Leadership in young Filipino children: An exploratory sequential mixed methods study

Background and aim of study

This study explores the early childhood education teachers’ recognition of leadership characteristics among Filipino kindergarten pupils. Framed by the theory on progressive education by Dewey, this study is designed to fill the gap in the literature on child leadership qualities and behavior.

Research methods

An exploratory sequential mixed method research design was selected in order to broadly explore and analyze the kindergarten teachers’ perception of child leadership. This utilized descriptive research design using both qualitative and quantitative data. Focus group discussion was first conducted with 10 private school teachers for the qualitative part of the study. 25 items of the leadership in young children survey were prepared according to the results obtained from the discussion. The survey was assessed using a Likert-type response format. 95 child development center teachers, selected through purposive sampling technique, participated in the quantitative part.

Results

Findings revealed that the leadership descriptors that emerged based on the focus group discussion are: sought out by peers, responsible; empathetic; communicator; and collaborative. These descriptors were the basis for the development of a child leadership model, the Filipino child leadership framework.

Conclusion

The growth of positive social-leadership traits in young children could be encouraged through the enhancement of the teaching skills of Filipino preschool teachers, and therefore, the delivery of quality education in the kindergarten level.

Keywords

exploratory sequential mixed methods, kindergarten teachers, leadership, young Filipino children, education, survey

Copyright

© 2021 Laygo-Saguil J.

DOI and UDC

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26697/ijes.2021.3.2 JEL: I20, I21 UDC: 37.04-053:37.013.21(599)