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Is Your Program Innovative?
March 9, 2011
The greatest happiness is to transform one’s feelings into actions.
-Madame de Staël, 1766-1817, Political Theorist
"Early childhood centers, like all organizations, must adapt to change in order to survive," observe Paula Jorde Bloom, Ann Hentschel, and Jill Bella in their book, A Great Place to Work. They further note...

"A spirit of innovation and vibrancy in programs doesn't just happen. It has to be cultivated. Early childhood administrators can initiate or inhibit change. They can build or erode innovativeness in their staff, and they can encourage or stifle experimentation...

"Research at the early childhood level... reveals the degree of innovativeness of a program is directly linked to the leadership style of its director. Directors are typically the ones who sense the need for change, set the pace for the change process, and then monitor progress as new ideas are translated into action. Innovative directors are responsive to the concerns of teachers, parents, and the community. They empower people to analyze problems and plan corrective action. They then provide staff with the time, space, and money so ideas can be put into practice."





Early childhood program administrators often have a global impression that things are going well or not so well at their center, but they lack specific feedback on just what the different areas of the organization contribute to those impressions. This updated and expanded edition helps directors define more precisely how ten dimensions of a center shape the quality of work life for staff. It will help you look at your program in terms of collegiality, opportunities for professional growth, supervisor support, clarity, reward system, decision-making, goal consensus, task orientation, physical setting, and innovation. Written in an engaging and lively style, the ideas in this book will help you sharpen your leadership skills and make your center A Great Place to Work.

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