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.

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.

Leading today’s kindergartens

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Wai Chan
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Strategic Leadership ◽  
Network Development ◽  
Childhood Education

Studies on school leadership in Hong Kong have mainly focused on primary and secondary schools, with only a handful of studies looking at leadership in early childhood education. This paper aims to report the findings of a study on strategic leadership in Hong Kong’s kindergartens. It discusses the challenges that Hong Kong kindergarten leaders are facing and the need for practising strategic leadership. It then reports the findings of practices valued by the leaders of Hong Kong kindergartens. The findings of this study reveal, that apart from the abilities to exercise sound planning and management in school, leaders’ reflective, flexible and systems thinking and their willingness in continuous professional and network development are crucial to leading today’s kindergartens. This study also indicates that leaders’ contextual intelligence is important for exercising strategic leadership. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to the investigation of leadership practices in early childhood education, the need to further explore how well kindergarten leaders are practising strategic leadership and the implications for the development of principal preparation programmes.

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 Training may enhance early childhood educators’ self-efficacy to lead physical activity in childcare

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne A. Bruijns ◽  
Andrew M. Johnson ◽  
Jennifer D. Irwin ◽  
Shauna M. Burke ◽  
Molly Driediger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Outdoor Play ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intervention Component ◽  
Space Extension ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Early childhood educators (ECEs) play a critical role in promoting physical activity (PA) among preschoolers in childcare; thus, PA-related training for ECEs is essential. The Supporting PA in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention incorporated: 1. shorter, more frequent outdoor play sessions; 2. provision of portable play equipment; and, PA training for ECEs. An extension of the SPACE intervention (the SPACE-Extension) incorporated only the shorter, more frequent outdoor play periods component of the original SPACE intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore the individual impact of these interventions on ECEs’ PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Methods ECEs from the SPACE (n = 83) and SPACE-Extension (n = 31) were administered surveys at all intervention time-points to assess: self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA (n = 6 items; scale 0 to 100); self-efficacy to implement the intervention (n = 6 items); and, knowledge of preschooler-specific PA and screen-viewing guidelines (n = 2 items). A linear mixed effects model was used to analyze the impact of each intervention on ECEs’ self-efficacy and knowledge and controlled for multiple comparison bias. Results The SPACE intervention significantly impacted ECEs’ self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA for 180 min/day (main effect), and when outdoor playtime was not an option (interaction effect). Further, the interaction model for ECEs’ knowledge of the total PA guideline for preschoolers approached significance when compared to the main effects model. Participants within the SPACE-Extension did not demonstrate any significant changes in self-efficacy or knowledge variables. Conclusions Findings from this study highlight the benefit of ECE training in PA with regard to fostering their PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Future research should explore the impact of PA training for ECEs uniquely in order to determine if this intervention component, alone, can produce meaningful changes in children’s PA behaviours at childcare.

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