Dear ELI: Advice from Exchange Leaders

Dear ELI,

There is so much talk about going to a $15.00/hour minimum wage. That would put us out of business! Families could not afford the increase that would mean. How can we prepare for this?

Yours in a mild-to-moderate state of panic,

Shaken over Salaries

Dear Shaken,

This is a familiar concern and conversation in many communities; without a doubt, we all understand the strain a higher minimum wage would put on small businesses, especially early education programs. Some states have discussed phasing the new minimum wage in over a period of two to three years. This would give businesses time to strategize and make changes to their business plan. This solution should be one that includes families, as well as larger businesses in your area. Hold a forum to discuss this conundrum in your community; many minds are likely to yield fresh ideas.

I also recommend considering shifting to a parent cooperative model. Every parent can volunteer at the school for a set number of days per month, in exchange for a reduced rate. More days at the school = more affordable rate. Meantime, classrooms enjoy more frequent volunteers and lower adult-to-child ratios.

It is also worth considering diversifying your funding stream and adding sources of income that do not come out of parents’ pockets. Think about the local businesses and how they can contribute with dollars, materials or services. Consider a sliding fee scale that requires higher-income families to pay the full cost of care. Keep your enrollment topped out so you can maximize the potential of your space. Look at your administrative personnel and costs and make sure they are in balance with classroom staff needs and costs.

Finally, parents are going to have to join our collective advocacy for high-quality early education. Many countries subsidize parents’ child care costs or the costs of running educational centers. Without a united front composed of teachers, ECE leaders and the families they serve, we risk seeing higher adult-to-child ratios in our classrooms, higher child care fees and greater staffing challenges. But within every challenge lies a possibility—or many! Find your community of support and mobilize!

Dear ELI,

What should a director do about that one staff member who is consistently negative and undermines efforts to make program improvements?

Cordially,

Eternally Optimistic but…Overwhelmed

Dear Eternal Optimist,

When a teacher “goes rogue” with negative attitudes, they can quickly undermine program functioning and morale. Address the specific behaviors that you have observed in a private, direct conversation. Identify the impact of those undesired behaviors, express clear and finite expectations for the future, and ask for a commitment to change.

In other words, aim for the head of the hydra. Do not wait another day to talk with this person directly. Be empathic and supportive, because you do want her to improve. Develop a growth plan based on mutual participation, group support and predetermined goals—not just a one-day fix. Here’s one straightforward approach to this challenging conversation:

Invite her to an afternoon meeting at a neutral spot and explain, “I want to share stories, observations, and your overall concerns about attitude and morale.” Ask her what she thinks and listen to her responses. This is not a time for feedback. Ask her to think about this and meet the next week, at which time you will each share a plan.
Meet again. Discuss both your plans for improvement, and create one plan you both can agree on, including a timeline. Fold in a request for faculty support without embarrassing her or breaching confidence. This way, everyone knows this teacher is working on improving, which is important for overall staff morale.
When she meets your shared goal(s), celebrate.
If she does not meet the goal, tell her you are sorry, but you cannot renew her contract.

Additionally, consider exploring appreciative inquiry as a way to analyze the systems that are working well in your program. “Conversations Worth Having” by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres and “The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change” by Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom are both great resources.

Personality style studies as a staff can be helpful as well. Using the Myers-Briggs personality assessment with staff was a turning point for our program. We learned how our colleagues prioritize, think and react, as well as strategies for working with others who may have starkly different personality traits than our own.

Finally, understanding that negativity could be caused by external stress, versus work-related, be sure to check in with your employee to make sure that everything is all right in her personal life. Attempt to identify the source of resistance: burn-out, personal inertia, fear of failure in the face of change, or resentment at being expected to follow your directions. Ask for suggestions about how things can be different and develop a plan of action with timeline. Then stick to it no matter what. And remember that at the end of the day, some individuals just will not be the right fit for your program or management style, and that is okay. Teachers who are unwilling or unable to support your program may be a greater liability than an asset to your program—no matter how well-qualified they otherwise are.

Alexandra Green, Ellen Drolette, Dianna Hill, and Lori Harris contributed to this column.

Exchange Press

Exchange Press is committed to supporting early childhood professionals worldwide in their efforts to craft early childhood environments where adults and children thrive - environments that foster friendship, curiosity, self-esteem, joy, and respect; where the talents of all are fully challenged and justly rewarded.