Practical Approaches to Collaborative Leadership in Family Day Care Quality Area 7. Leadership and Service Management

Transcription

1 Practical Approaches to Collaborative Leadership in Family Day Care Quality Area 7. Leadership and Service Management Michelle Thompson Team Leader Mildura Rural City Council Family Day Care The Inclusion and Professional Support Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

2 Mildura Family Day Care Local Government Mildura Rural City Council Far North West Victoria 36 Educators 277 Families 397 Children 7 Staff Cross border into NSW Exceeding NQS 35 th Birthday in

3 From Humble Beginnings Overwhelmed staff and educators General stagnation Lacking in motivation Poor attendance at meetings/training From then until now we have made significant changes, but they have occurred over a period of time

4 Vision To provide a responsive, inclusive and respectful home-based service, that supports children s sense of belonging, being and becoming in early childhood and provides a community model for quality Purpose To provide a unique, quality Family Day Care Education and Care Service with the best possible outcomes for children in Mildura Rural City Council and Wentworth Shire areas

5 Philosophy and Values Gives shared understanding of the role of the service to children, families and the community (National Quality Standard 7.2.1)

6 Know your staff and educators What do you take for granted about the people you work with? We think about the world in the ways we experience it (Robinson, 2009 p.48). By challenging your assumptions you will question your approach. Be aware of peoples strengths At times we let logic get in the way of critical reasoning. Don t be afraid to think outside the box.

7 What is Collaboration? Collaboration in learning is easy to consider on the surface, but tough to do well in practice...yet in modern work places, success most often depends upon the ability of everyone to work together to integrate complex parts and ideas into a coherent product, solution, policy or program. This requires individuals to share responsibility for the ends of their work, to make substantive, negotiated decisions together and to work interdependently" (Fullan & Langworthy, p. 26.)

8 Respectful Responsive Share ideas Share expectations Allow control to get commitment

9 Meetings Regular Expectation of attendance & preparedness Agenda Time on the agenda for individual updates/catch up Share stories Relate them to your vision and values Business Excellence Tools for continuous improvement

10 Meeting Types Educator Educational Leadership Field Officer Quality Improvement Staff Staff One on ones Quality Improvement Group (includes parents and community members)

11 From Training to Learning Circles Everyone learns differently and has different needs Change of role from teacher to facilitator Shift in attitude Reflection

12 What else contributes? Putting ideas into practice take the leap trial & revisit the idea Set field visit groups Schedules Field visit monthly listings Folders of information no set templates Professional development WELL program, Gowrie Victoria, Bastow, Early Childhood Australia, 7 habits of highly effective people Surveys and feedback sheets (families, educators and staff) presenting the results

13 Change Model For further information please read; The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework: Managing change in a complex environment. Retrieved from JEC.pdf

14 Clear Goals and Measurement Key Performance Indicators -What gets measured gets done Vision What gets pictured gets done Action What gets modelled gets done Recognition What gets praised gets done Training What gets trained gets done

15 Find a balance & keep improving Doing too much v s doing too little - finding the balance Educator meetings Reviewing folders

16 It s your life s work. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more you are a leader. John Quincy Adams ( ) It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed. Harvey Firestone ( )

17 We have a responsibility to provide what we must do; and to enable others and external circumstances to play their part as well. Don t let the routine of everyday life get in the way of our vision for children.

18 References Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A Rich Seam. How new pedagogies find deep learning. Retrieved from Robinson, K. (2009). The element : how finding your passion changes everything. Victoria: Penguin Garvis, S., Pendergast, D., Twigg, D. Fluckiger, B., Kanasa, H., Phillips, C., Bishop, M., Lockett, K., Leach, D. (2013, June 13). The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework: Managing Change in a Complex Environment. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. Vol 38. Retrieved from