OUR VISION:
Children 0-5 are supported to become the next generation of critical thinkers and leaders.
OUR VISION:
Children 0-5 are supported to become the next generation of critical thinkers and leaders.
OUR MISSION: Leading for Children works in communities across the country to provide the best early learning experiences for young children while creating environments where educators thrive.
We believe that young children in poverty must have the same opportunities as those with economic advantage to become the next generation of critical thinkers and leaders. Equity is at the core of why we do, what we do. Leading for Children is committed to ensuring that children in poverty and children of color are no longer marginalized, but rather experience the best possible early learning settings, within the best possible early learning systems. In every setting and across every system, we support all children by empowering and equipping adults to be the leaders children need.
Success in early learning is built on a foundation of two fundamental principles: Optimistic Leadership and a Coherent Path to Quality.
Optimistic Leadership
Optimistic Leaders envision excellence for themselves and their programs, and the best outcomes for children and families. Optimistic Leaders — across every role in centers and systems — practice these five commitments:
- Think Impact to make informed decisions.
- Cultivate Self-Awareness to guide thought, emotion, and behavior.
- Nurture Relationships to support learning and collaboration.
- Refine Communication for mutual clarity and understanding.
- Activate Curiosity to find connections and continue learning.
When all adults within the early learning systems embrace their role as Optimistic Leaders for children, we will achieve the best results.
Optimistic Leadership
Optimistic Leaders envision excellence for themselves and their programs, and the best outcomes for children and families. Optimistic Leaders — across every role in centers and systems — practice these five commitments:
- Think Impact to make informed decisions.
- Cultivate Self-Awareness to guide thought, emotion, and behavior.
- Nurture Relationships to support learning and collaboration.
- Refine Communication for mutual clarity and understanding.
- Activate Curiosity to find connections and continue learning.
When all adults within the early learning systems embrace their role as Optimistic Leaders for children, we will achieve the best results.
Coherent Path to Quality
Effective decision-making about successful child outcomes relies on a well-articulated path to quality. Practitioners, program directors and agency leaders — and the children and systems entrusted to them — thrive when they share a clear vision of what constitutes quality. We believe that to improve outcomes for children and achieve high quality results, every level of the early childhood system must define the path to quality using three dimensions:
- Relationships and interactions
- Emotional and physical environment
- Learning experiences
Core Values
These eight core values guide all of our decisions at Leading for Children:
- Relationships are the foundation for learning.
- The children and adults we serve are always at the forefront of our work.
- Everyone involved in educating children — teachers, coaches, parents, agency leaders, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc. — has wisdom and insight to share.
- The wisdom and insight educators bring to their work have the greatest effect on outcomes for children.
- Effective creative problem solving is based in listening, interpreting, synthesizing, and communicating.
- All people can be effective listeners and purposeful communicators.
- Programs can reach — and be adaptable to — a multitude of participants, locations and settings when they foster diversity, cultural humility, and personal and social identity.
- It is possible to integrate the most effective solutions into existing programs, strategies, and investments.
