Centre A consisted of four interlinked centres that operate under one management system. Five teachers across two of the four centres expressed interest in participating in the study. Ariana
89 had been teaching for approximately 15 years and was a senior teacher in the section she was working in. A very active teacher, Ariana particularly enjoyed working outside with the children. Her colleagues Bernadette and Natasha also agreed to participate and they had between 5 and 10 years’ teaching experience between them. Bernadette was keen to explore how she supported children to learn from each other and Natasha expressed a similar viewpoint. All three teachers had worked in a variety of settings in the early childhood sector and had worked together at the centre for a few years. In the other section, Daniel had recently completed a teaching qualification and had just begun the two-year teacher registration process required of all New Zealand teachers. As a new graduate who had studied research as part of his undergraduate degree, he was very keen to be involved in the research project. His colleague Caitlin was initially quite nervous about being observed, but was persuaded to participate by one of the centre managers. Caitlin had been teaching for around 5 years and was curious about the research topic. The two centres involved in the research were both licensed for 35 children over the age of two. All four centres operated as a self-described ‘Community of Practice’ working in close partnership with parents. The programme was based around a ‘Community of Inquiry’ approach that fosters children’s learning dispositions and encourages collaboration amongst children and teachers.
The philosophy statement, which teachers proudly shared, described a community of researchers’ programme which underpinned teachers’ practice across these two centres. ‘We provide holistic experiences, reflective of the principles of Te Whāriki, that foster skills and strategies for life-long learning. Interest, curiosity, confidence, creativity, exploration and collaboration are encouraged through reciprocal relationships, active listening, and reflective teaching, as well as through a rich, thought-provoking environment’. Central to the centre philosophy was the image of children as human beings, not human ‘becomings’. Teachers adapted aspects of the Reggio Emilia philosophy to teaching and learning, fostering a rich, positive image of children who are seen as capable and competent.
Within Centre A, both centres involved in the research had given careful consideration to the physical environment. Each centre contained interesting spaces that were rich in the core curriculum experiences and encouraged children to become active researchers learning with and alongside each other throughout the day. Teachers had carefully arranged resources to provoke children’s thinking and to encourage exploration and experimentation. Children played
90 uninterrupted as there were no set group times to interrupt the flow of the play. Unless they were rostered to be in the sleep room or to be changing children, teachers positioned themselves outside or inside depending on the particular investigation or project they were working on.
3.3.4.2 Centre B
Centre B was a privately owned early childhood centre that had five centres operating under one umbrella. The preschool where data collection occurred was licensed for up to 43 children over two years of age. Three teachers from the preschool expressed an interest in participating in the study. Tatiyana was an experienced head teacher of the preschool and was very keen to be involved in the study. She expressed the importance of constantly reflecting on practice and viewed the research as an opportunity to grow her teaching team, encouraging other teachers to be involved. Consequently both Paula and Anna agreed to be interviewed and observed. Paula had a keen interest in sustainability and gardening and had just attended her graduation ceremony earlier in the year. Anna had just gained a teaching qualification and was about to begin the two-year teacher registration process. She had recently secured a teaching position at the centre and was excited to be embarking on a career in the teaching profession. All three teachers worked together closely in the preschool section of the centre. The centre philosophy described teachers and children as unique individuals who are ‘learners leading learning’. Families were invited to be active partners in the learning community and the environment was described as rich in resources and stories that celebrate diverse backgrounds, culture and developing identities. The philosophy statement described the curriculum as ‘strongly influenced by schema learning theory along with Te Whāriki’. Respectful, responsive relationships were highlighted as creating a safe and secure platform where children are empowered to take risks in their learning and to explore and engage in new experiences. Resilience was actively promoted and the environment was rich with open-ended resources for children to explore their working theories alongside their peers.
Children experienced opportunities for sustained play throughout the day, as there were few scheduled group times where all children came together. Teachers actively supported children’s interests through the provision of resources and opportunities for group play. Emphasis was placed on using resources to explore children’s ideas over a period of time and children were taught to respect what their peers might be working on. During the data collection process
91 children were establishing a vegetable garden and this provided many opportunities for children to learn together and from each other. Teachers incorporated the language of schema learning theory into their conversations with children and children were encouraged to give their peers feedback on their learning using this language. A group time once a week for children over the age of four was a focus for providing fun group experiences for children to actively participate in together.
3.3.4.3Centre C
Centre C operated as part of a community services trust and was licensed for up to 45 children including 20 under the age of 2. The trust had an overarching philosophy of empowering its community to identify its own needs, resources and solutions. The centre staff worked closely with community agencies to ensure particular needs of families were met. Two of the teaching staff indicated they wished to participate in the study. Heather had been teaching for over ten years and was regarded as a senior teacher in the centre. Her colleague Kathy had graduated with her teaching qualification two years ago and both teachers believed strongly in working closely with families, to support the aspirations they have for their children. Heather and Kathy expressed their interest in participating in the study during the staff meeting at which the research was initially presented. The central philosophy of this centre included the belief that parents are their child’s first and most important educators. The centre was run by trained and qualified staff and parent educators who were specially selected for this role; some of these parent educators moved into teacher education. The philosophy statement referred to children and families discovering their own learning potential. In addition, the programme was founded on Christian principles and empowered teachers and families to embrace all that is Māori; Te
Whāriki was used for planning purposes. At the time of data collection more than half the roll
were Māori and some of the children came from Pasifika nations. The centre celebrated the rich cultural diversity present in the surrounding community and this was reflected in its inclusion of whānau (families) and use of te reo Māori (Māori language).
Children from families attended together and there was no segregation by age apart from some excursions and activities which were designed for three to five year olds. There were many opportunities for children to play together for uninterrupted periods of time. At the start of each day, everyone came together to begin the day in a way that was culturally appropriate for Māori: with karakia (prayer), mihimihi (introductions) and waiata (songs). Children experienced a
92 variety of activities and the environment was inclusive of all children. Older children were encouraged to support younger children in their learning and they took leadership roles during mihimihi (introductions) time and kapahaka (dance). Teachers worked closely with children and families to ensure their interests and strengths were catered for and extended.