Translating the Implementation Gap: Three Versions of Early Childhood Curriculum Leadership

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Castner
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Leadership ◽  
Implementation Gap

Early Childhood Curriculum Leadership

2020 ◽  
pp. 227-246
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Castner
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Curriculum Implementation ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Curriculum Studies ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Leadership ◽  
Political Interests ◽  
The Status

This chapter puts theory and research in curriculum, leadership, and early childhood teaching in dialogue to consider possibilities for early childhood curriculum leadership. Structures of macro-curriculum design and micro-curricular approaches to curriculum implementation elucidated conceptual orientations, political interests, and processes involved in curriculum leadership. By building off of the strengths, while also recognizing the limitations of disparate factions of curriculum studies, the chapter concludes with a vision for democratic curriculum leadership. Democratic curriculum leadership simultaneously embraces critical awareness and pragmatic artistry to elevate the professional integrity of early childhood teachers. For these reasons, early childhood curriculum leadership has the potential to democratize early education, elevating teachers to the status of lead professionals who balance various and sometimes competing obligations of teaching young children.

scholarly journals Moving from imitation to innovation: Exploring a Chinese model of early childhood curriculum leadership

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weipeng Yang
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Leadership ◽  
Chinese Model ◽  
Curriculum Practices ◽  
Action Research Cycles

School leadership plays a critical role in providing appropriate and sustainable curriculum practices. However, there remain significant knowledge gaps in understanding early childhood curriculum leadership in Chinese contexts. In order to examine early childhood curriculum leadership in such contexts, this study analyses and interprets data from interviews with leaders in five Chinese kindergartens. Data from classroom observations and curriculum documents are used to supplement the interviews. The evidence indicates that, in each of the Chinese kindergartens, (1) early childhood curriculum innovations led by the curriculum leaders evolved through stages from imitating imported models to innovating practices; (2) the leaders played various roles in different stages of the early childhood curriculum innovations; and (3) the leading process in early childhood curriculum innovations involved critical events along the action research cycles. The characteristics of early childhood curriculum leadership are drawn from these cases to develop a multistage integrated model. Finally, the implications of the findings are discussed to inform the enhancement of early childhood curriculum and early childhood curriculum leadership practices in Chinese societies and beyond.

Children’s ‘working theories’ as curriculum outcomes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Peters ◽  
Keryn Davis ◽  
Ruta McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Complex Thinking ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Early Childhood Settings ◽  
Te Whāriki ◽  
Sense Of Wonder

This chapter explores how children make sense of their world through the development and refinement of ‘working theories’. Working theories are a key item for young learners, and are emphasized in the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. Children’s working theories develop in environments where they have opportunities to engage in complex thinking with others, observe, listen, participate, and discuss, within the context of topics and activities. It is through interactions and activities that children begin to own the ideas and beliefs of their culture and begin to make sense of their worlds. However, fostering this learning in early childhood settings is not always easy, and requires skilled adults who can respond appropriately. We explore and discuss the nature of children’s working theories and ways in which adult–child interactions can enhance or inhibit a sense of wonder and curiosity.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Model of Children’s Rights and Community-Based Values to Promote Social Justice Through Early Childhood Curriculum Frameworks

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Caplan ◽  
Colleen Loomis ◽  
Aurelia Di Santo
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Children's Rights ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Children’S Rights ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Curriculum Frameworks ◽  
Learning Frameworks

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>A “rights-integrative approach to early learning” has been </span><span>proposed as a foundation for curriculum frameworks. Building </span><span>on this work we conceptually explored the complementarity </span><span>and compatibility of children’s rights to autonomy, protection, nondiscrimination, and participation, with community-based values of prevention and promotion, empowerment, diversity, and civic participation. We argue that it is necessary to infuse a rights-based approach with community-based values in early childhood curriculum frameworks to promote social justice for children as individuals and as a relational community. </span><span>Our proposed expanded conceptual framework may be useful </span><span>for evaluating early learning frameworks, nationally and internationally, from a rights-based social justice perspective. </span></p></div></div></div></div>

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