Growing Our Teachers To Grow Your Children
When putting your child into a group care setting, one of the most important questions is who is going to be caring for my child? What face will greet us each morning or comfort them when they are sad? As a parent, building a strong connection with your child’s teacher is critical to helping both you and your child feel secure, which is why teacher retention is so important. At Celebree of Franklin-Cool Springs, we understand that consistent teachers provide a consistent learning experience for families. As an administrative team, we know it is our responsibility to train and retain our teachers. It’s on our walls, on our website, but most importantly, it’s our hearts; our mission at Celebree is “We grow people BIG and small.”
“How long have your teachers been here?”
According to the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education, over a third of schools experience over 40% turnover each year. A great question to ask when touring a facility is ”How long have your teachers been here?” Administration should not only be able to tell you about their teachers who have been there for a long time, but also speak to why there has been turnover when it occurs. For example, a teacher may have taken a new job that works better for their family or may have completed a degree and moved into a different field. Explained turnover is inevitable, but unexplained turnover can be a good reason to ask follow-up questions.
Growing Big with Small Connections
As Celebree administrators, we know the responsibility falls on us to create a workplace culture that supports our teachers. From the moment we bring someone onto the Celebree Team, we want them to feel seen and supported. In an industry where teachers can be thrown into a classroom on their first day, we take the first week to train teachers, offering both state training and hands-on learning. Instead of being mysterious figures in an office, our admin team takes the first and last hours of the day to walk the hallways every fifteen minutes, looking into classrooms, and supporting teachers as needed. We conduct regular classroom observations and feedback sessions, creating a positive space of growth, instead of a negative space of fear. Every six months, teachers meet to discuss their individual growth plans and how we can help them accomplish their next goal. We believe that if you invest in your teachers, they’ll invest in their classroom, which is what’s best for families.
Owners with Heart
When Jenny and Chris Stine decided to open an early childcare facility, they had already decided to pour into their teachers. They take the time to meet every hire, learn about their family, and find small ways to make a difference every day. Whether it’s making sure the kitchen has drinks and snacks, helping with a transition to the playground, or offering competitive benefits, the Stine’s know that a school with happy teachers leads to happy families.
Top Tools
Celebree School of Franklin-Cool Springs invests in the best technology, so our teachers can be confident. Utilizing our teaching ecosystem, teachers can create a more individualized learning environment, even in a group care setting. Teachers build lesson plans based on the children’s interests and assess children’s skills in real time as they complete each activity. This feedback loop allows teachers to provide the highest quality development for each child. All our classrooms have phones and radios to easily request support when necessary. We offer access to a collection of training materials in different areas of childcare, allowing professional development opportunities to teachers who want to continue to grow big. Combine that with a fully stocked resource closet and weekly trips to the local library, our teachers can do what they do best: TEACH!
It’s What Makes Us Different
Often, when touring multiple schools, it can become a blur of curricula and nap schedules. But where a school’s heart can be clearly seen is in its staff. Are the staff invested in the school you are about to send your child to? Do they have a passion for what they are doing? Is that passion being encouraged and protected? When a teacher is fully engaged and commits to a school, you can feel the joy in each classroom. You can see the evidence of learning in each daily interaction. At Celebree School of Franklin-Cool Springs, we’re committed to growing people, BIG and small.
-Written by Abby Knight, Assistant School Director
