Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/s.e.e.-a-solution-to-turnover/5024324/
While working as a center director, I found there were many things I loved about my job. I loved planning events for families; I loved developing individualized plans for children; and I loved working with families to accomplish their goals. I truly enjoyed working with the teachers at our center; they were talented, capable, and genuinely cared about the children they worked with. However, when I reflect on my time as a center director these are not the experiences that come to mind. I remember feeling exhausted because staffing was such a challenge. Our center enjoyed much higher than average retention rates with many teachers remaining with the program for 10 to 20 years… and counting! Yet some left quickly—for a job with a higher salary base or a job with more benefits than our nonprofit early learning center could afford.
In speaking with other center directors, I realized this problem was not just about me—everyone in our area was experiencing the same challenges. Despite maintaining high quality standards in the local programs, our challenge of turnover remained. The problem felt hopeless, insurmountable. Yet there is hope.
Teacher retention is a challenge for early learning centers, yet a key indicator of quality in ...