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)

You'll find all you need to design a comprehensive accountability system that includes more than test scores. Filled with discussion questions, sample reports, templates, and additional resources for research, this book is a must-have for everyone developing an accountability program that is fair and rigorous, and meets the needs of your organization.

Blueprint for Action provides a framework for understanding the dynamics of organizational change in early care and education settings. It helps administrators move beyond a "quick fix" notion of center improvement by serving as a guide for organizational analysis and action. The book details a comprehensive method for assessing program strengths and areas in need of improvement. The heart of this approach is an individualized model of supervision and staff development. Woven throughout the text are numerous vignettes connecting the concepts to real-life situations experienced by early childhood administrators. The book includes 26 assessment tools and 12 worksheets that directors can adapt for use in their own programs.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

If The Pentagon's New Map was "a compelling framework for confronting twenty-first century problems" (Business Week), Barnett's Blueprint for Action is something more - a powerful road map through a chaotic and uncertain world to "a future worth creating." Barnett explores our possible long- and short-term relations with such nations and regions as Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, China and North Korea, Latin America and Africa, while outlining the strategies to pursue, the entities to create, and the pitfalls to overcome.

If The Pentagon's New Map was "a compelling framework for confronting twenty-first century problems" (Business Week), Barnett's Blueprint for Action is something more - a powerful road map through a chaotic and uncertain world to "a future worth creating." Barnett explores our possible long- and short-term relations with such nations and regions as Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, China and North Korea, Latin America and Africa, while outlining the strategies to pursue, the entities to create, and the pitfalls to overcome.

A management and staff development book for early childhood administrators