A college instructor who teaches one or more early childhood specific courses to prepare early childhood educators.
Published in Chapter:
Building Higher Education Community: A Lesson From Nebraska
Dawn L. Mollenkopf (University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA), Melanie K. Felton (College of Saint Mary, USA), Anne Karabon (University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA), and Sara A. Westerlin (Peru State College, USA)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 24
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-5089-2.ch010
Abstract
Hierarchical leadership models are not well matched to the early childhood field, which is a complex, diverse system where early childhood educators serve in multiple dynamic roles. Distributed leadership, which involves collaboration, inclusive engagement, and shared problem-solving, typifies efforts of leaders who advocate and work toward systemic change. This chapter explains how early childhood teacher educators used distributed leadership to push for statewide changes that removed barriers to degree completion for early childhood educators. In Phase 1, educators used a shared set of competencies and a common course system to improve articulation agreements between two- and four-year colleges. In Phase 2, educators expanded, revised, and delineated core competencies from national standards (NAEYC, CEC, DEC) to inform state endorsements. In Phase 3, educators built an inclusive, formal network to lay a foundation for a statewide articulation agreement system that will incorporate the Power to Profession's unified framework and standards.