Early Childhood Teachers' Understandings of and Provision for Quality

Abstract

IT IS WEll ESTABlIShED ThAT high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) enhance children's wellbeing and development and have social and economic benefits. Yet quality is a contested term that is understood differently and used in diverse ways for a range of purposes. This paper reports on a study that investigated a) how six early childhood teachers working in long day care services understood and made provision for quality, and b) their perspectives on how quality was understood and provided for in their services. An in-depth interview was conducted with each teacher. Data analysis was informed by Cleveland and Krashinksy's (2005) tangible and less tangible aspects of quality and Goodfellow's (2003) hidden dimensions of professional practice. The paper highlights the potential use of metaphor to illuminate less tangible aspects of quality, particularly those associated with professional practice and policy making.

Early Childhood Educators’ Perspectives of the Swedish National Curriculum for Preschool and Quality Work

“…Other factors of importance are pedagogical leadership, active work with value-basis, working climate, relation between children and adults and pedagogical planning and common values. These factors are what Logan and Sumsion (2010) call hidden dimensions of quality in the professional practice.…”

“…This is called ''silent knowledge'' because it is not necessarily stated verbally but is visible in behavior (i.e., doing rather than saying). This idea is supported by Logan and Sumsion (2010) who state that there are aspects of quality that are hidden or less tangible especially with regard to professional practices and policy making. They identified eight themes as vital for high quality in preschool: relationships, qualified staff, programming, environment, professional judgements, teamwork, standards and attendance at professional development.…”

“…parents, preschool educators and policy makers. For instance have Logan and Sumsion (2010) conducted semi-structured interviews with six early childhood educators and studied how quality was understood and provided for in their daily work. The study was explorative and analyzed according to Goodfellow's (2003) hidden dimensions of professional practice.…”

“…There is also a growing body of evidence that children who start strong in their well-being and learning will have a better outcome in school (Renblad and Brodin 2012;Taguma et al 2013). For this reason early childhood education and care (ECEC) has become a policy priority in many countries, especially with focus on curriculum and quality work (Brennan 2011;Li et al 2011;Logan and Sumsion 2010;Niikko and Havu-Nuutinen 2009;Williams and Charles 2008).…”

Using metaphor to illuminate quality in early childhood education

“…Giamminuti’s proffering of quality ECEC in Reggio Emilia as a dance stems from her finding that such provision involves multiple interacting components that are selected according to culturally specific values and norms. In their exploration of how six early childhood teacher-directors in Australia conceptualised their provision of quality ECEC, Logan and Sumsion (2010) used a map metaphor to illuminate identified tangible quality contributors (e.g., ratios and qualifications), and water to conceptualise intangible contributors (e.g., relationships, teamwork and professional judgement). Although undertaken in very different contexts, both studies highlight the value-laden and cultural specificity of ‘quality’, and how metaphor can be used as a methodological device to convey and uncover the complexities of quality ECEC.…”