Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/whole-leadership/5023322/
As the nation addresses the recommendations in the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council’s report, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation,1 leadership is emerging as an important component for increasing workforce capacity in early childhood education. Because program leaders are included with other individuals considered to be ‘lead educators,’ a clear understanding of their foundational knowledge and competencies is necessary for successful implementation. Yet, early childhood leadership is a multi-faceted and nuanced concept that is often clouded by inconsistent standards and policies across an array of program settings.
The McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University developed Whole Leadership, a clarifying conceptual framework to help address this need. It encompasses a broad view of program leadership — evidenced in many areas and collapsed into three domains: leadership essentials, administrative leadership, and pedagogical leadership.
Leadership essentials include foundational skills in reflective practice, communication, and relationship building — critical for all facets of leadership and often expressed in leadership styles and dispositions.
Administrative leadership involves maximizing team capacity to develop and sustain an early childhood organization with both operational and strategic leadership functions. Program leaders also assume leadership roles beyond their own organizations through advocacy and connecting with their communities.
Pedagogical leadership addresses ...