Preschool teachers’ reflections of their leadership – personal, professional and positional perspectives

The purpose of this study is to investigate preschool teachers' insights into their leadership role, drawing on individual and collective reflections generated during dialogue seminars. Given the complexity of the preschool teacher's leadership, which is shaped by interactions with others and varies across contexts, the study emphasises the personal, professional and positional perspectives of leadership (Saarukka, 2015, 2017; Sergiovanni, 2001). Dialogue seminars (Hammarén, 1999) were used to elicit preschool teachers’ reflections on leadership, and research interviews (Kvale & Brinkman, 2014) were conducted to further explore these insights. The findings show that the participating preschool teachers developed greater self-awareness and a deeper understanding of their leadership identities. They also came to view their leadership in relation to children, guardians and colleagues, highlighting the personal, professional and positional perspectives of the complex leadership role in preschool education. Finally, participation in the dialogue seminars left teachers feeling confirmed and validated in their leadership role. This is particularly relevant in the Swedish context, where preschool teachers are facing increasing responsibilities and therefore require a renewed understanding of what what leadership entails. The main implication of the study is a need for structured opportunities within preschool teacher education and professional development for teachers to reflect on and articulate their leadership identity. Such initiatives can strengthen their ability to meet the increased pedagogical responsibilities mandated by policy documents.