Last week the NZ Herald ran a series of feature articles on NZ Early Childhood Education. Reading them gave me at times the disconcerting feeling that the full day care model, in particular was under attack. Uninformed readers could as a result of reading the series be left with considerable concern for the well being and happiness of the many young children that are under two years of age, who are in full day care while their parents work or study.
A sense of blame seemed to me to be directed towards teachers and providers.
It didn’t take me long to want to shift the blame to the reporter and the NZ Herald appearing to having an agenda of their own and choosing material that supported their own argument
My indignant response moved on as I began to think about the positive experiences I have as a professional development facilitator in the childcare centres that do not seem to feature in this series in the Herald. What a privilege it is for me to walk into centres where teachers work in a culture of respect that values deeply the intuitive knowledge and ways of living and learning that babies bring with them into this world. To walk into a culture in which teachers experience the joy of teaching, as they begin to understand and make room for this knowledge and innate ability in their practice. One of my personal goals I have is that teachers and children develop rich, loving, trusting relationships that support these very young children to be affirmed in their knowledge of themselves as questioning, discovering learners making sense of this world they have arrived in through no choice of their own.
Maybe at the beginning of a new decade, we could resolve to move onto acknowledging the things we do well and using the principles of Te Whaariki to guide us towards deepening and strengthening our practice. We have in our care a priceless gift, other peoples' children, in whom lies the future of our families, our whanau and our society. In this way we can as early childhood teachers truly make a difference to the world we live in.
On the 13th of February, Lorraine Sands and I will be presenting an ELP Inspiration Day at the Brentwood Hotel in Wellington. I would encourage you to come and explore more deeply what it means to listen closely to children. The focus is on the children under two years of age. If you live in the area between the Hawke's Bay to Nelson take the plunge, treat yourself and come. By the way, Wellington in the summer is a great place to be for the weekend!
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For those that have not read the original reports in the New Zealand Herald here is a link to the 3rd of February article
Woops, I got the wrong date on the artcle! I put today's date on it by mistake, the actual date of the article was the 28 January.
Dear Robyn, I would like to join your discussion with Lorraine if it would not be so far away.Our 100 days old New Government is planning to change its politics: instead to continue improving early child care for under threes they plan to give money to families, who will care for their babies at home and not in child care centres! New debate : what is the best for mothers and babies ? we need an elp programm for politicans. Sibylle from Berlin, sunny and frosty.
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