2.1 DEVELOPING A STATEMENT OF YOUR PROGRAM’S CORE VALUES The core values of a program of early care and education express the foundational, essential beliefs thatguide every aspect of its operation. They should reflect the knowledge base, history, and traditions thathave shaped the field of early childhood education as well as the philosophy of teaching and learningand beliefs about the purposes of education embraced by the program’s sponsor, leadership, and staff.They must also respond to the needs and values of the community that the program serves.Core Values of Early Childhood Education The process of developing a statement of the program’s core values begins by considering theprofessional core values of the field of early childhood education that are part of the National Associationfor the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct (NAEYC, 2011). They provide afoundation for the commitments all early childhood educators make to the children and families theyserve, to each other, and to their communities: · Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the human life cycle · Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn · Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family · Recognize that children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture,1community, and society · Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague) · Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues · Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships thatare based on trust and respect. A center working to identify the particular core values upon which its programming is based shouldbegin by affirming its commitment to these core values. It may then, after careful consideration, decide ifit is appropriate to add to, expand upon, or elaborate on them to reflect their particular center’sphilosophy of teaching and learning, their views about the purposes of education, and the needs andvalues of their community.Theories of Teaching and Learning A center’s approach to teaching and learning is based on theories of child development. This knowledgebase guides teachers’ day-to-day interactions with children, families, and colleagues; its curriculum; andeach classroom’s layout, daily schedule, materials, and equipment. While not all early childhood educators agree about which theories are most accurate, the field is unifiedin its belief, as expressed in the core values in the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct that teachers of youngchildren must be familiar with theories of child development and must understand how these theoriesinform their work.A Brief Review of Developmental Theories That Have Influenced Early Childhood Education Theories of cognitive development that describe how children learn, and theories that explore children’ssocial and emotional development, are essential components of early childhood e ...

1. 2.1 DEVELOPING A STATEMENT OF YOUR PROGRAM’S C
ORE VALUES
The core values of a program of early care and education expres
s the foundational, essential beliefs thatguide every aspect of its
operation. They should reflect the knowledge base, history, and
traditions thathave shaped the field of early childhood educatio
n as well as the philosophy of teaching and learningand beliefs
about the purposes of education embraced by the program’s spo
nsor, leadership, and staff.They must also respond to the needs
and values of the community that the program serves.Core Valu
es of Early Childhood Education
The process of developing a statement of the program’s core val
ues begins by considering theprofessional core values of the fiel
d of early childhood education that are part of the National Asso
ciationfor the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of
Ethical Conduct (NAEYC, 2011). They provide afoundation for
the commitments all early childhood educators make to the chil
dren and families theyserve, to each other, and to their communi
ties:
·
Appreciate childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the hum
an life cycle
·
Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn
· Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family
·
Recognize that children are best understood and supported in th
e context of family, culture,1community, and society
·
Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (c
hild, family member, and colleague)
· Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
·

2. Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in
the context of relationships thatare based on trust and respect.
A center working to identify the particular core values upon whi
ch its programming is based shouldbegin by affirming its commi
tment to these core values. It may then, after careful considerati
on, decide ifit is appropriate to add to, expand upon, or elaborat
e on them to reflect their particular center’sphilosophy of teachi
ng and learning, their views about the purposes of education, an
d the needs andvalues of their community.Theories of Teaching
and Learning
A center’s approach to teaching and learning is based on theorie
s of child development. This knowledgebase guides teachers’ da
y-to-
day interactions with children, families, and colleagues; its curr
iculum; andeach classroom’s layout, daily schedule, materials, a
nd equipment.
While not all early childhood educators agree about which theor
ies are most accurate, the field is unifiedin its belief, as express
ed in the core values in the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct th
at teachers of youngchildren must be familiar with theories of c
hild development and must understand how these theoriesinform
their work.A Brief Review of Developmental Theories That Ha
ve Influenced Early Childhood Education
Theories of cognitive development that describe how children le
arn, and theories that explore children’ssocial and emotional de
velopment, are essential components of early childhood educato
rs’ professionalknowledge. They have guided the field’s thinkin
g about what we believe children ought to know and beable to d
o and how we teach. It is important to remember as you review t
hese theories that this is just asampling of the important researc
h that has helped us understand children’s learning, growth, and
development. Be mindful, as well, that scholars continue to buil
d on these theories, and to conductresearch that will guide our
work in the future.Theories of Cognitive Development:
Through the years, three major theories of cognitive developme
nt have influenced our understanding ofhow children learn. The

3. first, which dominated the literature from the 1930s through the
1950s, is the maturationist view, which applies a biological and
genetic lens to development and learning (Gesell,1931). Maturat
ionists can trace their roots to the teachings of Jean-
Jacques Rousseau, who believed thatchildren’s growth and incre
ased maturity are natural processes that unfold overtime (Peltzm
an, 1998).Arnold Gesell’s research during this period demonstra
ted how genetics and biology guide the process ofmaturation an
d influence, to a great degree, what children can do and can lear
n. This work led to thedevelopment of age-
based norms describing children’s behaviors and warned against
imposinginappropriate expectations that would pressure childre
n to perform beyond their developmentalcapacity.
A second school of thought that influenced education from the 1
950s through the 1970s is behaviorism(Skinner, 1938). B. F. Ski
nner taught that the environment, rather than genetics, has the g
reatestinfluence on learning. Behaviorists can trace their beliefs
to those of John Locke, who popularized thenotion that childre
n were “blank slates” to be shaped by their experiences (Ezell, 1
983–
84). Behaviorism,with its emphasis on children’s experiences, p
rovides a theoretical rationale for direct instruction withsequenc
ed goals and objectives. A behaviorist teacher describes or mod
els desired behaviors and usespraise to reinforce appropriate res
ponses. There are serious limitations to a behaviorist approach t
oteaching young children: learning is defined by observable beh
aviors, success depends on a system ofrewards and punishments,
and the teacher rather than the child is viewed as the source of
knowledgeand understanding.
The third theoretical approach to teaching and learning, which i
s consistent with brain research andsupported by research invest
igating how children learn, is constructivism. Constructivists, b
eginningwith the work of Jean Piaget (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969/2
000) and Lev Vygotsky, (1978), help us understandthat children
learn by interacting with the people and things in their environ
ment. Piaget’s theorydescribes four stages of children’s cognitiv

4. e development:
· During the sensorimotor stage (birth—
2 years), infants learn by exploring the world with theirsenses.
Object permanence and a beginning understanding of cause and
effect develop during thisperiod.
· The preoperational stage (2–
7 years) is marked by children’s increased ability to use languag
e. Theydevelop memory and imagination, which means they can
think about the past, present, and futureand enjoy make-believe.
· Elementary-age children (7–
11 years old) are typically in the concrete operational stage. Dur
ing thisperiod, they begin to be less egocentric, which means th
ey understand that others do not share theirperspectives, thought
s, or experiences. Concrete operational children are beginning t
o thinklogically but often rely on materials they can manipulate
to solve problems.
·
Adolescent formal operational thinkers (12 years and up) are abl
e to solve abstract problemssystematically and can engage in the
oretical and hypothetical reasoning.
Piaget applies this constructivist theory to help us understand c
hildren’s acquisition of language, thecharacteristics of their mor
al reasoning, and their understanding of geometry and time. His
contributions provide convincing evidence that demonstrates chi
ldren’s ability to direct their ownlearning.
This video describes Piaget’s theory of cognitivedevelopment
with examples illustrating young children’sincreasing abilities t
o understand the world around them.Watch this video to learn a
bout Piaget’s influential theory: https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=Yxo8zkgd07E
While both Piaget and Vygotsky are constructivists who emphas
ize the essential contributions hands-
onexperiences make to cognitive development, Vygotsky places
greater emphasis on learning within asocial context. For that rea
son, his theory is described as social constructivism. Vygotsky
provides insightsinto how both children and adults can benefit f

5. rom the help of a teacher or more capable peer whoguides or sca
ffolds (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976) their efforts to solve probl
ems that are too difficult forthem to manage independently. Vyg
otsky labeled the difference between what learners can doindepe
ndently and what they can do with expert coaching as their zone
of proximal development (ZPD).Just as scaffolding is removed
as building project nears completion, the scaffolding provided b
y the moreskilled coach who stretches the learners’ performance
can be removed as students’ ZPD is expanded andtheir mastery
builds (Vygotsky, 1978).
Vygotsky also focused on how culture shapes development. He
described culturally developed “tools ofthe mind” (i.e., symbol
systems, such as language) that demonstrate how children’s cult
ure preparesthem to understand their world.
While it is instructive to be familiar with all three of these theor
etical perspectives of cognitivedevelopment, it is important to a
ppreciate that research-
based best practices in early childhoodeducation take a construc
tivist approach anchored in the work of Piaget, Vygotsky, and s
cholars whohave continued in this constructivist tradition.Theor
ies of Social and Emotional Development:
Teachers of young children appreciate the importance of nurturi
ng the growth and development of the whole child. They recogn
ize their responsibility to support children’s social and emotion
al developmentand the potentially life-
long influence they can have on the children in their care. Three
theories of socialand emotional development are particularly i
mportant for early childhood educators to understand.
Erik Erikson’s (1950) psychosocial theory takes a life span pers
pective. It describes how socialexperiences shape individuals’ p
ersonality and influence their mental health. Erikson identified
eightstages: each of which involves a conflict that marks a deve
lopmental turning point. The first of Erikson’sstages, trust versu
s mistrust, typically occurs between birth and about 18 months o
f age. This conflict isresolved successfully when infants experie
nce responsive and consistent caregiving that leads them totrust

6. that their needs will be met. If care is inconsistent, caregivers ar
e emotionally unavailable, orbabies feel rejected, the result is li
kely to be a fearful and mistrustful toddler. Each of the remaini
ngseven conflicts involves a similar turning point that has the p
otential to lead to either personalfulfillment or less-than-
optimal development. Erikson’s theory takes an optimistic view
by including thepossibility of revisiting conflicts that were not
well resolved, repairing the potential damage toindividuals’ hea
lthy emotional development.
Urie Bronfenbrenner also described how children’s relationships
, and the social environment in whichthey live, influence their e
motional development. His ecological systems theory puts the c
hild in thecenter of five overlapping systems of relationships an
d identifies the contributions that robust,interconnected systems
of relationships make to children’s development (Bronfenbrenn
er, 1979; Bronfenbrenner, 1989):
·
Microsystems are made up of the child’s powerful relationships
such as his family, child care setting,and peers.
·
Mesosystems are interactions between two microsystems, such a
s parent-teacher interactions oremployer-supported child care.
·
Exosystems are relationships the child is not part of but that im
pact him none-the-
less. Examples ofa child’s exosystems include his mother’s wor
kplace and his parents’ circle of friends. A child isaffected by h
is mother’s workplace when her responsibilities frequently requi
re her to travel out oftown, upsetting the child’s ordinary daily r
outines.
·
A macrosystem is the child’s cultural cultural environment. It in
cludes the values, attitudes,religious, and political beliefs he en
counters in his home and community.
· Chronosystems add a time-
related dimension to Bronfenbrenner’s theory by considering ho

7. w a childhandles life’s transitions as well as how he is affected
by historical or cultural events. Consider howthe birth of a sibli
ng affects a 3-year-old differently than a 13-year-
old. This is an example of howchildren experience life transitio
ns differently depending on their stage of development. The imp
actof cultural events also changes over time in two dimensions.
The terrorist attacks of September 11,2001, were experienced di
fferently by preschoolers than they were by students in high sch
ool. Theimpact of that tragedy also changes over time—
the anniversary marking 9/11 is likely to become lesstraumatic a
s the years pass.
Bronfenbrenner is also remembered as one of the founders of th
e federal Head Start program in the1960s. The ecological syste
ms theory remains one of Head Start’s guiding principles, illustr
ating howBronfenbrenner’s influence continues to be felt in pro
grams that keep their focus on children and theirfamilies (Natio
nal Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), 2006).
And finally, we consider attachment theory to help us appreciat
e the importance of consistent, attentive,nurturing care, particul
arly for infants and toddlers. This work began in the 1950s with
Harry Harlow’sresearch with monkeys. He demonstrated that att
achment, the close emotional ties between infants andcaregivers
, does not depend on food, but rather on warmth and security. Jo
hn Bowlby extended this lineof inquiry in the 1960s. He identifi
ed infants’ biological predisposition to form attachments anddes
cribed infants’ preference for their primary caregivers, whom th
ey seek out for comfort whenstressed or upset. Mary Ainsworth
worked closely with Bowlby and took the next step in thedevelo
pment of attachment theory by designing an observation proced
ure, the Strange Situation, whichis used to describe the strength
of the relationship between mothers and their babies (Spielberge
r, 2004).
Insights gained from attachment theory are particularly importa
nt to early childhood educators becausethe long-
term benefits of secure attachments with consistent, reliable car
egivers include higher self-esteem and self-

8. confidence, increased social competence, and school success. In
securely attachedchildren, and children who do not have the opp
ortunity to develop secure attachments to consistentcaregivers,
are less likely to be confident and less likely to do well academi
cally (Coleman, 2003; O’Conner, McCartney, 2006; Wong, Wie
st, & Cusick, 2002).
Each of these theories of social and emotional development help
s us understand the importance ofchildren’s early experiences a
nd inspires early childhood educators to nurture responsive, res
pectfulrelationships within and beyond the classroom.Philosophi
cal Views About the Purpose of Education
Philosophers have been offering their views about the purpose o
f schooling since the time of Aristotle.Writing in the 3rd centur
y b.c., he explained that the key to fulfillment was a well-
rounded educationthat included training for the body as well as
the mind (Smith, 1997/2001). Aristotle’s pupil Platoexpanded o
n these ideas in The Republic in which he described a life-
long educational journey thatprepares citizens for full participat
ion in society (Smith, 1997). A wide range of philosophers have
weighed in on this issue since these long-
ago eras, and the debate about the purposes of schoolingcontinu
es.
American scholars of the modern age have made significant con
tributions to these discussions. One ofthe best known of these p
hilosophers is John Dewey. Dewey believed it was important to
providechildren opportunities to be active learners exploring the
ir communities as preparation for their fullparticipation in Amer
ica’s democracy (Dewey, 1938). His work is particularly applica
ble to earlychildhood educators because he specifically addresse
d those working with young children by providing afoundation f
or the child-
centered progressive movement that flourished in the early year
s of the 20thcentury (Cuffaro, 1995; Reese, 2001). NAEYC and
the National Association of Early Childhood Specialistsin State
Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) echo Dewey’s values i
n their joint position statement oncurriculum, assessment, and p

9. rogram evaluation. It affirms early childhood educators’ “belief
in civicand democratic values … [in] supporting children as indi
viduals and members of families, cultures, andcommunities” (N
AEYC/NAECS/SDE, 2003).
Today’s educational leaders take a broad view of the purposes o
f schooling that “extend far beyond whatis measured by standar
dized tests of students’ content learning” (Sanger, Osguthorpe,
& Fenstrmacher,2013, p. 3). They stress the importance of focus
ing on students’ physical, social, emotional, and cognitivegrowt
h and development while preparing them to be life long learners
who have developed the ability tothink clearly, communicate ef
fectively, maintain positive relationships with others, and contri
bute tosociety (Sanger, Osguthorpe & Fenstrmacher, 2013; Wid
dowson, Dixon, Peterson, Rubie-
Davies, & EarlIrving, 2014). These are the skills, aptitudes, and
attitudes that many believe will be the most importantin the cur
rent technologically enhanced learning environment. The questi
on we ask remains, “What kindof citizen do we need to meet the
challenges and opportunities of the 21st century?” The core val
ues thatguide your program should help you answer that questio
n.Considering the Values of Your Community
Many members of the community you serve have a stake in how
successfully your program of early careand education meets the
ir needs. It is important to consider their needs and values as yo
u draft thestatement of your program’s core values. Obvious sta
keholders include young children and their familiesas well as pe
rsonnel in the public and private schools the children you serve
will attend. There are,however, other stakeholders that might no
t come to mind so quickly. Traffic around your center mightimp
act your neighbors; and the services you offer, and the success a
nd reputation of your program mightbe felt by companies that se
ll, rent, and manage nearby homes and apartments. The commun
ity’sbusinesses and employers, including stores, restaurants, ma
nufacturing, and construction companiesalso have a stake in the
reputation and success of your program.
Consider asking representatives from as many stakeholder group

10. s as possible the following questions toidentify the needs and va
lues of your community:
1.
What do you believe an early childhood program should contrib
ute to your community?
2.
What are the most important services our program should provid
e?
3.
Do you have any concerns about the current operation of our pr
ogram of early care and education?If so, what are they?
Other factors to take into account are the cultural, demographic,
and social—
economic characteristics ofyour community. What services will
be most important to this population? Would the families you se
rvebenefit from subsidies or other supports provided by local, st
ate, or federal programs? Investigating theanswers to the questi
ons in Figure 2.2 will help your program to be culturally compet
ent.
Figure 2.2
Becoming Culturally Competent by Identifying Your Communit
y’s Needs
These efforts, which are designed to help you understand the pe
rspectives and opinions of a wide rangeof stakeholders, will ser
ve your program as a simple needs assessment. It will help you
understand andprioritize your community’s needs and values as
you embark on your program’s comprehensive strategicplanning
process.
A Better Way
Marie met with some of the parents who had recently withdrawn
their children from her center becausethey could not pay their f
ees on time. This meeting prompted Marie to investigate progra
ms that couldassist them with the cost of child care. She contact
ed her local resource and referral agency. They gaveher informa
tion about how her center could become eligible to accept childr

11. en’s tuition subsidies anddescribed how eligible parents could a
pply for this support. Marie’s program was quickly approved toa
ccept the state-
funded subsidies, and before long, several families were using t
uition vouchers to helpthem pay their children’s fees. These eff
orts helped several neighborhood children stay at her center and
attracted a number of new families as well. Participating in the
subsidy program turned out to be abetter way to serve her comm
unity while keeping enrollment high enough to balance the cent
er’s budget.It was a win—
win decision that was also the right thing to do.Your Program’s
Core Values
Once program staff have identified the theories of teaching and
learning that best describe their corebeliefs, their views about th
e purpose of education, and how they believe they should respo
nd to thevalues of the community, it is time to develop a statem
ent of the program’s core values. It is thedirector’s responsibilit
y to lead this process, which is potentially intense and time-
consuming but also animportant investment of time and energy.
Ideally, you will need to schedule several 2- to 3-
hour meetings,over no more than a one- to two-
month period. If you spread this project over a longer period of
time,you will risk losing momentum and will have to review and
backtrack to stay on task (Hudlund, 2012).
The process begins by being certain that everyone involved—
administrators, all members of the staff,and, if appropriate, the
sponsor and board of directors—
understands what core values are, what theyare not, and why the
y are important. Core values are not instructional strategies or a
list of the skills andknowledge competent early childhood educ
ators possess. Rather, they are the qualities that the programcon
siders to be essential—
not just important or desirable, but the deeply held beliefs that a
re reflected ineverything you do. They are important because th
ey communicate to the families and the communityyou serve, as
well as all employees, what you stand for, and the principles th

12. at guide your work(Grusenmeyer, 2012; Heathfield, n.d.).
A center’s core values grow from the personal core values of its
director, who plays a large role increating the center’s culture,
as well as those of its employees. It can be difficult to identify
your personalvalues, however, because you have absorbed them
from your family, your culture, and your community.The first st
ep is to ask each individual to reflect upon and identify his or h
er personal values. This is animportant place to begin because p
ersonal values are the foundation of professional core values, an
d youcannot identify what you are trying to accomplish in your
work if you do not know what you view asimportant (Feeney, Fr
eeman, & Pizzolongo, 2012). Ask each staff member to develop
a list of no morethan 10 personal values that anchor what they d
o, think, believe, and accomplish. It is a good idea to askemploy
ees to devote some time to brainstorming their lists of personal
values privately so that you canwork on compiling a group list a
t the next meeting. These lists of staff members’ personal core v
alueswill launch the center’s work in developing a statement of
its core values. Figure 2.3 is a list of values,those qualities that
individuals believe are valuable and desirable in and of themsel
ves. It is designed tohelp staff members identify their personal
values.
Figure 2.3
Identify Your Personal Values
You can either collect individuals’ lists of personal values in ad
vance or record them during the nextmeeting. The size of your s
taff and the amount of time you have for this work will determi
ne how youwant to collect and record these responses. In either
case the next step is to list all responses foreveryone’s review.
The staff will then work together to identify related themes fro
m individuals’responses. Remember, core values are not a laund
ry list of everything that is important; rather, they area succinct
and carefully developed statement of the essential beliefs that ar
e the basis for everything youdo. You should aim for no more th
an 10 “big ideas.”

13. At this point, you will want to add the core values from the NA
EYC Code of Ethical Conduct to yourconversations because, as
indicated earlier, they should be the basis of your program’s cor
e values. Youwill also want to review the developmental theorie
s and views about the purposes of educationdiscussed earlier in
this chapter. They summarize the knowledge base, history, tradi
tions, and theoreticalfoundations of the field of early childhood
education. It is also time to consider the feedback you haverecei
ved from your program’s stakeholders. Your reason to exist and
your success will be measured byhow well you meet their needs.
Gathering and reflecting on all of this information will help you
and your staff identify how the personalvalues you bring to you
r work align with what we know about children, how they devel
op and learn,what they need to be successful, and how your pro
gram will meet your community’s needs. For example,do you be
lieve that children learn through hands-on real-
life experiences? Do you believe strong linksbetween children’s
home and child care experiences are essential? Those ideas wou
ld translate into aprogram that prioritizes authentic hands-
on learning experiences and strives to strengthen the linksbetwe
en children and families. As you discuss the core values that gui
de your staff’s work, you will beshifting the conversation from i
ndividuals’ personal values to the professional core values that
guideyour work with children and families. We recommend that
you work through this process using chartpaper so that you will
have a record of the discussion to refer to as you take the next s
teps towarddeveloping a final product.
A committee might lead the next step of the process by rephrasi
ng and wordsmithing the ideas generatedby the larger group. If
you turn the task of polishing the statement of your core values
over to acommittee, you will want to invite the review of the pr
ogram’s sponsor and board of directors, and thentake the propos
ed final draft back to the whole group to be certain all the impor
tant, agreed-
upon ideasare included. It will be useful to refer back to the cha
rt paper from the previous large group meeting tobe certain ever

14. ything is included.
Once your program’s statement of core values has been finalize
d, it is time to ensure that it is visiblewithin your center and bey
ond. You will want to post it in the center and on the center’s w
ebsite andinclude it in handbooks for staff and families. It will
become a living document when it is part of thecenter’s daily ro
utines. Refer to it often when making decisions, complimenting
staff on a job well done,or offering guidance to improve perfor
mance.
When a program’s core values are carefully thought through the
y should make the center proud—
program staff have identified what they stand for and have creat
ed a tool to help them stay on course ineverything they do.
Review the process described in Figure 2.4 as you guide your st
aff’s collaborative efforts to develop astatement of your progra
m’s core values. The core values in the NAEYC Code of Ethical
Conduct provide auseful template even if you have decided to e
xpand upon, or elaborate them further.
Figure 2.4
The Process of Developing a Statement of Your Program’s Core
Values
2.2 DEVELOPING A VISION STATEMENT: IDENTIFYING W
HERE YOUR PROGRAM ISHEADED
High-
quality early childhood programs have some characteristics in c
ommon. All adhere to appropriatelicensing regulations. All are s
ituated in facilities designed for young children, provide approp
riateequipment and supplies to support caregiving routines and
active and quiet play, plan carefully for thecurriculum they offe
r the children in their care, engage families in their children’s le
arning anddevelopment, and develop a plan for assessing their s
uccess.
Beyond these basic features, high-
quality programs vary enormously. There is little consensus as t

15. o themost appropriate goals for children’s learning and develop
ment; there are no universally acceptedstrategies to reach these
goals; there are many ways to reach out to the families of the ch
ildren youserve; and there are many approaches to program eval
uation from which to choose. Once your staff hascollaborated to
create a carefully thought-
out statement of the program’s core values, the next tasks areto
create a vision statement that identifies your program’s goals fo
r the future and a mission statementthat describes what your pro
gram is doing now, whom you serve, and why you do what you
do. Becauseyour vision and mission statements go hand-in-
hand it is important that the connections between themare clear
(Gabriel & Farmer, 2009).
We will now narrow our focus to the process of developing your
vision statement because, to paraphrasethe Mad Hatter from Ali
ce in Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you want to go, an
y road will takeyou there.” Begin by making certain that everyo
ne has a clear understanding of what a vision statementis and is
not. It is not a roadmap to program implementation; instead, it i
s a clear, concise, inspirational,easy-to-
remember view of what the program hopes to accomplish in the
future. It is rooted in reality butfocused on the future. Like the s
tatement of the program’s core values, its development should b
e acollaborative process that gives all staff the opportunity to sh
ape the program’s future. Its developmentwill require you and y
our staff to invest a significant amount of time and effort; howe
ver, a clear,accurate statement of your vision of the future has t
he potential to keep the program on track toaccomplish its goals
.
Vision statements generally have three components, which descr
ibe (a) why your program exists, (b)whom it serves, and (c) wha
t it will achieve in the future—
important ideas you should aim to express injust two or three se
ntences (Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje, & Miller, 2004; Van
Korlaar, 2012). Considerthe examples in Figure 2.5. Are they cl
ear and concise? Do they use simple language that is easy tound

16. erstand? Do they describe what success will look like for this ce
nter? Are they easy to remember?
Figure 2.5
Sample Vision Statements
As you begin the process of developing your program’s vision st
atement, you might begin by asking eachmember of your staff to
imagine visiting an ideal center. How would they answer these
questions:“Whom does this center serve?” “How are you greeted
when you arrive?” “What do you hear?” “What doyou see?” “W
hat do you smell?” “Who is here, and how are they interacting
with each other?” As theyimagine observing and walking around
this ideal facility, they should notice the materials andequipme
nt available in classrooms and outdoors, evidence of how teache
rs communicate with families, indications of the kinds of relatio
nships staff have with each other and with the center’s administ
ration,and the center’s emotional climate—
how they feel while in this environment. Once they have engage
d inthis visualization, ask partners to describe their vision to ea
ch other and then collaborate to developclear, concise, and easy
-to-remember two- or three-
sentence statements describing the ideal programsthey envisione
d.
The next step is to ask each staff member to identify how your p
rogram is serving the children andfamilies in your community n
ow, what you might keep the same, and what you might change
as youthink about the future. Ask them to complete Figure 2.6:
The Vision/Mission Worksheet individually sothat you can cons
ider everyone’s perspectives as you move forward.
Use individuals’ responses to this worksheet to guide a discussi
on of the following prompts. Be certain tokeep notes of their res
ponses—
this is the raw material from which you will create your progra
m’s visionstatement.
· In five years, our program will be:
· We will be recognized by our ability to:

17. · We are pursuing these goals because:
Now you are ready to develop a first draft of your vision statem
ent. It should describe
· Why your program exists
· Whom it serves
· What it will achieve in the future
Work together with this large group to compose a clear and con
cise (two or three sentences) statementthat uses simple, easy-to-
understand language and will be easy to remember. Ask everyon
e in theprogram to reflect on this first draft for a time, perhaps a
month. During this period you may want asmall committee to b
e responsible for polishing the statement before you circulate it
to the program’ssponsor, board of directors, representatives fro
m some of the families you serve, and other appropriatestakehol
ders. You can then present a proposed final version to the staff f
or their approval and adoption(Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje,
& Miller, 2004; Gabriel & Farmer, 2009; Mayfield, 2013b; Van
Korlaar,2012).
It may be appropriate to ask a committee to refine and polish th
e first draft of your vision statement.
Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education
Figure 2.6
Vision/Mission Worksheet
You should be proud of having created an accurate, realistic, an
d well thought through vision statement.By involving the entire
staff, you will have created a shared understanding of where yo
ur program isgoing that should inspire them to contribute to the
success of that journey. It also announces to familiesand the co
mmunity in which direction you are moving and where you are
headed (Gabriel & Farmer,2009). Since your program’s vision is
now clear it is time to turn your attention to how you will achie
veyour goals.

18. 2.3 DEVELOPING A MISSION STATEMENT: YOUR PLAN F
OR REALIZING YOUR VISION
Programs’ mission statements are just as unique as their vision s
tatements. Your program’s missionstatement will serve as a gui
de as you lead your program toward the future. Just as it was im
portant tomake sure that all staff understood how your program’
s statement of its core values and its visionstatement could cont
ribute to your success, they must also understand what mission s
tatements are andappreciate how they can guide your program’s
future (Ehmke, Dobbins, Gray, Boehlje, Miller, 2004; Gabriel &
Farmer, 2009). Mission statements describe what you do, whom
you serve, and why you dowhat you do. Your mission statement
will set a tone for how your center operates, create highexpecta
tions for every staff member’s performance, and provide a clear
focus for the center’s operation.It can also simplify decision ma
king by providing you with an opportunity to ask yourself if wh
at you aredoing, or plan to do, aligns with your mission (Mayfie
ld, 2013a).
Like your vision statement, your mission statement should avoid
jargon and should be clear, concise(aim for two or three senten
ces), and easy to remember. Consider the examples in Figure 2.
7. Are theyclear and concise? Do they use simple, easy-to-
understand language? Do they describe what theseprograms do,
for whom, and why? Would they be easy to remember?
Figure 2.7
Sample Mission Statements
The process of developing your program’s mission statement ca
n mirror the one you used to create yourvision statement. It sho
uld go smoothly since your staff has successfully completed the
first two steps ofthe strategic planning process.
The Vision/Mission Worksheet (Figure 2.6) that staff completed
earlier will again provide a starting pointas you begin the proce
ss. Ask staff to refer to it as you discuss the prompts below. Ag
ain, be certain tokeep notes of participants’ responses. Your staf
f will create your program’s mission statement based onthis disc

19. ussion:
· This is what we do:
· This is whom we serve:
· This is what we do particularly well and how we are unique:
Now you are ready to develop the first draft of your mission stat
ement. It should accurately answer thesequestions:
1. Why do we exist? What is our purpose?
2. Whom do we serve?
3. What do we do to meet the needs of children and families?
4. What values guide our work?
(Patterson & Radtke, 2009; Van Korlaar, 2012).
Use the notes from this discussion as the basis for the first draft
of your mission statement. As before,you might want to task a
committee with polishing the statement before you circulate it t
o the program’ssponsor, board of directors, some of the families
you serve, and other appropriate stakeholders. You canthen pre
sent a proposed final version to the staff for approval and adopti
on.
You should be proud of creating an inspiring and motivating mi
ssion statement. It should be a dynamicdocument that clearly co
mmunicates the essence of your program to your staff, the famil
ies you serve,and your community. Take advantage of the oppor
tunity to review your mission statement frequently sothat it rem
ains relevant and speaks forcefully to your staff, the members of
your board, and thecommunity you serve (Patterson & Radtke,
2009).
We know that all too often statements of programs’ core values
as well as their vision and missionstatements are developed and
then forgotten. This is most often the case when they have been
written byone person or a small group without the participation
and buy-
in of the entire staff. These concerns willbe addressed if the pro
cesses described in this chapter are followed to solicit input, an
d when allappropriate stakeholders are involved in these docum
ents’ final adoption. Once finalized, thesefoundational documen
ts need to be made part of the program’s day-to-

20. day practices and relied uponwhen making ordinary and not-so-
ordinary decisions.
It is the director’s responsibility to keep these documents front
and center. This can be done by includingthem in regular newsle
tters; posting them prominently throughout the center; and refer
ring to themfrequently when interacting with families, making d
ecisions, complimenting staff on a job well done, oroffering gui
dance and coaching to improve performance. We know that keep
ing them in focus is noteasy and often requires changing the pro
gram’s culture to one that is constantly striving to improve.How
ever, the result has been demonstrated to be worth the effort.
Application Activity
Locate the vision and mission statements of three organizations.
Read them carefully and askyourself these questions:
1.
Are they clear and concise enough for all employees to understa
nd and remember?
2.
Are they specific enough that they would apply only to this orga
nization, or could they beapplied to any organization of this typ
e?
3.
Do you think it is likely that these vision and mission statement
s actually guide theemployees’ decision making?
4. 2.4 PLANNING FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION
5. Once your program has identified its core values, and
finalized its vision and mission statements, the next step in the
strategic planning process is the creation of a plan to assess the
program’s success. Appropriate assessments of your program’s
performance will identify current strengths and areas for
improvement. Increased demands for accountability also mean
that it is likely that if philanthropic or public funds contribute
to your program’s operation, that they will require you to
administer specific assessments to determine the impact of their
investment (Gilliam & Frede, 2012). This is why program
evaluation has become one of the most significant

21. responsibilities of an administrator, and one that she should
welcome as a strategy to contribute to the creation of a culture
that is consistently striving to improve.
6.
7. Types of Evaluations
8. Program evaluations can be formative or summative.
Formative assessments contribute to programs’ efforts to
continuously improve their quality (Paris, 2009). Summative
evaluations, on the other hand, are typically used as
accountability measures, providing information to external
funders, regulatory agencies, and children and families about
the program’s effectiveness and impact (National Center on
Child Care Quality Improvement, Office of Child Care, n.d.).
Results from summative assessments often determine a
program’s eligibility for continued funding.
9.
10. Program assessments evaluate quality by focusing on
program inputs that describe children’s experiences while in
care; or program outcomes that measure the impact the program
has had on children, families, or other stakeholders (Paris,
2009). Program inputs include both structural and process
features. Measures of structural quality address group size;
child—adult ratio; the specialized education and training of the
staff; and indoor and outdoor spaces, materials, and equipment.
Measures of process quality focus on characteristics of
teacher—child interactions and their relationships. Program
outcomes include measures of children’s cognitive, social, or
emotional development as well as measures of the program’s
impact on families—such as the level of parental involvement
or parents’ increased knowledge of child development (Early
Childhood Technical Assistance Center, 2013).
11.
12. Assessing Program Inputs
13. There are a number of widely used instruments that focus on
classroom environments and are designed to measure the
program’s structural and process quality. Many can be used for

22. either formative or summative purposes. When these
instruments are used to guide a center’s efforts to improve its
program, they can be administered by a classroom teacher or
program administrator. In fact, teachers are likely to benefit
from professional development familiarizing them with
assessments that measure the program’s structural and process
quality. When they use these tools to evaluate their own
classrooms, they can identify what they are doing well and how
they might improve. This formative assessment can be a
valuable tool for programs striving to always improve their
quality (Cecconi, Stegelin, Pintus & Allegri, 2014; Evans,
2012).
14.
15. When used as part of summative evaluations, these
instruments are administered by highly trained and skilled
evaluators. Refer to Table 2.1 for a short description of
assessments that are widely used by programs for self-
evaluation as well as by local, state, and national groups to
evaluate the programs of early care and education they support.
16.
17. Table 2.1
18.
19. Assessments of Program Inputs Frequently Used for
Formative and Summative Evaluation
20.
21. Assessment
22.
23. Ages/Settings
24.
25. Areas of Focus
26.
27. For More Information
28.
29. Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale (CCIS)
30.
31. Center and home-based settings

23. 32.
33. Interactions and behavior of child care providers
34.
35. Visit fpg.unc.edu Search “Arnett Caregiver Interaction
Scale.” It is referred to as the “Smart Start Caregiver
Interaction Scale”
36.
37. Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs (APECP)
38.
39. Infant, toddler, preschool, school age, and family child care
versions are available
40.
41. Health and safety, learning environment, scheduling,
curriculum approaches, interactions, and individualization
42.
43. Visit qassist.com Search “Assessment Profile” Click “The
Assessment Profile.”
44.
45. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
46.
47. Infant, toddler, preschool and K–3rd grade versions are
available
48.
49. Classroom organization, instructional, and emotional
support
50.
51. Visit brookespublishing.com Search “Classroom Assessment
Scoring System.” Click on each guide for specific descriptions.
You will find a link to “the whole CLASS system” with an
overview of these assessments on the page for each individual
assessment.
52.
53. Environment Rating Scales (ERS)
54.
55. Infant/toddler (birth–2½ years), preschool (2½–5 years),
school-age (5–12 years), and family child care versions are

24. available
56.
57. Space and furnishings, personal care routines, language-
reasoning activities, interactions, program structure, and
relationships with families and staff
58.
59. Visit ers.fpg.unc.edu Click on links for descriptions of
specific versions.
60.
61. Environment Rating Scale Extension (ECERS-E)
62.
63. Classrooms serving children 2½–5 years old
64.
65. Designed to be used with ECERS, it focuses on literacy,
mathematics, science, and the environment
66.
67. Visit tcpress.com Search “ECERS-E.” Click on link for a
full description.
68.
69. Preschool Program Quality Assessment Instrument (PQA)
70.
71. Center–based preschool programs
72.
73. Learning environment, daily routines, adult—child
interactions, curriculum planning and assessment, parent
involvement and family services, staff qualifications and staff
development, and program management
74.
75. Visit highscope.org Search “PQA.” Click on the link for a
full description.
76.
77. Program Administration Scale (PAS), 2nd Ed.
78.
79. Center-or school-based early care and education programs
80.
81. Personnel costs, staffing patterns, center operations, child

25. assessment, fiscal management, family partnerships, program
planning and evaluation, marketing and public relations, use of
technology, staff qualifications, and professional development
82.
83. Visit mccormickcenter.nl.edu Search “program
administration scale.” Click on link for a full description.
84.
85. Assessing Program Outcomes
86. Evaluations of program outcomes are designed to assess
how children and families have benefited from their
experiences. There are two approaches to assessing program
outcomes. Informal assessments rely heavily on teachers’
observations of ordinary classroom behavior and often include
samples of children’s work. Formal assessments are usually
standardized tests that must be administered in a particular way.
They are typically administered by trained assessors whom the
children do not know (Southern Early Childhood Association
(SECA), 2010).
87.
88. Informal assessments of child outcomes are recognized as
being the most appropriate ways to evaluate what children have
learned and how they are developing. Many teachers benefit
from professional development designed to help them become
more effective in using observations and anecdotal notes,
portfolios that include samples of children’s work illustrating
their growth and development across multiple developmental
domains over time, and teacher-created checklists to assess
children’s development and learning (Banerjee & Lockner,
2013; Susman-Stillman, Bailey, & Webb, 2014). This approach
to assessment is a natural part of good teaching. Teachers find
that identifying what children have learned and are now able to
do contributes to their understanding of the impact they have
had on children’s learning, which can be very rewarding. These
assessments are also very useful at the classroom and center
level to determine the program’s success in terms of the
program’s core values, vision, and mission. Informal measures

26. can also be useful to learn about the impact the program has had
on the families of participating children. They might include
program-developed surveys distributed to all families or focus
groups designed to investigate families’ opinions about how
well they were oriented to the program when their children first
enrolled.
89.
90. image
91.
92. Informal assessments, including checklists, are the most
appropiate way to evaluate what children know and are able to
do.
93.
94. David Kostelnik/Pearson Education
95.
96. Programs that accept funding from outside sources are often
required, however, to administer formal assessments to
demonstrate how children have benefited from these
investments (Allen, 2007). These tests are either norm-
referenced, which means an individual child’s performance is
compared with the performance of other children who have
taken the test in the past, or criterion-referenced, which
describes a child’s performance in terms of specific learning
goals. Formal assessments have been standardized by being
administered to large groups of individuals to demonstrate their
reliability, that is, the likelihood that an individual’s
performance will remain the same from one day to the next; and
their validity, the degree to which the instrument measures what
it says it measures (Washington State Office of Superintendent
of Public Instruction (OSPI), 2008).
97.
98. Many philanthropic, federal, and state-funded organizations
require assessments of children’s development and learning.
Some of these programs require developmental screenings.
These short, easy-to-administer assessments are designed to
identify children who may have developmental delays. Their

27. results may point to the need for more focused evaluations to
determine if a referral to special services or remediation is
appropriate (Allen, 2007).
99.
100. image This video describes the DIAL-4, an easy-to-
administer and frequently used developmental screening
assessment. Watch this video to learn about the usefulness of
this assessment and how it is
administered:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOVqhYMxK
6Q
101.
102. Funding agencies may also require formal assessments of
children’s learning. These tests can be either criterion and
norm-referenced, can measure single or multiple developmental
domains, and are designed to be administered by trained
personnel. This kind of assessment is ideally linked to the
program’s curriculum; however, researchers have found that is
seldom the case (Allen, 2007).
103.
104. It is important to be informed about formal assessment
strategies that your program might be required to have
administered to the children in your care. While you cannot
change the mandates of an outside funder, you can prepare
children for the testing experience and help reduce the stress
this testing might cause children and families alike.
105.
106. You can also join early childhood advocates who
recommend the use of multiple measures, not just formal
assessments of children’s performance, to measure programs’
effectiveness. They also recommend matrix sampling, which
limits the amount of time individual children are tested by
administering a portion of a test to several children, and that
well-qualified professionals administer these assessments to
ensure the usefulness of the data they report (NAEYC &
NAECS/SDE, 2003). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and, more
recently, Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant

28. (RTT-ELC) requirements have caused grave concerns about
inappropriate assessment practices in early childhood. Many
young children are being required to take more tests than ever
before. Early childhood advocates raise questions about the
appropriateness of the instruments being used as well as the
equitable treatment of all children, particularly children who are
learning English as a second language, have disabilities, or live
in poverty. Additionally, critics of some current testing
practices question if assessments are being used for their
intended purpose or are concerned that a single assessment may
be used to evaluate a child or a program of early care and
education (NAEYC, 2013).
107.
108. While it is true that program administrators may have little
or no choice about how their program will be required to
measure child outcomes, it is important to be informed about
common approaches to child assessment, commonly used
instruments, and best assessment practices. Refer to Table 2.2
for a short description of assessments that are widely used by
local, state, and national groups to evaluate children’s
development and learning in the programs of early care and
education they support.
109.
110. Table 2.2
111.
112. Assessments of Children’s Development and Learning
Frequently Used to Measure Program Outcomes
113.
114. Developmental Screenings
115.
116. Ages
117.
118. Areas of Focus
119.
120. For More Information
121.

29. 122. Ages & Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ-3)
123.
124. 4 months–5 years
125.
126. Motor skills, communication, personal–social, and problem
solving
127.
128. Visit agesandstages.com
129.
130. Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ-SE-
2)
131.
132. 6 months–5 years
133.
134. Language, social/emotional development
135.
136. Visit agesandstages.com Select ASQ:SE-2 from the
Products and Services pull-down menu.
137.
138. Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd Ed. (BDI-2)
139.
140. Birth–7 years
141.
142. Cognitive development, language, motor skills, and
social/emotional development
143.
144. Visit riversidepublishing.com Click on Products A–Z;
scroll down to “Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd
Edition.” Click on “Product Details.”
145.
146. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Ed.
(Bayley-III)
147.
148. 1 month–3½ years
149.
150. Cognitive development, language, and motor skills

30. 151.
152. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “Bayley-iii” Click on
“Product Details.”
153.
154. Brigance Screens—versions for children from birth-1st
grade
155.
156. Birth–1st grade
157.
158. Cognitive development, language, motor skills,
social/emotional, and literacy for K–1st grade children
159.
160. Visit curriculumassociates.com Search “Brigance Early
Childhood Screens.”
161.
162. Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning,
4th Ed. (DIAL-4)
163.
164. 2½–6 years
165.
166. Cognitive development, language, motor skills, and
social/emotional development
167.
168. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “DIAL-4” Click on
“Product Details.”
169.
170. Assessments of What Children Know and are Able to Do
171.
172. Learning Accomplishment Profile-D, 3rd Edition (LAP-D)
173.
174. 2½–5 years
175.
176. Cognitive, language, fine motor, and gross motor
development
177.
178. Visit chtop.org Click on “Products.” Click on “The LAP

31. System.” Click on “LAP-D.”
179.
180. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th Ed. (PPVT-4)
181.
182. 2½ years and up
183.
184. Receptive vocabulary
185.
186. Visit pearsonclinical.com Search “PPVT-4.” Click on
“Product Details.”
187.
188. Test of Early Reading Ability, 3rd Ed. (TERA-3)
189.
190. 3½–8½ years
191.
192. Reading, early literacy, and readiness
193.
194. Visit proedinc.com Search “TERA.” Click on link to
TERA-3: Test of Early Reading Ability