Shadowing teachers as pedagogical leaders in early childhood education settings in Finland

Research on early childhood education (ECE) leadership indicates that teachers play an active role in leading pedagogy in their staff teams, and teachers work to mediate pedagogical leadership within the whole centre. This article presents findings from a study which investigated pedagogical leadership practices in ECE settings. Qualitative shadowing was used to investigate the enactment of pedagogical leadership by six ECE teachers in selected ECE settings. The analysis of findings suggested that pedagogical leadership consisted of responsibilities that were embedded in the teachers’ daily work with their team members and the child groups. Pedagogical leadership occurred in different forms and situations as well as the approach and style of leading. The study indicated how the enactment of pedagogical leadership was layered and influenced by the social and operational environment of ECE