For children to be successful learners, the environment of learning has to be one of physical, emotional and educational safety. I’ve written about physical and emotional safety at length. Establishing an environment of Educational Safety has to do with the aspects of the Staff, the Setting, and the System of organization of the program.   

Staff – Every program must guarantee that all of the adults in it work with professionalism in terms of continuing education and training; in ability, attitude, and appearance; in appropriate communication; and in holding strict adherence to confidentiality with regard to each child, each family, and the program for whom they are employed. 

Training: Have Some Class! – Regulations on administrative and teacher credentials vary from state to state and within states according to program, but if possible:

• Program Directors should hold Professional, Bachelor, or Master Degrees in Early Childhood Education, Curriculum, or School Administration and I strongly suggest that Directors of preschool programs have classroom experience in order to carefully and appropriately supervise, assess, and support staff.
• Administrators must also provide education and training opportunities and incentives for staff to continue updating professional training.
• Lead Teachers should hold either a Child Development Credential (CDA) or its equivalent in hours and components or a full Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development. 
• Assistant Teachers should have proof of having actual successful work experience in a formal early childhood program and have completed or be in the process of receiving formal professional training if they have none. 
• All persons who will be directly working with children (including those with degrees and those who will be teaching enrichment classes like art, music, drama, or technology) should have proof of a minimum of forty hours of local or state provided training in Early Childhood Education which includes the components of Child Development Theory and Research, Health, Child Abuse, Nutrition, and Developmentally Appropriate Practice                                                                                                                                                               
• Because of the amount of study and research done in the fields of human development, brain growth, learning, and special need, teachers must continually update their professional training in these areas.
• ALL persons working at a preschool program – whether directly or indirectly involved with classroom or enrichment teaching – must have successfully completed training in First Aid and CPR.

Ability, From the Top Down

Directors – Aside from the responsibilities outlined in most formal job descriptions, Directors should have the desire and ability to create a sense of community within the program including the use of clear, open, continuous, and correctly written and spoken communication, by being a fully visible and active participant in program activities, and by building and maintaining morale. They must have the desire and ability to support the staff through provision of sufficient equipment, materials, continuing education, and if possible, financial compensation, and in moral support when issues arise in which teachers need “backup”. They must model professionalism for the staff and mandate it firmly – to the point of dismissal of staff persons with poor performance.

Teachers – All adults working with young children must have a complete understanding of child development, learning, the program curriculum, and all aspects of the program policies and procedures. They must be familiar with each child’s strengths, needs, special needs, interests, and personality. They must be familiar with each child’s family in terms of situations that might affect learning progress or need. They must have the ability and desire to create and maintain a positive Emotional Environment in an assigned community of learners, the ability and desire to be an active, warm, and communicative member of the community of employees and supervisors, loyal to the program and all staff persons from Director to Maintenance Staff. They must have the ability and desire to treat parents and family members with acceptance and the greatest amount of respect, to be physically fit enough to actively participate in all learning experiences with the children, and to dress and speak appropriately for work in a professional setting. Whew!

Teachers Make or Break the Program – The quality of the teaching staff and the reputation of the teachers is the most important factor when it comes to the reaching of the goal of optimal learning for each child; for retaining the quality of the total program; and for the status of a program within a neighborhood or community.

Teacher quality can determine accreditation factors, the awarding of grant monies or funds to a public program, and the opinion of prospective clients to a private, faith-based, or commercial preschool program.

Attitude and Appearance

• Attitude means showing interest and enthusiasm from the first child’s arrival in the morning until the last one goes home in the afternoon or evening.  (And, sorry to have to say it, not standing around with a cup of coffee watching kids play!)
• Attitude means separating your “home stuff” from your “work stuff” and every staffer from the office to the janitor’s closet jumping in to help when needed, when asked, and when you aren’t asked, but see a need.
• Appearance can be a big issue for some programs – tats or no tats; piercings or no piercings; shorts, jeans, dresses, or uniforms; purple hair or no hair; weight! It is up to the administrators and parents to determine what is appropriate and up to the staff to adhere.
• Preschool teachers must be healthy and active.  They must MOVE in the classroom and ON THE PLAYGROUND! As for dress codes, I say clean and comfortable. Clothes don’t make the teacher; attitude does.

Next Blog:  Educational Safety – Staff – Communication & Confidentiality