What Programs Can Learn from Retail Stores

12/19/2017

What Programs Can Learn from Retail Stores

Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage.
Rainer Maria Rilke, 1875-1926, Austrian poet and writer

“In my job as a college instructor,” writes Frances Carlson in the Exchange Art of Leadership series, “I help early childhood teachers plan and implement optimal learning environments for children. To help them focus on what children need…I ask students to tell me what it is about their favorite store that makes it their favorite...In reflecting on my students’ comments…I’ve discovered ten tricks from the retail world that help guide us as we establish environments for our children.

- Know your customers’ names and say them often, in a positive context…

- Cross-merchandise…(The child building in the block area may decide to put signs on a structure…If we follow retail’s method of cross-merchandising, the child will have paper and pencils or markers in the block area, as well as in the writing center.)

- Design the space so customers will go all the way through it…

- Sudden changes in the environment confuse customers…

- Label aisles so customers know where to find things…

- Minimize waiting…

- Personalize…

- Focus on customer service…

- Self-serve…(In children’s classrooms, make materials and supplies readily available.)”

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