Download Developing strong and effective leadership within the early years

Adopting
Creating
Building
Developing strong and effective leadership within the
early years sector
Avril Stanley
15th April 2016
Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development
Purpose
 Examine practitioners’ perception of leadership within ECEC settings
 Many practitioners found themselves in leadership positions without adequate
training or qualifications
 Despite ‘effective leadership being essential in improving the quality of
ECEC provision which in turn leads to better outcomes for children’ (Rodd 2013;
McDowell Clarke 2013; Nutbrown 2012)
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Research Question
‘What are Early Years’ practitioners’ perceptions of leadership within ECEC
settings’
Objectives
• To obtain practitioners’ perceptions of leadership.
• To ascertain what are the roles and responsibilities of leadership.
• To establish the qualifications required.
• To find what skills and qualities are necessary to be a leader.
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Literature Review
 Leader defined – ‘a person who emerges from a group, as opposed to be
appointed, as they are valued by their colleagues’ (Rodd 2013; Lindon & Lindon 2011).
 Leadership
involves
‘inspiring
improvement
through
reflection
and
collaborative action’ (Jones & Pound 2008, p.23).
 Perceived as a ‘process’ which involves many roles, responsibilities and
people who are committed to promoting the ‘shared values and vision’ of the
service (Rodd, 2013, p. 11).
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Models of leadership
 Distributed Leadership
 Transformational leadership
 Pedagogical Leadership
 Practitioners need to be aware of and have an understanding of general leadership
theories and models of leadership (Rodd 2013; McDowall Clarke 2012; Jones & Pound 2008).
 This enables leaders to be flexible, and to adopt and adapt their leadership approach
(ibid).
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Distributed Leadership
 Team takes a leadership role in different aspects of practice.
 This raises staff morale and self esteem and reduces staff turn over.
 Need ‘high levels of collaboration and teamwork for it to work efficiently’
(Siraj- Blatchford & Manni, 2006, p.27).
 Limited evidence based research of the effects Distributed Leadership has within
ECEC settings (Lindon & Lindon 2011: Siraj-Blatchford & Manni 2006).
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Transformational Leadership
 Leader inspires the team to set out achievable and realistic goals, objectives and
shared vision for the future of the service (Murray 2013; Rodd 2013).
 Requires effective communication and interpersonal skills.
 Leader supports and encourages the team to contribute their knowledge, skills,
opinions and ideas (Hard & Jónsdóttir 2013; Rodd 2013; Jones & Pound 2008).
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Pedagogical Leadership
 Responsible for the ‘shared understanding of the aims and methods of teaching
and learning of young children (Heikka & Wanigananayake, 2011, p.510).
 Support, mentor and are good role models.
 Engage in reflective practice and Continuing Professional Development.
 Must include concepts of Distributed Leadership to make it a effective model
(Nutbrown 2012; Heikka & Waniganayake 2012).
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Building Leadership Capacity
 A leader provides opportunities for the team to develop a ‘shared understanding,
meaning, language, goals and purpose of leadership’ (Rodd, 2013, p.262).
 A leader needs to become a ‘leader of leaders’ who inspire, empower and nurture’
(John, 2008, p.58).
 Opportunities will be provided to ease practitioners into leadership roles.
(Campbell-Evans et al 2014; Rodd 2013; John 2008).
 Leaders need to build on their own knowledge and skills (Hard & Jónsdóttir, 2013).
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Qualities and Skills required for Leadership
 Visionary
 Good communication skills
 Accountable
 Interpersonal skills
 Inspirational
 Approachable
 Effective problem solver
 Delegator
 Good sense of humour
 Trustworthy
 Good conflict management skills
 Show empathy
(Campbell-Evans et al 2014; Murray 2013; Rodd 2013;
Jones & Pound 2008).
 Motivate the team
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Qualifications needed for leadership
 Room Leader with a graduate qualification coupled with experience are better
equipped and confident (Hatfield et al 2012; Mistry & Sood 2012).
 Collectively ECEC workforce not required to have a degree qualification.
 Led by a person with a graduate working directly with children
(Nutbrown , 2012).
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Methodology
 Qualitative research method.
 Sample technique – purposive and convenience sampling.
 Ten Early Years’ practitioners.
 Working in Community based and Privately owned Childcare services in
Galway city and county.
 Participants owner/managers, room leaders, deputy managers personal
assistants.
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Main Findings
Leadership is connected with guiding children’s learning and development
 Participants confident in taking a leadership role when working in partnership
with parents.
 Planning, implementing and guiding activities based on children’s interests,
needs and abilities.
 Participants reluctant to look at themselves as leader in this role.
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Main Findings
Leadership is connected to a person in charge of the pre-school room
 Room leader should have a degree qualification coupled with experience.
 Participants experience of childcare assistant having a degree while the
room leader held QQI Level 5 qualification.
 Leaders need to mentor colleagues.
 Perceptions of leadership are changing.
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Main Findings
Leaderships role and responsibility to the team
 Clear, realistic and achievable goal, objectives and a shared vision.
 Build leadership skills within the team.
 Need for clear defined roles and responsibilities set out before hand.
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Main Findings
Qualities and skills required for leadership
 Trustworthy
Good communication
 Decisive
Organisational skills
 Motivational
Interpersonal skills
 Confident (or appear to be)
Lead by example
 Good sense of humour
Show empathy
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Proposed Model of Leadership
 Creating a shared vision for the future of the ECEC setting,
 Adopting a child-centred approach to the children’s learning and
development,
 Building leadership capacity within the team,
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Creating a shared vision for the future of the ECEC setting
 ‘passionate and driven’ leaders need to inspire the team, parents and other
stakeholders.
 Create an agreed ‘ethos, philosophy’ and vision (Moyles, 2006, p.146).
 Ensures all stakeholders are committed to and have a sense of belonging.
 Children and their families central to the core values which underpin this
vision (Hard & Jónsdóttir 2013; Rodd 2013; Jones & Pound 2008).
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Adopting a child-centred approach to guiding children’s learning and
development
 Strategies can be put in place which underpin their method of supporting
and guiding each child’s learning and development.
 Based on each child’s abilities, interests and needs.
 Learn and develop holistically
(Ord et al 2013; Nutbrown 2012; Heikka & Waniganayake 2011; Lindon & Lindon 2011).
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Building leadership capacity within the team
 Distributing leadership responsibility amongst the team.
 Clearly defined roles and responsibilities set out to give clarity and direction.
 Effective communication, interpersonal and organisational skills
(Rodd 2013; Jones & Pound 2008; Siraj-Blatchford & Manni 2006).
 Guiding, supporting and mentoring colleagues.
 Engage in Continuing Professional Development (Rodd 2013; Ang 2011).
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Limitations
 Sample population - 10 participants from within Galway city and county,
this does not reflect the perceptions of practitioners nationally.
 Failed to obtain the male perception of leadership.
 Time.
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The contribution this research makes to the wider topic
area
 Developed as part of leadership programmes for practitioners.
 Adapted as a training tool to build leadership capacity within the team and
broader ECEC sector.
 Contribute considerably to the understanding of leadership both
internationally and within an Irish context.
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Thank you
Bibliography
Ang, L. (2011) ‘Leading and managing in Early Years: A Study of the Impact of a NCSL Programme on Children’s Centre Leaders’,
Perceptions of Leadership and Practice, 40 (3), pp.289-304.
Campbell-Evans, G. Stamopoulos, E. Maloney, C. (2014) ‘Building Leadership Capacity in Early Childhood Pre-Service
Teachers’, Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39 (5), pp.
42-49.
Hatfield, M. Jopling, M. Meadham, M. Waller, T. Coleyshaw, L. Emira, M. Royle, K. (2012) Longitudinal Study of Early Years
Professional Status: An exploration of professional leadership and Impact. Final Report. London: Department of Education.
Hard, L. Jónsdóttir, A. (2013) ‘Leadership is not a dirty word: Exploring and embracing leadership in ECEC’, European Early
Childhood Education Research Journal, 21 (3), pp. 311-325.
Heikka, J. Waniganayake, M. (2011) ‘Pedagogical leadership from a distributed perspective within the context of early childhood
education’, International Journal of Leadership in Education, 14 (4), pp. 499-512.
John, K. (2008) ‘Sustaining the leaders of children’s centres: the role of leadership mentoring’, European Early Childhood
Education Research Journal, 16 (1), pp. 53-63.
Jones, C. Pound, L (2008) Leadership and Management in the Early Years: From principles to practice. Berkshire: Open
University Press.
Lindon, J. Lindon, L. (2011) Leadership and Early Years Professionalism. England: Hodder Education
McDowall Clarke, R. (2012) “I’ve never thought of myself as a leader but…..’ The Early Years Professional and Catalytic
Leadership’, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20 (3), pp. 391-401.
Mistry, M. Sood, K. (2012) ‘Challenges of Early Years Leadership Preparation: A comparison between early and experienced
Early Years’ practitioners in England’, Management in Education, 26 (1), pp.28-37.
Moyles, J. (2006) Effective Leadership and Management in the Early Years. England: Open University Press.
Murray, J. (2013) ‘Becoming an Early Years Professional: Developing a new professional identity’, European Early Childhood
.
Education Research Journal, 21 (4), pp. 527-540
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Bibliography
Nutbrown, C. (2012) Foundations for Quality: The Independent Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications. Final Report.
Available at:
http://www.dera.ioe.ac.uk/cgi/users/login?target=http%3A%2F%2Fdera.ioe.ac.uk%2F14719
%2F1%257BA098ADE7-BA9A-4E18-8802D8D4BO600858D%257DNUTBROWN%2520REPORT%2520-%2520final.pdf
(Accessed: 03/07/2014).
Ord, K. Mane, J. Smorti, S. Carroll-Lind, J. Robinson, L. Armstrong-Reed, A. Brown-Cooper, P. Meredith, E. Rickard, D. Jalah, J. (2013)
Developing Pedagogical Leadership in Early Childhood Education. Wellington: NZ Childcare Association.
Rodd, J. (2013) Leadership in Early Childhood. The pathway to professionalism. 4th Edition. England: Open University Press.
Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Manni, L. (2006) ‘Effective Leadership in the Early Year’s sector: The ELEYS study’. London: Institute of Education,
University of London.
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