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Welcome to Module 1: What is Leadership in Early Childhood Education

We are now about to begin the journey through this course.

As you entered the doorway to the learning materials in the Welcome and Introduction section, you were invited to reflect on your own ideas and beliefs of what leadership means to you. You considered your understanding of the words “leader” and “leadership” by finding other words that describe them. If you speak another language, you may have even thought about what they mean in other cultures.

You also began to think about the qualities of leadership. The final piece of the exercise was to remind yourself of some of the barriers to effective leadership. With these thoughts in mind, we will now move forward by examining the ideas of others. Many of your own understandings will be validated. You may also find something you didn’t consider before. The readings and activities will help you expand your knowledge and reinforce what you already know.

This course will visit some of the traditional Western thought on leadership and also introduce leadership from an Indigenous lens. We will look at articles and resources from various institutions and experts from British Columbia, other provinces in Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, and other relevant expertise. You will be encouraged to practice using your knowledge by participating in various activities.

Let’s begin by opening the first reading from the Lillio Early Learning Blog. 

Lillio is located in Toronto, Ontario, and has many resources available for the ECE sector that you may want to check out in the future. There are links within the article that you may be interested in, but they are not part of this module. 

Read Guide to Great Leadership in Early Childhood Education (Keshen, 2022)

As you read the blog, jot down some thoughts about the key points the author includes such as: 

  • Never stop learning
  • Understand that it’s a journey, not a quick fix
  • Use reflective practice
  • Be an ECE advocate in your community
  • Have a strong and clear vision
  • Be assertive (when necessary)
  • Work on your time management
  • Delegate
  • Ensure everyone knows why
  • Provide professional learning opportunities
  • Make yourself available
  • Provide experiences to the staff to pass on to the children
  • Set up your team for success
  • Work on your emotional intelligence
  • Prioritize quality
  • Communicate openly and often.

Which of these key points are part of your strengths? 

Which ones do you need to work on?

During this course, we will address the above points in the materials and learning activities. Many of them are interconnected and related to each other such as how skills in communication are necessary for visioning, advocacy and success. Most educators begin their day expecting to enjoy the many levels of communication with the children and their colleagues. Communication happens through listening, observing, talking, laughter and sometimes crying. 

Throughout the course we will look at community resources that support Early Childhood Educators in topics such as professional development, ethical practice, quality programming, and advocacy. You will practice leadership skills such as strategic planning and program management. You will find helpful resources such as human resources manuals, links to articles and videos.

As you move into the first activity of this module you will be encouraged to situate yourself. Situating our selves increases our self-confidence and helps us in decision making. We can recognize our strengths and identify what we need to improve.

Reference

Keshen, M. (2022). Guide to Great Leadership in Early Childhood Education. [Blog]. Lillio. https://www.lillio.com/blog/leadership-in-early-childhood-education

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