Early Childhood Education Experiences Research Articles

Immigrant parents’ experiences and perspectives on the early childhood education stages in Nordic contexts

To explore the state of research on immigrant parents’ experiences in early childhood education (ECE) stages, we conducted a literature review through a qualitative meta-synthesis of 22 studies. Guided by sociocultural theory, which emphasizes the co-construction of meaning and the interplay between individual agency and social context, the synthesis highlights both the barriers immigrant parents face and opportunities for enhancing inclusion and support within Nordic ECE contexts. While the articles acknowledge these challenges, they also found that some parents increasingly appreciate Nordic ECE values and practices over time. Communication emerges as a central theme in the reviewed literature; it deeply impacts the integration process of immigrant parents in Nordic ECE systems. Synthesized findings across the studies highlight communication as a key factor shaping parents’ experiences within the categories of “initial experiences and adaptation,” “parental concerns,” and “cultural and social integration.” The review reveals a predominance of host-country researchers, the majority being female, with minority groups underrepresented, which could potentially lead to biases. Despite methodological limitations that impact the understanding of immigrant parents' experiences, the studies offer valuable insights into the parents’ reported experiences and provide a foundation for improving inclusivity and understanding in Nordic ECE.

Toward New Discourse: Connectedness, Joy, and Emotional Capital in Early Childhood Education

ABSTRACT Guided by the philosophical underpinnings of critical qualitative inquiry, this article reports findings from a larger narrative inquiry aimed at learning about the experiences of early childhood educators working in undervalued, underfunded spaces. This study adds to a small body of resistance and desire-based research in early childhood education (ECE) through sharing the individual and collective narratives of eight early childhood educators in Michigan. In this article, I highlight three resonant themes related to the deep and fulfilling relationships participants described. Based on these findings, I argue that early childhood educators embody significant emotional skill, are resisting neoliberal pressures, and are experiencing joy related to their work. Finally, I call for desire-based research that honors their resistance, expertise, and joy.

Exploring the landscape of mindfulness practice in early childhood education in Ireland

ABSTRACT Previous studies of mindfulness practice to promote child well-being in early childhood education have focused on programme outcomes and interventions. Little research has explored the lived experiences of early childhood educators asking if, how and why they use mindfulness practice with young children. This article presents the findings from an online questionnaire conducted with 744 early childhood educators in Ireland. The results indicate that while many educators are using formal and informal mindfulness practices with children, their constructions and rationale for its use differed. Barriers to using mindfulness practice with young children included a lack of understanding or understanding of how to use mindfulness within existing curricula, and the absence of available training. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that early childhood educators are eager for mindfulness practice to be incorporated in a more integrated manner to benefit both the children and the educators.

The Management of Inclusive Early Childhood Education: A Literature Review on Strategies and Evaluation in Various Countries

The management of early childhood education (ECE) is a crucial aspect of child development that requires serious attention to enhance the quality of inclusive education. This article aims to present a literature review on various aspects of ECE management from different countries, focusing on policies, evaluation, and management that support inclusivity. The study examines literature on policy implementation in Kenya, the effectiveness of ECE experiences in Australia, and various studies from Indonesia that evaluate holistic, inclusive education models and ECE management. The research methodology includes an in-depth review of relevant sources to identify key themes, challenges faced in ECE management, and how inclusivity is applied in policy and practice contexts. The findings indicate the importance of effective policies, standards-based management, and systematic and inclusive evaluation to improve the quality of early childhood education for all children. The discussion addresses the challenges encountered in implementing inclusive policies, the need for innovation in management, and recommendations for improvements that consider the diversity and special needs of children. In conclusion, effective ECE management requires a holistic, integrative, and inclusive approach, strong policy support, and continuous evaluation to ensure optimal education quality for all children, without exception.

Hypervisibility and erasure: parents’ accounts of transgender children in early childhood education and care and primary schools

ABSTRACT While much is known about transgender students’ experiences of high school, less research has explored their experiences in primary/pre-schooling settings. This paper presents an analysis of parents’ (N = 15) recounts of their transgender children’s (N = 12) experiences in Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) and primary schools. The research is situated in a trans-emancipatory theoretical framework that recognises the impact of cisnormativity in educational spaces. We find that the early years play-based approach contrasts with primary school settings, where children are regularly organized by binary gender categories. Whilst early childhood settings are child centred and often celebrate transgender children’s individuality using a trans-accommodative approach, they can simultaneously reinforce cisnormativity through enforcing binary gendered norms. Binary norms erase transgender identities while, paradoxically, making the transgender child hypervisible. Findings can inform a whole-of-school approach to the inclusion of transgender identities and the wellbeing of trans children in ECEC and primary schools.

Exploring the power of natural outdoor spaces in enhancing early childhood practitioners’ wellbeing

AbstractWhile there is growing consensus on the benefits of natural outdoor play environments for children, the impact of such spaces on the wellbeing of early childhood practitioners remains unknown. Using an exploratory qualitative design, this study unraveled the positive outcomes of greening outdoor spaces in childcare centers in Flanders (Belgium) and the challenges that it may encompass. Eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with professionals who were recently involved in such transformations. Through a thematic analysis seven outcomes were identified: (1) reduced workload, (2) calmer children and less conflicts, (3) more job fulfillment, (4) a sense of peace, (5) a place to enjoy, (6) more little pleasures, and (7) more chances for meeting up with colleagues. Challenges arose mainly in relation to (1) health and safety concerns, (2) transitions, (3) resources, and (4) team spirit. The results indicate that the establishment of natural outdoor spaces in childcare centers can benefit practitioners’ wellbeing in several ways. As such, this study calls for a broader understanding of the importance of green experiences in early childhood education and care. Our insights should be taken into consideration when designing natural outdoor spaces for childcare centers as well as in developing personnel policies on staff wellbeing. Further research is needed, however, to determine the generalizability of research findings and the extent and kind of green experience that is necessary to obtain the positive outcomes.

Parental Engagement in Early Childhood Education: The Case of Debre Tabor Schools, Ethiopia

ABSTRACTParental engagement (PE) in early childhood education refers to the different ways parents get involved to help children's learning. Drawing on Ecological Systems and Social Capital as theoretical frameworks, this research explored parents' engagement experiences in early childhood education in primary schools in Debre Tabor Town, Ethiopia. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed in this study. Through purposive sampling, 12 key informants, such as parents, school principals and teachers, were chosen from five primary schools for in‐depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from interviews focusing on four dimensions of PE: communication, learning at home, collaborative partnership and creating a nurturing environment. Results showed that parents excelled in creating a nurturing home environment to support their children's education. However, the study revealed low engagement from parents in communication, collaborative partnership and learning at home activities. It highlighted that parents' engagement in working with others to help the education of their children was not motivating. Lastly, the study also identified the reasons behind parents' low engagement in early childhood education, many of which are associated with parent‐related, and school‐related. Generally, the research indicated parents had limited engagement in their child's pre‐school education.

놀이중심 교육과정에서 디지털 놀이를 운영할 때 8년차 김교사가 경험한 어려움

This study examined the challenges faced by a teacher with eight years of experience as they implemented digital play within a play-centered curriculum in early childhood education settings. The study revealed that the teacher struggled with integrating digital play into play-based curricula and had to balance relying on her own educational experience with the need for professional support. She encountered dilemmas in creating digital play environments, managed complexities of digital safety, and faced barriers in linking digital play with home. These challenges stemmed from a combination of the teacher’s individual competencies and a lack of support systems and awareness about digital play. Specifically, experienced teachers require tailored support to bridge the gap between their existing experiences and digital play, enabling them to enhance and meaningfully expand children’s digital experiences. This study delved deeply into the difficulties experienced by teachers with significant experience in play-centered early childhood education as they implement digital play, offering practical support measures for establishing digital play in such settings.

Enhancing communicative skills in early childhood education: the role of the oral tradition and phonics

This article is based on the reflection of the oral tradition and phonics in the communicative experience in early childhood education. The communicative experience in early childhood education is enriched through the oral tradition. Children learn to listen actively, imagine vividly, and express themselves creatively using those communicative experiences: Oral tradition and phonics. This article also explores the importance of oral tradition and phonics, because oral tradition is the use of phonics in the process of learning communicative skills in children. Phonics is a method of teaching by understanding how letters sound, children can string them together to form words and communicate effectively. The article aims to conclude that cultural transmission is also enriched through oral tradition within educational practices, factors that strengthen oral and communicative skills in early childhood education, such as phonetic practices, should be taken into account.

Implications of the Creative Curriculum from the Perspectives of Educators in Qatar University Early Childhood Center

To better understand the effectiveness of any implemented early childhood curriculum, it is vital to pay attention to the experiences of early childhood educators who practiced that curriculum. The purpose of this research is to investigate early childhood educators' experiences with the Creative Curriculum that has been implemented at the Early Childhood Center of Qatar University since 2015. In this phenomenological research, the methodology includes: (a) in-depth phenomenologically based interviews, (b) follow-up online interviews, and (c) a focus group meeting with the teachers. Eight early childhood educators with a wide range of experiences presented their own experiences with the Creative Curriculum. The findings revealed that by implementing the Creative Curriculum, teachers were encouraged to integrate all aspects of the Curriculum. Teachers were inspired to pay close attention to their children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development and to respond appropriately. This research provides insights and future implications about this specific curriculum in the early childhood field.

Early childhood educator and director experiences of speech pathology-led professional development: A qualitative study

Background: Quality early childhood interactions, especially quality adult–child interactions, are known to form the foundation of future skills associated with social, academic and communicative development. Speech-language therapists (SLTs) can engage with educators in professional development to improve communication environments for children. Understanding the perspectives of early childhood directors and educators in relation to the feasibility, sustainability and impact of professional development is needed. Aim(s): This study investigated the experiences of early childhood educators and directors who participated in a SLT-led professional development training program. Method: Participants were four directors and six early childhood educators. Directors participated in one focus group; educators participated in individual semi-structured interviews. All participants were female and had between 5 and 38 years of experience. They were interviewed following the completion of an eight-week training program. Verbatim transcripts of the director focus group and educator interviews were thematically analysed using NVivo12. Result(s): Three overarching themes were developed. These were the appropriateness and acceptability of the training, impact and professional engagement with eight subsequent themes also identified. Although participants reported positive experiences participating in the training, several practical and translational challenges were identified. Conclusion: The professional development training implemented by SLTs was influenced by a number of factors that assisted or hindered educator and director experience of the program. The appropriateness, acceptability and feasibility of a professional development (PD) program should carefully consider participants’ learning needs and workplace environments.

Looking for Trouble: How Teachers’ Racialized Practices Perpetuate Discipline Inequities in Early Childhood

Racial disproportionality in school discipline is a major U.S. educational problem. Official data show that Black boys are disciplined at the highest rates of any racial and gender subgroup. Scholars suggest the “criminal” Black male image shapes teachers’ views and treatment of their Black male students. Yet few studies examine the everyday mechanisms of racial discipline disparities, particularly in early childhood. This study uses ethnography to understand first-grade teachers’ disciplinary interactions with Black and White boys. The findings uncover teachers’ racialized disciplinary practices via differential surveillance of, differential engagement with, and differential responses to noncompliance from Black and White boys as key mechanisms that reproduce unequal disciplinary experiences in early childhood education.

Preschool Educators’ Perspectives on Dialogic Literacy in Preschoolers

This research delves into the perceptions and expressions of dialogic literacy among preschool teachers, seeking to explore dimensions such as its definition, significance, strategies, assessment methods, and parental involvement. The study engaged a cohort of 15 educators, comprising 10 females and 5 males, selected based on their experience and qualifications in early childhood education. Through semi-structured interviews, these teachers provided rich and detailed insights, forming the basis for a thorough examination of dialogic literacy in the preschool setting. Intentionally diverse, the participant pool included educators from various preschool environments, both public and private, aiming to capture a broad spectrum of perspectives and approaches. This deliberate variation facilitated the exploration of potential disparities in understanding and implementing dialogic literacy across different contexts. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study emphasized semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection. The interview questions covered key aspects, including definitions, teacher strategies, classroom activities, assessment methods, and parental engagement. The design aimed to extract comprehensive responses, allowing participants to share their unique perspectives, experiences, and practices related to communicative proficiency in early childhood education. Thematic analysis was applied to categorize and organize the interview data, unveiling common patterns and themes. To enhance the study's reliability, methodologies such as member checking, peer debriefing, and triangulation were employed. The research maintained a strong ethical foundation, prioritizing participant privacy, confidentiality, and voluntary involvement throughout the entire process. The findings present a holistic understanding of dialogic literacy implementation in diverse preschool settings, enriched by the inclusion of educators with a minimum of two years of teaching experience. This study contributes valuable insights to the field of early childhood education, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of dialogic literacy and its versatile application across different educational contexts.

The lost art of joy in early childhood education

Early childhood education is a sector often mis-represented in the media and public domain, depicting a sector beleaguered by low salaries, lack of professional recognition and inadequate working conditions. Missing from this depiction is the fullness of the everyday teaching and learning experiences of early childhood educators, and subsequent joy experienced in working with young children and families and the significant contribution of this emotion to educator practice and sense of wellbeing. Using an online survey, educators were invited to share their perspectives of factors that are contributing to the crisis in the field, their daily encounters with children and the moments, both big and small, that shaped and guided their pedagogy. Findings suggested that while the concept of joy was embraced and validated by educators, it was also elusive and hard to define. Suggestions for validating the place of joy as central in early childhood education conclude the paper.

Preschool or/and kindergarten? The long-term benefits of different types of early childhood education on pupils' skills.

Developing countries have witnessed great progress in early childhood education (ECE) enrollment rate over the past three decades. Preschool and kindergarten are the two most common types of ECE in developing countries. Questions remain as to which of the two types of ECE is more effective in promoting child development in developing countries, including both cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The objective of this paper is to examine the long-term benefits of attending preschool or/and kindergarten on pupils' cognitive and non-cognitive skills in rural China. We pooled data from two large-scale surveys conducted by the authors themselves at 136 rural primary schools in 20 counties from three provinces in northwestern China in 2009. The final study sample consisted of 9,839 pupils who both reported their ECE experience and completed cognitive and non-cognitive tests. We measured pupils' cognitive skills by standardized math test scores and grade retention, and their non-cognitive skills by both self-reported self-efficacy, mental health, and teacher-reported behaviors. Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) was used to balance the pre-treatment variables between the treatment (Any ECE, Preschool Only, Kindergarten Only, or Preschool+Kindergarten) and comparison (No ECE) groups. Results from IPW show that compared with their peers without any ECE experience, pupils with any ECE experience perform better in cognitive skills (0.118 standard deviations (s.d.) increase in the TIMSS, 7.1 percentage point (pp) decrease in the probability of grade retention) but not in non-cognitive skills. By ECE types, attending kindergarten only is associated with a 0.150 s.d. increase in the TIMSS, a 7.0 pp decrease in the probability of grade retention, and a 0.059 s.d. decrease in the index of behavioral problems of pupils. Moreover, attending both preschool and kindergarten predicts a lower probability of grade retention, but attending preschool only has few benefits. Heterogenous analyses suggest that the long-term benefits of ECE are more prominent among the Han pupils from households with higher socio-economic status. Our findings imply that increasing access to ECE can be an effective instrument to improve pupils' skills in less-developed rural areas of China, especially their cognitive skills. Among different types of ECE, attending kindergarten contributes more to pupils' skill development in rural China than other types. We call for strengthened efforts to ensure equal access to quality ECE for preschool-aged children in rural China.

Embracing Culturally Relevant Computational Thinking in the Preschool Classroom: Leveraging Familiar Contexts for New Learning

Computational thinking (CT) is an important twenty-first century skill that begins developing early. Recent interest in incorporating early CT experiences in early childhood education (i.e., preschool) has increased. In fact, the early years mark an important time during which initial competencies are acquired, interest and motivation begins to form, and in which children may develop a sense of belonging in STEM fields. As a result, providing children with access to robotics and computer science experiences to support CT that are also developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant is key. This paper uses the “powerful ideas” of computer science, seven developmentally appropriate CT concepts that children can learn, as a framework and explores the experiences of two (composite) teachers who participated in and co-developed a culturally relevant robotics program and the processes they undertake to support children’s CT development and learning. This paper considers practices that support the seven key powerful ideals while leveraging existing instructional routines and contexts that are already occurring in most classrooms, such as centers, small group activities, classroom environments, and read-alouds. Of note, this paper prioritizes approaches that acknowledge, center, and feature the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of young children and their families. Identifying affordable and accessible practices, this paper provides educators with tangible, integrated, and authentic practices to support children’s computational thinking, STEM learning, and sense of belonging.

Experiences of early childhood educators: Consequences of Covid-19 pandemic on children, parents, and early childhood education in Turkey

This study explores the early childhood education teachers experiences of continuing educational activities with children living in low SES rural districts of Turkey during COVID-19 pandemic. In order to achieve this task phone interviews were conducted with 18 pre-school teachers working in low SES districts. Interviews were audio recorded and basic qualitative analysis was utilized on transcribed data. Findings revealed that early childhood teachers make an effort to sustain their communication and educational activities with both children and parents during school closures, yet it does not sustainable during the whole semester. Teachers’ main concerns were related to loss of learning outcomes during home confinement and its negative consequences in the future for low-SES children. Parents lack of ability to deal with their children at home resulted in increased use of screen time and lack of distance education opportunities for young children living in poverty additional concerns of teacher working with low-SES children.

Anti-Black racism in the early years: the experiences of Black families and early childhood educators in Nova Scotia.

Anti-Black racism is a social determinant of health that has significantly impacted Black children and families. Limited research has examined anti-Black racism during the early years-a critical period of development. In this study, we sought to understand the manifestations of anti-Black racism in early childhood and explore its impact on Black children and families. This qualitative research project was informed by critical race theory, Black Critical Theory and interpretive description. Early childhood educators (ECEs) and parents with Black children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years (n = 15) participated in virtual, semistructured interviews. Awareness of and protection against anti-Black racism was a constant in Black families' lives. Parents felt as though they had to remain hypervigilant and overprotective of their Black children, knowing they were liable to encounter racial violence. The early learning environment was a source of heightened stress for families, given the significant amount of time young children spend in child care. Black children were often "othered" in predominately White spaces and had been objectified by White ECE staff and children. Parents worked to instill a strong sense of self-confidence in their children to counteract the negative impacts of racial discrimination. Results from this study suggest that children as young as 18 months are experiencing racial violence and adverse childhood experiences. Findings may contribute to antiracist policy development and a focus on more inclusive early childhood education for Black children and families.

Conceptualising the education and care workforce from the perspective of children and young people

Children are significant stakeholders within education and care settings. Their views can be invaluable in thinking about what matters to conceptualising, assessing and improving quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) settings. As stakeholders, children’s views are rarely listened to by Australian policy makers to assess what constitutes quality and how the quality can be improved. In the process of updating two nationally approved Australian Learning Frameworks (ALFs): Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia 2.0 and My Time Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia 2.0, children’s responses provided meaningful insights into their perceptions of the practices of the educators. The children’s perspectives were gathered in a combination of research methodologies of talking circles, dialogic drawing, and visual elicitation. Their responses about experiences in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) contexts were analysed to provide a deeper understanding about the characteristics of their experiences in the settings. The research process delivered information about children’s perspectives about pedagogical principles and practices that describe the Australian children’s education and care workforce and environments. The process of gathering the children’s perspectives is not without limitations, however the information is invaluable in considering the assessment and improvement of quality in children’s services.

‘Who owns time?’: Reflecting on the temporal dimension of sustainability with Zapatista and Norwegian educators

ABSTRACT Sustainability involves a temporal dimension connecting the past, the present and the future. This article explores the significance of time for sustainability education. It discusses how the understanding of this temporal dimension shapes humans’ relationship with the world and affects the political engagement of the educator with sustainability and the view of herself as a political agent of change. To do so, the article uses an assemblage methodology inspired by Deleuze and Guattari’s (1987) rhizome to connect the experiences of Norwegian early childhood educators and members of the Zapatista organization. Using a critical theory lens and Paulo Freire’s views of educators as cultural workers (Freire 2005, 2017), the article explores two aspects of the temporal dimension that educators relate to across contexts. First, time as a resource, conditioning the relation to the present, the day-to day rhythm and work from a Marxist perspective. Secondly, sustainability’s future orientation, with its connections to the political role of the educator as the creator of social reality. The encounters between Zapatista and Norwegian perspectives show how educators’ positions and roles in reflecting upon, engaging with, and reappropriating the notion of time, are central for sustainability education.