Early Education Leaders, an Institute at UMass Boston

Vanessa Hunter didn’t set out to work in early education. In fact, her career happened almost by accident. As a frequent volunteer at her son’s childcare center, Hunter employed the skills she honed as the assistant director for a program serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her ability to manage a classroom and keep students engaged caught the attention of the center’s director, who offered Vanessa the job as site director when the program was expanding.

“I’ve always been drawn towards caring for people of all ages and abilities,” Hunter said, noting that the transition was a smooth one.

Still, she was eager to develop even more skills for her new role as the site coordinator for Teeter Tots Preschool and Childcare in Raynham. After reviewing professional development options with her director, she opted to enroll in our Early Education Instructional Leadership program. Her decision was driven, in part, by logistics. The 10-week course, structured with two-and-a-half-hour weekly sessions, fit perfectly into her busy schedule as a single mother.

The Early Education Instructional Leadership program cultivates leadership mindsets and strengthens the knowledge, skills, and competencies of early education instructional leaders. Educators learn about organizational change, and new research on methods for accelerating improvement and creating a culture of collaborative learning. They also learn strategies to implement what they learn in their programs.