Early childhood – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Supporting Teaching and Learning in Home-Based Early Childhood Education

E tipu e rea mo ngā rā o tō ao. Grow up, o tender shoot, and thrive in the days destined for you. Introduction Children’s early years set the stage for their future development, in education and beyond (Poulton, Gluckman, Potter, McNaughton, & Lambie, 2018). In New Zealand, and internationally, many young children spend time in the education and care of other adults (Education Counts, 2019; National Survey of Early Care and Education Project Team, 2016). Given this, early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a potentially important influence for the development of children (Education Counts, 2019; McCoy et al., 2017) and the wellbeing of society (Heckman, 2011; National Academies of

Literacy and narrative in the early years: Zooming in and zooming out

Introduction This project is about exploring and strengthening young children’s story-telling expertise. Building on research that shows that children’s narrative competence is linked to later literacy learning at school, we wanted to understand more fully how conditions for literacy learning are, and could be, supported within early years education settings. Using a design-based intervention methodology and a multi-layered analytical approach we observed and analysed story-telling episodes within early childhood settings and classrooms to understand, within these episodes, the contributions of contexts and story-partners for children’s early development of narrative competence. Our aim was to contribute to the international literature and develop storying strategies with and for teachers. Literacy and narrative We

Our place: Being curious at Te Papa

Introduction This Teaching and learning research initiative (TLRI) project was sited in a kindergarten, Tai Tamariki, at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington. This kindergarten is a full day-centre for children aged 0–5 years. On average, 70 percent of the families include staff at Te Papa. The research focused on the relationship between the teachers, children and families at the kindergarten and selected exhibitions at Te Papa. It was extended to include these relationships with exhibitions at nearby art galleries. Key findings The project’s goals and intentions were to construct an understanding of how the children at this kindergarten made meaning of what they encountered and experienced at

Active adult participation in early childhood education: Enhancing child learning and community wellness

Introduction In our qualitative research project (2010–2012), the team investigated how “ordinary” early childhood centres enacted “extraordinary” pedagogy by including families, wider whānau and communities in the “everyday” of early childhood programmes; that is, within this project, we explored both theoretical constructs and teaching and organisational strategies to increase parent participation and positive learning outcomes for children and community wellness. Our primary research question was: How does active adult participation in early childhood education enhance positive outcomes for children and their whānau? Our research included all four teaching teams, parent facilitators, and the management of the four early childhood centres, the 303 Parenting Resource Centre (hereafter referred to as 303), and

What’s special about teaching and learning in the first years? Investigating the “what, hows and whys” of relational pedagogy with infants and toddlers

Introductory statement What is special about teaching infants and toddlers? How can the “what, hows and whys” of infant toddler pedagogy[1] be articulated and enhanced to support learning? These questions were at the heart of a two-year study in which researchers teamed up with teachers in five infant and toddler centres in Auckland and Wellington to gather practice-based evidence about pedagogy as the art and science of teaching and learning in this under-researched area of early childhood education and care. Key findings The study found that theorising about children’s learning through discussions of video data enabled the teachers to “really look” at their teaching and open up taken-for-granted meanings about the

Moments of wonder, everyday events: Children’s working theories in action

This two-year research project explored children’s working theories in action. We looked at the ways young children expressed their working theories and how these were understood and fostered in Playcentre[1] environments. The findings show ways that children express and develop working theories, how practitioners understand these, and how best to respond to this learning. Key findings Working theories are rich sites for deep and complex learning. Fostering working theories presents a number of dilemmas for adults working with young children. There are particular ways adults can “be”, and interact with children, that can nurture children’s working theories. Major implications Adults working with young children need to be attuned to the variety

Titiro Whakamuri, Hoki Whakamua. We are the future, the present and the past: Caring for self, others and the environment in early years’ teaching and learning

1. Aims, objectives and research questions Drawing from both kaupapa Māori and Western perspectives, this study has focused on global issues of ecological sustainability in a variety of local/national early childhood education contexts. It has aimed to contribute to an emerging body of research which illuminates, documents and integrates possibilities for early childhood education pedagogies that reflect and enact an ethic of care, both from kaupapa Māori (Ka’ai, Moorfield, Reilly, & Mosley, 2004; Mead, 2003; Ritchie, 1992) and Western theoretical perspectives (Braidotti, 2002; Dahlberg & Moss, 2005; Foucault, 1997; Gilligan, 1982; Goldstein, 1998; Noddings, 1994, 1995). We considered this emphasis on ecological sustainability as a teaching and learning issue (Gruenewald, 2003),

Strengthening Responsive and Reciprocal Relationships in a Whānau Tangata Centre: an Action Research Project

1. Research questions and aims Background to the project This project came about after discussions with the general manager of the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association and Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips (University of Waikato) about setting up a research partnership to support the teachers at Taitoko Kindergarten in Levin. The teachers were establishing an integrated community centre (the whānau tangata centre) as part of a parent support and development initiative funded by the Ministry of Education in conjunction with the Ministry of Social Development. This initiative in Levin includes a drop-in centre for parents, parent workshops on topics of the parents’ choice, a well-resourced whānau room, facilities for infants and toddlers, school liaison

Homebased early childhood education (family day care) – The Visiting Teacher’s role in improving Educators’ practices

Abstract This project investigated the role of Visiting Teachers (formerly called coordinators) in improving the quality of Educators’ practices, and children’s learning outcomes, in the homebased settings supervised by the Dunedin Community Childcare Association (DCCA). The Visiting Teachers in the project engaged in two action research cycles, one per year, examining how the different activities, tasks, professional development workshops and Visiting Teacher-Educator interactions enhanced educational and care practices in the homebased settings. We focused on support services within the homebased early childhood education and care setting (the Visiting Teacher as well as professional development provided by the DCCA) as international research has shown this role of Visiting Teacher is both a

Whakawhanaungatanga: Partnerships in bicultural development in early childhood care and education

1. Aims, objectives, and research questions Introduction This project aimed to build on the theoretical and methodological foundations established in a doctoral research project recently completed by Jenny Ritchie (2002). The intention was to utilise collaborative partnerships between teacher educators, professional development providers, and early childhood educators, in order to identify effective strategies for building and strengthening relationships between early childhood educators and whänau/hapū/iwi Māori within early childhood care and education settings. The research was premised on findings of Ritchie (2002): that strengthening provision of the bicultural aspirations of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996b), within mainstream early childhood education and care settings is a central professional

Enhancing mathematics teaching and learning in early childhood settings

1. Aims, objectives, and research questions Aim The overall aim of the project was to engage early childhood teachers in investigating and improving their expertise in the teaching and learning of mathematics. The intention of the project was to develop a research environment through which researchers and kindergarten teachers worked collaboratively, using action research methodology, to explore means by which mathematical outcomes for children could be maximised. The research arose from the premise that within the field of mathematics education, while much has been written about mathematical experiences of both learners and teachers in the compulsory (school) sectors of education, very little is documented on mathematical learning and teaching in the

Under 3 year-olds in kindergarten: children’s experiences and teachers’ practices

1. Introduction Background Historically, kindergartens have provided early childhood environments for over three year-olds. Recent demographic changes have seen a fall in enrolments and in the numbers of children on waiting lists. The pressure to keep kindergartens on full rolls so that they can benefit from higher funding has meant that many kindergartens have enrolled a significant number of under-three year-olds in their centres. This has proven to be a challenge for teachers in terms of their teaching practices, programming and curriculum goals. Factors in the teaching environment, such as a physical environment structured primarily for the older-age child, and the large group setting of 30 to 45 children per session