Posted: January 27th, 2025

Leadership and Advocacy in Early Childhood Education: An Analysis and Application

TCHR3004 LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Assessment One: Report
Assessment Brief

Assessment name: Report
Due Date: 13th September 2024 @11:59pm (Week 3)
Weighting: 50% of final grade
Length: 1500 words (10% leeway above and below)

Unit Learning Outcomes
You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes on the successful completion of this task:

Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of leadership and management in practice in early childhood education and care services and settings underpinned by theoretical and practical perspectives on administration, management and leadership. Effective understanding of these principles can contribute significantly to fostering positive environments for children and staff.
Demonstrate an understanding of how to build supportive and collaborative environments for children, parents, community and staff. Collaboration ensures a shared vision and promotes community engagement.
Critically reflect on the role that advocacy plays in early childhood education (locally, nationally and internationally) and identify the skills that a strong advocate for the ECEC profession should display. Advocacy empowers educators to champion the needs of young learners and their families.
Critically analyse and understand the role of the educational leader: including relationships, responsibilities, expectations, ethical practice and transition to an educational leader. The transition to leadership roles often requires cultivating advanced interpersonal and decision-making skills.
Task Description:
For this assessment, you are required to write a report of 1500 words. The report can include tables, charts, figures, and/or graphs to illustrate your findings where necessary. Data representations, such as charts, can enhance the clarity of your report.

Write a report that responds to the following three tasks:

Identify and explain the key principles of a (one) leadership style that you aspire to follow and give some examples of how you aim to enact this leadership style on your immersion or professional experience placement. Highlighting examples of real-life applications will strengthen your report’s relevance.
Demonstrate your knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of this leadership style. Theories serve as a foundation to justify the practicality of the chosen leadership style.
Critically review how this leadership style influences management in an early childhood setting in relation to children, families and staff. Consider both potential benefits and challenges in your critique to present a balanced evaluation.
The report must include:

A brief introduction of no more than 100 words outlining the purpose and content of the report. A concise introduction sets the tone and focus of the report.
A body of no more than 1320 words and broken into sections with short, appropriate headings (based upon the 3 tasks listed above). Well-organized headings ensure the report is structured and easy to navigate.
A conclusion of no more than 80 words, highlighting the key findings. The conclusion serves as a final summary and reinforces the main insights.
A reference list that includes all sources of information used. Proper referencing demonstrates academic integrity and supports your arguments.
Rationale
As an early childhood educator, it is important you have an understanding about leadership and your role as a leader. Leadership influences not only the educators and staff but also the experiences of children and families in early childhood settings.

Referencing
APA 7th referencing format is required in Faculty of Education assessment tasks – link to SCU Libguide here: APA 7 Referencing. Accurate referencing minimizes plagiarism risk and increases the credibility of your report.

A minimum of 10 references must be included in this assessment task, including the set text, National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0). Incorporating diverse references adds depth to your analysis.

Support Resources

Academic Integrity – SCU guidelines
Learning Zone – workshops, Quick Guides, videos, study hub These resources provide crucial support to enhance the quality of your submission.
Submission
Submission of your assessment is via TURNITIN. The submission link can be found in the Assessment Tasks and Submission Tab in the TCHR3004 Blackboard site. Using Turnitin ensures originality within your submission and identifies areas for improvement.

Please note:

It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have submitted the correct file and the FINAL version of your assessment for marking BEFORE the due date/time. Double-checking your submission ensures there are no errors in the uploaded document.
After you have followed the Turnitin submission it is essential you download the Digital Receipt. The receipt acts as proof of submission and can be vital in case of disputes.
If you have any difficulty submitting your assignment, please contact Technology Services and make sure that you log a job with them so you have evidence of your attempted submission. To avoid any last-minute problems, make sure you submit well before 11:59pm on the due date. Proactive submission helps avoid unnecessary stress and delays.
As per SCU Rules Relating to Awards – Rule 3 – Coursework Awards – Student Assessment and Examinations: Section 6 – Assessment Resubmission, there are NO resubmissions for this unit. Ensure that your initial submission meets the required standards.

Late Submission/Extension
If you need to apply for special consideration you may do so HERE

If your special consideration application is approved you will need to include a copy of the approval in your assessment task. Special consideration is only granted under exceptional circumstances, so ensure you provide valid documentation.

According to SCU Policy, late penalties apply. More information found HERE

Academic Integrity
At Southern Cross University, academic integrity means behaving with the values of honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, courage, responsibility, and respect in relation to academic work. These values uphold the quality and credibility of academic assessments.

The Southern Cross University Academic Integrity Framework aims to develop a holistic, systematic, and consistent approach to addressing academic integrity across the entire University. Maintaining academic integrity ensures a fair learning environment for all students.

GenAI May be Used
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as Grammarly Premium, may be used for this Assessment Task. If you use GenAI tools, you must use these ethically and acknowledge their use. To find out how to reference GenAI in your work, consult the referencing style for your unit via SCU Library referencing guides and the Student Learning Zone Quick Guide on Acknowledging and Referencing GenAI. Proper acknowledgment of GenAI tools promotes transparency in your academic practices.

You may use Grammarly Premium to provide feedback and suggestions on your writing for academic tone, written expression, grammar, Australian English spelling, and punctuation. Using such tools can refine the overall presentation and professionalism of your work.

You must not use GenAI to generate ideas for this assessment task. If you choose to use these tools, you must include an appendix to demonstrate your work prior to using GenAI. This ensures the originality of your ideas is maintained.

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TCHR3004 LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Assessment One: Report
Assessment Brief
Assessment name: Report
Due Date: 13th September 2024 @11:59pm (Week 3)
Weighting: 50% of final grade
Length: 1500 words (10% leeway above and below)
Unit Learning
Outcomes
You will demonstrate the following Unit Learning Outcomes on the successful completion
of this task:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of leadership and management in
practice in early childhood education and care services and settings underpinned
by theoretical and practical perspectives on administration, management and
leadership.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of how to build supportive and collaborative
environments for children, parents, community and staff.
3. Critically reflect on the role that advocacy plays in early childhood education
(locally, nationally and internationally) and identify the skills that a strong advocate
for the ECEC profession should display.
4. Critically analyse and understand the role of the educational leader: including
relationships, responsibilities, expectations, ethical practice and transition to an
educational leader.
Task Description: For this assessment, you are required to write a report of 1500 words. The report can
include tables, charts, figures, and/or graphs to illustrate your findings where necessary.
Write a report that responds to the following three tasks.
1. Identify and explain the key principles of a (one) leadership style that you aspire to follow
and give some examples of how you aim to enact this leadership style on your immersion
or professional experience placement.
2. Demonstrate your knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of this leadership style.
3. Critically review how this leadership style influences management in an early childhood
setting in relation to children, families and staff.
The report must include:
1. A brief introduction of no more than 100 words outlining the purpose and content
if the report.
2. A body of no more than 1320 words and broken into sections with short,
appropriate headings (based upon the 3 tasks listed above).
3. A conclusion of no more than 80 words, highlighting the key findings.
4. A reference list that includes all sources of information used.
Rationale As an early childhood educator, it is important you have an understanding about leadership
and your role as a leader.
Referencing APA 7th referencing format is required in Faculty of Education assessment tasks – link to
SCU Libguide here: APA 7 Referencing.
A minimum of 10 references must be included in this assessment task, including the set
text, National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework (V2.0).
Support Resources Academic Integrity – SCU guidelines
Learning Zone – workshops, Quick Guides, videos, study hub
Submission Submission of your assessment is via TURNITIN. The submission link can be found in
the Assessment Tasks and Submission Tab in the TCHR3004 Blackboard site.
Please note:
• It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have submitted the correct file and
the FINAL version of your assessment for marking BEFORE the due date/time.
• After you have followed the TurnItin submission it is essential you download the
Digital Receipt.
• If you have any difficulty submitting your assignment, please contact
Technology Services and make sure that you log a job with them so you have
evidence of your attempted submission. To avoid any last-minute problems,
make sure you submit well before 11:59pm on the due date.
• As per SCU Rules Relating to Awards – Rule 3 – Coursework Awards – Student
Assessment and Examinations: Section 6 – Assessment Resubmission, there are
NO resubmissions for this unit.
Late
Submission/Extension
If you need to apply for special consideration you may do so HERE
If your special consideration application is approved you will need to include a copy of the
approval in your assessment task.
According to SCU Policy, late penalties apply. More information found HERE
Academic Integrity
At Southern Cross University academic integrity means behaving with the values of honesty, fairness,
trustworthiness, courage, responsibility and respect in relation to academic work.
The Southern Cross University Academic Integrity Framework aims to develop a holistic, systematic and consistent
approach to addressing academic integrity across the entire University.
For more information see the SCU Academic Integrity Framework
GenAI May be Used
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as Grammarly Premium, may be used for this Assessment
Task. If you use GenAI tools, you must use these ethically and acknowledge their use. To find out how to reference
GenAI in your work consult the referencing style for your unit via SCU Library referencing guides and the Student
Learning Zone Quick Guide on Acknowledging and referencing GenAI. If you use GenAI tools without
acknowledgment it may result in an academic integrity breach against you as described in the Student Academic and
Non-Academic Misconduct Rules, Section 3.
You may use Grammarly Premium to provide feedback and suggestions on your writing for academic tone, written
expression, grammar, Australian English spelling, and punctuation. You must not use GenAI to generate ideas for this
assessment task. If you choose to use these tools, you must include an appendix to demonstrate your work prior to
using GenAI.

Assessment One: Report

Student’s Name
Course Department, University
Course Code: Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
 
Assessment One: Report
Introduction
Leadership is one of the essentials of effective quality early learning and care; however, the styles implemented in practice by the leader influence educational performances (Rodd, 2013). Of the existing leadership styles, transformational leadership can be deemed an effective one for implementation. Within this report, I will describe transformational leadership as a practice that I would love to embrace as an early childhood staff member in my future practice. I will outline the major aspects of transformational leadership, consider how it operates in early childhood settings, review its theoretical background, and evaluate its effects on children, their families, and staff members.
Key Principles of Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is a type of leadership that aims to change organisational performance for the better while changing the people and inspiring them to be leaders (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Unlike traditional transactional relationships, in which leaders interact with followers, this approach seeks to bring about a positive transformation concerning individuals and organisations. Idealised influence makes it possible for the transformational leaders of early childhood education to encourage people to work towards the development of early childhood education as depicted in the vision. Leaders who foster this principle motivate others in the organisation by displaying the values which aspire to be achieved in the particular setting (Siraj-Blatchford & Manni, 2007). They set proper examples for behaving around children, do not share any familiarity with the children, and are devoted to the mission and vision of the centre.
The second principle, namely inspirational motivation, concerns the identification of a leadership vision that appeals to people and their willingness to pursue the objectives set by the leader under consideration. A transformational leader can ensure that children feel committed to these goals by giving them a purpose to craft a motivated workforce (as cited in Rodd, 2013). They can do it by sharing the vision of the centre’s evolution, involving employees in establishing challenging objectives for children’s learning and development and encouraging teamwork using rewards and recognition of achievements and accomplishments. Intellectual stimulation enhances creativity and innovation since it involves challenging the status quo and coming up with solutions to complex problems. This aspect of transformational leadership can help promote change in the settings by encouraging the asking of questions and thereby improving the status quo (Heikka & Waniganayake, 2011). Managers might organise meetings for problem-solving creatively, urging employees to try new pedagogical techniques at work or to pursue formal and non-formal education.
Lastly, individual consideration means paying an individual employee personal attention in terms of their personal needs, counselling or even coaching. In an early childhood education context, this might mean engaging with staff members to discuss their workplace needs and career objectives on a weekly basis and then using that information to recommend professional learning initiatives that align with each staff member’s specific talents and interests. It also contributes to the formation of a solid team with a clear unity of work, as well as the further improvement of each employee (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003).
Enacting Transformational Leadership in Early Childhood Settings
I believe that the concept of idealised influence is something I will have to adhere to as an aspiring transformational leader in early childhood education. It would also be essential to adhere to the principles of the best practice in Early Learning and Education as well as uphold high ethical standards by upholding the mission and values of the centre. This may reflect in such a way that, while in a team meeting, one constantly refers to the principles that guide the centre and ensures that all decisions made adhere to the set values. For inspirational motivation, I would concentrate on the establishment of goals and objectives of the early childhood centre based on the staff and their input (AGDE, 2022). Another way this vision would be enacted is through daily, weekly, and monthly team meetings that would remind us what we are trying to achieve and how we are progressing. Rewarding itself and focusing on accomplishments and achievements would be a critical component of keeping motivation and enthusiasm levels high.
For creativity enhancement among the staff, I would support innovation in teaching styles, engage the staff and students in idea-generating sessions concerning challenges, and provide training opportunities for growth. This could include setting aside time for staff to visit other centres, to surf the internet, or talk to other tutors in order to come up with new tactics to be used in teaching. Individual consideration would therefore entail scheduling of formal meetings to address goals and other issues regarding the staff members, staff training and development plan based on the staffs and focusing on a particular talent that the employee has.
Theoretical Underpinnings of Transformational Leadership
The theoretical framework of transformational leadership has several concepts that help in understanding why the theory is quite broad. Another work that affects transformational leadership is the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1954), which is characterised by higher-order needs such as self-actualization. In turn, it means that leaders should inspire educators to nurture conditions that enable the young ones to learn comprehensively. Practical applications can be associated with social cognitive theory, especially self-efficacy, as based on Bandura (1977). While using charismatic appeals, transformational leaders seek to increase the level of self-efficacy among followers by offering opportunities to practise and enshrine collective efficacy beliefs. For instance, delegating certain tasks to the educators or creating a culture where the team believes in its capacity to deliver quality education.
From the theory of charismatic leadership, which was put forward by House in 1976, the aspect of idealised influence in transformational leadership was drawn. In early childhood education, the charismatic dimensions of leadership can be effective in engaging the staff and families to embrace the vision as a way of encouraging children to learn. Emotional intelligence (EI) augments the spotlighted transformational leadership elements, specifically individual consideration, and Inspiration motivation components (Goleman, 1995). It found that high emotional intelligence is necessary for staff to provide support, as well as for managing the emotional aspect of working with young children and families. According to the framework of the learning organisation outlined by Senge (1990), the dimension of transformational leadership that this reflection process most closely relates to is intellectual stimulation. It can be applied by promoting the culture of continuous professional learning, and enhancing systems thinking in programme implementation.
Critical Review of Transformational Leadership in Early Childhood Settings
Influence on Children
The effectiveness of transformational leadership can thus determine positive outcomes for children in early learning settings. It encourages individual child approaches to development that inspire educators to come up with solutions that will benefit individual children (Siraj-Blatchford & Manni, 2007). This can result in more appropriate and stimulating educational programs that allow the child’s comprehensive development. The focus placed on innovation may lead to the adoption of new teaching practices that improve children’s learning experiences. In addition, the positive emotional climate inherent in transformational leadership promotes children’s social-emotional well-being and enhances the climate of trust and positive relationships to foster learning (Iltera and Waniganayake, 2003). Despite these positive effects, there may be challenges where inconsistency might occur if the staff does not understand the vision of the leader in the same way; this may confuse the children. Furthermore, the changes can be too fast or too often, which could delay children’s learning and emotional security.
Influence on Families
Transformational leadership enables staff to engage with families constructively by forging stronger relationships, hence enhancing family engagement and children’s learning (Rodd, 2013). Supporting a family-friendly and diverse environment can be especially helpful for multicultural families to provide a comfortable atmosphere for their children. Transformational leadership also supports creativity in the area of family engagement, which may lead to different types of engagement programs or a combination of this leadership style and technology in sharing information with families (Heikka & Waniganayake, 2011). Some disadvantages might be observed if goals set before a customer are too high, and it becomes very hard to achieve them, therefore leaving a customer dissatisfied. There are also concerns about losing families who may not feel comfortable with the philosophies and practices of Reggio Emilia’s approach to early childhood education.
Influence on Staff
The positive effects of transformational leadership on early childhood staff increase job satisfaction and decrease staff turnover due to the influence of organisational mission/vision identified in Mujis et al. (2004). Transformational leadership enhances staff professional development by helping staff become more proactive and obtain new skills and knowledge. It also allows staff to take the lead and participate in decision-making, which enhances the spirit of ownership and self-reliance among staff (Heikka & Waniganayake, 2011). However, there is a possibility of setting pressure on the staff in the organisation, who might feel compelled to innovate constantly or enhance productivity. There is also the concern of staff being overworked, leading to staff burnout, a factor that is prevalent in this line of duty (Cumming, 2017).
Conclusion
Early childhood education is best managed through transformational leadership because of its potential to have positive effects on children, families, and staff in various settings. In children especially, it brings about a more effective and enjoyable learning environment. For families, it can enhance partnership and foster equity. Staff members stand to benefit since it boosts their job satisfaction, helps them develop their careers, and makes them feel like they are in it together. Nevertheless, using transformational leadership in early childhood settings calls for a balance between introducing positive change and keeping order, between raising the bar and putting pressure. However, when the principles of the transformational leadership model are incorporated carefully with an understanding of the requirements of early childhood contexts, the approach can bring positive changes in the provisions of early childhood education and care. In my view, leadership should both be visionary and operational and should depend on the specific organisation and situation an aspiring transformational leader finds oneself in.

 
References
Australian Government Department Education [AGDE] (2022). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. v.2.0. Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioural change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215.
Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Cumming, T. (2017). Early childhood educators’ well-being: An updated review of the literature. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(5), 583-593.
Ebbeck, M., & Waniganayake, M. (2003). Early childhood professionals: Leading today and tomorrow. MacLennan & Petty.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
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), 499-512.
House, R. J. (1976). A 1976 theory of charismatic leadership. In J. G. Hunt & L. L. Larson (Eds.), Leadership: The cutting edge (pp. 189-207). Southern Illinois University Press.
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality. Harper & Row.
Mujis, D., Aubrey, C., Harris, A., & Briggs, M. (2004). How do they manage? A review of the research on leadership in early childhood. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 2(2), 157-169.
Rodd, J. (2013). Leadership in early childhood: The pathway to professionalism (4th ed.). Allen & Unwin.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organisation. Doubleday/Currency.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. Institute of Education, University of London.

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