I'm a New Director - Tips!?

[SarahGar]

Hello all,

I just got moved into a director position from a curriculum director position. I have 14 staff, and about 70 - 90 kids. Mobile/immobile infants, young/old toddlers, young preschool, and pre K rooms.

I would love any advice you all have on running a center! Especially with how to work with your staff members, motivating and directing them.

This staff is a challenging group, very gossipy and clique. I would love some advice and guidance for a first timer! Thanks

[Michael]

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I've upgraded your status. You can post freely now.
There are members that are directors. The weekends are a little slow and you should get some responces next week. Here are some threads that may be of some help: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=director

[Sugar Magnolia]

Hello and welcome! I am a Director as well, but I am also an owner/operator/teacher of a very small center. I only have a total staff of three; myself, my husband and an assistant. I do have a 15 year management background in a completely unrelated field, but I think the principles of staff management apply.
1. Make sure you are treating everyone equally, fairly and with respect. You won't get respect if you don't give it.
2. Set clear expectations about job duties, attendance and performance. And he clear on the.consequences of failing to live up to those expectations. You have to be ready, willing and able to fire for non-performance.
3. Give your staff the tools and support they need to do their jobs.
How that helps a little. I hope as Director, you have the power to make the pertinent decisions. Good luck!

[Sprouts]

Hey Sugar I am currently updating my employee handbook and was wondering if someone wouldn;t mind taking a look-see, to see if I am missing anything ..
also do you do evalutations on your assistant? Or do you just tell her verbally?

Thanks!

And congrats to you on the director position! I wish I had great advice to give you. Being a teacher and working with different school with different principles i know the best principles/directors I had were the ones who didnt forget how being in the classroom was and set reasonable expectations for everyone. ALso when giving a policy as well as explaining the reasoning behind it....Like instead of NO PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM! explaing why phones can be a distraction, a lot of things can happen while on the phone and setting a good example for the little ones.

Also being super organized, a term we always used was CYA (cover your a $ $) like always writing down conversations, following up on complaints and misbheavior and so on. Always try to put yourself in the other person's shoes before making judgments and acting.

Take as many leadership courses, or read books on leadership. And remember the most important thing to never forget ...is to have FUN!

Well i hope that may have helped! Good luck!

[flying_babyb]

Best advice- Notice and thank your staff often! I know alot of staff at our center feel like the director only talks to them when they did something wrong!

[kendallina]

Congrats, I loved being a director (usually... haha)!

When I was a director we started every staff meeting with making a chart. On one side we wrote "What's Working" and on the other side we wrote "What's Not Working". Staff would then discuss things that were going well, or they would show appreciation for one another. They would also discuss things that weren't working ( this would often range from "someone's leaving the milk open" to "I don't have time to do observations" to "my kids are acting out and I need some pointers". Then they would put their heads together and offer assistance or come up with a solution when necessary. We often revisited these lists at the next meeting to make sure that everyone was getting the support they needed.

I got this idea from another director, did not come up with out myself.

Everyone said this was their favorite part of our meetings and it was definitely my favorite part as well.

We do a what's working and what's not working chart at my family meetings too.

[Mike]

This was from 5 years ago, and the op hasn't posted again since.

[daycarediva]

I accepted a director position and will start this summer... so yep. Tips would help!

[Unregistered]

Our director is quitting, she got a new job and we are currently trying to fill the position. All thoughts & prayers are greatly appreciated

[flying_babyb]

Congrats, I loved being a director (usually... haha)!

When I was a director we started every staff meeting with making a chart. On one side we wrote "What's Working" and on the other side we wrote "What's Not Working". Staff would then discuss things that were going well, or they would show appreciation for one another. They would also discuss things that weren't working ( this would often range from "someone's leaving the milk open" to "I don't have time to do observations" to "my kids are acting out and I need some pointers". Then they would put their heads together and offer assistance or come up with a solution when necessary. We often revisited these lists at the next meeting to make sure that everyone was getting the support they needed.

I got this idea from another director, did not come up with out myself.

Everyone said this was their favorite part of our meetings and it was definitely my favorite part as well.

We do a what's working and what's not working chart at my family meetings too.

im sharing this with my director! I like that! may keep us from wanting to kill each other!