The ‘it’ factor: expectations of ‘good’ early childhood teachers in Australia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Preparing early childhood teachers for the workforce is a national priority for Australia due to shortages of qualified early childhood professionals and increases in children attending early childhood centres. A workforce strategy (2022–2031) has been developed to ensure a sustainable, high-quality workforce, but there is little information about what is recognised by the profession as ‘good’ teachers and teaching. Drawing on interpretivist theory, and data from focus groups and interviews, we identify what constitutes a ‘good’ early childhood teacher from the perspectives of experienced early childhood mentor teachers. Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, field, and doxa are used to understand the dynamics of what is interpreted by mentor teachers as ‘good’ teachers in the profession and to consider implications for early childhood and teacher education in general. Findings show that specific skills and dispositions were repeatedly identified as essential to achieve ‘good’ teacher status, highlighting prior experience and natural ability.