Who is Missing at the Table?

Effective leadership is widely regarded as pivotal to the vitality of organizations. In early childhood programs, strong leadership is particularly critical because directors and service providers are the gatekeepers of quality. This session will present fundamental concepts of leadership in early childhood/early childhood special education (EC/ECSE) and reviews leadership models that are recommended for EC/ECSE settings. This presentation will reflect on DEC recommended practices in leadership and the DEC implementation checklist in leadership developed by ECTA center as a set of guiding tools in the field. The session will also put a specific emphasis on leadership development and sustainability in EI and ECSE by providing a short overview of research trends in EI and ECSE.
 
Participant Outcomes:  
At the end of this presentation, participants will:
Become familiar with the concept of leadership in general and leadership in EC and ECSE settings in particular.
Learn about research-based recommended models and frameworks for leadership specific to EC and ECSE settings.
Reflect on DEC recommended practices in leadership, and connect the practices with their own performance and programs.
Learn about current research trends in leadership in EI and ECSE.
Brainstorm with their colleagues about leadership development and sustainability in early childhood special education.
 
Presenters: Sara Movahedazarhouligh, MSc

Sara Movahedazarhouligh, MSc, is a Doctoral Candidate in Special Education with a specialization in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado.  She is also working as a graduate research assistant for Bresnahan-Halstead Center (BHC) in School of Special Education at UNCO. BHC funds different projects addressing research, professional development and technical assistance in different areas related to special education . Her research interests include: leadership development and sustainability in EI/ECSE, family-centered practices and service delivery approaches, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based practices and interventions, play development and naturalistic instruction for children with disabilities, cultural diversity and culturally responsive practices, and policy and advocacy in early childhood and early childhood special education.