SituationalAnalysis:

TheschoolthatIamconductingmyprofessionalexperienceisEscarpmentView
PublicSchool(EVPS).ThisschoolislocatedinMilton,ON.Miltonisknownforitsrapidgrowth;
thecityhasexpanded56%between20062011(StatisticsCanada,2012),andisstillgrowing.The
expansionissorapid,thatevenschools,includingEscarpmentViewPublicSchool,arerequiredto
expand,orbestuckwithcrammedclassrooms.18%ofthetotalpopulationofMiltonisbetweenhe
agesof0and9(StatisticsCanada,2012).Thismayalsobeareasonwhytheclassroomsarequite
full;10Kindergartenclassesand5gradetwoclasses.Oneoftheseclassroomsisthegradetwo
classroomthatIamin.IamworkingalongsideLisaBoehmer,inherclassroom.Thisclassroom
thatIamengagedinisaverydifferentexperiencethanwhatIamusedto.Iamusedtotheyounger
yearschildren,butbeinginagradetwoclassroomhasallowedmetolookatlearningfroma
differentpointofview.Lisateachesherchildrenthroughtheinquiryapproach,andIhaveseenthat
thisisverybeneficial.Ihaveseenthechildrenlearnaboutthingsthattheyareinterestedin,and
Lisapullsinthechildren'sinterestsandconnectsthemtothecurriculumoutcomes."Intheearly
years,programsaremosteffectivewhenthecontentoflearningisfocusedonsupportingthe
developmentofstrategies,dispositions,andskillsforlifelonglearningthroughplayandinquiry"
(MinistryofEducation,p.15).Whenthechildrenlearnthroughtheinquiryapproachtheyare
pullingintheirintereststolearndeeperaboutacertaintopic.
AtEVPS,thecommunityworkstogethertocreatemeaningfulopportunitiesforthe
childrensgrowthanddevelopment.Whethergoingonafieldtriptoacommunitysafetyzone,or
learningabouttheircommunities;theopportunitiesareendless.Asaclass,thechildreneachpicked
acelebrationthattheirfamilyparticipatedin.Inthistaskthechildrenworkedonitinschool,and

theywerealsoallowedtotakeithomesothattheirparentsorfamilymemberscouldhelpthem.
Thesepresentationsallowedthechildrentoseeeachwhateachothercelebratedandhowthey
celebratedit.Thechildrenweresointerestedintheirfriendspresentationsanditwasevidentthat
thiscreatednewtopicsofdiscussion.Opportunitiestoengagewithpeople,places,andthenatural
worldinthelocalenvironmenthelpchildren,families,educators,andcommunitiesbuild
connections,learnanddiscover,andmakecontributionstotheworldaroundthem.Itfostersasense
ofbelongingtothelocalcommunity,thenaturalenvironment,andthelargeruniverseofliving
things(MinistryofEducation,p.19).Beinginacommunitywherethereisatonofdiversity,this
learningopportunityallowedeachofthechildrentoseewhattheirfriendscelebratedandwhyit
wasimportanttothem.
Atanotherpointofmyprofessionalexperiencethechildrenhadanopportunityto
learnabouttheirfamilytree.Theteachersenthomemanydifferentsheetsonhowtocreateafamily
tree.Thechildrenthenbroughtthecompletedsheetinthenextdaytosharetheirfamilytreewith
theotherchildren.Itwasinterestingtoseehowthechildrenwereveryexcitedandhowtheywere
intriguedtolearnabouttheirfamiliesandwheretheyhadcomefrom.Thisallowedthechildrento
buildrelationshipswithoneanotherastheywerelearningmoreabouteachotherthroughtheir
familytrees.Weviewrelationshipsnotsimplyaswarm,protectivebackdroporblanketbutasa
comingtogetherofelementsinteractingdynamicallytowardacommonpurpose(Malaguzzi,1993,
p.10).Malaguzzidescribestheimportanceofrelationshipswheretheteachersworkwiththe
childrentofostertheirrelationshipswithothers.Thisexplorationallowedforthechildrentolearn
moreabouttheirownfamilycommunitiesandresearchthemfurther.

Beinginaschoolsystem,theeducatorsarealeaderofthechildrenslearning.Accordingto

thegovernmentdocumentHowlearninghappens"Educatorsarecompetentandcapable,curios
andrichinexperience.Theyareknowledgeable,caring,reflective,andresourcefulprofessionals.
Theybringdiversesocial,culturalandlinguisticperspectives.Theycollaboratewithothersto
createengagingenvironmentsandexperiencestofosterchildrensleaninganddevelopment.
Educatorsarelifelonglearners(MinistryofEducation,2014,p.7).Itisveryimportantthatteachers
areseenasleadersforchildrensgrowthanddevelopmentinlearning.Theyarentjustteaching
childrenthroughthecurriculumbuttheyareteachingchildrenaboutthemselvesasactivelearners.
Theyteachthechildrentofeelworthyaboutthemselvesandtheygivethemtheconfidencetolearn.
Teachersaretheleadertochildrenslearningtheyprovideopportunitiesforthechildrentogrow
andexplorenewthings.Childrensucceedinprogramsthatfocusonactivelearningthrough
exploration,play,andinquiry.Childrenthriveinprogramswheretheyandtheirfamiliesarevalued
asactiveparticipantsandcontributors(MinistryofEducation,p.4).Astheteachersaregiving
childrenopportunitiesforlearning,theteacherslearnaboutthemselvesandtheirpractice.This
allowsfortheteacherstoreflectontheirteaching.Eachweekthegradetwoteachersmeetatthe
nutritionbreaktotalkaboutwhattheyhavebeendoingintheirclassroomsandifithasbeen
beneficialornot.Thisreflectivetimeallowstheteacherstolookatwhattheyotherteachersare
doing,andtheirstrategies.Educatorsarereflectivepractitionerswholearnaboutchildrenusing
variousstrategies.Theylisten,observe,document,anddiscusswithothers,familiesinparticular,to
understandchildrenasuniqueindividuals.Theyobserveandlistentolearnhowchildrenmake
meaningthroughtheirexperiencesintheworldaroundthem(MinistryofEducation,p.19).The
teacherthatIamworkingwithalsodocumentsthechildren'sexperiencessothatshecanshareit
withtheparentseachweek.Shesendsoutanemailtoshowtheparentswhattheirchildrenhasbeen

exploring.
Theeducatorisalsoteachinghergradetwostudentsthroughtheinquiryapproach.I
haveseenthisbecomeverybeneficialasIstartedmyprofessionalexperiencewithherin
September.Childrenthriveinindoorandoutdoorspacesthatinvitethemtoinvestigate,imagine,
think,create,solveproblems,andmakemeaningfromtheirexperiencesespeciallywhenthe
spacescontaininterestingandcomplexopenendedmaterialsthatchildrencanuseinmanyways
(MinistryofEducation,p.20).Duringliteracytimeintheclassroom,thechildrenaregiventhe
opportunitytoworkonwhatevertheywouldlike.Someoftheseoptionsarereadalone,readto
someone,workonwritingorlisteningtoCDbooks.Ihavenoticedthatwhenthechildrenworkon
writingtheywritestoriesoraboutthingsthattheyareinterestedin.Whenthechildrenareinterested
insomething,theteacheralwaysencouragesthemtowriteaboutit.
Thechildrenarealsoleadersintheclassroom;theyarealeaderoftheirlearning.But
itisalsoimportantfortheeducatortoworkwiththemtomakesurethattheyareontherighttrack.
Asthechildrenworktogethertheyarebuildingtheircommunicationskills.Whenthechildrenwork
togethertocreatestoriestheyarenotonlybuildingontheirwrittendevelopmentbuttheirlanguage
developmentaswell.Languagedevelopmentiscentraltostudentsintellectual,social,and
emotionalgrowth,andmustbeseenasakeyelementofthecurriculum.Whenstudentslearntouse
languageintheelementarygrades,theydomorethanmasterthebasicskills.Theylearntovalue
thepoweroflanguageandtouseitresponsibly(MinistryofEducation,2006,p.3).The
importanceoflanguageinEarlyLiteracyisverycrucialforthechildren'slearning.

Asthechildrenlearnabouttheircommunitiesandwheretheycomefrom,tothispointI

haventseenthechildrenlearnaboutCanadianheritage.Readingactivitiesshouldexposestudents
tomaterialsthatreflectthediversityofCanadianandworldcultures,includingthoseofAboriginal
peoples.Studentsneedtobecomefamiliarwiththeworksofrecognizedwritersfromtheirownand
earliereras.Byreadingawiderangeofmaterialsandbeingchallengedbywhattheyread,students
becomereceptivetonewandwidelyvaryingideasandperspectivesanddeveloptheirabilityto
thinkindependentlyandcritically(MinistryofEducation,2006,p.5).AlthoughIhavent
explicitlyseenthechildrenlearnaboutCanadianheritageoraboriginalpeople,theyhavelearned
abouttheirownfamilies,andtheirownfamilybackgrounds.But,itisimportantforthechildrento
haveabasicunderstandingofaboriginalpeopleandCanadianheritage.Eventhoughthestudents
thatIwasdoingmyProfessionalExperiencewithwereonlyingrade2,theMinistryofEducation
documentforliteracydoesexplainthisrequirementfromgradesKto8.Providingthegrade2
classroomwithevenasmallamountofbothCanadianheritageandaboriginalpeoplewouldallow
forfurtherexplorationintheirlatergradesandabaseunderstandingandexposuretothesetopics.

AnothergapthatInoticedattheschoolisthatthereseemstobesomedisconnectwith
theprinciple.GoingbacktoSeptemberwhenIfirstwenttotheschoolandintroducedmyselftothe
principleIdidnotfeelwelcomedatall.Itseemedlikeshewasn'tinterestedatthetime.Thisisjust
myownjudgmentofhowIfeltatthetime,therearemanydifferentreasonsastowhyshemayof
nothadagoodday,butasanoutsiderIwasthinkingabouthowparentsmayoffeltatthistime;
meetingtheprincipleforthefirsttime.Theprincipalisalsoacommunitybuilderwhocreatesan
environmentthatiswelcomingtoall,andwhoensuresthatallmembersoftheschoolcommunity
arekeptwellinformed(MinistryofEducation,2006,p.7).Asaprincipleitisimportanttomake

surethateveryonefeelswelcomeintheschool.Theprinciplemaybeseenastheglueoftheschool
soitisimportantthattheyareopenandsupportivetoallthepeopleintheschool.

RevisedProposal:

InmycontextIamina2ndgradeclassroominthisprofessionalexperience.Iamworking

withLisaBoehmeratEscarpmentViewPublicSchool.Iworkedinthisclassroomlastsemesterand
itwasaverysuccessfulexperience.IbelievethatlastsemesterwasverybeneficialasIhavelearned
moreaboutmyself,andhowIamasaeducator.ThispublicschoolislocatedinMilton,Ontario.To
havearichexperienceinmyclassroom,Iplantobeintheclassroomatleast3timesaweek.Ialso
hopetoengagewiththeschoolcommunity.Iwanttoseehowtheyinteractwitheachother,and
howtheybuildcommunitywithintheschool.Sofar,Ihavelearnedaboutthediversityinthe
classroom,wherethechildrencomefrom,andsomecelebrationsthattheyhaveintheirculture.I
havealsolearnedhowtheschoolcommunityreachesouttofamilieswhocomefromdifferent
countries,andwhoneedsupportwiththeirchildslearning.SofarIhavelearnedthateachchild
learnsdifferently,andthattheinquiryapproachcanbeusedatanygrade,asstatedingovernment
documents.
Mrs.Boehmeristeachingherstudentsthroughtheinquiryapproach,andtryingto
furthertheirlearningbyallowingthemtoexploredeeperintoquestions,problemsandwonders.In
theinquiryapproach,thechildrenarepartoftheirownlearning.Theyworktogethertosolve
problems,learntogetherandcreatenewexplorations.Thisapproachisveryinterestingtome,asI
havenotseenitusedinaclassroomsetting.AccordingtotheMinistryofEducationswebsite,the
inquiryapproachisusedforchildrentofostertheirlearning,andtolookdeeperintotheirquestions.

Asteachersgivestudentsopportunitiestoseekanswerstoquestionsthatareinteresting,important
andrelevanttothem,theyareenablingthemtoaddresscurriculumcontentinintegratedandreal
worldwaysandtodevelopandpracticethehigherorderthinkingskillsandhabitsofmindthat
leadtodeeplearning(MinistryofEducation,p.4).Bytyingintherealworldintothechildrens
learning,theyarelearningthroughdifferentapproachesratherthansittingatadeskandlisteningto
instructionsallthetime.
Iamalsoexcitedtoexplorehowchildrenguidetheirownlearninginliteracy.During
literacytimeintheirclassroomthechildrenhavemultipleoptionsthattheycanuse.Someofthese
include:ListeningtoCDstories,creatingtheirownstories,writingdownnewwordsonthewhite
board,BONGOgames,scrabble,readtoself,readtoothers,andvirtualgamesonRAZkids.IfIam
notgrantedpermissiontotakedocumentationofthechildren,Ihopetogetdocumentationoftheir
work.Thiswillshowthegrowthoftheirlearningthroughtheweeks.Thedocumentationmayalso
showmygrowthasaeducatoraswell,asIcometounderstandhowchildrenlearnthroughinquiry.
Thedocumentationmayalsoallowtheteacherstolookatthechildrensprogress,thiswillallow
themtoseewhereeachchildstandsinaccordancetowheretheneedtobeforthegrade2
standards.Myinquiryquestionis:HowcanIsharedocumentationofchildrensgrowthinliteracy
toothereducators?Becausethisismyfirsttimeseeingthemultiplewaysthatchildrencanlearn
literacyIamexcitedtoexplorethisindepth.Aleadershipopportunitymayariseformyselfwhile
engagedinthisprofessionalexperience.Iamhopingtoengageinameetingthattheteachershave
everyweek,toshowthemhowthechildrenarelearningliteracythroughtheirownideas.Imaybe
abletoalsospeaktomyLanguageandLiteracyclassabouthowthechildrenlearnthroughtheir
ownemergentideas.Thiscouldallowmetoshowmycolleagueshowthechildrencanlearn

throughmanydifferentways,accordingtotheirlearningstyle.

Bytheuseofdocumentationitwillhopefullysparksomeinterestoftheteacherstosee
whatwearedoinginourclassroom.Myhopeisthattheywillhaveevengreaterinterestinthe
childrenslearningandwanttoattemptthedocumentationintheirclassroom.Ialsowantthe
principletohavesomeinterestinwhatwearedoingintheclassroom.Thismayprovidemewitha
leadershipopportunitybyintroducingpedagogicaldocumentationintotheclassroom.Thismay
createinterestintheotherteachers,andmaypresentmewitharoleofbringingindocumentation
intoclassrooms,andshowinghowitcanbenefitteachers,childrenandparents.Itmayalsocreatea
leadershipopportunityasIcanshowothershowthechildrencandevelopandgrowtheirliteracy
skillsbytheirownemergentideas.

Duringlastterm,Ifocusedonthecommunityandhowtheschoolworks
likeacommunitytofosterchildrensgrowth.ThistermIexplorehowmyselfasan
educatorcanbealeaderinfosteringchildrenslearning.Leadershiptomeisntabout
tellingotherswhattodo.Ratherhelpingthoseandbeingasupportsystemtocreate
greaterlearningandopportunitiesforothers.Althoughleadershipcanhaveanegative
connotation,suchasaleaderoverrulingadecisionormakingallthedecisions,there
needstobeashiftinhowleadersareseeninourcommunities.Sometimesitworksto
haveleaderswhomaremakingallthedecisions,butwhenothersareputdownor
silencedinorderforthesedecisionstobemadeitisnotbeneficialforthecommunity.
Althoughsometimesitishardtoseehowwecanbeacommunitywithhierarchiesinour

politicalsystems,somemayfeelthatwedonthaveavoice.Ibelievethatthereshouldbe
achangeinhowpeopleviewcommunity,butinorderforthattowork,thehigherup
classwillneedtotakeanotherlookathowoursocietyis.Ifthecommunityisasked
theiropinionaboutanissueortopicthatthegovernmentislookingat,thenweascitizens
wouldfeelmoreinvolvedinwhatshappeninginoureverydaylives.Inordertohavea
communitywehavetohavethosewhoarewillingtostandupforit,andbeastronger
voiceforthepeople.Leaderscanthenhelpmakeastanceandstandupforthe
communityandthepeopleinit.Leadershipdoesn'tmeanthatonepersonisontopofthe
pyramidcontrollingtheothers;itcanalsobeagroupofpeopleworkingtogetheras
leadersinthecommunitytomakethecommunityabetterplace.Inearlychildhood
education,itiscommonthatteachersworkasateam,tocreateanequalwork
environment.Teamteachingallowsforallteacherstoallhaveasayandtoalltakea
leadershiproleintheprogram.AsIhaveseenintheschool,thereisawiderangeof
diversityintheclassrooms.Childrencomefromavarietyofbackgroundsanditis
importanttoseechildrenforwhotheyare,nottheirbackground.Whenweaseducators
donotaddressthemultiplicityoflanguageandlanguagevarietiesofchildrensworlds,
weareteachingthemthateducatedpeopledonotsoundlikemembersoftheirfamily
(Genishi,Dyson,2009,p.33).BeinginEVPtherearealotofstudentswhoareESL.
Beinginaclassroomwith5ESLstudentsithasgivenmeanewoutlookatteaching
literacytoyoungchildren.Ithasallowedmetolookathowthechildspeaksandhome,
andwhatthesimilaritiesanddifferencesareinthelanguages.Everydayactivitiescan
developvariedvocabulary,engagechildrenincomplexusesoflanguagethatgobeyond

thehereandnow,andsurroundchildrenwithenvironmentsthatsupportlanguageand
literacydevelopment(Dickison,Tabors,2001).Itisimportanttomakesurethatthey
learningenvironmentisfullandrichofpotential,especiallywhenitcomestoliteracy
development.Literacyissomethingthatisinalmosteveryaspectofthechildren's
learninganditisimportantthataseducatorswefosterthislearning.Aseducatorsitis
importantthatwearethecoleadersofchildrenslearning.

RationaleforInquiryProject:
AtthebeginningofthesemesterIfounditdifficulttocomeupwithainquiryquestion
thatIthoughtwouldbesuitableformyprofessionalexperience.IwantedtomakesurethatIhad
somethingworthyenoughtobecomealeadershipopportunity.Butafterreflection(Seeappendix1)
InoticedthatleadershipdoesntmeanthatItaketheLEADonsomething,ratherIaminmy
professionalexperiencetolearnmoreaboutmyself,andhowleadershipisintheschool.When
lookingataninquiryquestionIwasgearedmoretowardshowchildrendeveloptheirliteracyskills
throughtheinquiryapproach.Afteracoupleofweeksandsomecriticalreflectionsonmygoalsand
learningthatIhaveencounteredIdecidedtoswitchmyquestionwiththehelpofmyfellow
colleagues.Ifinallydecidedonmyinquiryquestion,anditwasHowcanyoupresent
documentationofchildrenandtheirgrowingliteracyskillstoeducators?Thisquestionallowsme
tolookatchildrensliteracyskillsintheclassroom,andthenexplorewaysonhowtosharemy
findingswiththeteachers.Thereisalsoanopportunityformetopresentmyfindingstomyfellow

CSUstudentsattheendofthesemester.WhenlookingatafewdocumentsIhavegained
knowledgeonhowchildrenlearn,andtheoutcomesthatareexpectedofchildren.Lookingdeeper
intochildren'sliteracyhasallowedmetounderstanddifferenttypesofliteracy."Asstudents
developtheirreadingskills,itisimportantthattheyhavemanyopportunitiestoreadforavarietyof
purposes.Awellbalancedreadingprogramwillprovidestudentswithopportunitiestoreadforthe
pleasureofdiscoveringinterestinginformationaswellasforthepleasureofselfdiscovery,forself
enrichment,andforthesheerfunofit"(MinistryofEducation,2006,p.10).Inregardstoreading
theministryofeducationexpressestheimportanceofreading.Thechildreninthegradetwo
classroomhavemanyopportunitiesforreading.Theycanreadalone,ortooneanother,andthey
havereadallowedsessionsaswell.Thisallowsthechildrentobuildontheirliteracyskillsina
varietyofways.

SomechallengesthatIhaveencounteredarethatIamunabletotakepicturesofthechildren.

ThisisachallengebecauseIfeellikeitshutsdownsomeopportunitiesofseeingthechildrenwork
togetherastheyaredevelopingliteracyskills.Pedagogicaldocumentationissoimportantasit
showsthatthechildrenarecapableandcompetent.Movingbeyondsimplyanobjectivereporting
ofchildrensbehavior,pedagogicaldocumentationhelpstofindmeaninginwhatchildrendoand
whattheyexperience(MinistryofEducation,2014,p.21).Theuseofpedagogicaldocumentation
wouldallmyselfasaneducatorandtheothereducatorstolookdeeperintothechildrenslearning.
ItwasnotedthatRanda,andIwouldmeetwiththeprinciplebutfrompastexperienceIfeelthatthe
principlewouldnotbeinterestedinexploringdocumentationfurtherwithus.Thisisdefiantlyafear
thatIhaveformyself.IfeelthatIneedtopushmyselftomeetwiththeprinciple,ifIdon'ttryIwill
neverknowifitcouldhavebeenapossibility.InaccordancetotheCECEcodeofethicsIhavethe

responsibilitytomycolleaguesandtotheprofession,soifitcomesdowntomenotbeingableto
documentthechildrenthenIhavetostaytruetotheCECEcodeofethics.

AnothergoalthatIhaveformyselfistonotconcentrateonhowIamgoingtomake
thisprofessionalexperienceaLeadershipopportunity.AtthebeginningofthesemesterIhadthe
impressionthatjustbecausethecoursehadthenameleadershipinit,thatIhadtodosomethingthat
wouldmakemealeader.DuringthefirstfewweeksIrealizedthatleadershipisntaboutbeingthe
leader.Itisaboutworkingalongsideothercolleaguestocreateameaningfulenvironmentand
gatheringideastomakechildrenslearningexceptional.AsaneducatorIhavearesponsibilityto
thechildren.Ihavetheresponsibilitytomakesurethattheirwellbeingispositive,andthattheyfeel
connectedtome.AccordingtotheCECEIalsohavearesponsibilitytothecommunityandsociety,
thatiswhyIfeellikeleadershiprolesareveryimportantinallprograms.Itisdifficultforone
person,suchastheprincipletomakesurethatalltheteachersareconnectedtotheouter
community,sowhenweaseducatorsarehelpingthechildrenandotherstoadvocateforchildren,
weareallseenasleaders.

Communitiesascontextforleadership:

Earlychildhoodisanimportantpartofachild'sgrowthanddevelopment.Thebeginning

stagesofachild'slifeareveryimportant,asitshapesthechild.Therearemanyaspectsthatare
crucialtohaveinthechild'searlyyears,suchasrelationships,teachingthembasedontheir
interests,andbuildingasenseofcommunity.Iwillbecomeastrongereducatorbykeepingmyown
personalbeliefsalongsidetheCECE'scodeofethicsandprinciplesforthestandardsofpractice.

Inordertohaveasuccessfulrelationshipwiththechildrenandparents,itisimportanttomakesure
thattheparentsandchildrenfeelliketheyareapartoftheprogram.Itisimportanttomakesurethat
theyfeelcomfortablewithmyselfasaeducator,andthattheycanapproachmewithanyconcerns
andquestions.Buildingarelationshipwithchildrenisanimportantaspectofachild'slearning.
Whenastrongrelationshipisbuiltwiththechild,thentheywilltrustyou.Thiswillcreateastrong
bond,andpotentiallycreateabetterlearningenvironmentforthechildrentolearnin.Itisalso
importanttomakesurethatIhaveaviewofthechildthatisviewingthemasauniqueindividual
ratherthanacookiecuttermodelofeachother."Childrenarecompetent,capableofcomplex
thinking,curiousandrichinpotential.Theygrowupinfamilieswithdiversesocial,culturaland
linguisticperspectives.Eachchildshouldfeelthatheorshebelongs,isavaluablecontributortohis
orhersurroundings,anddeservestheopportunitytosucceed.Whenwerecognizechildrenas
capableandcurious,wearemorelikelytodeliverprogramsandservicesthatvalueandbuildon
theirstrengthsandabilities"(MinistryofEducation,2014,p.6).Theministryofeducationhelps
educatorshavethevisionofthechildascapableandcompetent;thereisneverenoughthingsthata
childcanbetaughtandIbelievethatitisimportanttomakesurethatchildrenarevaluedasa
individual.

Leadershipcanbeseenasanegativeconnotationorapositiveone.Onthenewsyouhear

leadershipastheLEADERSofacountryfightingagainstanothercountry.Leadershavealsobeen
negativelyseenasthosewhotrytoruletheircountryorputdownotherstogettothetop.Butinthe
ECEfieldIbelievethatleadershiphasapositivewayofinfluencingeducatorsorthecommunity.
Educatorswhomembraceleadershipasaroleofcollaboratingwithothersallowforanopenand
communicativeenvironment."ECECleadersarerejectingafixednotionofselfasleaderwhere

leadershipisdictatedbyexpectationsoflegislation,policy,orevenroledescriptions.Instead,an
alternativepossibilityisemerging,wherebytobea'leader'and'doleadership'areconstructedin
relationshiptoothers"(Thomas,Nuttall,p.42).Insteadoflookingatleadershipasonewaystreet
educatorsarenowworkingtogethertocreateacommunitywhereeveryone'svoicesareheard.
Educatorsarebuildingteamsastheyworktogethereducatingchildrenofourfuture."Weeachhave
avaluedandessentialroleincreatingthevillagethatwillraiseourchildren"(Sullivan,2010,p.
71).
OnethingthatIhavelearnedaboutleadershipisthatitcannotbeseenasaoneperson
goal.Leadershipisaboutteamsandworkingwithyourcolleaguestocreatealeadershipbased
environment."Teambuildinginearlychildhoodeducationhappenswhenyoucreateprocesses,
interactionsandactivitiesthathelpagroupofpeoplebecomeaneffectiveandefficientteamthat
meetstheneedsofthechildrenandfamiliesyouserve,aswellasthoseofyourorganizationasa
whole"(Sullivan,2010,p.73).Workinginaschoolformyprofessionalexperiencehasmademe
lookdeeperintoleadershipandtherolesthatitentails.Ihaveseentheteacherworkwiththeother
teacherstoseewhattheyhavebeencompleting,butIhavealsoseentheteacherworkingwiththe
studentstocreatealearningenvironmentwheretheyareallleadersintheeducation.Whenchildren
feelvaluedaslearnersIbelievethatthelearningexperienceismuchmorerich.

"Leadersarethepeoplewhocaninfluencethebehaviorsofothersforthepurposeof
achievinggoals.Theycanencouragecolleaguestochangetheirbehavior,andtakeanewapproach
toworkandbuildnewmindsets"(Rodd,2006,p.11).AsleadersintheECEfield,itiscrucialthat
weadvocateforchildren,andourjobsasEarlyChildhoodEducators.Leadershipallowsfor
educatorstostandforwhattheybelievein,astheybringinthecommunitytoachievecommon

goals.Bybringinginthecommunitytohelpusadvocateforchildren,wearebuildingthe
foundationfortheirfuture.

Resources:
ClarkinPhillips,Jeanette.Distributedleadership:Growingstrongcommunitiesof
practiceinearlychildhoodcentres[online].JournalofEducationalLeadership,
PolicyandPractice,Vol.26,No.2,2011:1425.http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?
url=http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=805
181881938821;res=IELHSS

Codeofethicsandstandardsofpractice;recognizingandhonouringourprofession.
(2011).Retrievedyeafromhttp://www.college
ece.ca/en/Documents/Code_Ethic_English_Web_August_2013.pdf
Dickinson,D.K.,&Tabors,P.O.,(Eds.)(2001).Beginningliteracywithlanguage:
Youngchildrenlearninglanguageathomeandschool.Baltimore:PaulH.
Brookes
Genishi,C.,&Dyson,A.H.(2009).Childrenlanguageandliteracy:Diverselearnersin

diversetimes.Columbia:TeachersCollegePress.Wash.D.C.:National
AssociationfortheEducationofYoungChildren.
Malaguzzi,L.(1993).Foraneducationbasedonrelationships.YoungChildren:
ReviewsofResearch,49(1),912.

Ontario.MinistryofEducation.(2014).Howlearninghappens.Toronto:Author.
Retrievedfrom:http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/HowLearningHappens.pdf
Ontario.MinistryofEducation.(2006).Theontariocurriculumgrades18,Language.
Toronto:Author.Retrived
from:http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf

Rodd,J.(2006).LeadershipinEarlyChildhood:Thepathwaytoprofessionalism
(Chapterone:Unpickingleadershipintheearlychildhoodcontext)
http://www.csuau.eblib.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/patron/Read.aspx?
p=258775&pg=23

StatisticsCanada.2012.Milton,Ontario(Code3524009)andHalton,Ontario(Code
3524)(table).CensusProfile.2011Census.StatisticsCanadaCatalogueno.98
316XWE.Ottawa.ReleasedOctober24,2012.
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2011/dppd/prof/index.cfm?
Lang=E
Sullivan,D.R.(2010).Ittakesavillage.InLearningtolead:effectiveleadershipskills
forteachersofyoungchildren(2nded.)(pp.7181).St.Paul,Minn.:Redleaf
Press.

Thomas.L.&Nuttall,J.Whatdoes/canleadershiplookininanearlychildhood
educationcontext?Analternativetodoingleadershipandbeingtheleader.
retreivedfromhttp://www.minnisjournals.com.au/_images/articles/pdf/article
pdf0824.pdf