Research

Ameliorating Infant Distress During Early Transitions to Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC): Teacher Practices Over Time and Place

E. Jayne White, Megan Gath, Laura Herold, Niina Rutanen, Elise Hunkin, Lynn McNair and Bridgette Redder

Despite widespread agreement that infants’ emotional well-being is contingent on adult practices, little is known about what these “look like” in ECEC contexts. Given the heightened emotional demands placed on infants during early transitions, this study set out to understand the practices of ECEC teachers to ameliorate infant distress in ECEC settings. Researchers across five countries generated coded observation data, video data and interview data over a twelve-month period concerning ten infant transitions from home into ECEC. Dialogic meta-ethnography, utilising quantitative sequential analysis in tandem with inductive qualitative analysis, was employed to examine the presence, events, probabilities and combinations of teacher practices across countries and their relationship to changes in infant emotional states from distress to non-distress. Findings highlight the selective practices deployed by ECEC teachers in and over time in their attempts to ameliorate infant distress according to infant age, phase/stage of their transition and teacher responsibilities. Teachers utilised pick up/place on lap practices most often in the first 7 months of transition, despite it being less likely to reduce distress than an invitation to play or an offering of food/bottle. Certain combinations of practices were more likely at different phases of transition, irrespective of age, while interpersonal strategies were more nuanced. Overall findings highlight the nuanced nature of ameliorating practices across the first year of transition to ECEC, and the need for teachers to adjust their responses to distressed infants accordingly.

Modelling children’s working theories: The spiral of working theory development

Daniel Lovatt

The notion of children’s working theories is an overarching outcome of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum. Growing research examines children’s working theories and teacher support strategies. This article draws on doctoral research to present the spiral of working theory development model, providing a framework for understanding working theory development processes. Teachers can use this model to enhance strategies for fostering and supporting working theory formation, resulting in improved learning outcomes for young children.

Māmā Māori: Teenage Māori mothers’ experiences of support for their holistic wellbeing and success

Lisa Heke

The study presented in this article is underpinned and guided by Kaupapa Māori theory and research principles (G. H. Smith, 1997; L. Smith, 2015). The purpose was to explore support systems comprising health, social, financial, education and whānau that exist for teenage Māori mothers/ young māmā Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. Research participants were sourced from one Teen Parent Unit and are Māori who became mothers as teenagers. Effectiveness of support was assessed in terms of contribution to holistic wellbeing and success for māmā Māori. Holistic wellbeing and success were measured using Durie’s (1984) Te Whare Tapa Whā model, which represents four dimensions of health as the walls, or taha, of a house: taha tinana, taha hinengaro, taha wairua and taha whānau. This study sought to empower participants by focusing on and promoting only positive experiences of support. Māmā Māori contributing and sharing their insights was considered a tool for change, growth and empowerment. While education and whānau were found to be effective supports, māmā Māori experiences of health, social and financial support were often variable, less effective and, in some cases, damaging. In articulating the study findings, this article presents an opportunity for readers to consider how we currently support this precariat group, and the ways in which we can do better.

Supporting disabled teachers right to teach: Implementing “reasonable accommodations” in practice for ECE student kaiako and kaiako with disabilities

Veronica Griffiths, Jenny Malcolm, Derek Hartley, Erin Hall, Fleur Hohaia-Rollinson, Kerry Purdue, Jackie Solomon, and Donna Williamson-Garne

Research confirms kaiako with disabilities promote diversity and inclusivity in ECE settings, yet face barriers limiting professional opportunities. This study surveyed ECE student kaiako and practising kaiako with disabilities about their preservice and inservice experiences. Analysis revealed accommodation types enabling success in initial teacher education and ECE settings. Findings emphasise providers’ and employers’ legislative responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations removing barriers for kaiako with disabilities.