Teacher Leaders as First-Line Leaders in Early Childhood Education – Pedagogical Leadership Actions for Best Practice

In Norway, Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers can hold the position as pedagogical leaders on the first-line level with formal responsibility to lead their co-workers in the rooms to secure high-quality pedagogical practice for all children in the ECE settings. In this article, we investigate pedagogical leadership from a leadership as social practice perspective, to examine teacher leadership leading their staff groups inside the classrooms in ECE in Norway. By conducting a quantitative questionnaire (N = 575) and six qualitative focus group interviews, we show the amounts of teacher leaders’ various pedagogical leadership actions against their co-workers and further explore teacher leadership from the first-line leaders’ point of view. From the data and results, we conclude that pedagogical leadership inside the classroom is present and engaging, which facilitates good relations in the staff groups. However, the results also show a need to further strengthen independent leadership actions in which the leader more clearly gives professional direction to staff pedagogical work. The article concludes by stressing the need for further strengthening the contextual factors and the capacity for teacher leaders as first-line leaders in ECE.