Open Discussion Forum

Good Morning! 

I work in a center that is fairly new and is run by our City Government as an employee benefit to the current City employees. This opportunity was so appealing to me because they continue to say that they want to be "high quality", use NAEYC to be their guiding force and employ only the best of the best. Our staffing model is posing an issue because we only have one salaried employee per classroom and the rest of the positions are filled in with non benefitted float staff. This however is not my issue for the purpose this post anyway. 

I am having a very hard time getting our management (Interim Director and Director w/City who has no ece experience) to understand the impact of a specific teacher's conduct with children. She is not using DAP, her tone is very harsh and unloving in nature. There are children in that classroom that are beginning to be labeled as challenging and difficult when in my heart of hearts I know that it is a classroom management issue and not a child issue. She has recently been asked to run our preschool room because the lead teacher has been asked to be the interim director while we hire a new one. I have been told that because we looking for a new director our main concern is meeting licensing rules and regulations and she is qualified to be in that role. 

Help! I want to educate and make a difference but I am beginning to wonder if maybe our values are not aligned and I could serve better else where. 

Shana Pruitt
ECE Teacher

Colorado 

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Shana Pruitt
CO
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Shana,

That is a difficult place to be in! I always recommend talking to the individual first, although that can be tricky depending upon their temperament. Approach them with a loving heart and address the most glaring problem first. As professionals, we have an ethical duty to stand up for the children, especially if the management isn't doing anything about. Since it is city funded, you might be able to file an official complaint, too.

Good luck!

Deb

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Deb Martinez
Clinical Professor, ECE, ELEM, SPED
Arizona State University
Phoenix AZ
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-04-2023 12:41 PM
From: Shana Pruitt
Subject: Aligning values with Management

Good Morning!

I work in a center that is fairly new and is run by our City Government as an employee benefit to the current City employees. This opportunity was so appealing to me because they continue to say that they want to be "high quality", use NAEYC to be their guiding force and employ only the best of the best. Our staffing model is posing an issue because we only have one salaried employee per classroom and the rest of the positions are filled in with non benefitted float staff. This however is not my issue for the purpose this post anyway.

I am having a very hard time getting our management (Interim Director and Director w/City who has no ece experience) to understand the impact of a specific teacher's conduct with children. She is not using DAP, her tone is very harsh and unloving in nature. There are children in that classroom that are beginning to be labeled as challenging and difficult when in my heart of hearts I know that it is a classroom management issue and not a child issue. She has recently been asked to run our preschool room because the lead teacher has been asked to be the interim director while we hire a new one. I have been told that because we looking for a new director our main concern is meeting licensing rules and regulations and she is qualified to be in that role.

Help! I want to educate and make a difference but I am beginning to wonder if maybe our values are not aligned and I could serve better else where.

Shana Pruitt
ECE Teacher

Colorado 

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Shana Pruitt
CO
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