5 Chapter 5: Putting It All Together – Your work as a Leader in Early Childhood
5 Chapter 5: Putting It All Together – Your work as a Leader in Early Childhood Education
Learning Outcomes
- Lead and implement the pedagogical planning within an Early Learning and Child Care setting
- Collect and use data to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen learning programs
- Promote inclusive practices respecting individuality, diversity, and cultural contexts
- Apply the concepts of reflective practice in one’s pedagogical work as a leader
Reflective Practice & Professional Development
Reflective practice and professional development go hand in hand! Reflective practices are when you think back on how a particular project, action, task, or day went and you identify what went well and what you might want to do differently in the future. Reflective actions can include:
- Taking time each day to reflect on something that worked really well or not so well.
- Sharing your experiences with others in the field.
- Keeping a journal or log of best practices in your classroom as well as challenges.
- Determining what you could have done differently.
- Seeking out a mentor or coach to help you sort through your reflections and identify areas for continued growth.
Reflect on something that is going well for you right now. What evidence supports your thought that it is going well? How is this having a positive impact? What steps can you take to act with intention to continue success?
Responsibility for Learning
No matter how long you have worked in ECE or what your role may be in the classroom or program, as a professional you have a responsibility to ensure that you have the education needed to perform your job in the best way possible. This means participating in professional development that prepares you for the position you are or will be in. Engaging in ongoing professional development continues your education about topics relevant to your work with children and families.
Ongoing Professional Development
- Ensures you stay current with the latest research.
- Provides you with opportunities to create awareness about what you don’t know.
- Assists you in achieving your career goals.
- Engages you with others in the field.
- Provides you with opportunities to learn and explore diverse topics, perspectives, and contexts.
Professional Development of Others
Your leadership role may involve supporting the professional development of someone else. From creating individual professional development plans to providing professional development for groups, there are different methods for supporting others’ ongoing professional development.
The following are the most common forms of professional development:
Training is a learning experience specific to a topic and related set of skills or dispositions, delivered by a subject matter expert with adult learning knowledge and skills.
Technical Assistance (TA) is the targeted and customized support by a subject matter expert to develop or strengthen processes, knowledge application, or implementation of serv