McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Melissa Casteel | May 2, 2016

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

“A pedagogical leader keeps the organization focused on the teaching and learning process among the children, staff, and families.”


– Margie Carter


Recent Whole Leadership blog posts by Jill Bella and Mike Abel got my wheels spinning reflecting on the concept of pedagogical leadership. As a proud #ResearchNerd, I began a search –for resources related to pedagogical leadership and early childhood.


In the McCormick Center archives, I landed on an article by Margie Carter, “Improving Your Program with Pedagogical Leadership”. Carter speaks to the complexity of the field and the importance of leaders being competent in many areas, “To achieve sustainable quality, programs need sophisticated business practices but also a leader with people skills, pedagogical understandings, and the wherewithal to develop an organizational culture that reflects their values on how to achieve quality.” My response was, “Oh, is that all!” Actually, my anxiety level was raised just a tad, and I kept searching.


In Pedagogical Leadership, Coughlin and Baird present the following four principles to help pedagogical leaders “build an intentional culture where reflection and inquiry form the foundation for transforming practice”:


  1. Use a Protocol to Support Reflective Thinking and Inquiry: Protocols support a disciplined approach to reflection and inquiry
  2. Set Up Professional Learning Communities: A strategy to shift the focus from teaching to learning
  3. Allow Time: Sustainable change requires time to reflect and collaborate
  4. Paralleling Practice: Leaders creating the same types of learning experiences we want for children


“…Pedagogical leaders challenge others to see themselves as researchers in the teaching and learning process. In turn,
this practice builds a culture of reflective teaching that helps us to sort through the complexities of our work.”


– Anne Marie Coughlin and Lorrie Baird


Building a culture of reflective practice comes to mind first when thinking about how leaders can support the process of teaching and learning. Creating space (physical, psychological…) for teachers and leaders to come together and learn while grappling with the challenges associated with our work can be a catalyst for growth. In the words of Margaret J. Wheatley, “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”


Although the term “pedagogical leadership” may or may not be used, here are few more resources that address this comprehensive topic.


  1. Birth-3rd and Leadership: Steve Tozer’s message to the birth-3rd community: This Preschool Matters…Today! blog post speaks to the important role good leadership plays in improving teaching and learning.
  2. Early childhood education resources: A collection of recent research/resources compiled by the Center for the Study of Education Policy.
  3. Inspiring Peak Performance: This book presents five strategies that together will help transform your program into a professional learning community.
  4. Lead Learn Excel Library: A comprehensive digital library, created for instructional leaders of early education schools and centers who aspire for instructional excellence and kindergarten readiness for all children.
  5. Leading Pre-K-3 Learning Communities:Competencies for Effective Principal Practice Executive Summary. A guide from the National Association of Elementary School Principals to support the essential role of principals in creating quality learning systems.
  6. Pedagogical Leadership from a Distributed Perspective within the Context of Early Childhood Education.This article takes a deep dive into the meaning and significance of pedagogical leadership.
  7. Reflecting in Communities of Practice: A Workbook For Early Childhood Educators. Includes activities to help understand and practice the key elements of reflective teaching.
  8. The Visionary Director. Provides a concrete framework for achieving a vision of excellence for early childhood programs and includes resources to help teachers become reflective practitioners.


“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly
to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.”


– Jim Rohn


Very unexpectedly, Twitter has become a source for my own professional development. If you are a fellow #tweep, here is a link to some of my favorite leadership follows.

Melissa Casteel is Quality Supports Manager for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. Melissa provides training and technical assistance on the Program Administration Scale (PAS), the Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS), and the Director’s Toolbox Management Series.

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Building Community Partnerships for Lasting Impact

By Cara Murdoch and Sherry Rocha • December 12, 2025
By Cara Murdoch and Sherry Rocha Community collaborations can strengthen your early childhood program, expand services for families, and increase your visibility and credibility as a trusted resource in the community. But effective partnerships don’t begin with a phone call—they start with a plan. Start with internal planning Before reaching out to community members or organizations, gather insights from your internal team. Hold a brief planning meeting to discuss goals, identify needs, and build a shared vision for collaboration. Consider including: Members of your board of directors or advisory board Program staff members Interested family members and parents of enrolled children. REVISIT your mission and goals A clear, shared understanding of your program’s purpose will guide effective partnerships. Before reaching out to community members or organizations, gather insights from your internal team. Hold a brief planning meeting to discuss goals, identify needs, and build a shared vision for collaboration. Consider including: What is your mission? What strengths and expertise do we bring to the community? What challenges do our enrolled families face? What support or resources would be most helpful? What can we offer potential partners in return? Clarity about these questions will ensure that your outreach to community members and organizations is focused and meaningful. Learn about local resources Begin exploring the services and organizations that exist in your community. These may become valuable referral partners or direct collaborators. Examples include: Early intervention services Family support agencies Mental health providers Multilingual tax-preparation volunteers Knowing these resources helps you connect families with the help they need. share your space and services Your early childhood center may be a valuable asset for other groups. Consider offering your space to other programs or groups to strengthen your role as a community hub. Possibilities include: Scouting America or Girl Scout meetings Parenting workshops or support groups Health screenings or nutrition programs Community committee meetings participate in community events Raising visibility in your community opens doors to partnership. Become involved in: Neighborhood clean-up days Local fairs or festivals Library literacy events Cultural celebrations School district events These types of interactions naturally build trust and relationships. build and expand your network Partnerships often begin with small conversations or shared goals. Stay curious and connected—the more people you meet, the more opportunities arise. Potential collaborators include: Museums Public libraries Human services departments Colleges and universities Local schools Cooperative Extension services Hospitals and clinics Banks and financial advisors Mental health agencies Early intervention programs Remember: partnerships are mutually beneficial Successful collaborations are built on: Clear communication Shared goals Appreciation for each other’s strengths A commitment to supporting families and the community Whether the support you receive is financial, advisory, or educational, strong partnerships help everyone thrive. A final thought Community partnerships don’t happen overnight. With the proper planning, your early childhood program can become a powerful and connected resource in your neighborhood. Start small, stay open to ideas, and let relationships grow.
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