Evidence of a high-quality program can be observed in accordance with each nook and cranny of the assessment that is pertinent. From a personal perspective, the experiences shared by students and families, teachers, and directors are viewed in a trickle-down sort of fashion. The directors' and administrative staff's attitude and approach to the assessment of school needs, budgeting and professional development of their team and teaching staff will influence teacher effectiveness outcomes and overall success of the program (Talan, & Bloom, 2011).
According to Olson (2005) administration in a highly effective early childhood program will be sensitive to the ethnic, racial, religious and parenting practices of the local communities. While employed at Head Start as a school leader, we met this indicator of quality by assessing the needs of individual families through data collection; researching for patterns of need through data review; applying indicators of need to find appropriate professional development; and holding staff accountable to the implementation of acquired skills and knowledge through observation and reflection while completing coaching cycles (Instructional Coaching Innovations, Center for Early Childhood Professional Development, n. d.).
As the intentional actions of school leadership influence instructional practices of the education and care staff, positive outcomes will reflect in teacher effectiveness observations and assessment data. According to Pianta, La Paro and Hamre (2008), the high-quality learning environment includes instructors who implement proactive, clear and consistent measures of behavior management and awareness of needs. This increases the probability of regulated students that are cognitively present and conscious of their feelings and emotional state. Aligning with widely held expectations of ability to identify emotions in self and others, responding to emotional cues and taking care of personal needs (Heroman, 2010), these instructional practices stimulate the brain's frontal lobe (Bailey, 2015).
The role of instructional coach is one of many hats. In that position, the opportunity to be an administrator and classroom educator presented itself frequently. The overwhelming way in which personal benefit was acknowledged must have been through witnessing the growth of families in the targeted areas of focus. It is unknown what could be more rewarding than that.
References
Bailey, B. A. (2015). Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Classrooms. Oviedo, Florida. Loving Guidance Inc.
Heroman, C. (2010). Teaching Strategies GOLD: Objectives for Development and Learning: Birth through Kindergarten. Washington D. C.: Teaching Strategies Inc.
Instructional Coaching Innovations, Center for Early Childhood Professional Development, (n. d.). retrieved from https://oklahomainstructionalcoaching.org/instructional_coach_html.
Olson, L. (2005). Early childhood education: Investing in quality makes sense. Research Points, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.aera.net/Portals/38/docs/Publications/Early%20Child%20Education.pdf.
Pianta, R. C., La Paro, K. M., & Hamre, B. K., (2008). Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Manual, Prekindergarten. Brookes Publishers
Talan, T. N., Bloom, P. J. (2011). Professional Administration Scale: Measuring Early Childhood Leadership and Management (2nd ed.). New York NY, Teacher College Press.
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