The nature of professional learning communities in New Zealand early childhood education: an exploratory study

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 310-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Cherrington ◽  
Kate Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Childhood Education

scholarly journals Professional learning communities: Enhancing collaborative leadership in Singapore early childhood settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukuna Vijayadevar ◽  
Kate Thornton ◽  
Sue Cherrington
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Collaborative Leadership ◽  
Childhood Education

Leadership in early childhood education has been promoted as a collaborative process in which all teachers, rather than just the positional leader, are involved. Collaborative leadership practices are not well understood within the marketised Singapore early childhood education context. Beyond mandatory leadership training, little is known about how leaders are supported to strengthen their leadership practices and involve others in leadership activities. School-based literature suggests that learning through professional learning communities expands the collective capacity of organisations; however, literature on professional learning communities in early childhood education is limited. This article reports on the findings of an interpretive case study examining the current understandings and leadership practices of principals in the Singapore early childhood education context, and investigating how participation in professional learning communities can support the development of collaborative leadership practices. The participants in two professional learning communities established as part of this study were six principals from an anchor-operator childcare provider and five principals from private childcare centres in Singapore. Two teachers working with each of the respective principals were also involved in focus group interviews to ascertain if there were changes in their principals’ leadership practices. Data was collected from professional learning community meetings, online reflections, pre- and post-professional learning community interviews with the principals, and follow-up focus group discussions with the teachers. The key findings indicate that praxis as a result of participation in a professional learning community led to some shifts in principals’ thinking about collaborative leadership practices and resulted in reported changes to their leadership approaches, distribution of leadership, and improved collegiality and collaborative learning for teachers. The results indicate that considering and implementing collaborative leadership practices through professional learning communities in the Singapore early childhood education context requires sensitivity towards Asian Singapore sociocultural values related to hierarchy and economic pragmatism.

scholarly journals Distributed leadership for professional learning: Effective leadership practices in early childhood education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rachel Denee
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>In Aotearoa New Zealand, leadership within the early childhood education (ECE) sector is both positionally assigned and a required practice of all teachers. Within this context, distributed leadership – where all team members have the opportunity to lead – is increasingly seen as an effective leadership model (Thornton, 2010). The purported benefits of distributed leadership have significant overlap with professional learning: increased engagement, deeper learning, context-specific learning and improved pedagogical practices among teachers (Poekert, 2012). This study considers the relationship between distributed leadership and professional learning in ECE settings, and seeks to discover practices of effective positional leaders in facilitating both. A nationwide survey was carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand to capture a picture of current perceptions of ECE teachers and positional leaders about professional learning communities and, in particular, distributed leadership for professional learning. Subsequently, the leadership practices for distributed leadership and professional learning in three previously-identified high quality ECE services were investigated through individual and group interviews. The analysis of literature, survey and interview findings from this study led to a framework of effective leadership practice, consisting of six elements: inquiry and articulation of thinking; teachers enacting leadership; collaboration and dialogue; mentoring and coaching; fostering relational trust; and, creating vision and designing supportive structures.</p>

Supporting teachers’ practice through professional learning and development: What’s happening in New Zealand early childhood education?

2020 ◽  
pp. 183693912097906
Author(s):  
Linda Clarke ◽  
Tara McLaughlin ◽  
Karyn Aspden ◽  
Tracy Riley
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Quality Teachers ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Full Picture

Early childhood teachers’ professional learning and development (PLD) is a significant factor in the provision of quality early childhood education (ECE), yet gaining a full picture of PLD in the New Zealand ECE context is problematic. Information about government-funded PLD programmes is available through evaluations, however, teachers access PLD from a range of providers, many of whom are not government-funded, nor subject to regular monitoring for quality. Teachers’ reports, therefore, represent important sources of insight into PLD. We surveyed New Zealand early childhood teachers about their experiences of PLD, including topics, delivery, and facilitation. We analysed 345 responses. Workshops were the most commonly experienced PLD model. Many respondents had also experienced job-embedded support, but may not have experienced the types of facilitation strategies likely to prompt shifts in teaching practice. This article reports the survey results, examines implications and discusses features of PLD that support shifts in teaching practice.

scholarly journals Distributed leadership for professional learning: Effective leadership practices in early childhood education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rachel Denee
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>In Aotearoa New Zealand, leadership within the early childhood education (ECE) sector is both positionally assigned and a required practice of all teachers. Within this context, distributed leadership – where all team members have the opportunity to lead – is increasingly seen as an effective leadership model (Thornton, 2010). The purported benefits of distributed leadership have significant overlap with professional learning: increased engagement, deeper learning, context-specific learning and improved pedagogical practices among teachers (Poekert, 2012). This study considers the relationship between distributed leadership and professional learning in ECE settings, and seeks to discover practices of effective positional leaders in facilitating both. A nationwide survey was carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand to capture a picture of current perceptions of ECE teachers and positional leaders about professional learning communities and, in particular, distributed leadership for professional learning. Subsequently, the leadership practices for distributed leadership and professional learning in three previously-identified high quality ECE services were investigated through individual and group interviews. The analysis of literature, survey and interview findings from this study led to a framework of effective leadership practice, consisting of six elements: inquiry and articulation of thinking; teachers enacting leadership; collaboration and dialogue; mentoring and coaching; fostering relational trust; and, creating vision and designing supportive structures.</p>

scholarly journals Developing collaborative leadership practices in the Singapore early childhood education (ECE) context through professional learning communities (PLCs)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sukuna Devi Vijayadevar
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Collaborative Leadership ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Childhood Education

<p>Leadership in early childhood education (ECE) has been promoted as a collaborative process in which all teachers, rather than just the positional leader, are involved (Thornton, 2010). Collaborative leadership practices are not well understood within the Singapore ECE context. Beyond mandatory leadership training, little is known how leaders are supported to strengthen their leadership practices and involve others in leadership activities. School-based literature suggests that learning through professional learning communities (PLCs) expands the collective capacity of organisations, however, literature on PLCs in ECE is limited. Located within an interpretive paradigm, this study employed a primarily qualitative approach with a supplementary quantitative strand. This mixed method design, encapsulated within a single embedded exploratory case study, embedded both face-to-face and online PLC processes over a period of 8 months. Qualitative data included both face-to-face and online activities whereas for the quantitative data the study used an adapted version of the PLCA-R survey designed by Olivier, Hipp and Huffman (2010).  Participants in two PLCs established as part of this study were six principals from an anchor group childcare provider and five principals from private childcare centres in Singapore. Two teachers working with each of the respective principals were also involved in focus group interviews to ascertain if there were changes in their principals’ leadership practices. Data were collected from PLC meetings, online reflections, pre- and post-PLC interviews with the principals and follow-up focus group discussions with the teachers. Key findings suggest that praxis as a result of participation in their PLC led to some shifts in principals’ thinking about collaborative leadership practices and resulted in changes to their leadership approaches, sharing of practices, distribution of leadership and improved collegiality and collaborative learning for teachers. Principals who participated in the study also indicated that the collaborative learning culture fostered through their PLC reduced their professional isolation and helped them to integrate ideas into practice. The study contributes to an understanding that considering and implementing collaborative leadership practices through PLCs, a collaborative learning model contextualised in Anglo-American settings, in the Singapore ECE context requires sensitivity towards Asian Singapore socio-cultural values related to hierarchy and economic pragmatism.</p>

scholarly journals Developing collaborative leadership practices in the Singapore early childhood education (ECE) context through professional learning communities (PLCs)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sukuna Devi Vijayadevar
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Collaborative Leadership ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Childhood Education

<p>Leadership in early childhood education (ECE) has been promoted as a collaborative process in which all teachers, rather than just the positional leader, are involved (Thornton, 2010). Collaborative leadership practices are not well understood within the Singapore ECE context. Beyond mandatory leadership training, little is known how leaders are supported to strengthen their leadership practices and involve others in leadership activities. School-based literature suggests that learning through professional learning communities (PLCs) expands the collective capacity of organisations, however, literature on PLCs in ECE is limited. Located within an interpretive paradigm, this study employed a primarily qualitative approach with a supplementary quantitative strand. This mixed method design, encapsulated within a single embedded exploratory case study, embedded both face-to-face and online PLC processes over a period of 8 months. Qualitative data included both face-to-face and online activities whereas for the quantitative data the study used an adapted version of the PLCA-R survey designed by Olivier, Hipp and Huffman (2010).  Participants in two PLCs established as part of this study were six principals from an anchor group childcare provider and five principals from private childcare centres in Singapore. Two teachers working with each of the respective principals were also involved in focus group interviews to ascertain if there were changes in their principals’ leadership practices. Data were collected from PLC meetings, online reflections, pre- and post-PLC interviews with the principals and follow-up focus group discussions with the teachers. Key findings suggest that praxis as a result of participation in their PLC led to some shifts in principals’ thinking about collaborative leadership practices and resulted in changes to their leadership approaches, sharing of practices, distribution of leadership and improved collegiality and collaborative learning for teachers. Principals who participated in the study also indicated that the collaborative learning culture fostered through their PLC reduced their professional isolation and helped them to integrate ideas into practice. The study contributes to an understanding that considering and implementing collaborative leadership practices through PLCs, a collaborative learning model contextualised in Anglo-American settings, in the Singapore ECE context requires sensitivity towards Asian Singapore socio-cultural values related to hierarchy and economic pragmatism.</p>

scholarly journals Business managers in children’s playground : Exploring a problematic (or not!) identity construction of early childhood teachers in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
pp. 146394912198936
Author(s):  
Olivera Kamenarac
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Professional Identities ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Early Childhood Education Policies ◽  
Policies And Practices

The impacts of neo-liberal education reforms on the early childhood education sector have been a focal point of scholarly critiques in New Zealand. Interestingly, only a few studies have addressed how teacher professional identities and professionalism have changed in response to the neo-liberal context of New Zealand early childhood education. It has been, however, recognised that understanding the complexity of teacher professional identities within the rapidly transforming landscape of early childhood education is a key consideration in implementing and sustaining a change agenda in education policies and practices. In this article, the author draws on data from her research study about how teachers’ professional identities have been reconstructed in response to the shifting discourses in New Zealand early childhood education policies and practices. Specifically, the author explores the construction of teachers as business managers, which has emerged through an interplay of discourses of marketisation and privatisation driving some of the country’s early childhood education policies and practices. It is argued that the construction of teachers as business managers has altered core professional ethical values underpinning the teaching profession, professionalism and the purpose of early childhood education in New Zealand, which were traditionally embedded in discourses of collective democracy, equity and social justice.

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