Policy rhetorics and responsibilization in the formation of early childhood Educational Leaders in Australia

ABSTRACT

This paper reports a rhetorical analysis of policy texts illustrating the emergence of the mandatory Educational Leader role in early childhood services in Australia. We argue that policy texts before 2012 constructed a ‘problem’ of workforce quality in early childhood education and offered a new leadership configuration as a policy solution. We identify and critically address how this social architecture was constructed and made persuasive through key rhetorical devices, particularly the combined pathos of the vulnerable child and a logos of quality improvement. Initial analysis indicated an apparent contradiction between the economic rationalism of earlier (policy advice) texts and an emphasis on professional dispositions in the later (policy implementation) texts, when describing the Educational Leader. We argue, however, that these policy implementation documents reinforce, rather than contradict, a neoliberal economistic logos, because they attempt to form Educational Leaders as autonomous moral agents of neoliberal responsibilization. We conclude by considering some potential implications of our analysis for the early childhood field.

KEYWORDS:

• Early childhood education policy
• educational leadership
• rhetorical analysis
• responsibilization
• policy implementation

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The Commission’s website states:

The Productivity Commission is an advisory body. It does not administer government programs or exercise executive power. It contributes by providing quality, independent advice and information to governments, and on the communication of ideas and analysis. The Commission is an agency of the Australian Government, located within the Treasury portfolio. However, its activities cover all levels of government and encompass all sectors of the economy, as well as social and environmental issues. The core function of the Commission is to conduct public inquiries at the request of the Australian Government on key policy or regulatory issues bearing on Australia’s economic performance and community wellbeing. (https://www.pc.gov.au/about/contribute, 1–3, accessed 9 January 2019).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council [DP180100281].

Notes on contributors

Joce Nuttall

Joce Nuttall is a Professor at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University. Her research describes, implements and theorises effective interventions in professional learning in schools and early childhood settings, particularly in childcare. Most recently this work has focused on capacity building among educational leaders in early childhood and junior school settings, using system-wide analyses and actions.

Linda Henderson

Linda Henderson is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Her research is focused on Early Years teachers and their work and learning. Employing feminist poststructuralist methodologies, she is particularly interested in exploring intersections between institutional cultures, the impact of reform measures and policy implementation, and the effects these have on the everyday work of teachers.

Elizabeth Wood

Elizabeth Wood is Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield. Her  research focuses on early childhood and primary education, with specific interests in play and pedagogy, curriculum and assessment in ECE, teachers’ professionalism and professional knowledge, and policy analysis and critique. Professor Wood also examines  the relationships between children’s interests, play, and pedagogy in multi-diverse early childhood settings.

Tom Are Trippestad

Tom Are Trippestad is Professor of Pedagogy at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Norway and former Director of  the Centre for Education Research at Bergen University College. He researches education reforms, the rhetoric of reforms, and teacher professionalism.