Crossing the Generational Divide

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Patricia Scallan Berl  | June 1, 2008

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

On a daily basis, directors must confront diverse voice and views, each underscoring the distinct motivations, values, and ambitions of their teachers. One key element driving reoccurring differences among the mindsets of teachers is intergenerational conflict. On the job, these generational distinctions are becoming increasingly complex as multi-generation gaps emerge, with three or more generations defining roles and expectations, each trying for positions in a work world of shrinking upward opportunity. Experience and loyalty to an employer, once the principal factors for advancement, are quickly being replaced by merit, education, and advancing technological skills of younger workers. … Download this resource to read the rest of this story.


This resource is part of our archived Director’s Link newsletter series.

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Leadership Connections Testimonial From Jamie Fishman

By Jamie Fishman • September 18, 2026
This conference definitely helps our business. Like I said, it's really an opportunity for us to highlight all the products that we have that are new and exciting. I try to bring and highlight things that are new this year. Pretty much everything on this table are new products for 2026. And what makes this conference different? I think it's just really there's a lot of decision makers here, which is really good for us as a business to be talking to childcare owners, to actually, the providers that are in the classroom, and connect with even larger centers that have multiple locations. And it gives us that time to really have that in-person connection that we don't often get to have. So it's kind of like a bang for your buck you get to see lots of different customers over a short course of time because the conference is only a day and so it gives us a chance to connect with a lot of customers and get our products out there. 
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