Blueprint for Action

Intended as a practical resource for early childhood center directors engaged in improving the overall quality of their programs, this guide details a comprehensive method for analyzing the different components of a program to increase the program's effectiveness, assists in diagnosing common organizational problems, and aids in selecting appropriate strategies for implementing change and evaluating progress. The guide also demonstrates how to develop a sense of responsibility for center change that is shared collectively by the staff. Chapter 1 presents a social systems model to improve understanding of the significance of day-to-day life in the child care center. Chapter 2 addresses the nature of change and provides an overview of how change occurs in child care centers. The director's role in the change process is discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 explores assessing the needs of the child care center as whole, while chapter 5 focuses on assessing individual needs of staff members. Chapter 6 offers a step by step process for designing an individualized model of staff development, and chapter 7 links the notion of individualized staff development to the supportive organizational structures that will ensure its success. The final chapter discusses meshing organizational needs and individual needs into a unified approach for achieving change. Two appendixes contain 27 assessment tools and 8 sample forms. Contains over 160 references. (TJQ)