Collaborative leadership & teamwork – the new EYLF principles

Hello educators!

Please welcome the new principle from the EYLF 2.0 – which is based of distributed leadership model and support collaboration and teamwork.

Simply put, leadership is not just something that directors or managers do, any educator can share aspects of leadership and stand up for a challenge. It is very democratic and empowering.

Here is what the EYLF (DET, 2019) states about it (p. 19)

All educators exercise aspects of leadership in their daily work with children, families and colleagues. Educators lead their own ethical practice as they take professional and personal responsibility for their actions and the decisions they make. Collaborative leadership and teamwork are built on a sense of shared responsibility and professional accountability for children’s learning, development and wellbeing. It is a view of leadership that empowers all members of the team to use their professional knowledge and skills in ways that assist everyone to do the best they can for children, families and colleagues in their setting. Collaborative leadership and teamwork are aspects of a positive work culture where a motivation to enact a professional philosophy of cooperation and collaboration enables positive relationships to grow. Children and families are attuned to the work culture of an early childhood setting, which influences their relationships, interactions and experiences within that setting.

Collaborative leadership and teamwork are built on professional and respectful conversations about practice. Educators engage with different ways of thinking and working to critically reflect on their practice both individually and as a team, and contribute to curriculum decisions and quality improvement plans. Children’s learning, development and wellbeing is optimised when educators communicate and share ideas and views about improving practice.

Collaborative leadership and teamwork support a culture of peer mentoring and shared learning where all team members contribute to each other’s professional learning and growth for high quality programs for children in early childhood settings.

I created a quick to check your understanding of this principle and help you learn

Question 1: According to the EYLF 2.0, how do educators exercise leadership in their daily work?

a) By setting strict rules for children’s behaviour

b) By focusing solely on personal growth

c) By taking professional and personal responsibility for their actions and decisions

d) By following a predetermined curriculum

Question 2: What is collaborative leadership and teamwork built upon, according to the EYLF 2.0?

a) A competitive work culture

b) A sense of shared responsibility and professional accountability

c) A hierarchy where only certain individuals have a say

d) A focus on personal interests

Question 3: How does collaborative leadership empower team members in an early childhood setting?

a) By limiting their professional knowledge and skills

b) By encouraging them to work in isolation

c) By enabling them to use their professional knowledge and skills to benefit children, families, and colleagues

d) By discouraging any form of collaboration

Question 4: What impact does the work culture of an early childhood setting have on children and families, according to the EYLF 2.0?

a) It has no impact on children and families.

b) It influences their relationships, interactions, and experiences within the setting.

c) It only affects educators.

d) It doesn’t influence interactions.

Question 5: How do educators engage in collaborative leadership and teamwork according to the EYLF 2.0?

a) By avoiding conversations about practice

b) By working in isolation

c) By engaging in professional and respectful conversations about practice

d) By imposing their ideas without discussion

Question 6: Why is collaborative leadership and teamwork important for optimizing children’s learning, development, and wellbeing?

a) Because it limits professional growth

b) Because it encourages isolation

c) Because it allows educators to communicate and share ideas to improve practice

d) Because it leads to a competitive environment

Question 7: How does collaborative leadership and teamwork contribute to professional growth within an early childhood setting?

a) By discouraging any form of professional development

b) By limiting input from team members

c) By supporting a culture of peer mentoring and shared learning

d) By isolating educators from each other

Question 8: According to the EYLF 2.0, what is the ultimate goal of collaborative leadership and teamwork in early childhood settings?

a) To create a competitive environment

b) To limit communication between educators

c) To enhance the quality of programs for children

d) To focus solely on individual achievements

Question 9: What do educators critically reflect on when engaging in collaborative leadership and teamwork?

a) Only their personal actions

b) Only the actions of their colleagues

c) Both their own practice and the practice of their team, contributing to curriculum decisions and quality improvement plans

d) Only the curriculum guidelines

Question 10: In summary, what is the key message of the Principle of Collaborative Leadership and Teamwork in the EYLF 2.0?

a) Educators should work in isolation to achieve personal goals.

b) Educators should focus solely on their own professional growth.

c) Collaborative leadership and teamwork are essential for enhancing children’s learning, development, and wellbeing in early childhood settings.

d) Collaboration is not necessary in early childhood education.

Answers:👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

1. c) By taking professional and personal responsibility for their actions and decisions
2. b) A sense of shared responsibility and professional accountability
3. c) By enabling them to use their professional knowledge and skills to benefit children, families, and colleagues
4. b) It influences their relationships, interactions, and experiences within the setting.
5. c) By engaging in professional and respectful conversations about practice
6. c) Because it allows educators to communicate and share ideas to improve practice
7. c) By supporting a culture of peer mentoring and shared learning
8. c) To enhance the quality of programs for children
9. c) Both their own practice and the practice of their team, contributing to curriculum decisions and quality improvement plans
10. c) Collaborative leadership and teamwork are essential for enhancing children’s learning, development, and wellbeing in early childhood settings.