Theory meets practical tips in this guide for leaders of early childhood programs

The Early Childhood Education sector around the world is constantly changing, whether because of the unprecedented demand for ECE services globally, accelerated social change, or the introduction of pedagogical and regulatory practices. Based upon empirical inquiry, Early Childhood Education Management examines the somewhat controversial concept of operating an early childhood service as a business. It challenges the assumption that an early childhood manager does not require specialist knowledge or skill and discusses which attributes an effective manager should possess. In this book, which brings together management theory and practice, Moloney and Pettersen address core issues at the heart of the management role, including the relationship between early childhood policy and broader legislative enactments, as well as issues related to the challenges and development of management skills. The book also draws upon real-life examples from practice in order to offer insight into some of the most common topics and challenges related to management practice in Early Childhood Education, such as business acumen and entrepreneurship, recruitment and selection, financial management and budgeting, supervision, mentoring, staff development, curriculum management, collaborative working, and change management. Written by leading academics with practice experience, the book should be of great interest to researchers, academics and postgraduate students in the field of education, specifically those working in early years and education policy and management. It should also be essential reading for managers working in Early Childhood settings.

Leading and managing an early education program is both challenging and rewarding. Early Childhood Leadership and Program Management (Quick Guide) gives practical tips on running a child care program that boosts the confidence of new directors. It draws on the skills they already have, proposes strategies that focus on quality for teaching and learning, and organizational planning. It also addresses how to infuse a diversity-rich mindset to create successful environments for all staff, families, and children.

This is not another how-to guide for program managers or another reiteration of the Project Management Institute's standards for program management. Instead, Program Management Leadership: Creating Successful Team Dynamics examines various leadership approaches and illustrates the value of effective leadership styles in Program Management for

Research has consistently found that effective administrative practices are crucial for ensuring beneficial program outcomes for children and families. The Program Administration Scale (PAS) is designed to reliably measure and improve the leadership and management practices of center-based programs—the only instrument of its kind to focus exclusively on organization-wide administrative issues. Using a 7-point rating scale (inadequate to excellent), this easy-to-use instrument assesses 25 items grouped into 10 categories: human resources development, personnel cost and allocation, center operations, child assessment, fiscal management, program planning and evaluation, family partnerships, marketing and public relations, technology, and staff qualifications. This new second edition of the PAS includes minor refinements to support the reliable use of the instrument and to reflect current best practices in early childhood administration. The Notes and Guiding Questions for the PAS items are expanded to increase understanding and facilitate greater consistency in scoring. Emphasis is placed on administrative practices that support family partnership, inclusion, cultural sensitivity, and linguistic diversity. Routines that demonstrate distributed leadership are measured. The focus in technology is on practices that promote effective communication, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Accessible tools to help early childhood leaders support, train, evaluate, and empower teachers and raise quality in early education

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.