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Section 1 (Chapter 1,2 & 3) Summary
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,1.1 IntroductionEarly Childhood Centres (ECE) institutions in South Africa vary enormously.
Some are extremely well resourced, while others lack even the most basic needs,
such as water and electricity. Overcrowded classrooms, poverty and lack of
leadership skills when dealing with crisis situations are part of everyday realities.
One of the current challenges in ECE is to enhance education management in
ECE schools in such a way that the manager, rather than dividing all the
participants such as staff members, children, learners and parents, unites them
in order to promote effective teaching and learning in ECE.
National and provincial policies and legislation reveal that governance and
management need to be reconceptualised at all levels of the education system
(Department of Education 1996). This chapter aims to provide a theoretical
foundation for education management, the various management styles, and the
managerial functions of the school principal as a communicator, problem solver
and highly effective person. This chapter also addresses risk and stress
management in ECE. All the information in this chapter applies to all three phases
in ECE, namely Infants and Toddlers, the Pre-Grade R (pre-primary phase) and
the Foundation Phase (grades R to 3). Management in ECE refers to the
management task of the ECE manager/school principal, the head of department
and the classroom teacher/educator, as they all are managers with managerial
responsibilities.
ECE has its own unique characteristics, refined by the management skills of the
succeeding manager/school principals and implemented by staff members.
Imbedded in a philosophy and school ethos is a set of goals to be managed by
planning, organising, leading and controlling all aspects of education, based on
policies and professional behaviour.
Management in general and education management in particular are terms about
which much has been written. This chapter does not claim to be a comprehensive
explanation of educational management. It is rather an introduction to a
theoretical framework so that educators and students can understand the
managerial functions in ECE in order to apply this theoretical framework
throughout this book and develop their knowledge and skills through practice.
,1.2 Management and education management in ECE
Hersey, Blanchard and Johnson (2001: 8–9) define management as the process
of working with and through individuals and groups and other resources (such as
funds and equipment) to fulfil organisational goals. The concept management as
defined in this way is applicable to all types of organisation, such as businesses,
educational institutions and social structures. According to the Department of
Education (2001: 14), ECE can be defined as
a comprehensive approach to policies and programmes for children from birth to nine years
of age with the active participation of their parents and caregivers. Its purpose is to protect
the child’s rights to develop his or her full cognitive, emotional, social and physical potential.
In line with the above-mentioned definitions, education management in ECE can
be seen as a process followed by a manager (an ECE manager, a school
principal, a head of department or a class teacher) to work with and through
individuals, groups and other resources (children, learners, teachers,
administrative staff, parents) according to policies and programmes for children
from birth to nine years of age in order to achieve educational goals or outcomes
together with and by means of people.
To address all the above-mentioned activities, self-management of ECE centres
and schools is extremely important.
1.3 Self-management of ECE centres and schools
The South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 reveals that educational institutions
will come to manage themselves. The possibility of schools being able to make
the necessary changes in order to manage themselves will depend largely on the
nature and quality of their internal management (Department of Education 1996:
28).
A self-managing school is defined by Caldwell and Spinks (1988: 5) as one for
which there has been decentralisation of authority to the school level, allowing
the school to make decisions regarding the allocation of resources. Such a
school, however, remains accountable to a central authority for the manner in
which resources are allocated. According to the task team on Education
Management Education, there is no guarantee that the self-management
approach will have positive outcomes. Transformation towards self-management
depends on the nature and quality of the internal management of every
educational institution (Department of Education 1996: 29). Therefore it is
imperative that ECE directors, school principals and heads of departments gain
knowledge of management styles in the interest of all children and learners in
South Africa.
, To perform the activities as stated in the definition of ECE management, the ECE
school principal has to adopt and develop a definite management style.
1.4 Management styles
For the purposes of this book the terms management styles and leadership
styles are synonymous. The three types of management/leadership styles,
namely autocratic, laissez-faire and democratic, will be discussed.
When a manager/leader determines policies and assigns tasks without consulting
others, this is called an autocratic leadership style or dictatorship. The school
principal uses his or her own power to get things done. An autocratic
management style does not allow any group-inspired decisions and there is little
teamwork. No participative decision making is allowed and healthy relationships
are not a priority. The manager decrees what shall be done and the followers
have no choice but to accept it. This is a poor and dangerous way of
management. Directors/school principals who do not allow room for discussion
and personal expression among staff and who strive for power, become rigid and
kill initiative. The disadvantages of this style are clear: staff and learners are
motivated by fear, staff development is hindered, little job satisfaction prevails
and human relations are poor. The only advantage is that this style helps to
achieve goals when staff motivation does not exist (Squelch & Lemmer 1994: 7;
Prinsloo 2003: 144).
This leadership style is effective when clear instructions and principles are
needed and when the leader is reliable (Cardinal 2015).
The French term laissez-faire literally means to allow people to do as they please.
The manager practising according to this management style is uninvolved and
passive, and reluctant to make decisions or solve problems. Only general
guidelines are provided, and staff members are left to act by themselves. An
education manager who makes use of this style would find that aims and
outcomes are not achieved, and staff members are demotivated. This way of
managing often results in anarchy or chaos. A manager who depends only on a
laissez-faire management style is guilty of mismanagement; the only advantage
of this style is that it provides an opportunity for the personal and professional
development of educators who strive to make their own responsible decisions
(Squelch & Lemmer 1994: 7; Prinsloo 2003: 143).
Laissez-faire leadership, also known as delegative leadership, is a type of
leadership style in which managers are laid-back and permit staff to draw the
conclusions. This management style usually results in very low efficiency in an
organisation (Cherry 2016a).
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