Posted: September 10th, 2023

Module 1: Leadership Management in ECEC – TCHR3004-2023

Module 1: Leadership management in ECEC – TCHR3004-2023-…

Module overview
Module purpose
Define the term ECEC leadership
Explain the differences between leadership and management in ECEC
Describe ECEC leadership roles, relationships and responsibilities
Outline attributes, dispositions and qualities of leaders in ECEC
Locate the requirement for leadership in ECEC within the National Quality Standard (Australian Children’s
Education and Quality Authority [ACECQA], 2018).
Introduction
Module 1:
Leadership management in ECEC
In this first module we will discuss and define the complexities surrounding the notion of early childhood
education and care (ECEC) leadership, and explore concepts about to understand the ECEC leadership roles,
relationships and responsibilities to enhance your understanding.
In the Self-access content we will investigate the current literature to gain an understanding of definitions of
ECEC leadership and the reciprocal relationship between leader and follower.
Topics from the Self-access content will be explored in detail within the Tutorial where you will brainstorm
definitions of leadership in your own terms, sharing beliefs, and actively engage with your peers. We will
consider and discuss who is an inspiring leader to each of us, and consider why. You will be introduced to
theoretical perspectives about leadership and clarify your own views and responses that you have formulated
across the Self-access activities. The Workshop will link this content to your assessment tasks and we will
clarify any questions you may bring. Please look over the assessment tasks before attending the workshop.
Let’s get started! 😃
By the end of this module you will be able to:
For many years, early childhood teachers and educators have believed that babies and young children’s
learning and development has benefited from their active participation in an early childhood education
program prior to school. It was only following the completion of the first component of a longitudinal study
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TCHR3004-2023-T4 Leadership and Advocacy in Early Childhood  Unit Content Module 1: Leadership management in ECEC
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Conceptualising Leadership
Leadership is:
a relationship between people and the best leaders are those who are able to empower others – (National
Quality Standard, DEEWR, 2009. p.171)
a process of moving a group of people in some direction through mostly non-coercive means – (Kotter,
1990)
conducted in the United Kingdom that evidence confirmed this long-held belief. The Effective Provision of Preschool Education [EPPE] study concluded that high-quality preschool experiences have positive effects on
children’s intellectual and social development up to age 11 (Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford &
Taggart, 2011). The research not only highlights the importance of quality early childhood preschool
experience, but one-follow up inquiry titled: The Effective Leadership in the Early Years sector: The ELEYS (SirajBlatchford & Manni, 2007) also highlights the important link between leadership and quality outcomes in Early
Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The evidence from both of these studies provided the impetus for
governments around the world to invest in early childhood education, and placed stronger emphasise on
leadership. Understanding that leadership is one of the determining factors that helps to support positive
learning and development outcomes for young children in education and care services, it is therefore
important to understand what leadership is, and what it is not. This section begins conceptualising leadership,
and specifically discussing what leadership looks like in an early childhood education and care service.
Activity 1.1 – Reflective Questions
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A
Answers these reflective questions below.
What does leadership mean to you?
Define leadership in your own words.
How would you define leadership in ECEC?
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Leadership is not easy to define, there is no one agreed definition, and it becomes even more complex when
we consider leadership in an ECEC service. Let us start by first looking at a few definitions about leadership
more broadly.
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the process of interactive influence that occurs when, in a given context, some people accept someone as
their leader to achieve common goals – (Alberto, 2016 p.4).
Leadership in ECEC
Leadership in ECEC (what it is and what it looks like)
Based on these three definitions, you can see the common thread about leadership being that it is an action
between people. How do these definitions compare to the definition you documented?
Activity 1.2: Discussion Forum
In the discussion board post your comments about a leader that inspires you? Why do they inspire you?
How do they influence you?
Let us now consider leadership in our sector, ECEC.
Similar, to the problem faced by the business and school sector, the definition about leadership in ECEC also
varies with no one agreed definition.
Rodd (2013) suggests that leadership is about vision and influence… “a process by which one person sets
certain standards and expectations and influences the actions of others to behave in what is considered a
desirable direction” (p.11). This definition is similar to Whalley (2011) who suggests that the leader provides
direction, offers a vision shared by others and inspires and demonstrates effective practice. Extracted from
this week’s reading, Siraj and Hallet (2014) describe leadership in ECEC as a “relational and communal concept
where all can be a leader and engage in leadership, benefit from leadership and exercise power and individual
agency” (p.10). A differing conceptualisation is that leadership is a formal role in a setting. It is framed by three
elements: the person (traits, values, personality), the context, and the position (formal leader) (Palethorpe,
2019; Stamopoulos & Barblett, 2018; Wanigananayake et al., 2017).
Activity 1.3: Readings
How was leadership defined in the readings?
Consider the definitions you have engaged with from your readings, how are these similar or different
from your earlier definition about leadership in ECEC?
How has your thinking about leadership in ECEC changed or been affirmed?
Read the following two pages (Page 11 – 14 ) from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality
Authority [ACECQA]. (2018). Occasional Paper 5 – Leadership and management education care services. Note
their conceptualisation of leadership.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/OccasionalPaper5-
LeadershipManagementEducationCareServices.PDF
Compare the above thinking about leadership with the following reading found in your MyReadings Tab by
Siraj, I., & Hallet, E. (2014). Effective and Caring Leadership in the Early Years. Sage. Chapter 1. pp. 9 – 23.
Collect any points from the reading that you find interesting, confusing, or you want to clarify and bring to
our discussion in the Tutorial.
By now you should have a good understanding that leadership and leadership in early childhood education
(ECEC) is complex with no agreed definition. Regardless, leadership is a professional responsibility of teachers
and educators implementing quality early childhood programs (Waniganayake, 2017) with the aim of Quality
Area Seven: Governance and Leadership under The National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2018) to support
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Who are the leaders in ECEC?
Case Study
effective leadership and management of the service that leads to quality environments for children’s learning
and development.
Committed to leadership, ECEC service teams will enact leadership in different ways. This is due to the fact that
leadership is influenced by context (Palethorpe, 2019). Early childhood education and care services will have
team members with different qualifications, experience, values, beliefs, and all of these factors will influence
the local leadership. Further, the leadership will also be influenced by children, families, the governance of the
service, ownership type, as well as the local community and society more generally.
An early childhood leader demonstrates passion, wisdom, has insight, and respect for children, families,
colleagues and themselves. Such a view of leadership requires the leaders to have a commitment to, and a
curiosity about learning as a lifelong process. (Waniganayake, 2017). Leaders can be anyone of us. If we
consider the notion of ‘influencing others towards a goal’ then at times dependent on the topic and your
interest and / or understanding you can be a leader, and then at other times be a follower. Stamopoulos and
Barblett (2018) suggest that “all early childhood educators lead in some way, whether it is through their own
professional and ethical practice or in a more formal role” (p. 4).
Activity 1.4: Reflective Questions
 Consider these questions and document your answers.
Think about an ECEC leader that inspires you. What is it about their leadership that has influenced
you? What are their characteristics that you find inspiring?
Think about a time you led something? What did you do? How do you know you were leading?
When have you been a follower? Who was leading you? What had influenced you?
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Leaders and Followers
Positional Leaders
The case study demonstrates that it is possible for a student to use leadership skills to improve practice in an
ECEC service to support children and adult’s learning and development.
As demonstrated in the case study, “…intentional leaders are teachers and educators who engage in ethical
practice by implementing leadership responsibilities in positive, purposeful ways. Such leaders demonstrate
courage in their decision–making and find ways to collaborate with others to achieve collective goals”
(Waniganayake, 2017, p.13). The terms aspiring, emerging, and informal refer to those leaders who may not
hold a leadership position but enact practices of leading.
This module has focused on leadership, leaders and leading. Much focus has been on the quality of the leader.
However, leadership does not happen in isolation and it would be omiss not to highlight the importance of the
relationship between leader and follower. Followers are the members of a service or organisation, that are
influenced by the leader. Followers can be defined by their behaviours, following the actions or requirements
of others. It is important to note, that leading and following is interchangeable, and dependant on the topic or
context, the follower may step up to be the leader and vice versa (Brooker et al., 2021).
Leadership can be enacted by anybody at any time – therefore we all have the ability of being a leader.
Leaders can also be appointed to a leadership position. They may lead as a successful lead, and they may not.
It is important to understand that just because a person is appointed to a leadership position, does not mean
they are leading. I am sure you can think of a leader who was unable to lead, and did not influence others
towards a collective goal!
The terms formal or positional leader refer to those leaders who hold a leadership position such as approved
provider, nominated supervisor, director or educational leader (within the Australian context).
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Role of gender stereotypes
Understanding ECEC Leadership Roles,
Responsibilities and Relationships
Unpacking quality leadership practice
Identifying and articulating a collective vision
Ensuring shared understandings, meanings and goals – building a common purpose
Effective communication – providing transparency about expectations, practices and processes
Encouraging reflection – critical reflection about teaching and practice providing the impetus for change
and motivation for ongoing learning and development
Commitment to on-going professional development – supporting staff to become critically reflective in
their practice and to embrace opportunities for continued learning
Monitoring and assessing practice – through collaborative dialogue and action research
Building a learning culture- establishing a community of learners
Encouraging and facilitating parent and community partnerships – promoting achievement for all young
children.
Distributed leadership – strong leadership is often needed to develop high levels of collaboration and team
work (to be discussed in Module 2).
The ECEC workforce is overwhelmingly female (97%), this means that only 3% of males are employed within
the Australian sector (Productivity Commission, 2011). There are many reasons for this imbalance, including
the perception that it is women’s work, low levels of pay and status (Nutbrown, 2012) and sensitivities about
child abuse (Siraj and Hallet, 2014). However, when men do become ECEC professionals, they are more likely
to gain leadership promotions (Lumby and Coleman, 2007). This perhaps is due to a gender stereotype in
society in which men are considered the dominate leaders, with one researcher suggesting that it may be due
to their style of leadership (Eagly, 2013). If we consider the challenges and barriers men often face when
entering the ECEC sector, it may be likely that they are some of our more passionate and dedicated team
members. It then makes sense, that they may also be more likely to embrace opportunities for leadership
positions or step up and lead.
Leadership will be different in each setting, however to be a successful leader, the leader must be intentional
by considering the individual context of a service and create a harmonious organisational culture that enables
a service to achieve its goals (Palethorpe, 2019; Waniganayake et al., 2017).
In their Effective Leadership in the Early Years Sector [ELEYS] study, Siraj-Blatchford & Manni (2007) identified a
range of ‘effective leadership practice catergories’ in the quality settings from the Effective Preschool Education
Project (EPPE) study (Sylva et al., 2011). Remember, this study was discussed in the introduction of this
module. The centres within the EPPE study who supported young children to achieve the highest learning
outcomes were studied to understand the leadership enacted in these centres. What were these centres doing
that other centres were not doing. The study found that these centres had strong leadership and the following
were the common leadership practices:
What is a collective Vision?
A vision – is the idealistic place or ultimate outcome. Waniganayake et al., (2017) simply suggest it is “the
imagined future” (p.13). A clear vision, must exist to ensure an organisation can achieve its desired outcomes
or goals. Siraj and Hallet (2014) suggest that a vision needs to be developed through collective discussion and
that the vision needs to be clearly articulated so that it is understood by all, is convincing and compelling and
connected to teaching. Once the vision is established and understood, teachers and educators can work
together to develop goals for working towards the collective vision.
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Watch this recruitment video by New South Wales Education about their vision.
Visions and values
Jobs & Opportunities
00:48
Visions and values from Jobs & Opportunities on Vimeo.
Being a good communicator is considered an essential skill of a good leader. In fact, Rodd (2013) suggests that
leadership in ECEC “is a matter of communication more than anything else” (p. 63). A leader who
communicates effectively is likely to command greater capacity for influencing others (Siraj and Hallet, 2014),
as they can explicitly communicate the vision and understanding about why change is needed.
Activity 1.5 – Reflective Questions
 Reflective questions: Think about an ECEC service.
Who are the appointed leaders in this ECEC service?
Did somebody tell you they were the appointed leaders? If not, how did you know?
How did their leadership influence you?
Did you observe a non-appointed lead leading? How did this compare to the leadership provided by
the appointed leader?
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Activity 1.6 – Reflective Questions
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Leadership and management
A Manager… A Leader…
Directs and controls Inspires and guides
Maintains status quo Creates and challenges status
quo
Supervises and
designates
Empowers
 Reflect on your readings
What are the tasks the OECD reports that leaders are completing as part of their role?
What do you observe leaders in ECEC completing as part of their leadership role?
What has your experience of receiving leadership been like in ECEC? If you have not worked or
studied in an ECEC service, then think about your experiences in a workplace, or what you
observed at school.
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In the last learning activity, you may or may not have considered tasks such as planning, performance
management, budgets, or checking programming that were not included in the leadership list collated from
the Early Years Sector Study centres. If you did consider these absent, then you have just confused
management tasks with leadership tasks, an action that many students do. Tasks that are considered
management, and those considered leadership have been a point of contention for decades. Although an
older academic source, Jillian Rodd (2013) highlights clearly a comparison between what managers and leaders
do. Both are inherently linked and interwoven tasks, however also different.
Rodd (2013) suggests: managers plan, organise coordinate and control. Whereas leaders give direction, offer
inspiration, build team work, set an example and gain acceptance. Stamopoulos and Barblett (2018) also
highlight the difference between these two notions, suggesting that “people in management positions are
often thought as maintaining the status quo by managing the functions of a business. Leadership, among
other aspects, encourages people to focus on the future, posing questions of what could be and how to attain
shared goals and aspirations” (p. 9). In their thinking, Stamopoulos and Barblett (2018) have adapted the
concepts about leadership and management from a number of authors including to provide further clarity to
the ECEC sector about the notion of managing and leader (Daft & Pirola –Merlo, 2009; Murray, 2010)
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Regulates Is visionary
Manages by goals and
objectives
Managers by interactions
Creates boundaries Reduces boundaries
Administers Innovates
Focuses on systems
and structures
Focuses on people
Takes a short-term
view
Takes a long-term view
Attributes and dispositions of an ECEC Leader
To sum up, leadership emanates out of vision that is based on philosophy, values and beliefs, which in turn
guides policy, day-to-day operation and innovation (Rodd, 2013).
Based on your understanding of Management and Leadership, go to Quality Area Seven: Governance and
Leadership under the National Quality Standard (ACECQA, 2018) to examine each element and determine
which ones are management and which ones are leadership. Bring your answers to the Tutorial.
Earlier, you were asked in a learning activity to identify an ECEC leader that inspires you, and to think about
their leadership characteristics. Let us continue to think about the personal attributes and qualities of a
successful ECEC leader. Stamopoulos and Barblett (2018) highlight that early childhood leadership traits relate
to the ‘personal characteristics of an early childhood leader’, these include honesty, integrity, collaboration,
respect, flexibility, problem solving ability, ethical decision making, reflectiveness, responsiveness, confidence,
being knowledgeable and having effective communication skills (pp. 10 -11).
Activity: 1.7 – Reading
What does leadership look like in early childhood settings?
Go to MyReadings and read this article about a small research study in New Zealand that identified a set of
dispositions held by responsible early childhood leaders. Davitt, G., & Ryder, D. (2018). Dispositions of a
responsible early childhood education leader: Voices from the field. Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy
and Practice, 33(1), 18 – 31.
Consider the characteristics of the ECEC leader you identified. Did you identify any characteristics that
were identified as being important by Stamopoulos and Barblett (2018) and Davitt and Ryder (2018)? How
might their research influence your future thinking about leadership?
Early Childhood Australia [ECA] is the largest child advocacy member organisation in Australia, committed
to providing a voice for young children. Over the last decade this organisation has understood the
importance of leadership and recognised the influence of context. Read their blog article, provided below,
about what leadership looks like in ECEC settings and then go to MyReadings to read a few pages from
another ECA resource.
As your first module draws to a close, two final readings are provided to you to actively read and consider
what leadership looks like in ECEC.
The Spoke Blog
Go to MyReadings and read Gibbs, L. (2021). Leadership as practice in ECEC settings. Research in Practice
Series 28 (4). pp. 5 – 8
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Summary
References
From a different perspective, consider who are the leaders in ECEC services. Read page 12 – 18 of a report
prepared and then published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD]
about Leadership for Quality Early Childhood Education and Care.
Read Douglass, A. (2019). Leadership for Quality Early Childhood Education and Care OECD Education Working
Paper No. 211. OECD
OECD Working Paper
Activity 1.8: Final Reflective Questions
 Final Reflective Questions
What are the tasks the OECD reports that leaders are completing as part of their role?
What do you observe leaders in ECEC completing as part of their leadership role?
What has your experience of receiving leadership been like in ECEC? If you have not worked or
studied in an ECEC service, then think about your experiences in a workplace, or what you
observed at school.
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Across this module we have looked at what leadership is within early childhood education and care. We
discussed the differences between leadership and management and explored the attributes, dispositions and
qualities of leaders in ECEC. Further, it was made clear, that everyone is a leader at times, and at other times a
follower. Positional leaders such as the centre director, educational leader, room leads are appointed to their
position often due to recognised knowledge, skills and holding the characteristics needed for leadership.
However, just because you are appointed to a position does not mean you are a good leader, and influencing
others towards collective goals. This Self-access content will be unpacked further during the Tutorial with
practical examples and discussions around many of the activities covered. Please bring along your notes to
the Tutorial so we can have your many different perspectives on this interesting topic. We will also follow this
in the Workshop with how all this connects to your assessment tasks.
Alberto, S. (2016). What is leadership? Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 8(1), 1 – 5.
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  
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S. & Farmer, S. (2015). Programming and planning in early childhood
settings (6 edn). Cengage Learning Australia. th
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2022). National Quality Framework.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority [ACECQA] (2018). National Quality Standards.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard.
Brooker, M., Cumming, T., & Logan, H. (2021). Followers and following in early childhood education workplaces:
A narrative review of the followership literature. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, pp. 1-
17. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211067410.
Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2019). Belonging, being and becoming: Early Years Learning
Framework for Australia. Commonwealth of Australia.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR]. (2010). Educators Guide to the Early
Years Learning Framework of Australia. Commonwealth of Australia.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR]. (2009). National quality standard for
early childhood education and care and school age care. Retrieved from
http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhood/nqf/nationalqualitystandard.pdf
Eagly, A.H. (2013). Gender and work: Challenging conventional wisdom. Harvard Business School.
Kotter, J. (1990). A force for change. New York: The Free Press.
Lumby, J. and Coleman, M. (2017). Leadership and Diversity: Challenging Theory and Practice in Education. Sage.
Nutbrown, C. (2012). Foundations for Quality: The Independent Review of Early Education and Childcare
Qualifications. Final Report. June. Department of Education.
Palethorpe, L. (2019). A Change Agent for Improving Quality: The Educational Leader in Australian Early Learning
Education & Care. [Doctoral thesis, Griffith University]. https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au
Productivity Commission. (2011). Early childhood development workforce: Research report. Melbourne:
Productivity Commission.
Rodd, J. (2013). Leadership in Early Childhood. Allen & Unwin.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. Institute of
Education, University of London.
Stamopoulos, E. & Barblett, E. (2018). Early childhood leadership in action. Evidence-based approaches for effective
practice. Allen & Unwin.
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2011). Pre-school quality and educational
outcomes at age 11: Low quality has little benefit. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 9(2), 109-124.
Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2017). Leadership: Contexts and
complexities in early childhood education (2 edn.). Oxford University Press ANZ. nd
Whalley, M. (2011)
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Module 1: Leadership Management in ECEC – TCHR3004-2023

Module Overview

The primary objective of Module 1 is to delve into the multifaceted realm of leadership management in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). It encompasses the definition of ECEC leadership, the distinction between leadership and management in this context, the roles, relationships, and responsibilities inherent to ECEC leadership, as well as the attributes, dispositions, and qualities that define effective leaders in ECEC. This module also underscores the significance of leadership within the framework of the National Quality Standard, as outlined by the Australian Children’s Education and Quality Authority (ACECQA) in 2018.

Introduction

Module 1 marks the initiation of our exploration into ECEC leadership management. It invites us to comprehend the intricacies inherent to leadership in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. This self-paced module comprises comprehensive content that will broaden your comprehension of ECEC leadership. Through this module, we aim to foster interactive engagement and reflective thinking, which will contribute to a richer understanding of ECEC leadership.

Defining Leadership in ECEC

Leadership, as it pertains to Early Childhood Education and Care, is not easily encapsulated in a singular definition. Various interpretations abound, reflecting the complexity of leadership within this context. A few prominent perspectives include:

Leadership as a relationship between individuals, with a focus on empowering others (National Quality Standard, DEEWR, 2009).
Leadership as a process of guiding a group through non-coercive means (Kotter, 1990).
Leadership as interactive influence wherein individuals accept someone as their leader to attain common objectives (Alberto, 2016).
Leadership in ECEC

ECEC leadership is a concept shrouded in diversity, with no universally accepted definition. This diversity mirrors the multifaceted nature of ECEC itself. Notable definitions include:

Leadership as a visionary and influential process that sets standards and expectations (Rodd, 2013).
Leadership as a relational and communal concept, where all individuals can engage in leadership (Siraj and Hallet, 2014).
Leadership framed by three elements: the person, the context, and the position (Palethorpe, 2019; Stamopoulos & Barblett, 2018; Wanigananayake et al., 2017).
Leaders and Followers

Leadership is not confined to those in formal positions of authority. In ECEC, leadership is influenced by context, including the unique composition of the team, children, families, governance, ownership, and the community. Effective ECEC leaders exhibit passion, wisdom, respect, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Leadership is not static; it is adaptable and distributed among team members as needed.

Role of Gender Stereotypes

The ECEC workforce is predominantly female, but male professionals are more likely to ascend to leadership roles. Gender stereotypes about leadership styles may play a role in this disparity. Challenges faced by men entering the ECEC sector can result in their increased dedication and passion, making them more likely to pursue leadership opportunities.

Attributes and Dispositions of an ECEC Leader

ECEC leaders must possess a range of personal characteristics and qualities, including honesty, integrity, collaboration, respect, flexibility, problem-solving ability, ethical decision-making, reflectiveness, responsiveness, confidence, knowledge, and effective communication skills (Stamopoulos and Barblett, 2018). These attributes contribute to effective leadership in ECEC.

Leadership and Management

Leadership and management are intertwined but distinct. Leadership focuses on inspiring, guiding, and setting the direction, while management centers on directing, controlling, and maintaining the status quo. Both roles are vital but involve different tasks and orientations.

Summary

Module 1 provides a foundational understanding of leadership management in ECEC, encompassing definitions, roles, attributes, and the relationship between leadership and management. It underscores the dynamic nature of ECEC leadership and its importance in fostering quality outcomes for young children.

References

Alberto, S. (2016). What is leadership? Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 8(1), 1–5.

Rodd, J. (2013). Leadership in Early Childhood. Allen & Unwin.

Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. Institute of Education, University of London.

Stamopoulos, E., & Barblett, E. (2018). Early childhood leadership in action: Evidence-based approaches for effective practice. Allen & Unwin.

Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2017). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press ANZ.

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