How much better do you feel about MANAGING?
Managing is the side of the triangle that I have been worried about this entire course.
-how would I possibly manage a school?
-what do I need to know?
-where do I even start?
-what do I need?
-what if I can't get what I need to start a school?
-where do I turn when I get stuck or encounter a problem I don't know how to get out of?
-what kind of team do I need?
-what do I need in order to start?
-where do I find rules, regulations, standards that I'm supposed to be abiding by?
-how would I afford all of this?
All of these questions and many more just flow into my mind when I see the word Managing, or when I think about having to manage.
But after I read through chapter 5, I feel a little more secured about my role as a manager. I got a sense of how I can approach the technical aspects of being a director. Chapter 5 shared many strategies of what I can do in order to make my managing role organized.
For example...
-Budgeting
--> We shouldn't feel that money is a problem that stops us from reaching our vision.
--> There is budgeting worksheets to refer to on how to create salary, tuition price, and money
for supplies.
-Take time to plan the planning process
-Include not only your staff, but also the families and possibly the community.
-Using the technology we have today, communicate in the different languages in our program to include all types of people.
-Plan for trainings that not only benefit your staff but also benefits the program and your vision.
--> Include not only your staff but also families and the community to the trainings if the training
is in an accessible location.
-Investment and structure of time
-->Structure how our time can be used for both the children and the teachers to understand the
children, each other, and the objects around the learning environment.
With just these few examples I have gained a better understanding of how I can take on the managing and overseeing side of the triangle. Though getting the right resources and encountering the right people may be difficult in order for me to start my own program, I wont let this get in the way of reaching my vision. My vision of opening my own program in Molokai and thriving on that island.
Hi Jadelynn,
ReplyDeleteGreat that you feel more secured about the managing side of the triangle after reading Chapter 5. Though you will have the budgeting worksheet, how will you figure out what the numbers should be when it comes to tuition price, salary of staff, etc.. Will there be outside sources giving money to your program? When buying supplies or bringing in supplies, how will you decide what is right for you program? What kind of training will you have for you families and members of the community? I like that you want to possibly open your own program on Molokai. I hear there is a really good teacher there on Molokai with one of the best programs.
Hi Jadelynn,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think people are so fearful of managing? Does it relate to how we view the traditional role of the director? How might you re-write the role of a director so you feel comfortable in a managing position?
I know you have spent time in the exhibit and taking one of the exhibit initiatives with George Foreman. How might what you have viewed as well as what you experienced in the initiative help you to describe your vision of being a director and managing? In the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, there are no site directors -- rather the teachers share the managing duties. How might this type of organization at a center position the responsibility of managing? Are there ways this might serve to disrupt traditional perspectives of the director -- and move managing to collaborating?
Jeanne
Hi Jade,
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to your fears about managing a program. The questions that you asked yourself are questions i'm sure everyone has before becoming a center director. I think that having questions about things is a great way to help with the reflection process. When you ask yourself questions, you are compelled to find the answer. I think that when a person always has questions, they are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves as well as showing concern for their job.
How can you use the other sides of the triangle to help you with the managing and overseeing side? Could you use your current job as a teacher's aid to help you prepare for becoming a director or at least make you feel more comfortable with managing and overseeing?
It sounds to me that in your post you described being a director as being resourceful and planning things to have multiple purposes. One of the things you stated which made me think of the saying, "to kill 2 birds with 1 stone" was when you said, "Include not only your staff but also families and the community to the trainings if the training is in an accessible location." The thing I thought of when I read this was- could you plan a training that is appropriate for parents yet challenging and enlightening for staff? Could staff be involved as educators in these trainings? Another thing I wanted to mention was about finding resources. I felt like adding this in my response because Jennifer actually put it in her response to my post. She questioned, "How can you get them to see the potential in things that don't require a big budget? Children like to play with various objects; as learned in school, a box can be a whole lot of things." Brilliant and so true... :)
ReplyDeleteAloha Jadelynn,
ReplyDeleteAs you strive to reach your goal of opening your own program on Molokai, what would your mission statement and vision be? What will your requirements be when hiring staff? I have thought about opening a center in Hana multiple times, and it comes back to funding and qualified personnel. Being comfortable in your abilities to become a director is a step that many may be afraid of, but says a lot of who you are. Will you be a lead teacher and director? What kind of managing style do you think you have? Keep your dream alive, and I hope that one day you will accomplish your goal as I am sure Molokai also needs a quality program.