Being a nursery manager, I have a philosophy that I want everyone in the nursery to 'be the best they can be'. This includes the children, the staff and the nursery as a whole. The skill lies in helping people to discover what their 'best' can be. This can mean encouraging children to have a go at an activity they are uncertain about, or helping a member of the staff team to grow in the confidence of their own abilities.
Sometimes the challenge can lie in helping someone gain a realistic understanding of their abilities and the role that they are best able to fulfil. Recently a young member of the staff team gained her NVQ2 and it was wonderful to be able to join in her obvious delight at her achievement.
Having gained this qualification, she was desperate to start her NVQ3 straight away. Was it fair to doubt this desire to better herself? Nonetheless, I did have doubts about whether this was the best course of action for her at this time. I felt a period of consolidation of the knowledge and experience she had gained would benefit her.
Despite my reservations, she did sit her NVQ3 initial assessment and unfortunately did not do well enough to be able to proceed. My challenge was to relay this information to her without demotivating her completely. I had to help her to understand that there is value in being a nursery assistant and that it is better to work at a level where you can feel as though you are achieving and contributing, and not one at which you feel out of your depth and unsure of your role.
Managing staff in a nursery requires you to be a mentor, friend, agony aunt and a 'boss'. The skill lies in knowing when to wear which hat!
FURTHER INFORMATION
Acorn Childcare Training
Courses include: Supervisory Skills; Effective Management skills; Coaching for performance; Time management; Trainer development programme. www.childcaretraining.co.uk
The Centre
Supervision skills; Appraisals; Influencing skills; Moving from Manager to Leader. www.the-centre.co.uk
Common Threads Training
All you need to know about management; Leadership skills.
www.commonthreads.org.uk.
