Parents’ Perspective on Early Childhood Education in New Zealand: Voices from Pacifika Families

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-58
Author(s):  
Pratika Singh ◽  
Kaili C Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Cultural Practice ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
At Home

AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND HAS a reputation for being a world leader in early childhood education. However, research indicates that many early childhood teachers in New Zealand encounter difficulties when working with children and families from diverse backgrounds. In addition, though a plethora of research has been done on early childhood teachers’ partnership with parents of multicultural backgrounds, little attention has been given by researchers to Pacifika parents’ perspective on early childhood education in New Zealand. This article draws on findings from an interpretative study on three Pacifika families’ views about their cultural practice at home and their views about early childhood education in New Zealand. It is believed that investigating parents’ views on early childhood education and early childhood services in New Zealand can provide better support for families and children from Pacifika backgrounds.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach Education for Sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-96
Author(s):  
Anita Croft
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Preparedness To Teach

The benefits of beginning Education for Sustainability (EfS) in early childhood are now widely documented. With the support of their teachers, young children have shown that through engagement in sustainability practices they are capable of becoming active citizens in their communities (Duhn, Bachmann, & Harris, 2010; Kelly & White, 2012; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008). Engagement with EfS has not been widespread across the early childhood sector in Aotearoa New Zealand (Duhn et al., 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008) until recently. One way of addressing EfS in early childhood education is through teacher education institutions preparing students to teach EfS when they graduate.

scholarly journals Minding the P's: Passion in Professionalism in Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverley Clark
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Teaching Community

This article examines small-scale research into what passion might mean to early childhood teachers in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. The catalyst for this research was twofold: Moyles' work in the United Kingdom on passion, professionalism and paradox, and the author's personal encounters with the distinct views in the teaching community on the relevance of passion for teaching. While on a small scale, this research is significant as it explores a term that is widely used in many contexts, particularly in relation to teaching. The research examines the interpretation of this concept in the context for teaching in early childhood education (ECE) settings in Aotearoa New Zealand and it will form the basis for further, wider research on this topic in 2012.

Belonging and culturally nuanced communication in a refugee early childhood centre in Aotearoa New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Mitchell ◽  
Amanda Bateman
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Refugee Families ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

As a concept, ‘belonging’ is acknowledged to be complex, culturally determined and multifaceted. The processes of supporting belonging through early childhood education, especially where different cultural beliefs require understanding and negotiation, are not well understood. This is certainly the case for refugee children and families within early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Coming to belong is a particular challenge for these families who have been forcibly displaced from their home country. This article analyses documentation and video and interview data from a research study in an early childhood centre for refugee children and families. The ways in which cultural values and communication modes of gesture, spoken language, voice tone and dance were integrated within the curriculum are examined. A main argument is that pedagogy which incorporates key cultural constructs that refugee families bring with them strengthens a sense of belonging.

scholarly journals Positioning Children Citizens: Exploring Discourses in Early Childhood Curricula in China and Aotearoa New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Peng Xu
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Citizenship Education ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Citizenship Status ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

 Positioning young children as citizens, now rather than as citizens in waiting, is an emerging discourse in early childhood education internationally. Differing discourses related to young children and early childhood reveal various ideas of children as citizens, and what their citizenship status, practice and education can be. This paper analyses the national early childhood education (ECE) curricula of China and Aotearoa New Zealand for the purpose of understanding how children are constructed as citizens within such policy discourses. Discourse analysis is employed in this study as a methodological approach for understanding the subjectivities of young children and exploring the meanings of young children’s citizenship in both countries. Based on Foucault’s theory of governmentality, this paper ultimately argues that young children’s citizenship in contemporary ECE curricula in China and New Zealand is a largely neoliberal construction. However, emerging positionings shape differing possibilities for citizenship education for young children in each of these countries.

scholarly journals Pre-school nutrition-related behaviours at home and early childhood education services: findings from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1222-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Gerritsen ◽  
Sarah E Anderson ◽  
Susan MB Morton ◽  
Clare R Wall
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
School Nutrition ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
High Adherence ◽  
At Home

AbstractObjectivePre-school nutrition-related behaviours influence diet and development of lifelong eating habits. We examined the prevalence and congruence of recommended nutrition-related behaviours (RNB) in home and early childhood education (ECE) services, exploring differences by child and ECE characteristics.DesignTelephone interviews with mothers. Online survey of ECE managers/head teachers.SettingNew Zealand.SubjectsChildren (n 1181) aged 45 months in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study.ResultsA mean 5·3 of 8 RNB were followed at home, with statistical differences by gender and ethnic group, but not socio-economic position. ECE services followed a mean 4·8 of 8 RNB, with differences by type of service and health-promotion programme participation. No congruence between adherence at home and in ECE services was found; half of children with high adherence at home attended a service with low adherence. A greater proportion of children in deprived communities attended a service with high adherence, compared with children living in the least deprived communities (20 and 12 %, respectively).ConclusionsChildren, across all socio-economic positions, may not experience RNB at home. ECE settings provide an opportunity to improve or support behaviours learned at home. Targeting of health-promotion programmes in high-deprivation areas has resulted in higher adherence to RNB at these ECE services. The lack of congruence between home and ECE behaviours suggests health-promotion messages may not be effectively communicated to parents/family. Greater support is required across the ECE sector to adhere to RNB and promote wider change that can reach into homes.

scholarly journals Building Inclusive Communities in Early Childhood Education: Diverse Perspectives from Aotearoa/New Zealand

2004 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra C. Gunn ◽  
Coralanne Child ◽  
Barbara Madden ◽  
Kerry Purdue ◽  
Nicola Surtees ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand
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