Discuss the role of the manager within an early year's child care or education setting.
Early Years Foundation Degree
CI2105
The Senior Practitioner
2) Discuss the role of the manager within an early year's child care or education setting.
Jane McCormick
Preston College
The intention of this work is to discuss the role of the manager within an early years childcare, or educational setting. It aims to critically evaluate management competence, professional practice, effective communication and continuous improvement and the significant and emerging theories and principles that underpin these aspects. The writer will also deliberate the methods, techniques and processes relating to management and early years settings. The role of the reflective practitioner is particularly important in an early years setting and the implementation of staff appraisals and consequential development goals is an area where this is observable. The writer intends to study all these areas and facts relating to the setting and to review and discuss the performance of an early years manager.
There are many different theories surrounding management. Weber favoured the classical approach and was very bureaucratic in his style. Experts connected with the classical theory are not commonly associated with educational settings, as the characteristics are much less to do with people, as they are mechanistic. In order to examine a range of these theories, the critic has chosen to discuss the role of a manager in a nursery. A manager of such a setting, not only has to deal with the children, but also, amongst numerous other tasks, the habitual running of the nursery, staff, and administration. These various skills and activities all need to combine together to function effectively. This is just one aspect of the fusion management theory. Supervisors adopting this style of management generally fill the spaces around them rather than occupy places within the hierarchy (www.thinkingmanagers.com, 9/12/06). The manager in this setting is supernumerary and as such she is able complete all jobs requiring her full attention, without the possible distraction of the children and other team members.
As a reflective practitioner, it is vital that the manager is able to constantly review and change her management style, according to the people she is dealing with. The most important people the manager has to consider in an early years setting, are the children. Every aspect of her daily routine is performed with the children in mind and whether this is communicating with parents, staff or health professionals, the manager should always demonstrate a caring and considerate attitude. It is the manager's responsibility to provide a positive role model for children and staff alike and this may mean that the manager has to adopt various different management styles, in order to liaise successfully with everyone.
Behaviour theorists regard the social factors of a workforce to be of greater importance. The Hawthorne studies, conducted by Mayo (1926), recognised through the experiments in motivation, that productivity of the workforce increased no matter what changes were made to their working conditions. Years later, it was discovered that this was because the staff were recognised as having a voice and, more importantly, they were listened to (Diaper, 1990). As a nursery manager, it is necessary to have a workforce dedicated to providing the best they can for their children. They need to know that their staff members are willing to learn and progress in their field, in order to gain an understanding of the children they are caring for.
'It is not enough when working with young children to know
what to do - practitioners also need to understand why they
do it.' (Dryden, et al, 2005, p154)
Being able to motivate members of staff is a progression towards this. As Mayo found with his workforce, if the staff felt valued, they were more willing to work harder and longer for their manager. Motivating the staff is by no means a simple task, as it means utilising a balance of both people and interpersonal skills. These skills can be grouped into various management styles ...
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'It is not enough when working with young children to know
what to do - practitioners also need to understand why they
do it.' (Dryden, et al, 2005, p154)
Being able to motivate members of staff is a progression towards this. As Mayo found with his workforce, if the staff felt valued, they were more willing to work harder and longer for their manager. Motivating the staff is by no means a simple task, as it means utilising a balance of both people and interpersonal skills. These skills can be grouped into various management styles and each member of staff will require the manager to adapt the style according to their own personality.
The setting, which is the subject of this work, provides a good example of the various styles of management needed in order to supervise the workforce. One member of staff is very carefree and relaxed in her work and therefore needs an autocratic, or coercive management style. She is, however, always willing to do as she is told and thrives on carrying out instructions as they are given. Were the manager to employ a laissez-faire approach here, the jobs allocated to this member of staff would not get done. To examine this in more detail, just one of the manager's duties is to ensure that craft supplies are adequately stocked. As with many of the manager's tasks, this is one that can be delegated to another member of staff. This particular worker is given this task to do and due it being given to her as a direct instruction, she is happy to proceed with enthusiasm and little procrastination. If, however a more laissez-faire approach were used, she could feel that the task was not important and may leave it until such a time as she chose to do it. These skills and qualities of the manager are familiar with Herzberg's (1968) two factor theory of motivation. He recognised that offering staff the opportunity of achievement, recognition, involvement, responsibility and empowerment, is the path to true motivation (Dale, 1992).
'Leaders must challenge people to depart from the patterns of
the past' (Ridderstrale & Nordstrum, 2002, p215)
This is the opinion of Ridderstrale and Nordstrom. In early years leadership it is particularly important. The manager constantly has to implement change, often following government legislation. It is the role of the manager, as the leader to ensure all staff members can adjust to these new implementations, instead of clinging on to methods previously followed. The manager of the chosen nursery has an effective method of executing change. If the change has occurred at nursery level, the chances are it has arisen and been discussed during a staff meeting. If the changes come from elsewhere, for example, a government paper, the manager would first address the urgency of the change, before deciding on a course of action. The agenda for meetings is always displayed onto a notice board for all the staff to view. If the change is one that does not require immediate action, it will be added to the board, next to the agenda. However, should it be necessary to act immediately, then a meeting will be called, either with all the staff, or with individual members accordingly.
How leaders deal with change can affect the members of staff. When first becoming a manager within an early years setting, mistakes or errors undoubtedly will occur. It is important, however, that as reflective practitioners we,
'do not fear mistakes - fear only the absence of creative,
constructive and corrective responses to those mistakes.'
(Covey, 2004, p106)
If a specific failing has not been accounted for, the work force may panic. This is the chaos theory. A manager utilizing this method may be somewhat dismayed when members of staff are afraid to adapt to new implementations. It is always a good idea to plan in advance what will happen when things go wrong. If the manager were to cover every eventuality, for example to follow the contingency theory, this would lead to a very organized and trusting workforce. It is, however, very time consuming and one person alone may not have the ability to cover this area. Communicating well with staff and establishing a society of continual improvement may help in ensuring that crisis management is alleviated (Green, 2000).
In order to run a nursery effectively, it is necessary to hold regular staff appraisals. Indeed, the government has also recognised this and it is now compulsory that all schools administer this procedure (Green, 2000). The nursery in this instance has frequent meetings involving all the members of staff. The author believes that holding these supervision meetings, gives the manager and the staff members the opportunity to take time out of their busy schedules, giving them an opportunity to reflect upon their work. The members of staff also gain valuable, uninterrupted, consultative time with the supervisor, which the manager uses to show genuine interest in them as both a worker and a team member. Informing the staff of her expectations and requirements will ensure that when the time of their individual appraisal arrives, each member of staff should be prepared. The manager is able to praise and recognise the achievements of an individual on a personal level and through possible wage increases, or promotions, can demonstrate this recognition by providing a sense of worth (Field et al, 2002).
Upon completion of all the separate appraisals, the manager then compiles an agenda of the areas that have appeared on more than one occasion throughout the consultations. The team then hold a further meeting to address those problems, which can then be discussed at a group level. This leads the manager to progress virtually seamlessly on to drawing up the professional development plan with her team. As all members of staff are involved in the development plan, they all have ownership and responsibility for it and therefore, are more likely to be positively motivated and have the desire to see it through (Smith, 2002).
'Motivating the staff to want to walk through fire for you is the
ideal goal' (Green, 2000, p136)
As a leader, the manager must ensure that the members of staff within the nursery feel valued. The simple things, such as giving praise when it is due and showing respect for the person as an individual, can make the difference between a member of staff who struggles to come into work each day, or a highly motivated individual who feels trusted and confident in their work. In this nursery, the manager is actively involved with staff and children daily. Her management style is democratic, or participative. The writer believes that being a member of the dynamic workforce and setting a good example is a skill that can only be advantageous.
Practitioners do not only have to work with professionals within their personal environment any more. Increasingly, today's early years settings have other outside agencies working in close contact with them. Just as the manager has to adopt various styles when talking to her own staff, so is the case when dealing with the wide variety of parents and professionals encountered within the workplace. The manager will adopt a different style appropriately as a reflection of the person to whom she is speaking. In this instance, the manager is very familiar with the proprietor of the nursery establishment, as he is in regular contact ensuring the building is in good condition and that no problems arise. She utilises a good balance of people and interpersonal skills, in order to communicate effectively.
The government recognises how important it is for early years practitioners to work closely with parents and there is a great emphasis put on this now. Bronfenbrenner stated that primary and secondary socialization are two major factors that may affect a child's development. A child's genetics is their blueprint and provides it with a set of characteristics that will remain with it throughout the rest of its life. Bronfenbrenner (Grigerenko, 2001), produced a diagram showing all factors that influence each and every one of us, its centre is the child. There will be many changes during a child's life that will have an affect on him, but the child is at the centre of the systems of influence. Closest to the child is the microsystem; family, school, home and peer groups. These fall under secondary socialization. These are possibly the most directly influential factors upon a child. It is understandable, therefore, that the government place such importance on ensuring that early years practitioners maintain this partnership with parents.
'Partnership with parents' is based on the underpinning principle that establishing a good working relationship with parents, is fundamental in maintaining a positive impact on a child's development and learning (QCA, 2000). Not only is this necessary in raising the educational achievement in children, it also helps to enhance children's confidence and develop their communication skills. The manager in this setting encourages her staff to perform regular observations of the children and the parents are invited into the nursery on a regular basis to discuss these and any other issues or concerns they may have. Once every month a newsletter is written by the manager and sent home to all the parents. This letter will contain all important dates relevant to the nursery, any achievements made by either children and staff and any other issues the manager feels parents need to be made aware of. Notifying parents in all these areas helps to raise awareness of the nursery processes. The parents are made aware of times the members of staff are available to talk to and the children are assigned key workers within the nursery to provide familiarity. As all members off staff are involved in this process, the manager is also responsible in overseeing the interactions and on occasion is present at meetings. If a parent has a concern and becomes difficult or angry, the team are aware that the manager should be asked to intervene at any time. This is vital to the effectiveness of this system as the team working with the children need that security of knowing the manager is always behind them in everything they do.
This work has examined the role of the manager within an early years setting. The writer has critically evaluated the competence of the supervisor in this setting and is of the opinion that the manager is not only an excellent role model to her staff, but also a successful leader of her team. Her communication skills enable her to address each member of staff fittingly and with the management style appropriate to the situation. Her style of leadership is comparable to the most up to date theories of management and she successfully combines this with the ability to organise the nursery to an exceptional standard. The reflective practitioner utilises the observations of staff and children to advance and progress their performance and as a result is a highly respected member of the team and the community. If it was possible to summarise the job description of this manager in her early years setting in a few words, they would be communicative, motivating, inspiring, compassionate and steadfastly child orientated. Being an effective manager is not just something we are born with. Aspiring managers and leaders must merge education, training, learning and innovation together, to become the best they can be. Having a sound theoretical background is an essential and the best managers and leaders enhance this with motivation, self-belief and the ability to inspire others.
Word Count 2451
Bibliography
Books
Covey, S.R (2004) The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change London: Simon and Schuster UK Ltd
Dale, B. & Cooper, C. (1992) Total Quality and Human Resources an Executive Guide Oxford: Blackwell
Dryden, L., Forbes, R., Mukherji, P., Pound, L., Chawla-Duggan, R., Joshi, U., Menon, C., Trodd, L. (2005) Essential Early Years London: Hodder Arnold
Field, K., Holden, P. & Lawlor, H. (2002) Effective Subject Leadership London: New York Routledge
Green, F. (2000) The Head Teacher in the 21st Century: Being a Successful School Leader London: Pearson Education Limited
Grigorenko, E. & Sternberg, R.J. (2001) Family Environment and Intellectual Functioning: A Life-span Perspective New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
McCarthy, G.E. (2003) Classical Horizons: the Origins of Sociology in Ancient Greece Albany: New York Press
Ridderstrale, J. & Nordstrom, K. (2002) Funky Business London: Pearson Education Limited
Journals
Diaper, G. (1990) The Hawthorne Effect: A Fresh Examination Educational Studies Vol. 16, No. 3, 261-267
Internet
http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/fusion-management.php
Accessed 9th December 2006
Publications
QCA (2000) Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage QCA
Justine Ellis Early Years Foundation Degree CI2105
Jane McCormick - 1 - Preston College