When Leadership Fails: Why Early Childhood Programs Fall Apart Without Real Support
Last week, I visited a school where something was clearly off. The director of the early childhood (ECE) program pulled me aside with a heavy sigh and said, “The teachers just don’t want to work.”
According to her, the classrooms were chaotic, the kids were playing all day with no structure, and the teachers were doing the absolute bare minimum if that. She said the program was falling apart because the staff didn’t take their jobs seriously and were “treating it like babysitting.”
But here’s the thing: when I talked to the teachers, I heard a very different story.
These weren’t lazy or disinterested educators, they burned out, disheartened, and working without support and training. Several of the teachers and assistants were right out of high school, without any training and expected to lead a classroom.
This Wasn’t a Staff Problem. It Was a Leadership Problem.
leadership
Let’s start with the big red flag:
The teachers had been told they were required to submit weekly lesson plans…but no one had asked to see one. SINCE SEPTEMBER.
Many of them had stopped writing plans altogether. Not because they didn’t care, but because no one cared if they did.
When I asked one teacher why she no longer submitted anything, she shrugged and said “[The director] doesn’t do anything all day, why should we?”
Off. There it is.
This wasn’t about lazy teachers. This was about a complete breakdown in leadership, communication, and accountability..
Leadership Sets the Tone…Always
In any school, the leadership team is like the thermostat. They don’t just observe the climate, they set it.
When a director never visits classrooms (unless there’s a problem), never checks lesson plans, and only steps in to reprimand, the message is loud and clear: “I’m not here to support you, I’m just here to correct you.”
And that kind of leadership doesn’t inspire excellence. It breeds resentment, it kills morale, it turns passionate teachers into checked-out clock-watchers.
Because here’s a secret:
Early childhood teachers want to teach. They want to create structure and joy and meaningful learning experiences. But if they’re treated like glorified babysitters, they’ll start showing up like it.
You Can’t Demand Quality Without Providing Support
You can’t say “this isn’t a babysitting program” if:
There’s no coaching, no mentorship, no feedback
The director hadn’t stepped into a classroom all year except to discipline
Teachers are asked to make lesson plans that are never acknowledged or reviewed
Parents complain and teachers are thrown under the bus instead of backed up
That’s not leadership. That’s abandonment with a side of finger-pointing.
When teachers feel unsupported, unappreciated, and unheard, they start doing just enough to survive because why invest energy in a place that doesn’t invest in them?
How to Fix It (Spoiler: It Starts at the Top)
If your early childhood program is spiraling, it’s time for a leadership reality check. Here’s what needs to happen ASAP:
Show Up in Classrooms Before There’s a Problem: Pop in regularly, celebrate good teaching, build relationships and teachers shouldn’t flinch when they see you walk in.
Set Clear Expectations, and Follow Through: If you expect weekly lesson plans, review and revise them. Give feedback, ask questions, and check that they’re being followed. Teachers need to know that what they do matters.
Support Your Teachers with Parents: Back your staff up, Period. It doesn’t mean you ignore parent concerns, it means you don’t throw teachers under the bus to avoid hard conversations. If necessary, you can talk to the teacher in private later, but in front of parents, you back up your staff.
Model What You Want to See: If you want passion, professionalism, and structure in the classrooms, you have to bring that energy as a leader. You can’t ask for 100% while putting in 20%
Rebuild Trust, One Conversation at a Time: Your staff doesn’t need a pizza party, they need honesty, respect, and transparency. Start by saying “I know I haven’t been the leader you needed, and I wanted to change that.” Then actually change it.
This one is hard, but…Be Okay Being the Bad Guy: It is not your job to be friends with the teachers. Sometimes, warnings need to be signed, sometimes, staff needs to be reminded of the rules, sometimes, they need to be told to go home and change if they’re not following dress code. That said, everything can be said respectfully.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not About Blame, It’s About Responsibility
Leadership in early childhood education is hard. So is teaching.
But when a program starts to fall apart, the answer isn’t to point fingers at the staff. The answer is to ask:
What culture have I created?
What expectations have I set?
What support have I provided?
Because when leadership leads, teachers rise, classrooms thrive and children actually learn.
It starts at the top. Every. Single. Time.
