Assignment 2: Critical Reflection

Leadership can be understood as ways leaders collaborate with supporters to accomplish

objectives regarding their common vision. This paper centres on leadership within the
perspective of early childhood education. The significance of leadership is revealed in
Quality Area 7 of the National Quality Standard, explicitly through: Standard 7.2: ‘Effective
leadership builds and promotes a positive organisational culture and professional learning
community’ (ACECQA, 2011).

One element of leadership recognised to contribute to policy and governing amendment is

advocacy leadership (Sarros, J.C., Butchatsky, O. and Santora, J.C, 1996). This leadership
factor promotes improvement of long-term concepts of prospect, by emerging a suitable
understanding of the field and diversity, legislative practises, as well as being a skilful
communicator (Muijs et al., 2004, p. 162). Advocacy leadership is developed through;
modifications and reflections to policy which effects educators such as staff training or
revising salaries. Contributing to policy improvement in relation to educators, children and
families is essential to the effort of advocacy leadership, guided by educators in which is their
ethical and legal responsibility.

Drew Dudey, a speaker at TED innovation conference suggests that leadership is an everyday
act in which you can make a difference in the life of another (Dudley, 2010). In relation to
myself, I support Drew’s idea and state that leadership is the determined performance of
influencing others to contribute to a universally established goal for the advantage of the
children along with the organisation and the common good. Leadership takes many forms and
in different types, ‘Intentional leadership’ being a form of leadership style. Intentional leaders
are teachers who involve in ethical practice by implementing leadership responsibilities in
optimistic, purposeful ways with care and compassion. Importantly, I judge that intentional
leaders are expected to bring together the diverse beliefs, values and attitudes of everyone
involved in the early childhood setting with the goal of creating a harmonious centre built on
respect for diversity.

Moreover, ‘transformative leadership’ is the style in which I gravitate to as it is in align with

my beliefs. Burns portrays transformational leadership as a method in which “leaders and
followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation” (Burns, 1978).

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Transformational leaders are attracted to greater ideals and ethical standards of supporters
such as justice, equality and peace. Further, in Maslow’s needs hierarchy model,
transformational leaders trigger higher-order requirements in followers. In turn, supporters
are eminent from their “everyday selves to their better selves” (McLeod, 2018). Burns
suggests that transformational leadership can be presented by anybody in a centre in any
position (Burns, 1978). Through my personal experience of working in an early childhood
centre, this allows me to believe I am a leader in my own non-labelled way as I display
heightened thinking that benefits not only myself but other educators.

As a current and future leader in the field of early childhood education, I believe specific
elements influence effective leadership that in turn support advocacy. It is through the
National Quality Standards, Area 7.1 that exposes educator’s ethical and legal role to have a
philosophy that guides all aspect of the service (ACECQA, 2011). Personally, I deem that
having a well-developed centre philosophy and goals that are embedded in the everyday
practices of all educators at the setting allow for effective leadership as the philosophy
involves allowing all stakeholders to have a voice, therefore leadership is grounded on
personal and positive interactions. Correspondingly, by educators having a bestowed interest
and responsibility in collaborating with other allow for respect and access to relevant
information needed for quality and effective leadership.

As educators, we hold both a professional and ethical responsibility outlined under the
National Quality Standards which recognises that collaborative partnerships are fundamental
to achieving quality outcomes for children and that community partnerships are based on
active communication and consultation (ACECQA, 2011). Moreover, in which I believe is
vital in early childcare is educators role for advocacy for quality education policies and
practices that aim to foster the potential of every child. I acknowledge that strong pedagogical
leadership is essential to support and advocate for the rights and voice of all children.
Through educators creating and maintaining collaborative partnerships with families and
children they have access to relevant and diverse information that may affect the individual
child. These relationships strengthen our advocacy as educators as it provides us with the
knowledge and information needed to promote the rights and voice of young children, along
with empowering childhood services to take leadership at the local level and support them to
deliver quality programs which are both diverse and inclusive. Practices of leadership
advocacy include reflection on; many changed to policy which impacts educators such as

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revising salaries. Contributing to policy and regulation improvement on behalf of children,
families and educators is central to the work of advocacy.

Theorists Maria Montessori was an advocate for children as she believed they were not given
the sufficient and quality education at an early stage needed for lifelong learning and
development. Personally, I agree with Dr. Montessori’s theory as she supposes that children
can learn themselves when educators create a stimulating environment which is designed to
support children’s natural development which will ultimately empower children to educate
themselves (Montessori Australia, 2007).

Theorist Lev Vygotsky supports allowing children to reach their fullest potential in an
environment which is created by teachers. Children hold the right to experience quality
education in an environment that safeguards and promotes their safety and development in
accordance to quality area 2 of the National Quality Frameworks (ACECQA, 2011).
Educators have a professional and ethical responsibility to create and foster environments
both indoor and outdoor that enable children to develop skills developmentally and socially.
When teachers create these environments, they are intentionally teaching, another aspect
exposed in the NQS that suggests creating environments that have outcomes designed by
educators to enhance learning and development, fostering both Vygotsky’s and the
Montessori way of learning on their own. Through these environments, children are
sanctioned to feel as if they belong in a community in which they develop a sense of agency,
and feelings of being safe and supported (Early Years Learning Framework, 2009).

The Code of Ethics is a motivating outline for consideration about the ethical accountabilities
of childhood educators who work with children and their families. The framework
encompasses the safety and comfort of children being vital, thus communicating or acting in
the occurrence of unethical practice is a necessary professional and legal responsibility (Early
Childhood Australia, 2015). Being ethical comprises thinking about everyday programs and
decision making, being either personal or collective, and reacting with respect to all affected.
The Code of Ethics acknowledges that professionals in early childcare are in a rare station of
trust and guidance in their associations with children, families, colleagues and the
community, therefore professional responsibility is vigorous.

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Furthermore, educators are bounded by law to create a Quality Improvement (QIP). The
National Regulations demand official centres to devise a QIP. The objective of a QIP is to
support educators self-assess their implementation in delivering quality teaching and care and
to plan upcoming improvements. Likewise, the QIP assists the governing authorities with
their evaluation of the centre. In relation to my own work I will act in the best interest of all
children, their families the community and my colleagues as without them I am unable to
create a meaningful curriculum that enriches children’s learning and development.

In summary of creating our philosophy alongside working with other members in

professional manners, collectively we integrated Quality Area 4 of the National Quality
Standards as we conducted professional collaboration (ACECQA, 2011). When working
alongside each other we could amend our centre philosophies with the help of the group
members critique involving their thoughts and strengths. Working with my peers enabled me
to create partnerships with one another that was based on mutual respect, challenge and
collaboration (ACECQA, 2011). Personally, this sanctioned us to learn from one another and
recognise each of our strengths and skills that supported us to create a philosophy’s that meet
professional standards and interactions.

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References

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2011). National Quality
Standards, retrieved from http://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard/quality-
area-1-e.

Burns, J. (1978). Transformational Leadership Theories (p. p.20)

Dudley, D. (2010). Everyday Leadership. Retrieved from

http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership#t-350779

Early Childhood Australia. (2015). ECA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-code-ethics/

Early Years Learning Framework. (2009). Retrieved from

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-
02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.p
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McLeod, S. (2018). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Montessori Australia. (2007). Biography of Dr. Maria Montessori, Retrieved from

https://montessori.org.au/biography-dr-maria-montessori

Sarros, J.C. , Butchatsky, O. and Santora, J.C. (1996). Breakthrough leadership: Leadership
skills for the twenty-first century. In Parry, K. W. (Ed), Leadership Research and Practice:
Emerging Themes and New Challenges. Melbourne: Pitman Publishing/Woodslane, 41-52

Dudley, D. (2010). Everyday leadership. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership

Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2017).
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Woodrow, C., & Busch, G. (2008). Repositioning early childhood leadership as action &
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