Early child hood education. edec 324- Creating a leader's critique profile

Creating a leader's critique profile

1. Processes and procedures for creating a profile Background information: This assignment is an example of documenting one person's key leadership-related 'Habits of Mind' characteristics, plus noting in a table or a figure her/his focal management roles.

It is a 'snapshot' of another person's professional life and perspectives.

The readings associated with the EDEC324-Topic Notes will assist you with completing this profile and you are encouraged to go beyond the Topics and readings provided. You are a researcher as you undertake this task (Read: Smales, 2002).

Your task is to create a profile of a leader in the early childhood education field. This is a professional story about a person; and, just to be clear: this person is the one you complete 5-days of Professional Experience with [if this is an issue, you must be in touch with staff in the OPL immediately via the AskUNE email address].

Also, please note that this is not a standard essay [refer to sample template below for ideas about both the contents and layout]. Hint: you might find it helpful to refer to some of the Teaching and Learning Support [TaLS] Fact Sheets, such as: Analysing the question, etc. These Fact Sheets are available at: http://www.une.edu.au/current-students/resources/academic-skills/fact-sheets ----- 1. From week 1, Read about being a leader/manager in general and also the 16 characteristics of 'Habits of Mind' [refer to 'prescribed text & recommended reading' section within the Unit Information 'tile'.].

This exploration of written documents will help you:
1) identify, define and analyse the leader's workplace position, key management roles in a table/figure, and her/his manner of interacting (disposition and personal characteristics); and,
2) support all your leader observation and interview data, plus any documents you are provided by the leader with relevant literature. Broadly consider: What does this positional leader do (manager, management roles & administrative tasks)? AND How does s/he 'work' with others? Particularly consider her/his interactive manner (being a leader & 'Habits of Mind' characteristics)? Now, begin by skimming the 'Contents' pages of the textbook for this unit of study and review the sections of Chapters that you identify as relevant for this starting point of creating a leader's profile.

As you gradually draft and develop this professional profile, continue to refer back to the textbook, the unit Topics, noted readings and other resources shared by us and your colleague-students, as well as ones you locate during the Trimester. All these can guide and assist you with this process of creating a profile.

2. From week 2 or 3, by week 4, Locate and negotiate with a director or coordinator [a positional leader] of an early childhood service or an early childhood manager within a relevant organisation [NOTE: For on-campus students, please check details in the PREXUS site and/or with OPL staff. Everyone - refer to Assignment 3 and the Professional Experience 'tile'/box for full details]. By week 4 or 5 when you are in-touch with the leader - observing and interviewing - discuss the process for creating this profile with the person and share the idea that you will be doing some ‘service learning' with this leader (refer to Butin, 2003; see Topic 1 and/or locate other 'service' literature). Gain her/his consent for completing this profile process.

Be sure to ask: Does this person have four-year early childhood teacher education qualification? -- (Please note: however, as many directors/coordinators in Australia, do not have 3 or 4 year degrees; you can negotiate with staff in the OPL to work with a leader who has at least a Children's Services diploma and three or more years of experience in the ECE field). Next consider: What about our ECE professional ethics in general and in relation to this experience and your leader's story? It is a must that the names of the person and place are not used unless you have consent; so, please clarify confidentiality with your leader from the out-set. Be sure to let the leader know that part of the profile (the setting/context/background) will be shared online with your colleague-students.

Do think about 'ethics' here! All the relevant details and forms for this Professional Experience are referred to under Assignment # 3 and appear within the OPL office online site; you gain access to all these resources via the 'Professional Experience' 'tile' or box provided within this EDEC324 unit Moodle site.

3. From week 4 or 5 [if not before], Arrange and complete at least one face-to-face visit with your leader. This research with your leader is part of any usual assignment preparation time;so, these interactions and engagements [see below] are NOT any part of your 5-days of Professional Experience, which is assignment #3. Here are your first tasks: observe the leader and focus on the leader's interactions with other adults, including: her/his personal/professional manner, forms of communication, relationships and contribution to an emotional atmosphere. All these things contribute to the organisational culture. Also be aware that other people and various environmental features contribute to setting-culture.

Q: How would you describe 'being a leader'? And, please outline two focal 'Habits of Mind' characteristics that reflect how you engage with others in your role as a leader?

Q: How does your personal/professional philosophy of ECE link with your being a leader in general and with your personal characteristics or manner of interacting particularly with adults? What about being an advocate for the whole field of early childhood education?

Q: What are the most rewarding aspects of being an early childhood leader and manager (maybe administrator) and why? [Refer to Geoghegan et al (2003) or other literature] Just to clarify the above... Once you have your leader and site agreed to and placement form completed --- assuming you have followed the guidelines for person, position, qualifications, your tasks and such --- this means YOU can immediately begin doing the assignment 2 profile tasks.

Attachment:- assign_template_information.zip