Learning To Lead In Early Childhood Education

Learning to Lead combines theory and practice with important topics such as human development, diversity, anti-bias, and social change. New to this edition is information on leadership connections in school-age care and nurturing leadership in children. Each chapter is designed to prompt self-evaluation and personal leadership development.

Learning to Lead in Early Childhood Education makes a major new contribution to the educational leadership literature in early childhood education. Three sharply contrasting theoretical and methodological approaches are explained, each with an accompanying case study as a separate chapter. This allows readers to clearly see the relationship between theory, research, and practice, including theory-driven approaches to analysis. By drawing the case studies from three countries – Australia, Norway, and Aotearoa New Zealand, including one involving Indigenous participants – this book allows readers to learn about early childhood leadership policy and cultures in settings with different languages, histories, and national contexts. It will appeal to early childhood centre leaders, early childhood education and leadership academics, and post-graduate students in educational leadership interested in the potential of – and for – multiple approaches to leadership research and learning in early childhood education.

"Working with children requires you to be an adaptable leader and teacher, no matter the setting. Learning to Lead will help early childhood professionals at any level cultivate leadership potential and skills with an introduction to leadership theory and practice, including definitions of the functions and styles of leadership"--

Guides directors through the steps to build respectful, welcoming relationships with families and staff.

In this inspiring collection, 13 early childhood leaders take action to challenge and change inequitable educational practices in preschools and elementary schools. For them, educating for social justice is not an empty platitude. Steadfast and resolute, they turn rhetoric into reality as they guide early childhood teachers to teach for social justice innovatively and strategically. Through the voices of families, teachers, and the administrators themselves, each chapter shares ways that these leaders use the power entrusted in them to question and disrupt discriminatory and marginalizing practices that deny opportunities for some students while privileging others. The book includes insights, strategies, and resources that administrators can use to build confidence, knowledge, and skills as they invest in more equitable and just pre/schools. Book Features: Highlights the actions of administrators as they take a stand to transcend standardized approaches to teaching and learning, creating more equitable educational environments.Portrays strategies and resources used to engage teachers in critical examination of self and the institutions in which they work.Describes principles and practices that guide administrators as they support the development of culturally relevant practices and policies. Offers powerful ways early childhood administrators can approach inequitable mandates.Highlights the voices of families as they participate in and are impacted by the work of administrators. “Susi Long, Mariana Souto-Manning, and Vivian Vasquez, scholars with stellar reputations in the fields of early childhood education, critical literacy, and social justice education, have combined their considerable talents to edit a book that will serve as a beacon of hope for administrators, policymakers, and educators at all levels of learning and teaching.” —From the Foreword by Sonia Nieto, professor emerita, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and bestselling author

Leadership in the early years is about using your knowledge, skills, personality and experience to positively influence practice. Every practitioner has the capacity to lead, and in doing so, improve opportunities for children and their families. Examining the various roles of early years practitioners, and the everyday challenges and opportunities they face, this book promotes leadership of early childhood practice by considering the following; · Who the leaders are, and what skills they require · The variety of ways a practitioner can lead within a setting · Key roles including the team leader and the key person · How to develop a culture of leadership · The importance of working with families and other professionals · Improving leading through reflective practice. Whether you are a room leader in an early childhood setting needing support in your leadership skills, a manager of an early childhood business, a leader of a nursery, a leader of practice or studying to become an early years practitioner this book is ideal for helping you improve your leadership skills.

Early childhood educators are keenly aware of the importance of a child’s transition to “real school.” This transition is occurring earlier in a child’s life now that school districts nationwide are moving to pre-kindergarten experiences for 3- and 4-year olds. Annually, more than one million children attend public school pre-k programs overseen by elementary school principals who, although veteran educational leaders, were not trained to oversee these programs. Although pre-k classrooms are rapidly growing and deserve special attention, school leaders must be reminded that early childhood means more than pre-kindergarten; it extends through third grade. School leadership needs to understand the principles of early childhood education to effectively support all children age three to grade three. Professional and Ethical Consideration for Early Childhood Leaders is a collection of innovative research that crafts an overall understanding of the importance of early childhood leadership in today’s schools. The book employs strategies to improve support for children in early childhood years, examines the different roles of early childhood leadership, analyzes best practices for implementation in early childhood contexts, and explores improvements for leadership preparation for schools with pre-k through third-grade children. While highlighting a wide range of topics including advocacy, cultural responses, and professional development, this publication is ideally designed for educators, administrators, principals, early childhood development teachers, daycare instructors, curriculum developers, advocates, researchers, academicians, and students.

The journey to professional and personal growth takes time, and the road isn’t always smooth, but it is a learning-filled adventure Holly Elissa Bruno, Janet Gonzalez-Mena, Luis Antonio Hernandez, and Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan are accomplished professionals and respected leaders in the early childhood field. After a decade of speaking together at national professional development conferences, they now give you twelve of their most important presentation topics as essays. Each chapter presents a dialogue among the authors about a particular topic and the lessons gleaned from facing and overcoming uncertainty and obstacles. Merging each author’s distinct voice, expertise, and life experiences, this collection unveils the authors’ personal and meaningful histories, insecurities, and insights. You will be encouraged and challenged to think more deeply and openly about your own practices and philosophies. You will gain a renewed sense of purpose as you help children reach their full potentials. And you will discover—as the authors did—that every bump in the road is an invitation to grow and opportunity to learn. Holly Elissa Bruno, MA, JD; Janet Gonzalez-Mena, MA; Luis Antonio Hernandez, MA; and Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan, EdD, are acclaimed keynote speakers, authors, and experts on a variety of topics in early childhood.