Growing and Growing and Guiding Early Guiding Early

Childhood Childhood Education Education LeadershipLeadership

Barb Merrill, Executive Director, Iowa AEYCbmerrill@iowaaeyc.org

www.iowaaeyc.org

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WelcomeWhy does our field need leaders?

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What are the What are the current current

challenges for challenges for our field?our field?

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Ready or Not:Ready or Not:Leadership choices in Early Care and Leadership choices in Early Care and

EducationEducation

Stacie G. Goffin and Valora WashingtonTeachers College Press, 2007

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• Those of us in the field resist doing what our knowledge base says is necessary for achieving good results for children.

• We are willing to tolerate poor performance by our colleagues.

• We hesitate to improve ourselves and our programs if doing so involves too much effort or cost.

• We postpone change and thus defer its benefits to future generations.

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I was invited….I was invited….• What is the first leadership responsibility

you accepted in our field?• What role (class, job, position) were you in

when you first took on the leadership role?• Who first invited you to take a leadership

role, and why did you respond?

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How have you (and those you work with) How have you (and those you work with)

already practiced and demonstrated already practiced and demonstrated

leadership? leadership?

• Even before adulthood – Leading a school project, a club, a committee, taking adult roles within families

• In your first job – Someone identified the things you excelled at, and pointed you towards other opportunities

• Everyday leadership opportunities – Learn something new, join a committee, write a newsletter article, help a parent find resources he might need, get active in a professional association or club, teach someone who you work with something that is new to them, do a presentation, write a letter to the editor or to an elected official, become an expert on something

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My EC leadership role modelsMy EC leadership role modelsMy parents Role models for taking responsibility

Encouragement – “you are capable, you can do it”Expectations – such as “you will go to college”

A college professor Passion for this field

My first center director

Unflinching commitment to DAP and best practices

A supervisor (1980s) Cheerleader , offered me new and different opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities

A work colleague Modeled her vision to us – Tireless advocate on behalf of young children & those working in field

A supervisor (1990s) High expectations - never settled for anything less. Delegated things outside my comfort zone to me.

A national leader Models passion and priorities we need to address

A work colleague Helps me create the picture of what could be the ideal, sets high expectations for my work but appreciates my accomplishments

My spouse Sounding board, encourages and supports, but also gives me space and time to grow

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PedagogicalPedagogicalAdministrativeAdministrative

AdvocacyAdvocacyCommunityCommunityConceptualConceptualFive Kinds of

Leadership needed in the ECE field 9

Leadership in Early Leadership in Early Care and EducationCare and Education

Sharon L. Kagan and Barbara T. Bowman, EditorsNAEYC, 1997

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Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.

Emerson

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What traits make a What traits make a leader?leader?

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Leaders…..Leaders…..• Help organizations clarify and affirm values• Set goals and vision, and chart a course of

action to achieve the vision• Like an artist, a leader paints a picture of

what the organization could be• A leader creates a healthy tension between

current reality and the imagined ideal.

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What traits does a What traits does a leader possess?leader possess?

Personal Professional • Character• Passion• Optimism• Drive• Integrity• Courage• Takes risks• Motivates and inspires• Flexibility• Openness• Unwavering

commitment

• Can articulate vision and direction

• Professional knowledge• Formal education• Strong track record• Sets organizational

culture• Shares the credit• If running an agency,

also needs skills in fiscal and personnel management

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Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

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You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the

time, and build your wings on the way time, and build your wings on the way

down.down.

Ray BradburyRay Bradbury

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What do we need to do What do we need to do to support leaders?to support leaders?

•Within our programs•Within our field•Within our Associations

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Re-think what we are Re-think what we are looking forlooking for

See – Feel – Change rather than

Analyze – Think – Change

It’s all about relationships!

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Are you a manager or a Are you a manager or a leader?leader?

How do you tackle a problem?

How do you handle a task?

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Within our programsWithin our programs• Director competencies and credentials• Specialized education• Mentors and others who can help• Resources for training – where do you go• Handouts - Manager vs. Leader and

Traditional vs. Facilitative Leadership

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What must we do?What must we do?How to strengthen your own leadership skills, and those How to strengthen your own leadership skills, and those

of othersof others

• Develop a message for which you have passion and real knowledge

• Practice delivering it and refining it• Add data, research, and real life stories• Carefully consider what you do well • Really reflect on your own personal

preparation, share what worked for you with those who train others.

• Consider it your responsibility to mentor others and pass on your knowledge and experience

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• Advocate that education and professional development programs (both in higher ed and in training/in-service) for emerging leaders include administration, advocacy, and leadership courses

• Find ways to give teachers and providers opportunities to practice their leadership

• Recognize and reward emerging leaders• Build mentoring skills in new leaders • Strengthen best practices in early childhood

education throughout our field• Strategize how to engage diverse leadership

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Professionalism in Early Professionalism in Early Childhood Education: Childhood Education:

Doing Our Best for Young ChildrenDoing Our Best for Young Children

Stephanie Feeney Stephanie Feeney

Pearson, 2012.Pearson, 2012.

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Leaders are not Leaders are not born….people learn to born….people learn to

lead.lead.

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Learning as a way of Learning as a way of LeadingLeading

Stephen Preskill and Stephen D. BrookfieldJohn Wiley & Sons, 2009

Learning ….To be open to the contributions of others

Critical reflection To support the growth of others

Collective leadershipAnalyze experience

To questionDemocracy

To sustain hope in the face of struggleTo create community

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One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.

John F. Kennedy

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The role of AEYC in The role of AEYC in supporting leadership for supporting leadership for

our fieldour fieldLeadership projects of Iowa AEYC•Leadership themed quarterly newsletter•Leadership track at conference•Local chapter leadership opportunities•State governing board recruitment and board development/training•Leadership Fellowship•NAEYC Innovation Grant•Involvement by staff and board members

at state and national levels

www.iowaaeyc.org

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Every great dream begins with a Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. for the stars to change the world.

Harriet TubmanHarriet Tubman

Thank you for being here today, and everything that you do every day, as together we lead our field to where it

needs to be.

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