Pedagogic mediation for praxis development: supporting leaders and mentors in the English ECEC context

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pedagogic mediation from Pedagogy-in-Participation in Portugal, as a context-specific approach to professional development, provides a participatory framework through which practice enhancements are supported. This research introduced ten ECEC leaders and mentors, within a specific local authority in England, to the democratic nature of pedagogic mediation and provided a community of practice within which this could be explored. Leaders and mentors documented their own reflections over several months and noted how they applied the elements of openness, listening, suspending and encountering to their professional role, supporting outcomes for children birth to four years of age. Reflective narratives were shared and a focus group supported the evaluation of pedagogic mediation within this English context. All ten leaders and mentors found pedagogic mediation helpful within their professional role. Specifically, the element of suspending was found to be most useful as it provided leaders and mentors licence to enable additional time for development and this in turn supported a more participatory approach. Whilst small-scale and context-specific, this research illustrates the benefits of contextual professional development undertaken at a flexible pace.