Research on Charactersitics of Effective Early Childhood Learders: Emergence of Relational Leadership

It is recognized internationally that effective leadership in early childhood is vital to success of quality early childhood care and education. There is a need for our nation to commit to provide a comprehensive and coordinated system of early childhood leadership training. To create fiscally sound early childhood programs with learning environments that nurture and challenge young children and with work environments that develop, support, and retain skilled teachers, program directors capable of strong leadership are essential (McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, 2014). A pending shortage of early childhood leaders has been an ongoing issue in the past few years. Policymakers and practitioners commonly agree about the importance of strong leadership in early childhood education. This study is based on the premise that early childhood leadership practices have a direct effect on quality of care in early childhood development. Nettles and Herrington (2007) state that effect of competent leadership on children's achievement and learning is only second to classroom instruction. High-quality early childhood education plays an important role in the future achievement of children. It benefits all young children, particularly children from low-income households with the greatest challenges to developing readiness to learn (Whitebook, 2010). Qualified teachers and leaders are instrumental in the operation of high-quality centers for early learning. There is a need to establish policies and pathways to ensure early childhood leaders are well prepared to effectively care for and support teachers, children, and their families. The purpose of this study was to identify sets of characteristics that are essential for effective early childhood leadership and explore the challenges early childhood leaders encounter in an effort to become effective leaders. The researcher hopes the results of this study may be used in the design and implementation of leadership development programs for early childhood leaders.