Leadership

As early childhood educators, we understand the importance of continuous professional development and the role it plays in enhancing our knowledge and skills to better serve our students. Recognizing this need, the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) recently organized a three-part professional development Meet Up Series for Early Childhood Directors and Assistant Directors. The series aimed to address the challenges faced by supervisors in mentoring their staff and provide insights into becoming productive and supportive supervisors.

The first session, titled "Professional Development Dilemma: What? So what? Now what?" was held on May 23, featuring guest speaker Jenna Turner. The session focused on the crucial task of determining the professional development needs of educators and finding the most effective format to deliver the necessary training. Attendees engaged in a lively discussion about maximizing the professional development budget and exploring collaborative opportunities within the community.

The second session, titled, "Reflecting on your Role as a Supervisor & Building Productive Supervisory Relationships with Staff," is scheduled for June 28 at 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm ET. Led by Elana Paru, a professional coach, mentor, and organizational consultant, this session will delve into the multifaceted nature of supervision. Participants will explore the importance of developing a professional and collaborative relationship between supervisors and supervisees. The session will offer strategies for providing and receiving effective supervision, emphasizing the shared responsibility and mutual accountability between supervisors and their staff. This interactive conversation promises to provide valuable insights and best practices for establishing and maintaining productive supervisory relationships.

The final session, titled "Creating Intentional Supervision For Your Staff," will take place on August 17, from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm ET. Denise Moyes-Schnur will lead this session, addressing the challenges faced by early childhood supervisors working to meet the individual needs of their staff. Participants will explore the benefits of adopting a purposeful philosophy of staff supervision and how it can strengthen relationships within the team. Attendees will gain practical strategies and tools to implement intentional supervision practices, ensuring the growth and success of their early childhood teams.

Supervision plays a vital role in supporting teachers and promoting their professional development. Effective supervision goes beyond managing tasks and meeting deadlines. It entails building a nurturing and collaborative environment where both supervisors and supervisees feel valued and supported. By establishing a productive supervisory relationship, teachers can thrive and deliver high-quality education to their students.

To ensure the success of supervision, it is essential for supervisors to adopt best practices. These include providing regular feedback, setting clear expectations, fostering open communication, and promoting a culture of continuous learning. Additionally, supervisors should create opportunities for professional growth, such as offering relevant professional development opportunities, encouraging participation in conferences, and facilitating peer collaboration. By investing in the development of their staff, supervisors contribute to the overall improvement of the learning environment and the quality of education provided.

The Meet Up Series organized by ECE-RJ provides an excellent opportunity for early childhood directors and assistant directors to enhance their supervisory skills and explore innovative approaches to mentor a diverse staff effectively. By attending these sessions, participants can gain valuable insights and practical strategies that can be implemented in their respective institutions.

To register for the upcoming sessions or access the recording of the previous session, please visit the following links:

Session 1: Professional Development Dilemma: What? So what? Now what? Recording Link

Session 2: Reflecting on your Role as a Supervisor & Building Productive Supervisory Relationships with Staff - Registration Link

Session 3: Creating Intentional Supervision For Your Staff - Registration Link

Investing in professional development and promoting effective supervision practices are essential steps towards creating a nurturing and supportive relationship with early childhood educators and staff.

Zoë Miller and Mihaela Schwartz, Vice Presidents of Learning, ECE-RJ

Succession Planning Helps Avoid Scramble To Find New ECE Leader

The past year, more than ever before, directors are leaving the field completely. Congregations are left scrambling to find a qualified replacement and unfortunately, while COVID and the resulting impact on ECE programs could not have been anticipated, having a director take a new position or retire happens all the time. Succession planning should be a part of every congregation’s long-term planning process.

This includes:

• Cultivating a pipeline of talent by providing opportunities for advancement through dedicated and intentional mentoring and leadership coaching.
• Investing in the early childhood center by valuing the teachers with appropriate living wages and benefits to reward and retain staff.
• Including succession planning as an integral part of the job description of the Executive Director and Early Childhood Director to ensure a seamless leadership transition.

Investing in the future of early childhood education within your congregation can be a long and laborious process but a necessary one in ensuring the success and longevity of the program and ultimately, the congregation.

Ben Zoma says: Who is wise? He who learns from every person. – Pirkei Avot 4:1

Investing in ongoing professional learning and coaching of early childhood educators has multifaceted benefits. At the Efshar Project, formerly known as the Colorado Jewish ECE, we found that not only does investing in collaborative long-term learning of teachers improve the educational experience for children and families, but it also creates a pipeline of future leaders. 

 Here are three strategies that have been gateways to growing future leaders in our schools:

1. Support Collaborative Cohort Learning Opportunities - Many of our assistant director and curriculum coordinator positions have been filled with educators who have received collaborative cohort learning experiences through Efshar. These experiences have taken place at the national, community-wide, and individual school levels. The common denominator has been the spark of inquiry-based learning in a long-term collaborative format combined with coaching.  One example has been our Community of Practice (CoP) in which educators build relationships while growing and learning with and from each other.
2. Support Opportunities for Shared/Distributed Leadership – Implementing opportunities for teacher leadership can take many forms. One way is to create a peer coaching and mentoring program.  Another is using a distributed leadership approach. This is where different staff members are given responsibility to lead in an area that is meaningful to them. To expand your knowledge on this concept, read Rachel Denee’s blog post on distributed leadership.
3. Be a Model -  As with any form of teaching, modeling is our strongest tool. Be the type of leader you hope people will grow into. 
4. Provide reading material - Some valuable books that Efshar coaches have unpacked with school leaders are Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, Elena Aguilar’s  Onward: Cultivating Resilience in Educators, and Appreciative Leadership by Diana Whitney.  Caron Blanke wrote about an aspect of leadership coaching inspired by these books in the COJECE  Blog. 
5. Collaboration - We also support a collaborative process in our community by creating a Reflective Consultation Group. This is where directors grow their reflective skills to maintain and continually build a positive school culture that keeps people coming back.

Ben Zoma says: Who is wise? He who learns from every person. We might add to this ancient wisdom, “And, she who allows every person to lead.”

Judi Morosohk
Pedagogical Director
The Efshar Project