Managing a classroom in an early childhood education program can be deeply rewarding, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Teachers face high levels of stress as they balance the needs of young learners while keeping families involved. Without the right support, this stress can impact the teacher’s well-being and the quality of education provided.
The Procare Solutions 2025 Child Care Trends Report showed that half of survey respondents said using child care management software made their daily tasks easier and a similar number said it saves a “significant” amount of time.
Yet 18% said their centers had no plans to implement software. Child care management software gives ECE teachers the resources they need to be more efficient and connected. By simplifying day-to-day tasks, this technology gives educators more time to focus on building meaningful relationships with children and their families.
Let’s take a look at how child care management software can help with classroom management!
Assessments
This year’s report found that most child care centers continue to rely on natural observations with teachers collecting data and children’s work for portfolios. Most states require the use of learning standards to track developmental milestones, so staff should be aware of the skills that children generally demonstrate when they reach a certain age.
In the past, assessments often required stacks of paper for observing, documenting and storing student data. Some ECE teachers spend hours manually recording developmental milestones and assessment data for each child. But online assessments, especially those that are built into an all-in-one child care management software program, make this easier when teachers can log milestones in a single platform. This eliminates tedious paperwork and ensures all information is organized, searchable and easy to access.
So instead of jotting down notes and then later transferring them to a report, teachers can input their observations directly into an app! Using technology that can connect customized learning standards, daily activities and milestones with early learning education state standards will aid centers in meeting these state requirements.
Vine Assessments is exclusively available to Procare customers. Teachers can tie their lessons and observations directly to the appropriate Vine Assessments indicator, all from within the web-based software and the Procare child care mobile app.
Curriculum
Around one-third of respondents in the Procare Solutions annual report create their own curriculum, and about a quarter rely on paper-based curriculum, which becomes outdated quickly and often is difficult for teachers to understand:
Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper is a digital curriculum specifically designed to meet the unique developmental needs of children from infancy through pre-kindergarten and is aligned to state standards in all 50 states!
It embeds Learning Beyond Paper’s early childhood curriculum, which was designed by educators with decades of combined experience, into Procare. This makes it easier and less time-consuming for busy teachers, caregivers and administrators to provide high-quality early learning experiences. It equips teachers with state-of-the-art online curriculum at their fingertips while dramatically reducing the amount of time spent on lesson planning each week.
This curriculum can be used in ALL child care center classrooms, with 52 weeks of lesson plans for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and pre-kindergarteners. Learning areas include STEAM, language and literacy, physical development, cognitive, music and movement as well as interactive reading. Plus, teachers get tips and tools they can use in real time!
Using a curriculum that has earned a state’s stamp of approval is a measure of quality that a child care center can be proud to offer to its families. ECE state-approved curriculum programs provide consistency, quality assurance, comprehensive development and teacher support, all contributing to a strong educational foundation. Aligning with state-approved ECE curriculum is also essential for securing grant funding and providing high-quality education!
Family Engagement
Parents expect a daycare app and they are a necessity for real-time communication, and classroom management can be hindered without one. Teachers should not have to write down summary notes of what happened to each child, each day.
But too many centers aren’t using an app to take care of simple administrative functions. For example, half of survey respondents said they still use paper and pen sheets to sign students in and out of their centers. About the same number still use paper notes given out at pick-up time to tell parents what their children did during the day.
Activities and photos can be shared easily and viewable to parents and caregivers via the Procare child mobile app. And Procare’s eDocument capabilities reduce the administrative time of collecting signatures on important documents.
How Procare Helps Teachers!
One of the top ways of support that teachers listed in the child care business report was professional development.
Unlock your team’s potential with Procare Professional Development! As an IACET-accredited provider, Procare Solutions offers CEUs for all Procare Professional Development courses which are designed to streamline continuing education, provide essential training and deliver growth opportunities for child care professionals, all at their own pace. And it’s approved in all 50 states!
With the CDA Pathways that is part of Procare Professional Development, you have access to the dedicated training needed to earn the CDA certification, at no extra cost, aside from purchasing required materials and application fees paid to the CDA Council. This major benefit allows you to set your center apart and provide clear career progression for your staff.
Procare Professional Development provides child care organizations with over 120 training hours that offer CEUs, as well as CDA pathways. Learn more how Procare Professional Development makes training your team engaging, convenient and practical and will help them improve their classroom management!
