Relationships in early childhood education – beyond the professional into the personal within the teacher–child dyad: relationships ‘that ripple in the pond’

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe dyadic nature of the teacher–child relationship is recognized as a significant factor in young children’s learning experiences. However understandings about how teachers’ own personal and professional identities and experiences influence their construction of teacher–child relationships are under researched. This article extends upon earlier research by exploring the concept of a networked dimension of teachers’ personal relationships and how they inform their perceptions of their relationships with children within a dynamic system. Through the interpretation of four teachers’ life history narratives and utilizing the lens of development systems theory, we present original insights regarding how they understand their personal and professional relationships with children. We illuminate how teachers’ lives are open, networked and overlapping in nature and that there are implications for teachers’ initial education and professional development.