Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 1

Meaghan Sherer

Child Care Administration

Dr. Harris

Seton Hill University

3 May 2017
Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 2

Reflection of Childhood Administrator Scale

I completed the Childhood Administration Scale at the Child Development Center

located on Seton Hill’s campus. The director of the CDC is Mrs. Maria Stone. I chose

this location for two main reasons: the first being that is was the most convenient due to

the fact that I do not have a car on campus to travel to another location, and secondly, I

felt that due to the fact that I work there, I would be able to fill out the scale without

having to bother Mrs. Stone from her daily routine and responsibilities. My latter

reasoning was not justified; this was a difficult scale to fill out strictly on observation. I

sat down with Mrs. Stone for about two and a half hours completing the information scale

portion, not including the PAS worksheets that factor the program’s overall score. This

overall score measured the strengths Mrs. Stone possess, her leadership qualities and

dispositions, partnerships, and curriculum and environment.

In order to adequately complete this scale, I interviewed Maria Stone on the

information posed on each “subscale” page. She was very knowledgeable and even went

into great detail to help me grow as a future teacher if I am ever to be in her position. She

broke down the Brigance assessment that she administers within a month of the

beginning of the school year. She also showed me the difference between the three and

four-year-old developmental assessments. She said that the main difference is that the

three-year-old assessment measures socio-emotional aspects rather than academic in the

four-year-old assessment. It is important to assess socio-emotional before academics

because they need to know how to be separated from parents for the school day,

socialize, ask for things, go to the bathroom when they need to without fearing to ask, etc.

I wish to start off by saying that I think that there needs to be a modified version of this
Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 3

scale for lab schools. There were four sections that were not applicable, and a couple

others that scored extremely low, because the university takes care of certain

requirements of running a daycare or do not pertain to a lab school in general. Some

include: staff development, compensation, benefits, accounting practices, teacher and

teacher aid. Maria Stone, in the “Rationale” section, wrote justifications on each of these

subscales. However, the Child Development Center’s strengths include (a score of 6 or

7): Staffing Patterns and Scheduling, Facilities Management, Screening and Identification

of Special Needs, Assessment in Support of Learning, Budget Planning, Program

Evaluation, Strategic Planning, Family Connections, Technological Resources, Use of

Technology, Administrator, and Lead Teacher (Talan, 2011). In turn, some of these

sections are highly scored on the other end of having the university connected with the

facility. For example, Ms. Paula, the custodian for Seton Hill, comes in twice a day to

clean and make sure everything is up to NAEYC standards. During the interview, Maria

Stone shared pictures with me of the front sidewalk of the school flooded with water after

a large storm. She was able to submit a request to the university’s maintenance

department and a new drainage system was put in place within 24 hours to resolve the

issue. If this problem occurred to a facility not associated with another organization or

university, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Being NAEYC accredited helps

Mrs. Stone have knowledge of the high standards placed on development centers around

the country and, therefore, can adequately conform.

Working at this center gives me more of a basis for recognizing leadership

qualities she possesses. Although it is the director, Mrs. Stone, and the lead teacher, Ms.

Leechalk’s, first year at the Child Development Center, they meld and work together
Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 4

flawlessly. They both check to make sure they approve of what the other is doing and

have fun while doing it; they treat each other as equals. Mrs. Stone informed me that

there are two ways to be able to become a director of an early childhood program. To

simply obtain a director’s license, or to have a Master’s degree, have so many years

experience as a lead teacher, and have so many years experience as an assistant director.

Maria found herself in this current position by going the more “round about way”.

Needless to say, by pursuing this more “round about way”, she is certainly qualified and

certainly has the necessary experience. A discussion we had in class was how an

administrator should treat their employees as well as periodically presenting them with

little things to show their appreciation. All of the work-studies feel content and genuinely

happy working there because of the environment provided. Although classroom

environment is important for learning, it should also be conducive to the aura of the

facility in which the workers feel as though they can approach the superiors with

questions and concerns as well as take it as a learning experience; this is the case at the

CDC. This environment, I believe, is specifically connected with the two teachers’

dispositions as well. They both believe that no matter ability level, any student can learn

and that they have a duty to ensure they provide the best quality education to their

students; they are both caring and committed people.

As I said before, the CDC is NAEYC accredited. Therefore, forming a curriculum

was guided by NAEYC’s early childhood standards. The curriculum in place was formed

before the recent staff change; however, they have tweaked and modified it according to

21st century learning. Part of this 21st century learning is the method of communication

utilized throughout the school day between school and families. Previously, paper notes
Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 5

would be sent home everyday. This year the CDC began using an app called “Tadpoles”.

With this app, attendance can be taken, messages can be sent between school and home,

pictures from the day’s activities can be exchanged, and much more. This is certainly a

step up from uninteresting paper notes.

Through this class and the completion of this administration scale, I have learned

the necessary elements integrated into a successful child development program. It’s not

just the curriculum or the teachers, but rather the people and elements “behind the

scenes” that not everyone associates with early childhood. As an administrator you have

to put in place strict hiring processes to hire quality people. You also have to have proper

screen technique for students to start any necessary processes to get services to aid

children in any way possible; the sooner you start, the better the outcome. Having

appropriate technology and skills is pertinent to having a successful 21st century

classroom. Along with many other important aspects discussed in class and throughout

this scale, family collaboration is one of the most important elements. In order to have a

productive center, one must have a solid relationship with families for the children’s

sake.
Reflection of Childhood Administration Scale Sherer 6

Resources

Talan, T. N., & Bloom, P. J. (2011). Program administration scale: measuring early

childhood leadership and management. New York: Teachers College Press.