Leadership Concepts and Theories: Reflections for Practice for early Childhood Directors

This paper reports on a study in which educators from four early childhood centres used metaphor to discuss their provision of high-quality early childhood education. Qualitative mining of focus group data confirmed ‘quality’ to be complex, multi-dimensional and value-laden. Findings contribute to understandings of quality in early childhood education through four key themes: ‘quality’ as a synergetic flow; the facilitative stance and impact of leaders in the enactment of leadership; children as active contributors to quality; and the role of love. Metaphor is shown to be a valuable tool that can highlight tangible and intangible quality contributors, how these contributors link together and the contextual specificity from which quality in individual early childhood education settings emanates.

Section: Provocations About ‘Quality’ Early Childhood Education and Caresupporting

confidence: 76%

Using metaphor to illuminate quality in early childhood education

Fenech

Harrison

Press

et al. 2020

“…While some room leaders in this study articulated inclusive approaches as conducive to professional learning within their teams (Keay & Lloyd, 2011), others adopted authoritative, directive approaches, suggesting reliance on positional leadership authority and an emphasis on tasks (Muijs et al, 2010). Directive leadership styles may be linked to managerial concepts such as understandings of staff supervision, direction and time efficiency which may limit open exploration and participation by educators (Nupponen, 2006). Research has found that positional leaders have significant roles in creating inclusive organisational climates for participation (Robinson, 2009), and inclusive attitudes are needed to create space for those not in formal leadership positions to lead where they have specific expertise (Glatter, 2009).…”

Section: Professional Dialogue Networkmentioning

confidence: 88%

Leading Professional Learning in Early Childhood Centres: Who are the Educational Leaders?

Colmer

Waniganayake

Field

2014

IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES directors have responsibility for ongoing professional learning to support the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Currently there is limited understanding about how early childhood leaders support educators to participate in professional learning. This article presents findings from two case studies undertaken as part of a larger research project aimed at exploring the enactment of leadership for professional learning in early childhood centres. Key findings from this research show that directors played a key role as the centre's educational leader and distributing leadership to room leaders was critical in supporting educators' professional learning.

“…More problematic is the negative construing, and limited change in the construing of the influences of administrators. Leadership in ECEC settings is pivotal to the provision of quality education and care (Brownlee, Nailon & Tickle, 2010;Nupponen, 2006;Thornton, 2010). Recent ideas around pedagogical leadership, community of practice and distributed leadership highlight the interrelated role of leaders at all levels with respect to curriculum and pedagogy decision making (Clarkin-Phillips, 2011; Heikka & Waniganayake, 2011;Watson & Williams, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching ECEC Professional Development: Using Kelly's Repertory Grid to Examine Changes in Educators' Constructs about Curriculum Design in Early Childhood Settings

Nailon

2013

THIS PAPER REPORTS ON how educators from child care, community-based kindergarten, preschool and lower primary settings changed their tightly held constructs about curriculum design after undertaking an in-service professional development (PD) program. Kelly's personal construct psychology (PCP) provided the framework for the PD and for identifying and analysing the educators' constructs and the changes that occurred. Initially teachers from all settings mainly focused on children as objects of their curriculum decision making. After the PD program the focus on children's input changed to a more negotiated approach to curriculum design—especially by teachers in childcare and kindergarten settings. Differences between cohorts were also found in changes to thinking about parents' and administrators' input into curriculum decisions which related to their ECEC contexts. Outcomes from the study can be used to demonstrate ways of analysing changes in thinking about curriculum design after engaging in PD, and the effects of educational context on these changes.