Centre–parent communication about children’s learning

Abstract

The context: New Zealand early childhood education New Zealand, for about 5 years, was in a unique situation when government grants were at a level that made it possible for education and care centres to employ 100 percent qualified teachers. The funding level was introduced in 2005 as part of a 10-year strategic plan for early childhood education (Ministry of Education, 2002). (The Funding Manual can be accessed at www.lead.ece.govt.nz.) Higher funding was made available to incentivise centres to reach the target of 100 percent qualified teachers. By 2010-11, the majority of centres had reached the 80 percent target, and a minority of centres met the criteria for 100 percent qualified teacher funding. In its Budget in May 2010, the Government announced that it would cease funding at the 100 percent level and the top subsidy would be that paid to centres with 80+ percent qualified teachers. When a study of teachers' work in education and care centres in the 100 percent qualified teachers funding band and centres with 50-79 percent qualified teachers was undertaken in 2011 by Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/ NZ Childcare Association (NZCA) (Meade et al., 2012), the researchers included a question about parent/whanau using measures to do with centre--parent communication. Some relevant literature A report by Early Childhood Australia (2009) states that qualified staff lift the quality of early education, inter alia, by the interactions and partnerships with parents. Other research literature shows that qualified teachers are associated with improved quality learning environments and positive outcomes for children (see, for example, Munton et al., 2002; Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, 2010). The United States National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD) (2003) longitudinal study found that all the elements of quality early education were associated with centres where staff held early childhood teacher qualifications. When parents and teachers collaborate in centres, both parties develop better understanding of the values and mores of (a) the centre and (b) the families' homes and community. Children's early education becomes more of a shared endeavour and learner centred; and a centre can become a community of learners (Te One, 2012). Children's competence ... also depends on how much the knowledge, skills and interests children acquire from their families and communities are recognised and valued by educators within EC settings (Ministry of Education, 2009, p. 7). Communication is a key factor in parent participation: for enhancing learning outcomes (Sylva et al., 2010) and children's and parents' lives (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Whalley & the Pen Green Centre Team, 2001); and giving parents a sense of belonging (Meade et al., 2012). Barbara Rogoff (1998) coined the phrase of participation to describe sociocultural learning when people develop their thinking and behaviour through a shared activity in ways that shape their involvement in similar cultural (educational) activities in the future (Fleer & Robbins, 2006). Chris Athey (2007) talked about transformation of parents' this way: Nothing gets under the skin more quickly and more permanently than the illumination of his or her child's behaviour. The effect of can be profound. (p. 209) Parent Some of the principles and strands of Te Whariki (Ministry of Education, 1996) clearly point to the importance of staff connecting with family and whanau about their child's interests, learning and development: the Family and Community/Whanau Tangata and Relationships/ Nga Hononga principles woven through the Belonging/Mana Whenua and Communication/ Mana Reo strands. The introduction to the Family and Community principle states: The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum . …