The Role of the Director

Two of my mentors in work and play are Elizabeth Jones and Elizabeth Prescott.  In their now out-of-print NAEYC publication, Day Care as a Child-Rearing Environment, they observed:

"The role of the director in implementing flexibility and communication at all levels is crucial.  If care of children is to be personal and meaningful, it must also be spontaneous and innovative.  If it is both of these, the program will not be smoothly predictable nor predictably beyond criticism.  The director not only must take responsibility for the decisions which she makes, but also must constantly communicate her reasons and convictions as to why children's needs are more important than efficiency.  Specifically, we feel that she must take major responsibility for initiating communication with parents, and for interpreting and defending (if necessary) policies, practices, and needs to decision makers outside of the center.

"With [his] own staff, [his] role of providing enrichment and simplification of the environment for all staff is not unlike a teacher's responsibilities toward children.  Teaching in day care can be monotonous and boring unless balanced by participation in center planning, opportunities for some contact with other adults, and the professional stimulation of visiting other centers and participating in opportunities for in-service training.  The director's role of simplification requires a sure administrative hand, which will clear away obstacles to personal solidarity between staff and children."

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