Personal Experience Of An Early Childhood Setting

First and foremost, the Anzac Spirit is about the remembrance of the sacrifices made by men and women who have and are still serving in the military.

Significantly, the ANZAC legend is the result of a devastating loss, rather than a great victory. The soldiers are remembered for maintaining courage and determination under hopeless conditions. The ANZAC legend owes much to wartime correspondents who used the

Throughout this assignment a discussion will take place into the theories of leadership, whilst examining the role of managers within the context of the early years. A series of management competences will be evaluated, whilst investigating the notions of leadership and collaboration.

World War One is regarded as a major turning point in history and modern warfare which has impacted Australia monumentally, scarring the nation’s history. Australia played a significant role in World War One and the Gallipoli campaign, which is considered the birthplace of the ANZAC legend. These events have immensely shaped Australia as the nation we know of today. World War One began in 1914 from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and ended in 1918 on November the 11th which is now recognised as a day of mourning and a time given recognition to the lives taken on the battlefield. To a prominent extent, the ANZAC legend is significant to the concept of Australian identity and nationalism through the origins of the ANZAC legend, the key events that have helped form Australia as an independent nation, and in addition to how ANZAC day is commemorated today.

‘A massive increase in the popularity and national significance of ANZAC Day’ (Source 1), grew throughout the twenty-first century. Since the landing of Gallipoli, it has been celebrated and as it continued, it quickly adapted to the cultural change of the media and technology which further improved the growth of its popularity. This day joins all Australians as one, in celebration to show their respect, compassion and pride for those people who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Damian Morgan conveyed the change in society, but also the well-kept, treasured ANZAC Spirit.

Literature states that leadership is displayed as a persistent and positive activity (Fitzgerald and Gunter, 2008 cited in Siraj-Blachford and Hallet, 2014, pg.9). According to Rodd (2006), early childhood practitioners need to be effective leaders to make sure their roles and responsibilities are carried out effectively. Although leadership can be learned or developed, it is important that all individual gains access to professional training and opportunities to practice, refined and broadened (Rodd, 2006). Therefore, the importance of leadership and implementation to the setting is recognized by all Early Years Leaders. Leadership can be displayed as a process in which one person, usually it is the leaders role and responsibility to set the purpose or direction for one or more other persons. Then later on gets them to move along together with him or her and with each other in that direction with competence and fill commitment. (Jacques and Clement, 1994, cited in Briggs and Briggs, 2009). Siraj-Blatchford and Hallet (2014) adds that leadership is also known as a process for personal and professional learning and development; organizational change and improvement. Rodd (2013) defines leaders working in early childhood sector as people who are able to influence the behaviours of others to achieve a certain goal or planned outcome. Similarly, leadership in the early childhood sector appears to be more of a result to groups of people who work together to influence and inspire

Last year, on the 25th of April was the centenary of the Gallipoli landing. Which, according to the Australian Defence force website, was to be for Australians, “one of the most significant commemorations to take place during their lifetime.” With the centenary looming in the backs of the minds of the Australian people, it is unsurprising that great pains have been taken to construct a three year long celebration that would “encompass a number of historical milestones on Australia 's involvement in conflicts”, such as both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam.

Let us acknowledge that we shall forever be in the debt of the ANZACs who unhesitatingly stepped forward to face the enemy, risking life and limb so that we could enjoy a life of freedom, our heads held high.

The Anzac legend is still relevant in today’s society as it reminds Australians and New Zealands of the sacrifice they made to protect our country and let us live in freedom. The legend defines our national identity and helps shape our national reputation so that other countries can look at us as and think of us as a country who are determined, brave, resilient and helps our mates when they are in trouble. Almost a whole generation of young men was lost and they deserved to be remembered. The soldiers continued to fight during challenging times and when they felt as though it was too hard and should give up. They slept in wet and dirty clothes and barely had enough food to survive. Australia wouldn’t be Australia without the legend of the soldiers who sacrificed themselves for us.

Australians are known for their bravery and mateship. Defending our country at war is a significant part of the Australian identity. Donald Bruce Dawe who was a soldier during the Vietnam War has written about the horrors that these soldiers faced in his poem “Homecoming”. Jeff Cook’s “Grandpa what did you do in the war?” also highlights the struggles associated with being involved in war. This piece was written for the soldiers who returned home and the ones that lost their lives fighting for Australia.

By the time the war was over in November 1918, more than 9 million soldiers had been killed. Those who survived Gallipoli would never again mistake war for adventure. Within 24 hours the plan had failed, leaving approximately 747 Australians dead on the first day. Gallipoli has become so important to Australia’s national identity because it was the first time Australian’s fought overseas. World War 1 has shaped the way Australia’s now lives as we grow to know, and respect the Anzac legend as we understand what the soldiers did for our nation. The ANZAC legend will always live on as the stories are passed through family, to family. Anzac Day is celebrated to ensured the campaign will never be forgotten.

On the 25th of April 1915, Australia took its first major step as a nation by sending soldiers off to fight in Gallipoli; these soldiers charged and fought their way through countless challenges, forging themselves a legend, but more importantly – forging Australia an identity. As time sparks controversy and scepticism, many begin to doubt the validity of the ANZAC legend. This opinion however, is unmistakably inaccurate as many diverse and credible sources document the ANZACS battle against their trials and tribulations as being heroic. The ANZACs endurance, mateship and courage are undoubtedly an accurate depiction of the ANZAC legend.

‘We’re all Australians now’ draws the reader to see the war from a positive Australia home front perspective. Texts from

Remembrance Day. A time of reflection on those who sacrificed themselves for our country, Australia. In considering the value of Remembrance Day, we need also to consider the value of one of the most prominent Remembrance Day speeches, Paul Keating’s `Funeral Service of the Unknown Soldier' in 1993, at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

“Understanding leadership in early childhood has been plagued by its confusion with the concept of management” (Rodd, 2013, p. 19). The quotation highlights the overlapping of different roles of leadership and management. It is true in respect that people misunderstand the true nature, roles and responsibilities of both the roles because the educational leaders play the role of manager in early childhood setting and the managers perform the duties of educational leader. The following essay will discuss the role of the leaders, which is different from the managers in early childhood settings. There will be discussion on the different skills and dispositions required to perform the role of a leader and a manager. There are different models and theories, which influence the way of working of the leaders and managers. First, the essay will explain the Collin’s level five leadership model; and Katz’s four development stages model followed by the Formal, Collegial and Cultural models of educational management in early childhood setting. Finally, the essay will compare and contrast the current theories of leadership; the charismatic theory, the transactional theory and the transformational theory of leadership. The different theories’ implication to the early educational settings will also be discussed through the essay.