For Directors, Administrators & Principals

Leading an early childhood program today means balancing competing demands—accountability, staffing, family expectations, and policy pressures—while trying to stay grounded in what we know about how young children actually grow and learn. Too often, developmentally sound practice gets squeezed out by urgency and compliance.

This work is designed to help you lead differently.

I partner with directors, administrators, and school leaders who want professional learning that is grounded in child development, responsive to educators’ realities, and aligned with their program’s values. My approach supports leaders in strengthening practice without resorting to control, scripts, or one-size-fits-all solutions—while helping teachers feel trusted, capable, and energized.

These offerings are not about adding another initiative. They are about creating the conditions for joyful teaching, protected free play, and learning environments where children—and the adults who teach them—can thrive.

Keynotes

60–90 minutes | Virtual or In Person (additional in-person fee)

Engaging, thought-provoking keynotes that help leaders and educators reconnect with what we know about child development and why it matters in today’s early childhood contexts.

Keynotes:

  • Establish shared language and vision across your program or district

  • Ground participants in whole-child development, free play, and joyful teaching

  • Affirm educators’ expertise while challenging harmful assumptions and practices

  • Serve as a strong foundation for deeper professional learning

Keynotes are ideal for conferences, staff retreats, opening-of-year events, and program-wide professional learning days.

Best for:
Leaders seeking alignment, inspiration, and a clear entry point into ongoing learning.

👉 See Some Sample Keynotes

Ways to Engage

Workshops

2–2.5 hours | Virtual or In Person (additional in-person fee)

Interactive, hands-on workshops that build on keynote themes and support educators and leaders in translating ideas into reflective and practical action.

Workshops:

  • Go deeper into topics such as free play, identity development, teacher autonomy, and developmentally grounded decision-making

  • Engage participants through guided reflection, discussion, and applied activities

  • Support leaders in examining policies, expectations, and structures that shape classroom practice

  • Provide concrete strategies educators can explore and adapt in their contexts

Workshops are collaborative, reflective, and intentionally non-prescriptive.

Best for:
Programs ready to move from inspiration to shared inquiry and practice-focused learning.

👉 Learn More About Workshops

Facilitated Communities of Practice

3–9 months | Virtual and In Person (additional in-person fee)

Sustained professional learning experiences designed to support deep reflection, collective inquiry, and meaningful change over time.

Facilitated Communities of Practice:

  • Create structured, ongoing spaces for educators and leaders to reflect together

  • Support teacher action research and inquiry-based learning

  • Strengthen alignment between leadership vision and classroom practice

  • Build professional trust, shared responsibility, and collective capacity

  • Support retention, morale, and long-term program quality

These communities are customized to your program’s goals and unfold over time, allowing learning to deepen, evolve, and take root.

Best for:
Leaders committed to sustained learning, reflective practice, and systems-level change.

👉 Contact D. Jones to Explore Communities of Practice

How the Tiers Work Together

Programs may begin at any tier. Many start with a keynote to establish shared language, deepen learning through workshops, and sustain change through a facilitated community of practice. This structure allows leaders to engage in professional learning that is coherent, responsive, and developmentally grounded—without adding disconnected initiatives.

Looking for Something Customized?

Are you interested in having someone customize your PD program for your staff? I can design keynotes, workshops, and communities of practice tailored to your staff's needs and professional development goals and intentions. Customization involves conducting a needs assessment through surveys, interviews, and site visits, and then presenting a packaged Professional Learning Plan.

Learn More