After reading the chapters and articles in the book, you should have a general understanding of childcare programming, administration, and supervision. My hope is you know what you don’t know. Your learning is just beginning! I remember Dr. Herwig’s administration class from my Bachelor’s program at Iowa State University. I felt I was ready to be a director after her class. After graduation, I taught preschool children in full and half day programs for many years.
Then, I had the opportunity to work as a childcare administrator in 1990. A church hired me to design and start a half-day preschool program for children in the large urban neighborhood. I quickly learned what needed to be done to meet licensing standards. For a summer, I painted, unpacked and set-up equipment, completed forms, recruited families, and hired a teacher to work with me. The space was licensed for 20 children. The program eventually became fully enrolled and I grew in my understanding of administration and programming. As the public schools offered more free programs to families, our enrollment eventually diminished and the program closed in 1999.
My next position was to direct a center for 80 preschool children and 26 out-of-school time children. There were about 25 staff members including bus drivers, kitchen staff, and teachers. The center was part of a multi-site agency. I learned much more about the voucher system, childcare for families involved with the DCF, and full-day childcare staffing. I prepared the program for NAEYC accreditation by making improvements in systems and curriculum implementation.
After 2 years, the executive director moved me from this center in a large urban area to a small town about 30 minutes away to open a newly acquired program for the agency. The center was located in a parking lot for the commuter rail system and was a former train depot. It was a challenge to come into an established group of teachers and gain their trust. The program was small with 2 preschool classrooms, a toddler room, an infant room and an out of school time program. I learned more about infant and toddler care as well as how to collaborate with other agencies and programs in the area.
After 2 years in the building on the train tracks (literally), we moved to a new building, on an old military base. It was wonderful to have input on the interior design of the building and to purchase the new equipment. The program grew to 4 preschool classrooms, an infant room, 2 toddler rooms, and an out of school time program. I had 25 teachers and over 100 children enrolled. I continued to learn and grow as I had new teachers to coach and mentor, as well as a larger staff to supervise. It wasn’t unusual to find me in the kitchen in the morning helping with breakfast, assisting with break coverage in the late morning and early afternoon, transporting children from the elementary school in the afternoon after running to the bank to make a deposit, and then taking out trash before closing the center in the afternoon. My daughter and I lived on take-out food! I found myself working on weekends to complete paperwork. I enjoyed the center and the team we created to support the children and families we served. It was a bittersweet goodbye when I left to pursue teaching college students.
I hope you enjoy your journey into childcare administration. You have the foundation necessary for operating, managing, and supervising high quality early childhood programs. And, you will continue to learn as you go. Experience is the best teacher!
