Leading Practice in Early Years Settings


Book Description

To achieve Early Years Professional Status candidates must demonstrate that they have effectively led the professional practice of their colleagues across the 0-5 age range. The second edition of this popular text helps Early Years students and experienced practitioners develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to do just that. It explains the nature of leadership and the EYP′s role in promoting good practice and appropriate values and principles. This new edition has been fully revised and updated and includes new chapters on leading practice in a multi-professional context and the leader of practice as an agent of change.




Leading in Early Childhood


Book Description

Leadership in the early years is about using your knowledge, skills, personality and experience to positively influence practice. Every practitioner has the capacity to lead, and in doing so, improve opportunities for children and their families. Examining the various roles of early years practitioners, and the everyday challenges and opportunities they face, this book promotes leadership of early childhood practice by considering the following; · Who the leaders are, and what skills they require · The variety of ways a practitioner can lead within a setting · Key roles including the team leader and the key person · How to develop a culture of leadership · The importance of working with families and other professionals · Improving leading through reflective practice. Whether you are a room leader in an early childhood setting needing support in your leadership skills, a manager of an early childhood business, a leader of a nursery, a leader of practice or studying to become an early years practitioner this book is ideal for helping you improve your leadership skills.




Implementing Quality Improvement & Change in the Early Years


Book Description

For all those working in Early Years, improving quality experiences for all young children is a priority. By examining issues surrounding quality improvement, the importance of reflective practice and the attributes required in the workplace to effect change and leadership, this book provides a contemporary view of practice. Chapters focus on how settings can improve quality experiences for young children and how to implement strategies that lead to quality improvement. Issues covered include: - multi-disciplinary working - evaluating impact through reflective practice - creativity, digital technologies and play - safeguarding young children - leading practice and leading change - working with parents - improving the quality of student experience This text allows students and practitioners to examine and reflect on practises that lead to creative Quality Improvement Strategies (QIS) in Early Years settings. Michael Reed is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Worcester, Institute of Education: Centre for Early Childhood Natalie Canning is a Lecturer in Early Years at The Open University.




Leading and Managing in the Early Years


Book Description

...a major contribution to the limited literature and research on leadership in childhood education.′ - Professor Tony Bush, Editor of Educational Management, Administration and Leadership. ′This important book focuses clearly on evidence, describing the realities of leading and managing settings in times of rapid policy changes. Carol Aubrey manages to combine theory, research and practice in a book that will be invaluable to a new generation of early years professionals.′ - Angela Anning, Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Leeds, UK ′..skilfully draws on sound empirical research to present a grounded theory model for leadership in early years education. ....of interest to researchers, students and practitioners internationally.′ - Professor Nithi Muthukrishna, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa This Second Edition of Leading and Managing in the Early Years explores and integrates leadership and management practice with a real understanding of early years settings. Revised and updated, this new edition includes: - Two new chapters on private day care and reflective practice and action research - Further coverage of reflective practice and reflective leadership skills - More on EYPS as well as integrated centre leadership - Practical suggestions for working with resistant groups and individuals. Carol Aubrey investigates different concepts and characteristics of Early Childhood (EC) leadership as well as the roles and responsibilities of EC leaders. She also explores the types of leadership programmes or development which are needed to maximise the effectiveness of EC leaders. This book is essential reading for students in Early Childhood courses, Early Years Practitioners and local authority employees involved with the integrated centres initiative. Carol Aubrey is Professor of Early Childhood Studies at the University of Warwick.




EBOOK: Leadership in Early Childhood


Book Description

Leadership in Early Childhood is a practical resource for early childhood practitioners who want to understand how to create successful childcare and early education settings. Leadership in the early years has moved on in the way it is organised, and this fourth edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the changes affecting leaders in early childhood. This rapid change in the field over the past few years includes moves to professionalise the workforce generally, and this edition recognizes the implications of these developments and revisits some of the concepts and messages. Praised for its excellent overview of early years leadership, accessible writing style and clear links between theory and practice, the fourth edition also includes: Thorough discussion of the leader’s role in moving towards leading/best practice. Reconceptualised coverage of team building to consider working collaboratively as a team at service level, multi disciplinary teams and integrated service provision through multi agency working. A chapter which considers the essential characteristics of leadership in terms of personal qualities, skills and timing related to effective leadership.




Play and Practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage


Book Description

Play is an underlying theme of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) but it is often a challenge for practitioners to provide a play based curriculum. This book investigates the values and beliefs that underpin play and demonstrates through case studies how play opportunities can be observed, planned and assessed in a meaningful context for the child. Organized into four sections that mirror the EYFS, this book takes you through the curriculum framework demonstrating how play underpins each of these principles and is the common thread that links them together. Chapters include: - celebrating children′s play choices - ways to work with parents - inspiring environments for inspirational play - the role of play in supporting key relationships - creative play for flexible learning Incorporating the voices of Early Years practitioners, this book takes the unique approach of analysing the academic theory, showing how this can be put into practice and then suggesting activities to facilitate reflective practice and professional development. Useful to all those studying on any Early Years course, the book is particularly relevant to those leading practice in early years settings and those working towards Early Years Professional Status (EYPS).




Supporting Pedagogy and Practice in Early Years Settings


Book Description

To achieve EYPS, candidates must understand the Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS), and how to put it into practice. This text supports those on all EYPS pathways to extend their knowledge and understanding of effective pedagogy within the context of the EYFS. It begins by looking at effective practice in the EYFS and how research has informed recent initiatives. It goes on to cover children′s learning and development, safe and stimulating environments and the role of the adult. The text considers how EYPs can support others in their practice to improve the delivery of learning throughout their setting.




Visible Learning in Early Childhood


Book Description

Make learning visible in the early years Early childhood is a uniquely sensitive time, when young learners are rapidly developing across multiple domains, including language and literacy, mathematics, and motor skills. Knowing which teaching strategies work best and when can have a significant impact on a child’s development and future success. Visible Learning in Early Childhood investigates the critical years between ages 3 and 6 and, backed by evidence from the Visible Learning® research, explores seven core strategies for learning success: working together as evaluators, setting high expectations, measuring learning with explicit success criteria, establishing developmentally appropriate levels of learning, viewing mistakes as opportunities, continually seeking feedback, and balancing surface, deep, and transfer learning. The authors unpack the symbiotic relationship between these seven tenets through Authentic examples of diverse learners and settings Voices of master teachers from the US, UK, and Australia Multiple assessment and differentiation strategies Multidisciplinary approaches depicting mathematics, literacy, art and music, social-emotional learning, and more Using the Visible Learning research, teachers partner with children to encourage high expectations, developmentally appropriate practices, the right level of challenge, and a focus on explicit success criteria. Get started today and watch your young learners thrive!




The Complete Companion for Teaching and Leading Practice in the Early Years


Book Description

Previously published as The Early Years Professional’s Complete Companion, this new edition has been thoroughly updated and is the essential resource for aspiring and existing leaders of early years practice. Covering a wide range of theoretical and practical concepts, this book helps the reader consider how they can develop excellent practice within their unique setting. Divided into three distinct sections, the book begins by exploring the origins of early years practice, before discussing principles in development, social policy and child protection. The second section considers what constitutes high quality practice, and reflects on the role of emotional security, environment, and adults in shaping children’s learning and development. The third and final section examines how activities associated with continued professional development impact on teaching standards, before finishing with a discussion on international perspectives on early years practice. Key features include: New chapters on safeguarding, children’s rights, continuous professional development and international perspectives of early years practice. Chapter objectives, tasks and links to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Case studies with questions for reflection to promote critical thinking. New developments in the early years practice arena are outlined, including the emergence of Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). This book is an essential text for those working towards qualifications in early years teaching and leading practice, and provides a flexible basis for tutors, trainers, assessors and mentors to further develop programmes of education and training. It will also appeal to teachers and practitioners interested in considering potential routes for continuing their professional development.




Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8


Book Description

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.