Distributed Leadership in ECE: Perceptions and Practices

Leadership within the New Zealand early childhood education (ECE) sector is both positionally assigned and a practice required of all teachers. Within this context, distributed leadership, where all team members have the potential to lead through intentional practice, is increasingly seen as an effective leadership model. This article focuses on the perceptions and practices of teachers and leaders regarding distributed leadership. ECE teachers and positional leaders' perceptions of distributed leadership and leadership practice were gathered through surveys, and explored through individual and group interviews in three previously identified high-quality ECE services. Data analysis revealed some differences in the perceptions of teachers and leaders surveyed, whereas in the interviews, the teachers and leaders had similar perceptions. Differences in perceptions about leadership create the potential for positional leaders to be unaware of areas requiring improvement either in their leadership practice or in the service as a whole. Effective leaders supported distributed leadership through building relational trust, mentoring and coaching teachers, and providing opportunities for teachers to enact leadership. The findings of this study may provide guidance for positional leaders wishing to support distributed leadership practice.