Activity 3.3 | Self-actualizing and Interconnectedness
| Site: | RRU Open Educational Resources |
| Course: | Self-Leadership in Early Childcare and Education |
| Book: | Activity 3.3 | Self-actualizing and Interconnectedness |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Friday, 6 June 2025, 3:22 PM |
Relationships and Possibility
As a child care manager and leader, you are tasked with supporting your community in shifting practices away from dominant narratives toward unknowable futures.
This role requires that you stay committed to trusting and honest relationships that can weather conflict and dissonance. You will face fears of yourself and others, and there is no guarantee that it will work. That said, we know that the current realities are not working for too many, and in response, we have no choice but to try a new pathway.
As a child care manager and leader, you are the point-person for families and often the first point-of-contact for new families entering your program. You will be the person tasked with articulating your centre’s values, grounding these values in research and the ethical standards set forward by your professional body, the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia.
While you cannot do this work alone, you might be required to take the first step.
Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo (2015) argue that “anti-bias leadership builds on the core principles and best leadership practices if the early childhood care and education field. These include relationships of mutual caring and respect; sharing knowledge; reflective, intentional teaching; and collaboration among the staff and between staff and the program leader”.
As a child care manager and leader, you have a unique responsibility to reimagine what is possible in early care and learning spaces and courageously pursue that goal. Remember the adage that we can go faster alone and further together.
Read Derman-Sparks et al. (2015) before moving on to the reflective activity on the next page.
ReferenceDerman-Sparks, L., LeeKeenan, D., & Nimmo, J. (2015, May) Building Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: The Role of the Leader. National Association for the Education of Young Children. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2015/building-anti-bias-programs
Calling Yourself In
Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo (2015) assert that “uncovering and examining one’s fears about the potential for conflict is [another] important step.
As part of being strategic, it is necessary to think realistically about the possible reactions to anti-bias change from various stakeholders and the broader community”. Consider the following reflective questions and document your thoughts in your journal:
- What are some of your fears?
- What are these fears based on? (Past experiences? Assumptions?)
- What supports do you have?
- What more do you need to advocate for policy changes to solidify your commitments to anti-racist and anti-bias practices?
Derman-Sparks, LeeKeenan, & Nimmo (2015) emphasize that “Anti-bias work grows best in an environment where collegial, mutually respectful relationships among staff and between staff and the program leader are the norm and where a culture exists that fosters open conversation and dialogue, reflection, and risk taking”. Using your reflections from the activities in this module as a starting point, take time to consider how you might work with your staff to cultivate this type of environment and move this work forward.
Reference
Derman-Sparks, L., LeeKeenan, D., & Nimmo, J. (2015, May) Building Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: The Role of the Leader. National Association for the Education of Young Children. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2015/building-anti-bias-programs