Philosophy of Administration

Jaimmie Stugard

A successful administrator holds the philosophy of the center as it is articulated in the

mission statement and inspires the stakeholders to work together to fulfill this mission. The
administrator is an approachable authority who knows when to listen and when to speak. She is
clear in her intentions and expectations. While she is understanding and a good listener, she is
not afraid to say no or to hold staff and parents to their commitment. She has a working
knowledge of child development, child care regulations, financial management and bookkeeping and keeps organized records. The child care administrator is relatable, trustworthy,
respectable and dependable.
An effective administrator excels in staff recruiting and management because she respects
the staffs autonomy while maintaining her authority. She is democratic in her interactions
because she believes that her colleagues and parents have valuable insights and knowledge. She
is confident in her knowledge and her strengths and aware of her deficiencies without being selfdeprecating. She is a lifelong learner who is constantly seeking opportunities for growth through
working with colleagues, self-reflection, independent study and continuing education. She also
works to share her knowledge and experiences through mentoring, advocacy and offering
trainings and workshops as a peer educator.
Above all, the child care administrator must have a deep understanding of the centers
philosophy and mission and the reasoning behind it. Beyond that, the administrator must be
relatable. Working with families and young children is essentially about relationships. The
parents are entrusting the center to care for their precious young children while they are away.
This is a deep honor and a deep responsibility, and ultimately, this responsibility lies with the
administrator. She must find teachers worthy of this honor and responsibility, people she would
trust completely with her own children. The relationships between the teachers, parents, children
and administrator are dependent upon this mutual trust.