Pedagogical Leadership in Early Childhood Teaching/Childcare - Literature review Example

Pedagogical leadership in early childhood teaching/childcare (Student Name) (University Name) (Date) Introduction Pedagogical leadership is that type of leadership that puts an emphasis on the growth of school through development of others. According to Harris (2003) he describes Pedagogical leadership as a kind of leadership that invests in the capacity building by increasing academic and social capital for both intellectual students and teachers. The Australian Government is developing a national Early Years Framework and, plans a process to consult with the early childhood segment about the content and nature of their framework. In the childhood sector, Curriculum is defines as the content of what is learned and taught. This may include everything the children do, hear, feel either planned or unplanned. Johanna and Wagner (2006) explain that Early Childhood in Australia acknowledges the Torres Strait and Aboriginal island people and their culture of Pedagogical leadership as Australians Cultural heritage. In addition, Learning Framework of the Early Years is part of the Australian Government reform program for early childcare and education, as well as its key component of the government’s Quality National Framework for Pedagogical leadership. Childhood care is all about being connected to a specific culture, place, community and family, or rather feeling a sense of belonging. It is also being able to seek and discover the meaning of the world, in addition to shaping new identities, relationships, understandings and capacities. However, leadership is mainly creating favorable conditions, where all members of the organization give their best in a climate of challenge and commitment. It therefore, helps a community to work efficiently as well as, inspires and leads individuals to work together in order to achieve common objectives and change their way of life. On the other hand, Pedagogical leadership is using professional and knowledge through judgment and curriculum to guide plans and decision for the sake of children’s education. Pedagogical leaders normally set that tone of professional learning, where they help children learn both from outside and within the setting of curriculum. They also communicate through the community, staff and families which are the most significant high quality early childhood experiences for the children. These types of leaders clearly explain their decisions based on curriculum, which contributes to a superior understanding of childhood early education. They act as advocates for pedagogies early education, which emphasizes on play, listening and relationships. Additionally, they frame and shape the professionalism setting of early childhood (Perry, 2004). Pedagogical leadership in childcare becomes effective when it identifies and articulates a combined vision to fit the needs of each child. Effective communication is another factor that helps make effective pedagogies. The children need to know how to read and write with ease. Communication is therefore, an effective practice in this leadership. They should also encourage the students to have their own reflections in anything they think of by drawing, coloring among other activities. O'Sullivan (2009) also asserts that, a good pedagogy distributes leadership, thus helping the community to learn and work as a team. A good way of thinking in Pedagogical leadership should help assess and monitor the practice of early childhood where the child and the teacher become connected. The connection with the teacher helps the child become self-confidence and express his or herself better without fear. By also building a team culture and a community based learning, the leader’s help the children familiarize with their community and environment surrounding the children. For example, by encouraging reflection, the pedagogical leaders work in hand with their workmates to help encourage the ongoing process of learning which involves employing questions of ethics, practice and philosophy. They help support the children to gain imminent that support, enrich, and inform their decision abilities as well as gathering information about children’s education. They scrutinize and examine their environment and settings, thus making any change. Besides this, they work together with their colleagues to share and build children’s understanding and learning. This is because they help by leading discussions that interprets and determines children learning goals. Additionally, they also encourage community and parent partnerships, which help in creating learning environment, where everyone respects each other and join forces with other teachers to come up with a curriculum decision to make sure children’s learning experience has a meaning (Harris, 2003). Moreover, the importance of teacher and child relationship through the curriculum documents such as NSW and EYLF curriculum framework are children being able to contribute resourcefully to their own learning. In the above named curriculums, it asks the teachers to value children as individuals, with community and family context in mind. This will help the children develop self-esteem positively and confidence through a secure and supportive environment. Therefore, by implementing a program that is child centered upon the NSW and EYLF helps the children feel a sense of belonging, being and then become themselves or rather intelligent adults. The curriculum also strives to empower children, by making use of their ideas and thoughts to develop the framework. Additionally, it promotes every child positive self-esteem and confidence through a variety of experiences, opportunities and provisions that build their skills, understanding, values and their sensitivity, thus promoting their success. Additionally, the curriculum implements a comprehensive approach, which helps in supporting child’s growth in critical thinking, self-esteem and identity. This is because the framework is designed in such a way that in encourage children to develop and reach their full potential according to one’s capability (Johanna and Wagner, 2006). However, according to Macfarlane and Cartmel (2008), in the early years of child education, the curriculum insists largely on education, community and health services. This provides a platform as to where the pedagogical leaders are excited to exchange and share knowledge in order for new approaches and ideas are better understood by the children. These leaders have an opportunity to share and implement those programs that relate to knowledge of both families and their children. The (EYLF), early years of Learning Framework endorsed by the Australia Governments is the first early learning framework that was endorsed by educators in early childhood setting. It was developed to assist scholars in developing it, which includes respect and trust, which collaborates on forming a strong partnerships between the pedagogies and family from a caring society. It is also committed to constructive communication between families, like discussing their children portfolio, newsletters and daily diary. Pedagogical leaders will also strive to emphasize on the needs of the children families and help them where needed claims (O'Sullivan, 2009). A good example is when a parent or guardian of a child has passed away. It is the duty of the leaders to comfort the child and the family by paying them a visit. This encourages their families to participate in their children’s schoolwork and activities. They should therefore, implement a flexible program, in the sense that it responds to nature of the early childcare, environment as well as providing different learning styles. Additionally they should observe children’s work, activities and document. By making use of outdoor and indoor environment, helps encourage the children to perceive, observe, imagine, explore, solve problems, make choices and investigate. A child experiences these very important qualities from early childhood education. This is because; the curriculum provides the children with a well kept plat ground, attractive, with thoughtful displays and artwork. It therefore, introduces the children to a diverse culture and social experiences. They learn to accept that they are made different and come from different backgrounds and accept any challenges they face in their daily activities. One essential element in a childhood setting that gives a special character in leadership is the same thinking of directors and staff a demand for an exclusive community. This is because people who work in the same setting need to have a common educational thinking and values. Close people come together in terms of paradigms or same educational thinking are said to work well together. This is called social competence where a director is able to support and create team building. Another factor that makes early leadership in early childhood is the constructed social reality and the interpretation that becomes a reality. Normally, both parents and children interpret the same regarding happenings in their everyday surrounding and settings. This therefore, stresses the significance of empowerment in the childhood society and intercultural playing field for both leadership and work. Psychologically speaking, one can say that taking a child to a school is a basic interest, meaning that early childhood and childcare education have that ontological environment, meaning that there is always a need for early child education. Having talked about the environment of a child, it is an important setting where it consists of different people. For example, it consists of parents, trade unions, teachers, children among others (Gestwicki, 2011). Nevertheless, early childhood is that care one gives to a child during daytime apart from that of the parents. It is performed by a child’s nanny or a teacher. In Australia, it is known as childcare where they are provided in nurseries or kindergartens by a teacher or at home. Most of the parents prefer a formal structure where the child is given education, developed and disciplined. Additionally, in Australia, childcare is a large industry where its government benefit from this scheme and provides limited assistance compared to the child high costs care. Pedagogical leaders are entailed to many responsibilities, for example, a leader in early childhood care can assume roles as an artist, mediator, host, musician, storyteller among others. This is contrary to what her job entitles, a preschool teacher. According to, xxx he explains that the role of a pedagogy depends on the special needs of the children. They have many experiences and understanding of how to spend hours with the children taking one moment at a time. Also they are supposed to create everyday activities that are fun to the children. A child gets bored within seconds and therefore does not know how to fake his or her feelings. The moment a leader produces something that is not interesting to gain knowledge of, he switches off his mind to learn. Therefore, a leader is supposed to first look at the children reactions whenever she introduces a subject. This way she will be able to know if to continue with the topic in that manner or change it immediately. It is her role to teach the children how to survive outside their home, helping them develop high self-esteem and love learning (Macfarlan and Cartmel, 2008). Conclusion The most important goal for a Pre- schoolteacher is to create a pedagogical relationship between him and the children. It should not be a friendship based on relationship or authority; it should that based on an understanding and respect so that learning can go on smoothly. The pedagogical leadership and its curriculum is therefore having that curriculum where the leaders enhance the students ability and achievement. It also carries out the core function of the school by both learning and teaching the children. The leaders should also target the teaching, learning and school activities, where its curriculum strategic leadership leads to effective learning and teaching practice. References Johanna, E and Wagner, J. T. (2006). Nordic childhoods and early education: Philosophy, Research, policy, and practice in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Greenwich, Conn: IAP-Information Age Publishing. Perry, R. (2004). Teaching Practice for early childhood: a guide for students. New York: Routledge Gestwicki, C, Bertrand, J and Gestwicki, C. (2011). Essentials of early childhood education. Toronto: Nelson Education. Harris, A. (2003). Effective Leadership for school improvement: School leadership series. New York: Routledge Johanna, E and Wagner, J. T. (2006). Nordic childhoods and early education: Philosophy, Research, policy, and practice in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Greenwich, Conn: IAP-Information Age Publishing. O'Sullivan, J. (2009). Leadership skills in the early years: Making a difference. London: Network Continuum. Macfarlane, K and Cartmel, J. (2008). Playgrounds of learning: Valuing competence and agency In birth to three year olds, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, vol. 33, no. 2, August Read More