Comprehensive Considerations: Critical Factors of Influencing Teacher Leadership Practice in Early Childhood Education in China

Over the past years, research on the connection of teacher leadership and quality education has become proliferated. Current research, however, indicates that teacher leadership has gained popularity predominantly in... [ view full abstract ]

Over the past years, research on the connection of teacher leadership and quality education has become proliferated. Current research, however, indicates that teacher leadership has gained popularity predominantly in educational reform in Western countries. Given leadership is considered as a key element of the quality early childhood provision, this paper takes into account teacher leadership in China as an illustrative case for discussion. By reviewing the related overseas outcomes in terms of factors that influence teacher leadership practice, it was found that organizational culture, individual, and conditional factors were substantially examined by Western countries, while such critical factors as high expectations on educational attainment of parents, low kindergarten teacher well-being, and high teacher-child ratio were here and now recognized as Chinese characters. In summary, future research including qualitative and quantitative study should be conducted in terms of examining whether all these factors would make influence on the teacher leadership practice in early childhood education in China.