Mixed-Methods Study of Teachers’ Perceptions and Experiences of Team Leadership in Finnish Early Childhood Education

Recent years have seen a surge in leadership research within the realm of early childhood education (ECE), with a particular focus on the leadership roles assumed by teachers. While perspectives on teacher leadership have garnered attention, the concept of team leadership among teachers is relatively nascent in the ECE field. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to address the following research inquiries: (1) What components make up teachers’ experiences of team leadership? (2) To what extent do experiences of team leadership components differ between teams with one and two teachers? (3) How do teachers explain their experiences and perceptions related to team leadership components? A team leadership questionnaire tailored for ECE and comprising 60 items and three open-ended sections was employed to collect data. The study sample included 1129 teachers. The results identified nine components differentiating team leadership. Significant correlations were not observed among these components in terms of whether teams included one or two teachers. Perceptions and experiences of team leadership were categorized into the importance of teamwork, teacher support in team activities, and continuous development of teamwork. These findings facilitated the development of a team leadership process model aimed at enhancing teachers’ team leadership skills.