scholarly journals Navigating Power and Subjectivity: Cultural Diversity and Transcultural Curriculum in Early Childhood Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 80-91
Author(s):  
Carolyn Bjartveit ◽  
Cheryl Kinzel
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Transformative Change ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Group Members

Professional learning communities (PLC) can build partnerships among diverse stakeholders that support transformative change and uphold social justice. In this dialogic, reflexive piece, the authors explore how a newly formed PLC in Alberta is engaging individuals in relational practices and discussions about cultural diversity in early childhood education. Through sharing their subjectivities, field experiences, and current research, the group members are defining and exploring ways to coplan transcultural curricula in culturally diverse education settings. By recognizing subjectivities and differences and honouring the needs of all learners, the PLC is raising cultural awareness and mobilizing efforts to build capacity and strengthen professional relationships across Alberta.

scholarly journals Cultural diversity in the Australian early childhood education workforce: What do we know, what don’t we know and why is it important?

2021 ◽  
pp. 183693912110572
Author(s):  
Sene Gide ◽  
Sandie Wong ◽  
Frances Press ◽  
Belinda Davis
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
The Status ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Australian Bureau Of Statistics ◽  
Multicultural Workforce

This paper reviews current literature and research relevant to the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce in Australia, including data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australia is a highly multicultural society, with one out of every three people born overseas. Anecdotally, the Australian early childhood sector is reported to have a highly multicultural workforce. Yet there is a noticeable lack of data and research concerning cultural diversity in the Australian ECE workforce. This paper reports on the data from the ABS-Census of Population and Housing (ABS-Census), the small body of literature on the CALD ECE workforce and literature pertaining to CALD in other Australian workforces to argue that more data and research is needed. Developing a richer understanding of the status, experience and contributions of CALD educators would enable the sector to recognise and support the potential benefits of such a workforce for children and families and social cohesion in Australia.

Early Teacher Training Across European Countries

2018 ◽  
pp. 71-80
Author(s):  
Ma Isabel Amor Almedina ◽  
Rocío Serrano Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
The Social ◽  
Integral Development ◽  
Technological Competences

This chapter presents the evolution of Early Childhood Education in Spain from different educational laws. The progression of these is confirmed as a stage of custody and care until its consideration as an educational stage, which has their owns signs of identity and even a curriculum. Likewise, it is shown that the learning of other languages and the development of technological competences has made Pre-School Education an effective tool for linguistic and cultural diversity. This matter is caused by the social and political changes, which have had a great influence on education. Research and experience confirm that Early Childhood Education is a substantial stage in support of the integral development of children at these ages, in which their benefits are extrapolated and remain over a lifetime.

scholarly journals Distributed leadership for professional learning: Effective leadership practices in early childhood education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rachel Denee
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>In Aotearoa New Zealand, leadership within the early childhood education (ECE) sector is both positionally assigned and a required practice of all teachers. Within this context, distributed leadership – where all team members have the opportunity to lead – is increasingly seen as an effective leadership model (Thornton, 2010). The purported benefits of distributed leadership have significant overlap with professional learning: increased engagement, deeper learning, context-specific learning and improved pedagogical practices among teachers (Poekert, 2012). This study considers the relationship between distributed leadership and professional learning in ECE settings, and seeks to discover practices of effective positional leaders in facilitating both. A nationwide survey was carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand to capture a picture of current perceptions of ECE teachers and positional leaders about professional learning communities and, in particular, distributed leadership for professional learning. Subsequently, the leadership practices for distributed leadership and professional learning in three previously-identified high quality ECE services were investigated through individual and group interviews. The analysis of literature, survey and interview findings from this study led to a framework of effective leadership practice, consisting of six elements: inquiry and articulation of thinking; teachers enacting leadership; collaboration and dialogue; mentoring and coaching; fostering relational trust; and, creating vision and designing supportive structures.</p>

scholarly journals Supporting teacher professionalism through tailored professional learning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Nolan ◽  
Tebeje Molla
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Teacher Professionalism ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Quality Learning ◽  
Continuing Professional Learning

The issue of continuing professional learning for educators in the early childhood education and care sector is in the spotlight in Australia due to the government's reform agenda, which seeks to professionalize the workforce. In an effort to ensure quality programmes are on offer for all children, educators are expected to upskill. The assumption is that quality learning opportunities for children are aligned with a more skilled and capable workforce. This is problematic due to the diversity of the early childhood education and care workforce and its ability to convert professionalization opportunities into achievements. The focus of this article is a study that problematized the alignment of professional attributes valued in the policy space and in the field of practice to understand educator agency, a key element of professional capability. Once this alignment is known, professional learning experiences can be tailored to better support the professionalization of these educators.

scholarly journals Professional learning communities: Enhancing collaborative leadership in Singapore early childhood settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukuna Vijayadevar ◽  
Kate Thornton ◽  
Sue Cherrington
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Collaborative Leadership ◽  
Childhood Education

Leadership in early childhood education has been promoted as a collaborative process in which all teachers, rather than just the positional leader, are involved. Collaborative leadership practices are not well understood within the marketised Singapore early childhood education context. Beyond mandatory leadership training, little is known about how leaders are supported to strengthen their leadership practices and involve others in leadership activities. School-based literature suggests that learning through professional learning communities expands the collective capacity of organisations; however, literature on professional learning communities in early childhood education is limited. This article reports on the findings of an interpretive case study examining the current understandings and leadership practices of principals in the Singapore early childhood education context, and investigating how participation in professional learning communities can support the development of collaborative leadership practices. The participants in two professional learning communities established as part of this study were six principals from an anchor-operator childcare provider and five principals from private childcare centres in Singapore. Two teachers working with each of the respective principals were also involved in focus group interviews to ascertain if there were changes in their principals’ leadership practices. Data was collected from professional learning community meetings, online reflections, pre- and post-professional learning community interviews with the principals, and follow-up focus group discussions with the teachers. The key findings indicate that praxis as a result of participation in a professional learning community led to some shifts in principals’ thinking about collaborative leadership practices and resulted in reported changes to their leadership approaches, distribution of leadership, and improved collegiality and collaborative learning for teachers. The results indicate that considering and implementing collaborative leadership practices through professional learning communities in the Singapore early childhood education context requires sensitivity towards Asian Singapore sociocultural values related to hierarchy and economic pragmatism.

scholarly journals Social studies in early childhood education and care: A scoping review focusing on diversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-324
Author(s):  
Anette Ringen Rosenberg
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Early Childhood Teacher ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Educational Challenge ◽  
Education And Care

Currently, little research exists on social studies within the context of Norwegian early childhood education and care, and how early childhood teachers work to familiarise children with social studies contexts . This article is a scoping literature review offering a preliminary research agenda. Its aim is to explore the ways in which the early childhood teacher can work to ensure young learners’ social studies education with a specific focus on cultural diversity and subsequent educational challenges. The research question guiding the article asks: How does previous educational research show that early childhood teachers can use social studies to address diversity with and amongst children? The analysis uncovers 4 scopes of research across 26 international and national studies. Previous research has contributed with knowledge in the areas of cultural diversity, anti-discrimination, human rights, and community and society as a means to familiarise children with diversity and related matters. Each scope addresses the knowledge status and opportunities for future research within each area. Based on the analysis, the author discusses the critical educational challenge of a paradox in familiarising children with diversity, where the early childhood teacher risks conveying biased information and stereotypical views, and highlighting cultures in discriminatory ways.

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