Course Description
This course will focus on leadership in early childhood education. An overview of the principles and practices of leadership will be framed with an anti-biased approach and reflective practice. Students will examine leadership as it relates to children, families, and community. Topics will include leadership styles, collective leadership, leadership and social justice, current issues, and advocacy in the early childhood profession. (3 credits)
Prerequisites
- ECE 250: Administration and Supervision of Early Childhood
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Apply concepts of leadership as framed by an anti-biased, collective leadership approach.
- Assess program leadership practices.
- Evaluate the influence of culture on leadership.
- Design a leadership plan.
- Apply leadership skills to support an issue of social justice through advocacy.
- Analyze and apply strategies for communication, consensus building, and conflict resolution.
- Explain various leadership styles.
- Examine one’s personal leadership style.
- Identify current issues in early childhood education at the local and national levels.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Reflective Journal (Weeks 1-8) | 20% |
Reaction Paper (Week 4) | 15% |
Advocacy Project (Week 6) | 15% |
Leadership Plan (Week 8) | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore
- Long, Souto-Manning, and Vasquez. Courageous Leadership in Early Childhood Education: Taking a Stand for Social Justice. Teachers College Press, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0-8077-5741-3
- O'Neill and Brinkerhoff. Five Elements of Collective Leadership for Early Childhood Professionals, Red Leaf Press/NAEYC. ISBN-13: 978-1-60554-546-2
- McClain Terrell, Ann. Graceful Leadership in Early Childhood Education. Red Leaf Press, 2018. ISBN-13: 978-1-60554-573-8
Additional Resource (Not required and not available through bookstore)
- Feeney, S. & Freeman, N.K. Ethics and the Early Childhood Educator: using the NAEYC Code. 3rd Washington, D.C.: National Association for Young Children, 2018. ISBN-13: 978-1-938113-33-8
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,7,8 | Topics: Overview of Leadership in ECE, Ethics in Early Childhood Practice & Graceful Leadership
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2 | 1,5,9 | Topics: What is Collective Leadership and Why Now? Leadership and Social Justice in EC
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3 | 1,3,4,5 | Topics: Trust, Inequity, Power, and Privilege; Social Justice
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4 | 1,3,4,5 | Topics: Elements of Collective Leadership; Social Justice
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5 | 1,3,4,5 | Topics: Collective Leadership in ECE; Social Justice and Advocacy
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6 | 4,5 | Topics: Adopting Collective Leadership
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7 | 2,4 | Topics: Assessing the Leadership Efforts
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8 | 1-9 | Topics: Wrapping It All Up!
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COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.