“WAGE$ is one of the best programs, if not the best, to help support early childhood centers because staffing and teacher retention are amongst the biggest issues we face,” said Mikaela Mock, a director at The Goddard School in Mecklenburg County. “It is so hard to provide a livable wage without charging families an arm and a leg. This goes directly to teachers and helps them stay in their child care program and encourages them to continue their education. And it helps keep centers open.”
Mikaela has been a lead teacher and still helps cover classes as needed. She also spends time in the classroom to build relationships with teachers and the children. She knows firsthand how important it is to support teachers, not only with appropriate compensation, but with a strong and positive culture and work environment. “We have really elevated the school’s culture, the teamwork, the sense of community and the overall level of education,” she said.
Education is important to Mikaela and to the staff. Mikaela already had a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but wanted to better understand young children and also obtain her Administrator’s Credential. She feels like the additional early childhood coursework she completed helped her be a better leader for the teachers and a better business person. And she’s not done yet! “At some point, I plan to go for my Master’s in Early Childhood. I’m just figuring out the best timing.”
Some of her staff are also increasing their education levels, and are using T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships to do it. “T.E.A.C.H. is an excellent program to help further education,” Mikaela said. “Early educators aren’t paid enough, so having help to pay for coursework is so important, and making degrees accessible when they might not otherwise be is huge.”
When Mikaela graduated with her degree, she knew she wanted to work with children, but wasn’t sure exactly how. Once she began working in early childhood, she fell in love with The Goddard School and the field overall. Despite her enthusiasm, she still acknowledges there are challenges, and staff retention is at the top of that list. “We have to value teachers and compensate them as best we can. Finding programs like WAGE$ helps,” Mikaela said. “Especially when I was in the classroom, that additional income was critical. Getting those checks was helpful, and it showed how important early childhood is, and how important it is to retain good teachers. I counted on it and I know people take it into account when they consider whether to move to another job.”
Mikaela continues to appreciate her supplements but is especially grateful for what WAGE$ means for staff who also participate. “It is a great way to support teachers; the supplements make it accessible for them to remain in field. WAGE$ encourages them to continue their education. We can say, ‘Just two more classes and you’ll get bumped up to a bigger check.’ That’s a really big deal for teachers. Our teachers get excited when they learn about it. They look forward to it.”
“I want to thank Smart Start of Mecklenburg County and also the Division of Child Development and Early Education for funding and supporting early childhood through this program and making an effort to retain teachers. When teachers stay in the field and in the same school for extended periods of time, it creates more access to child care for families and creates a more stable environment for the children,” Mikaela said. “I encourage funders to learn about the experiences of participants so they can see the impact. It does help. We look forward to seeing how it can expand with continued support.”
