“I Just Treated Them as Normal” Welcoming and Accepting Rainbow Families Into Early Childhood Education Settings in Aotearoa New Zealand: Newly Graduated Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Preparation by Initial Teacher Education

Abstract

<p><b>AbstractGlobal research increasingly highlights the importance and relevance of addressing gay equity issues with children, teachers, and families in education (Shelton et al., 2019). There has also been a rise in awareness regarding inclusion and a shift in the types of families attending early childhood education (ECE) settings in Aotearoa New Zealand (Loveridge et al., 2012). It is important that Rainbow families have a positive experience within their ECE settings, which can be achieved by ECE professionals collaborating with these families (Church et al., 2018; Gunn, 2003). However, even when there is a marked increase in family diversity, teachers have been slow to recognise the diversity of family composition, particularly with regard to same-gendered couples (Cloughessy & Waniganayake, 2014; Gunn, 2011; Iraklis, 2021; Shuker & Cherrington, 2016). This research sought to better understand the connection between ECE teachers’ initial teacher education (ITE) programme content and experience, and their willingness to include Rainbow families as part of the ECE curriculum in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. </b></p> <p>Education plays an important role in transmitting values, customs and culturally preferred practices in all cultures (Lyman et al., 2012). As well as welcoming children and families/whānau, ECE teachers are an important source of support for Rainbow families. Therefore, it is imperative that ECE teachers are well prepared to work with Rainbow families. Unfortunately, opportunities to advocate for Rainbow families in an ECE setting are not often created as such advocacy firstly requires teachers to critique heteronormativity. The pervasiveness of normative discourses means that this is a challenge. </p> <p>This study, grounded in feminist and queer theoretical frameworks, was located in Aotearoa New Zealand with teachers who had graduated within 18 months prior to the commencement of data collection. Data were gathered via an online questionnaire completed by 76 newly graduated ECE teachers across Aotearoa and eight semi-structured individual interviews. Through a critical analysis of the data gathered, I sought to understand what the participants felt about the support they had received during their ITE study towards enabling them to include Rainbow families into their learning environments, as well as the support they received in their early childhood centre with regard to discussing Rainbow families with the children. </p> <p>The findings of this study suggest that a lack of coverage of Rainbow families in ITE programmes is a key reason for newly graduated teachers lacking confidence in advocating for Rainbow families. There was a strong perception that treating all people ‘the same’ was expected and ideal. Whilst beginning teachers may face exposure to disapproving attitudes from other more experienced teachers towards the proactive inclusion of Rainbow families, what stood out in this study was the lack of conversations within teaching teams about how and when to talk to children about Rainbow families. This lack of discussion was evident even when Rainbow families were in attendance, thus amplifying the apparent stranglehold of heteronormative discourses. As a result, importance is not given to addressing the marginalisation of Rainbow family composition within ECE settings. </p> <p>It is the recommendation of this study that consideration be given to strategies for mitigating this current situation. Firstly, ITE providers can provide deliberate, comprehensive, and delineated coverage of inclusion topics and provide clear examples of ways to include and welcome Rainbow families. Emphasis should be given to the value of relationship building as key to forging understandings about difference. Finally, ITE providers need to urgently address the misperception that treating people ‘the same’ is an acceptable and desirable way of working with others. Newly graduated teachers need to consciously disrupt such normative discourses and I suggest that queering their teaching is one tool to enable this to happen.</p>