2006 8:47:00 AM
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Author:
Barb
(bjliben1386@aol.com)
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Subject:I had a staff member who requested a cla...
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I had a staff member who requested a classroom change, which I gave her, then complained about the way the teacher who took her place was doing things. She made a point of criticizing the other teacher in private and in front of children and other staff. They had 2 very different teaching styles and both were working well with the children they were teaching. I had no complaints. Her bitterness and criticizing went from that classroom to other parts of the program causing a lot of center problems. In a meeting with me, she told me all the things that I was not doing right...in her eyes. She often yelled at me for various issues. As I said at the beginning of this.....I HAD a staff member. She is no longer with us. Her infamous behavior followed her to another center where she was to student teach. They asked her to leave after one day because the parents at that center knew about her actions with us.
I will not tolerate rudeness between staff members. We try to work as a team and when one member is pushing the wrong way, nothing goes right.
I would meet with her to get things out in the open. Explain the center policies on such things as changes in snacks and meals. Flexibility is needed in working with children and the same courtesy should be shown for other staff members. If she is not willing to conform to center policies, I would suggest a meeting with the 2 of you and the owner. Do you give staff written warnings? Perhaps knowing that these incidents will be in her record, will help her "get with the plan." If not, perhaps she needs to look elsewhere for employment. You are the director and were hired for your knowledge, background and education. If she can't respect you, then it is time for her to move on.
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Date: 2/7/2006 2:13:00 PM
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Author:
Rudy
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Subject:teacher
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You are the director. Are you the one who can hire and fire teachers? If so tell you are the boss and will NOT tolerate this behavior. The children don't need to hear this for an adult. It is your job as the director to see that something is done.
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Date: 2/19/2006 9:45:00 AM
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Author:
Cathy Abraham
(childcarediva@aol.com)
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Subject:teacher that is not a team player
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It sounds to me as if this teacher is struggling with not being part of any decision-making processes. I don't really think it's about apples and bananas. Ask her for her input on some things. Praise and acknowledge her strengths - and let her make some contributions and share her ideas. Put her in charge of something she is good at and can handle. Tell her you are doing it because you do value her and she has a lot to offer the team. Everyone needs to feel important and valued. I know I forget that sometimes with people that are extremely competant - or that are fighting me/us.
Try and see her perspective (and help others to see her perspective)... she's been there 18 years, and now these "new" people come in and want to do or change a bunch of things. Some long-term staff interpret (incorrectly) that as they are being criticized, and that what they have been doing all this time is wrong.
Get her on your side by making her feel like she has something you respect and value, and will never have - her history and tenure at the center. And remember - she may not have wanted the director job when it was available... but she may have been hurt that she wasn't asked.
Thanks for letting me share my opinion. Cathy
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Date: 2/5/2006 7:33:00 PM
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Author:
Linda
(t0good@webtv.net)
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Subject:First, go back to the owners and let the...
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First, go back to the owners and let them know these are behaviors you cannot and willnot ignore as it will stress you not only you, but the other staffers as well. Let them know you are the Director and in order to see to the well being of the others that they need to support you. Then you go to that teacher (no matter what their response is) and have a sitdown conversation with her. Ask her what specific issues she is having with not participating in -what I am assuming- are Center Activities - Seriously, how is Pj day complicating her day? If she CAN back up her problems with specifics, then see if you two can meet a middle ground. Let her know what your expectations are. Let her also know you refuse to let her bring down the other staff around her. Bottom line - sounds like you need to have a sit down. Also, does your Center have some kind of teacher evaluation? Is her's coming soon?
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Date: 2/8/2006 9:09:00 AM
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Author:
Barb
(bjliben1386@aol.com)
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Subject:Yes, I am the boss and I do hire and fir...
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Yes, I am the boss and I do hire and fire. She had resigned and had given us 2 months notice to fill her position. It was during this time that things got much worse. So the board of directors determined her last day and she was gone!
You are correct, children do not need to hear this stuff from adults. I did my job and she was gone.
There were many other circumstances and people involved in this process that I did not include in my first message. We were going through a program assessment from an outside source to work on issues before the program expansion begins. The board and I hoped that through this assessment, the staff issues would come out and be able to be discussed in a calm, supportive atmosphere. This did not happen and at least 5 staff are now working elsewhere. I do my job, maybe not in the speed that Rudy thought I should. I answer to a Board of Directors. I am not the owner with the final word on major issues.
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Date: 2/9/2006 5:34:00 AM
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Author:
Rudy
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Subject:good job
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Barb you made it clearer as to your position in this post. I commend you for standing your ground and doing your job. You were doing what was best for the children. We need more people like that. Good Job
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Date: 2/15/2006 2:01:00 PM
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Author:
Kathy
(stonyaj@comcast.net)
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Subject:Preschool pay
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I am going back to work as a preschool teacher - I have 15yrs experience (& college degree) but needed to take time off for elderly parents. What is a good hourly rate for preschool teachers (2006) so I know if I am making a wise choice or should look elsewhere. I use to make $8.50 an hour -thanks for the help!
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Date: 2/27/2006 10:57:00 AM
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Author:
Kim
(batkinson@excelligencemail.com)
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Subject:Pay
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Kathy your rate of pay is going to be largely influenced by a number of factors. First where do you live. I am in California where teachers with college degrees earn from $10-$22 an hour depending on the type of center they work at, what their degree is (AA or BA), and the years of experience. I have found goverment funded and non-profit centers pay better then the ones where some owner is collecting a chunk of the profits. I have also found that working conditions tend to often be better in these types of centers. I apologize in advance to all you for profit center owners and/or directors who I have offended by my remarks. I am only speaking from my own experiences.
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Date: 7/23/2006 9:42:00 AM
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Author:
Sunshine
(CNan10@aol.com)
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Subject:California...pay
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No offense taken. I own a for profit Montessori preschool and infant center in CA. My goal is to keep tuitions low enough for all to afford and salaries high enough to attract good staff. It must be working...I have staff turnover about every four or five years as teachers are seeking director positions and I'm not ready to give up my job. I love training new teachers. I have staff with no units just beginning classes and staff with nearly completed Master's degree...Hourly's range from $10.00 - $20.00hr. Both assistant directors are salaried at $35,000. and $36,000. I live very nominally and feed most of the income back into the centers. I opened my centers because I was frustrated, as a teacher, at needing to buy most of my own supplies and new materials. Figured if I was going to spend my money, might as well do it my way. That was fifteen years ago.
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Date: 7/18/2006 2:17:00 PM
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Author:
clarice baker
(cbak9600@bellsouth.net)
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Subject:PLEASE SEND ME A FEW SIMPLE RULES TO POS...
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PLEASE SEND ME A FEW SIMPLE RULES TO POST IN MY CENTER THAT I WILL BE OPENING UP IN JANUARY 2007. ALSO I NEED SOME IDEAS FOR WRITING AND POSTING A DAILY SCHEDULE THAT INCLUDES OUTDOOR TIMES. I LIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
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Date: 7/21/2006 6:28:00 PM
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Author:
Marilyn
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Subject:Maybe you could be a little more specifi...
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Maybe you could be a little more specific on what kind of rules you are wanting. I am an assistant director at our center and we don't have any rules posted. Are these for staff, parents, the kids, what? Each teacher does their own schedule (basically, we give them their music time and lunch time but the rest is on their own) some post theirs and others don't.
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Date: 7/23/2006 6:31:00 PM
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Author:
catthy
(cndhop@verizon.net)
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Subject:family child care = sharing info/ideas
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Since we are lone rangers and wonder women in our field I would love to start a group of other providers nation-wide that will share ideas/ frustrations, and victories about their day to day walk with children in our homes.
I look forward to sharing with you myself.
Catthy
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