Educational Leadership and Learning Environment in The Early Years Education

Introduction

This programme aims to give the individual preschool teacher knowledge and tools needed to meet the challenges and opportunities in pedagogical leadership in complex organisations such as preschools. The programme conforms to the value foundation in the Framework Plan for Kindergartens. Central questions are how to create a high-quality learning environment in institutions characterized by diversity (ethnically, culturally and in terms of language development), variable organizational models between preschools, and how to lead a staff with varying competencies and professional background.

Preschool teachers and good pedagogical leadership is important for developing and ensuring a high quality preschool focusing on children’s wellbeing and development. Mastering such tasks necessitates secure leaders that run high quality preschools and behave professionally towards demands from stakeholders. Initiating and continuing systematic professional development in all parts of the institution will be an important task going forward. This requires good cooperation with other institutions, as well as a trust-based relationship with parents and guardians.

The executive programme for preschool teachers will give the students a broad introduction to the central themes for preschool leadership and management, closely linked to the intensions in the Framework Plan for Kindergartens. MAN 5167 Educational Leadership and Learning Environment in The Early Years Educationcan be used as year 1 in the Executive Master of Management degree in Education Management.

Course content

• Preschool’s learning environment for children’s benefit

Preschool’s social mission in line with the intentions in the Framework Plan for Kindergartens
What does research tell us about preschool results?
Global trends and knowledge development about preschools
What characterises leadership and management in the best preschools?
Analysis of own institution
Understanding quality, pedagogical documentation and systematic observation of quality in own institution

• Early intervention and preschool as preventative arena

Early intervention, development, learning in preschool, reduction of social differences
Preschool as preventative arena
Cooperation with parents/guardians and other actors relative to children’s development, wellbeing and inclusion
The difficult conversations

• Change and development of own institution through staff development and establishing good organisational culture

Relational leadership and how to develop own institution’s practice
Organisational culture for developing a learning organisation
Staff development, motivation and peer guidance, loyalty and trust
How to learn from own practice
Professional communication, cooperation, relations and communication, guidance of parents/guardians and colleagues

• Guidance and institution-based competence development

How to develop institutional practice
Peer guidance among staff
The double role of pedagogical leaders
Guidance in practice
Introduction to international tools for observing and evaluating preschool quality

• Leadership development, roles and tasks

Different forms of leadership
What is effective leadership? Characteristics, style, skills, prerequisites and perspectives
Understanding the leadership role
Managing change processes
Organisational culture – importance and change

• Leadership training and writing workshop

Me as leader
Power, influence and practice