CHAPTER ONE
KEY CONCEPTS
leadership (broad plans and vision), management
(day-to-day work required to make vision a reality), and advocacy (speaking out on
behalf of a person or cause).
Management functions include setting goals, allocating resources, carrying out plans,
monitoring outcomes, and making needed adjustments to reach or exceed goals
ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS FOR STUDENTS
1. Have students check telephone and online directories in their home communities for services
for young children that might be called child development centers. Include public school as
2. Either in class (if Internet access is available) or as a homework assignment, have students
find what governmental agency in your state is responsible for licensing and regulating child
development center programs. What qualifications are required for administrators of child
development programs? Start with the following website:
3.
Defense Fund, which includes a link to State Fact Sheets on Early Childhood Development
Download the Fact Sheet for your state. Discuss the implications for managers of child
development programs. Is there a need for more child care? More affordable child care?
Higher standards for education of child-care personnel?
4. As a prompt for a free-writing exercise, ask students to write (quickly, without correcting or
5.
compare their lists in small groups. Provide each group a copy of Handout 1.1 (Core
Competencies for Directors) and ask them to write each example of skills or knowledge that
they listed in the box corresponding to the appropriate competency. Compile a master list for
the class and note any underrepresented areas.
3
Handout 1.1
Core Competencies for Directors
Reflective management based on personal and professional self-awareness
Organizational Management
Fiscal Management
Personnel Management
Human Relations
Educational Programming
Family Engagement
Marketing and Public Relations