Service First
Education and
Training
P.O. Box 561323 Charlotte, NC 28256
Office: 1-800-729-1949 Fax: 704-596-4490
Email: sftng@aol.com
from the Desk of Emma Broom
Service First Education and Training
Are You an Effective Supervisor?
A supervisor is the person in the work organization responsible
for planning,
organizing, directing, and controlling the activities of others. They get the
job
done through the efforts of others.
While employees
sometimes see the job of supervision as being an easy task,
it's very demanding and challenging, although it frequently involves rewards.
A Supervisor’s task is not to make people happy or win friends,
although
employees will ideally be happy and like their work. Nor is their task to
please everyone, although they will frequently please many.
A Supervisor’s task is to get work accomplished effectively and
efficiently
through the efforts of others.
The job of supervision requires working with all kinds of
Methods,
Time, Resources, Equipment, and, most importantly,
People.
An effective Supervisor is not born. It is very important
that you study
and practice your supervisory skills. This will eliminate your
“putting out fires” on a daily basis.
You are very important to the success of your organization, and the
more familiar you are with your own style of management and the
styles of others, the less stressful your day will be.
If you have
ever attended any of my workshops on supervision, you know
this familiar quote, “Ninety percent of what you do is understanding human
behavior, and why people do what they do.” Once you really get this, you'll
begin to rise above the "fray" of emotions and personality conflicts and not
take things so personally.
An Effective Supervisor will attract and keep good people. In this age of
intense
competition, it has become increasingly necessary to create an atmosphere of
learning and growth in the workplace.
This calls for a new supervisor, one who can coach, teach, lead employees
to new challenges, and make them feel good about themselves and their work -
all at the same time. (whew!) Are we asking for miracles or what?
As you continue to work
on your effectiveness, please keep the follow principles
in mind:
Your employees must always understand
clearly what is expected of them.
1.
Be available. Provide guidance. Inform.
Empower. Suggest.
You simply cannot do everything yourself.
2.
Recognize good work.
3.
Poor work deserves constructive criticism
and proper feedback.
4.
Give employees opportunities to show that
they can accept greater responsibility.
5.
Encourage employees to improve themselves
in some way. Reading, research,
going back to school, taking refresher courses, self help programs
and ongoing
training will help their professional development.
An effective supervisor should
really get to know the people they supervise, observe employee behavior, know
their temperament, background, lifestyles, philosophy, habits, etc.
Listed below are five things that
I believe will help to enhance your ability to supervise more effectively.
This
list is not all inclusive; however, throughout the many years of supervising
and managing others in the human service and child care industry, I have found
that leading, organizing, enforcing both the parent and employee handbook
guidelines, maintaining good customer relations with parents, and not losing
sight of the vision have eliminated a lot stress
in getting the job done effectively.
Leadership: Your
challenge as a program leader is to find ways to manage change yourself
and to assist others in the process.
No matter how brilliant or how technically capable you
are, you will not be as effective as a leader unless you gain the willing
cooperation of others.
Organization: Managing
multiple priorities can be a task. You must prioritize your
work demands. Keep an active “to-do list”. Set workable goals. The key to
effective
time management is to identify those tasks which are most vital to the success
of
your organization and to focus your efforts on completing them.
Personnel Policy: Make
sure you have an employee handbook in place. Talk to
directors who are in the child care business about their policies. Your handbook
should serve as a one-stop source for answers to any questions that employees
may have about their employment in every respect. Keep your handbook updated.
Working with Parents:
It is important to work with parents and do whatever you
can to empower parents to help them feel that they are in control over their
child’s
care. The parent may not always be right, but the parent is the parent.
Parent
satisfaction is the second half of your job. The customer service approach is
very helpful when you are dealing with angry or irate parents. There may be
times
when you must be firm in enforcing the Family (Parent) Handbook, especially
when parents make unrealistic demands on you and your child care operation.
Keep the Vision Before
You: Never
lose sight of why you are doing what you do.
Honor your program philosophy. Believe in what you do. Impacting the lives
of children is an awesome responsibility and should never be taken for granted.
Know that you are helping children to become responsible adults. In my
opinion, there is no greater reward.
So
until we meet again………….Happy Supervising!
Emma P. Broom, MHDL
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The Importance of Art in Your Curriculum:
Art
activities are some
of the most enjoyable things a young child can do.
Unlike activities such as puzzles or games, there is no "right" or "wrong
way to do an
art activity. Each creation is unique and reflects the ideas
and creativity of the person.
The purpose of true
art activities is to help children experiment with different
materials, be creative, and see and experience beauty. Because
art activities
are open-ended activities in which children's efforts cannot "fail", they
can
help them grow in self-esteem. Preschool children are more concerned with
the "process" of doing than with the "product" they create. They
usually
don't care if their people have green hair or even two heads! The ability to
draw realistic objects and scenes often doesn't develop until the late pre-
school
or early grade-school years; and then this is not necessarily the goal
of
art.
Many accomplished artists do not create recognizable scenes!
Most young
children
naturally delight in art. They love the process of
applying paint to
paper, gluing things together, and pounding a lump of clay.
Working with art materials offers children opportunities to experiment with
colors, shapes, designs, and textures. As they engage in
art
activities,
children
develop an awareness and appreciation of pleasant sensory
experiences, which
is the beginning of aesthetic development.
Artwork benefits all aspects of children's development. As children draw,
paint,
and make collages, they use paints, fabrics, and chalk to make choices,
try out
ideas,
plan, and experiment. They learn about cause and effect when
they mix colors.
Through trial and error, they learn how to balance a mobile
and weave yarn.
Art
also offers opportunities for physical development. As children tear
paper
for a collage or use scissors to cut, they refine small muscle move-
ments. Making lines
and shapes with markers and crayons help children
develop the fine motor control
they
will need for writing.
Art
is enjoyable and satisfying for young children. It enables them to
learn
many skills,
express themselves, appreciate beauty, and have fun -
all at the same time.
Ideas for Your Art
Area
The
art area
enables children to explore color, form, and texture through
self-expression.
Be creative and imaginative in designing learning centers
and materials for
each. Other
centers could include music, creative
expression, manipulative items and puzzles,
math and
number areas,
and the outdoors.
Learning experiences happen anywhere a child is encouraged to explore.
When you
are
planning specific activities, remember to include the
development of the whole
child.
A single activity may involve several
aspects of development (thinking, feeling,
and moving). Teachers must
plan for learning to occur in all facets of the
child's development.
Quality learning experiences for children are enhanced by a well-planned
curriculum.
Select activities, projects and themes that are appropriate for
the age and
development
of the children in the program. Appreciate and
acknowledge the family
differences and
cultural heritage of each child.
Never discourage one gender or age from a
particular theme
area or activity.
Promote and plan activities that encourage the development of
the whole
child, including physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects. Take
joy
in observing each child's learning experiences and progress.
This information was taken from:
Purchase your copy today.
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Parent Satisfaction: The Second Half of Your Job
Parents are the first and most important teachers a child will have.
During the
preschool years, a child's education in the family has
a great influence on his
intellectual and academic development
in school and throughout life.
Traditionally, parents have been responsible for rearing their children,
and
schools have had the task of educating them. Recent years have
brought
about some changes in these rules. In the United States,
more than half of
the mothers of children under six years of age
work outside the home.
Those who are with the child while parents work are forced into new
roles as well. Teachers can no longer focus only on teaching. They have
to help the child through each developmental stage, be concerned about
his/her health, and provide nurturing that was once done by parents.
When children are in childcare, research shows enormous influence
parents still have on their children. They remain the primary support
for the child as their teachers change.
Parent involvement in your childcare center is essential for the
optimum development of the child.
Attitudes among working parents toward childcare have changed
profoundly. Studies have shown that three out of four mothers of infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers believe that their child is learning more in the
Child Development Center than he or she would by staying home with mom
all day.
Remember:
