The Visionary Director: A Handbook for Dreaming, Organizing, and Improvising in Your Center [Paperback]

Margie Carter (Author), Deb Curtis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1884834558 | ISBN-13: 978-1884834554 | Edition: 1

Many directors of early childhood programs come to their positions with little experience or training to prepare them for the extraordinary task of trying to run a quality program with inadequate facilities, resources and staff. If directors are to be truly successful and satisfied with their work, they not only need skills and expertise, but a way to get a handle on their jobs, and a source of motivation and fulfillment for themselves.

An inspiring and practical guide to creating a larger vision in early child care, The Visionary Director offers a concrete framework for organizing an early childhood program leaders thoughts and work. Chapters cover cultivating a vision, developing "systems thinking" for management roles, and implementing principles and strategies for mentoring staff and building a learning community for adults and children.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Carter and Curtis take a creative approach to exploring issues and areas of content central to the lives of directors of early childhood programs. The role of self-assessment and analysis in this bookas opposed to a recipe or directive formatassures that each director will find answers to the most pressing needs in his/her daily work environment. The Visionary Director stands above the rest as an innovative and timely resource." -- Cecelia Alvarado, Director, Taking the Lead, Wheelock College

The Visionary Director will make an immediate impact on the quality of early childhood programs by helping directors generate and implement enduring, meaningful visions for their centers. Filled with real world examples, inspiring quotations, and a wealth of creative and practical ideasThe Visionary Director is another extraordinary book by Margie Carter and Deb Curtis. -- Diane Trister Dodge, Co-author, The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood, President, Teaching Strategies, Inc.

About the Author

For more than 30 years, Margie Carter has worked in the early childhood field including positions as a preschool teacher, child care director, and college instructor. She and Deb Curtis have coauthored seven books, including Designs for Living and Learning. They speak to and consult with child care organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 283 pages
• Publisher: Redleaf Press; 1 edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884834558
• ISBN-13: 978-1884834554
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Valuable Reference for New and Experienced Directors, May 10, 2001

By 

Martha Baur (Chicago, Il.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Visionary Director: A Handbook for Dreaming, Organizing, and Improvising in Your Center (Paperback)

During the past two years,I have often gone back to this book for support and suggestions. As a new director, I have found many helpful ideas for training and handling staff. One of the best suggestions was the reading of children's books at staff meetings. I have read these books or had staff read them. I often wish that there was a longer list of appropriate books to read to staff. At this time,I need to refer again to the community and parent relationships sections. It is an excellent book for new directors and experienced directors that are ready for the challenge of taking on new ideas. When starting my first year as director, my staff created a mission/vision statement for our preschool. We spent 2 days sharing our memories of childhood and our expectations and philosophies of early childhood education before we finalized this statement. A year later we reviewed it, which we will do annually. Thank you to these authors for this wonderful first step that helped to pull my staff together, something we all constantly and continually strive to do.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Ideas, November 21, 2007

By 

ceresbear (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Visionary Director: A Handbook for Dreaming, Organizing, and Improvising in Your Center (Paperback)

I read the other reviews, and, though they range from great to bad, they are all correct, depending on what you are looking for. I was required to buy this book for a class, and was pleasantly surprised to find it quite readable. There are many ideas in it for pulling existing staff together and creating a cohesive community for your center. Other ideas include actually changing the physical environment of the center to make it more child-friendly. While being a tad politically correct, most of these ideas are well thought out.

If, however, you are looking for the nuts and bolts of running a daycare, such as budgeting, hiring staff, ordering supplies, and producing meals for the children, you will be greatly disappointed, as none of this exists. The authors even state as much in the first chapter (and often thereafter!).

So, if you are ready for an attitude or vision change at your daycare, or just want some great ideas and encouragement for the normal, everyday running of your place, this is a GREAT book. If you want to know HOW to run a daycare, this book isn't for you.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Transaction, February 8, 2009

By 

Carolyn Charville "arly" (Sandusky, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Visionary Director: A Handbook for Dreaming, Organizing, and Improvising in Your Center (Paperback)

Great purchase. Delivered when promised and in the condition it was suppose to be in. Great seller.