1.1 This weeks focus

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This weeks topic is:Introduction Overview of the early childhood profession.

We begin the opening week of this unit with a general introduction and overview of the early childhood profession.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

define the purpose of the early childhood profession

summarise some of the key characteristics of the early childhood profession

describe the diverse structure of the early childhood profession.

1.3 An introduction to the early childhood profession

Before reading this week's scenario, take a look at these two brief interviews with child care workers in an Australian context.

Do the interviewees comment on anything that surprises you or concerns you?

Do they enrich your understanding of the profession and the professional?

Although the interviews are brief, what examples of reflection can you see taking place?

Scenario

Sara is an early childhood teacher who works in an early childhood centre as a kindergarten teacher three days per week, and acts in the role of educational leader for a team of over 45 educators. On the two days that she is not in the centre, Sara works in higher education teaching pre-service teachers.At an early childhood conference for professional development, you witness Sara introducing herself differently to different people. To one person, she says she is a kinder teacher; to another she says she works in a child care centre; and to another she introduced herself as a higher education teacher. All are 'true', and clearly Sara is the same person; however, in each case Sara gets a different response from the person to whom she is talking.

Reflect

Based on your current understandings, what types of different reactions can you imagine Sara might get for each 'title'?

Why do you think people react differently to these titles?

As you progress through this week's materials, note any factors that may have influenced your beliefs identified in your reflection and highlight any factors that have perhaps shifted your thinking or challenged your ideas.

You will revisit this scenario in this week's discussion.

1.4 The purpose of early child education and care

Watch the following videoto develop an understanding of why teaching early years is so important to a child's development and their future success in life.

Additional resources

Read,Preschool is on the election agenda heres why it matters(Links to an external site.)(Jackson & Noble, 2019) to learn more about theimportance of early childhood professionals.(Links to an external site.)Big steps in early education and care ad(Links to an external site.)(United Workers Union, 2017) is a strong ad on the importance of educators. It highlights the enormous responsibility every educator has, yet they seem to be one of the lowest paid professionals in the country.

1.5 Identity of the professionaland of the profession

This unit aims to assist you in developing an understanding of professional identities in early childhood education: both individually (as a professional) and collectively (as a profession). How we see ourselves as professionals and our role as teachers is important, as it impacts on the environments we create, our pedagogy and our sense of purpose and wellbeing.

We begin this week by examining the termidentity.

What is identity?

Throughout this unit, we use the term 'identity' to refer to the individual teacher's sense of professional selfhow they see themselves as a professional and how they are seen and valued by others. We also use refer to the identity of the profession: how the early childhood profession (as a collective) is viewed/understood by both those within it and those external to it.

Rather than fixed or universal, identities are increasingly viewed as fluid, shifting, multiple and, at times, contradictory. Identities can therefore be considered as constructions: made up of many elements and can change based on how we are feeling, and the experiences we have. These feelings and experiences are influenced by many factors including policies, pay, working conditions, parent and community expectations, and relationships with other professionals.

Our professional identities are largely formed in relation to how the profession is understood and valued in society. With this view in mind, it is relevant to begin this unit by exploring the identity of the profession and the influence of political, social, historical and economic factors.

The early childhood profession in Australia

For the rest of this week, we will introduce the factors that shape the early childhood education profession in Australia.

The following video explains the value of early childhood education, and introduces you to some early childhood teachers across a range of settings in Australia. The national early childhood agenda supports the best outcomes for children, families and society. Investment in curriculum, high quality early childhood settings, and a knowledgeable early childhood workforce is essential to support the best outcomes. This video justifies why the early years matter and why we need educators who enjoy working alongside and with young children, who are knowledgeable, and who see learning as a two-way experiencefor child and adult.

One of the challenges in defining and understanding the early childhood profession is the diversity of settings in which it is delivered. As we discovered in the video 'There is something special about early childhood', early childhood education and care in Australia is delivered in a range of settings, including:

long daycare centresfamily daycare

pre-schools/kindergartens

primary schools (Foundation to Year 2)

occasional care settings

mobile early childhood programs

outside school hours care.

Each of the settings listed above differs, not only in physical qualities, but also in the hours of opening, ages of children attending, legislative and regulatory requirements, funding and the qualifications required for professionals. We will discuss many of these characteristics over the coming weeks.

Before we go into details about specific types of settings, it is important to think about the purpose of early childhood education.

What/who is it for?

What do we hope for children, families, teachers and the local and global communities to gain from having early childhood education settings?

How should early childhood settings be organised, staffed and funded...?

How should services be delivered?

Essential readings

The first reading for this week,Early Childhood Education: Then and Now(Links to an external site.)(Bonnay, 2017), explores some of the pioneers of the ECE profession.

Then readChapter 4 Constructing the early childhood institution: What do we think they are for?(Links to an external site.)(Dahlberg, Moss, & Pence, 2007, pp. 6285). In this reading Dahlberg, Moss and Pence argue that early childhood settings are 'socially constructed'. This means that we (as a society) determine their characteristics and purpose: they are 'what we make them' (p. 62).

The chapter is made up of two parts: the first explores some dominant constructions of early childhood education and care settings (a 'producer' of pre-determined outcomes, a 'business' or a 'substitute home'); the second introduces an alternative/less dominant construction of early childhood settings as a 'forum in civil society' (2007, p.62).

Finally, readEducation at a glance 2019(Links to an external site.)(OECD, 2019) as it providesdata on the structure, finances and performance of education systems across OECD countries and a number of partner economies. This reading will be very beneficial when completing Assignment 1.

Additional resources

To learn more about men in early childhood education read:

Why choose early childhood: A male perspective on working as an educator(Links to an external site.)(Page, 2019)

Men in ECEC why the ongoing battle?(Links to an external site.)(McNicholas, 2016).

Reflect

Now that you have been introduced to some different types of early childhood education settings and had the opportunity to explored dominant and alternative constructions, what do you think early childhood education settings should aim to offer children, families and the wider community?

What do you believe is the purpose of early childhood education, and what is your role as a teacher?

Facilitator - we facilitate opportunities for relationships to blossom and grow (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence, 2007)

Provider - provide the environment and support to learn

Professional - we are knowledgeable professionals and do a job which is worth respecting. As stated in McNicholls (2016), outcomes can be improved for children through high quality care provided by professionals.

Reflective Practitioner - someone who observes and reflects on how children learn (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence, 2007).

1.7 Week in review

Essential readingsEarly childhood education: then and now(Links to an external site.)(Bonnay, 2017).

Chapter 4 Constructing the early childhood institution: What do we think they are for?(Links to an external site.)(Dahlberg, Moss, & Pence, 2007, pp. 6285).

Education at a glance 2019(Links to an external site.)(OECD, 2019).

Additional resourcesPreschool is on the election agenda heres why it matters(Links to an external site.)(Jackson & Noble, 2019).

Big steps in early education and care ad(Links to an external site.)(United Workers Union, 2017).

Why choose early childhood: A male perspective on working as an educator(Links to an external site.)(Page, 2019).

Men in ECEC why the ongoing battle?(Links to an external site.)(McNicholas, 2016).

2.1 This weeks focus

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

describe the history of the early childhood profession

describe how early childhood has changed over time

Friedrich Froebel, Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner and Loris Malaguzzi (2017) <https://bit.ly/2WlPXdr>

Friedrich Froebel believed that children learn through play. He designed specific learning materials that he called gifts, which are still used in kindergartens all over the world, and teacher training based on the importance of observation and learning that is based on children's developmental needs. Froebel founded the term 'kindergarten'.

Froebel gifts (2015) <https://bit.ly/3b4mGIf>

"The Froebel Gifts are educational materials developed for Friedrich Froebel's original Kindergarten. Perhaps the world's most intricately conceived playthings, these materials appear deceptively simple, but represent a sophisticated approach to child development. The Gifts are arguably the first educational toys.

Froebel developed special educational toys for his Kindergarten schools. They were so named because they were both given the the child (to be properly respected as gifts) and also function as tools for adults to observe the innate human "gifts" each child posseses from birth. One observes the remarkable qualities and innovative ideas that make each child unique when they have the opportunity to explore and create according to Froebel's method. The materials are known in a variety of terms, including Eunmul (South Korea), Gabe (Asia) and Spielgabe (Germany).

The materials were not some accidental creation, as some modern historians assume. Froebel spent a great deal of time observing children and refining the design of the Gifts. He numbered Gifts 1-6 (the only materials to identified specifically as "Gifts" in Froebel's writing) in part because it simplifies referring to them. Later materials can be described succinctly as tablets (Gift 7), sticks (Gift 8), rings (Gift 8 or 9), points (Gift 9 or 10). For example, Gift 2 is a set of wood solids (sphere, cylinder, cube) with a hanging apparatus. Eight one-inch wood cubes is known more simply as Gift 3, etc.

Gifts have one primary difference from other materials used in the Kindergarten they are able to be returned to their original form when play is finished. An important part of Gift play, the presentation of the Gift is always as a whole form (e.g. Gift 3 removed from the box as a cube form of 8 cubes), and when play is done parts are combined before being placed into the box as a whole. There are only two other rules for Gift play; (1) all parts must be incorporated and (2) a creation is always changed through modification, not destoyed and rebuilt. In this way unity is maintained and subtle lessons about the nature of change are learned (Froebel 2018)".

Nasreen explores the history of Early Childhood Education around the globe and explores the link to historical contexts and models in the articleEarly child care and education(Links to an external site.)(2012). Read the quote to learn more about how kindergartens evolved:

Reviewing the histories of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) developments in several countries reminds us that in much of Europe and North America, and even in several of the developing countries such as China and India, kindergartens and nurseries were first established in the 19th century, often drawing on the same models: Froebel, Pestalozzi, Montessori, and the activities of missionaries. Early on, a distinction was made between 'kindergartens' for educational purposes and day nurseries to provide care. But subsequent developments were slow, with some expansion occurring during World War II and some following that. Except for the eastern European socialist countries, with extensive developments occurring right after the War II, and France, with the integration of preschool into the education system in 1886 and the expansion of the ecole maternelle in the 1950s, the most significant developments date from the 1960s: the end of colonialism, the establishment of independent states in Africa, the dramatic increase in female labor force participation rates, the extensive developments in child and family policies in Europe and the U.S., the debate between care vs development as the critical issue in the ECEC field.(Nasreen, 2012)

Nasreen also explores the evolution of early child care in the Australian context:

In Australia, kindergartens emerged late in the 19th century when the country was in the midst of economic depression. The term 'Kindergarten' was adopted from in this time aimed to take children off the streets and reform 'bad habits, and teachers saw themselves as allies of other professionals who aimed to reform the working class' (Brennan, 1994). Over time, the expectations of education and the teacher's role have changed. An evolution of the early childhood profession. (Nasreen, 2012)

Reflect

Consider how many of these historical factors have been influential in Australia. Are the people and factors described in this quote familiar to you? If not, try conducting a search to find out who they are and what they mean.

2.3 Where it all began

If we look back in time into how and why early childhood education began, it can help us to understand some of the dominant views about early childhood professionals and the purpose of early childhood education.

Take note

As you read through this week consider the following:

How has history contributed to gendered discourses about early childhood teachers and the ongoing divide between care and education?

How do we challenge and/or continue to contribute to these discourses?

Review the following carousel for a brief overview of the areas of Australia's early childhood education.

Childcare

'Childcare' is a sector based on skills associated with the care, nurturing and development of young children that has also throughout history, been predominately provided for and by women (Brennan, 1994). 'Long day care centres', sometimes referred to as 'child care centres' or 'nurseries', generally operate for a minimum of eight hours per day on weekdays across the year, and were established primarily as a service to enable mothers to return to paid employment or study (Brennan, 1994; Cheeseman and Torr, 2009).

In their early years, a letter from their employer was required for mothers to gain admission for their child. In such services, children were 'under the care of skilled and kindly women' who saw to 'bathing, dressing and feeding' (Sydney Day Nursery Association, as cited in Brennan, 1994, p.27). As the main concern was physical health and wellbeing, 'nurses were seen as the most appropriate staff' (Brennan, 1994, p.28).Childcare centresor 'Day Nurseries', as they were knownemerged at the beginning of the 20th century after a decision not to admit children younger than three years of age into kindergartens was made. It was believed that 'nurse-maidish' roles such as nappy changing and spoon-feeding' deterred suitable young women from considering the occupation (Brennan, 1994, p.26). Kindergartens continued to present themselves as educational facilities, while 'day nurseries'wereservices intended to meet the child care needs of mothers who had to work in order to support themselves.

Kindergarten

In Australia, 'kindergarten' generally refers to education provided to children aged three to five years in the year preceding compulsory school. Emerging in the last decade of the 19th century, kindergarten was aimed at reforming 'the 'bad habits and harmful things' learnt in the streets by children of the 'poorer classes' (Brennan, 1994, p.16). During this time, in the midst of economic depression, teachers 'often saw themselves as allies of other professionals intent on reforming working-class life' (1994, p.17).

At the turn of the century, teaching in kindergartens became an acceptable occupation for young middle-class women.

It is important to note that, as Brennan (1994) points out, from the earliest days teachers of kindergartens were trained through practical experiences and educational courses that were deliberately separated from school teaching or 'child care' training. As time wore on, kindergartens came to be viewed as the 'first rung of the educational ladder', and began to assume features of the school system, such as closing for term breaks (Brennan, 1994, p.52).

The care and education divide

Elliott (2006) notes that the work of early childhood education and care has historically been undervalued and looking at the historical contexts, it is apparent that from its inception, a deliberate divide was placed between perceived 'care' and 'educational' elements. The education/care divide continues to impact on the sector as teachers in preschool and early primary settings continue to benefit from higher pay and status than their equally qualified counterparts in long day care settings (Elliott, 2006).

This divide has, and continues to be, reinforced by 'policy, funding and administrative divisions within and between the sectors and at the state and local levels' (Elliott, 2006, p. 1). The education/care divide is noted in much of the literature reviewed as a major contributor to the ongoing struggle for professionalism in the early childhood field (Fenech, Sumsion, & Shepherd, 2010; Elliott, 2006; Brennan, 1994).

Reflect

Consider the following questions:

Is this division partly responsible for the different reactions to Sara in the Week 1 scenario?

Would Tom from this week's scenario be received differently in a primary school?

Essential readings

Read the following resources:

The following booklet celebrates 100 years of kindergarten in Auckland, New ZealandMoving with the times: Leaders in education since 1908: 100 years of the Auckland kindergarten association (PDF 8.17 MB)(Links to an external site.)(Duncan, 2008). Please read Chapter 2 pp. 13-18 for an introduction to how kindergarten began, and Chapter 5 pp. 6173 about women and kindergarten, teacher training and expectations. Note any key points that you found interesting and share these on the discussion board.

In the following paper, Whitehead (2008), discusses the ideas of teacher education Lillian de Lissa who worked in early childhood teacher education in Australia and the United Kingdom for over forty years during the early 1900s. Historical views are used to discuss contemporary understandings of professional identities. For a relevant example of using history to shape our current identity, readThe construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now(Links to an external site.)(Whitehead, 2008).

Additional resources

Read,Lifting our game(Links to an external site.)(NSW Government, 2020). The resource is a review of achieved educational excellence in Australian schools through early childhood interventions.

2.4 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Early childhood education is measured globally by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to promote policies that will improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world. The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems and understand economic, social and environmental factors. The OECD analyses and compares data to predict future trends and set international standards. The International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study (IELS) was created by the OECD, and is designed to help countries to improve childrens early learning experiences and better support their development and overall wellbeing.

Starting Strong 2017 Key OECD indicators on ECEC

With around 45 charts and data for the 35 OECD countries and a number of partner countries, theStarting strong 2017(Links to an external site.)(OECD 2017) publication includes a great deal of new material. It offers new data on ECEC provision and intensity of participation for children under the age of three (based on an improved typology of settings). It also presents new indicators on the profile of ECEC staff (e.g. level of qualification, teacher salary and organisation of working time) and on equity in access to ECEC. The new PISA 2015 survey analyses help highlight the relationship between the number of years of ECEC and academic performance at age 15, and the effects of ECEC attendance on health and wellbeing as well as mothers employability.

Colouring outside the lines: an OECD comparison of early childhood education (2013)http://bit.ly/2zWvKkaTake a look at this series of six Crayola graphs (Center for American Progress, 2013) displaying early childhood education features for a number of OECD countries. For each of the six categories presented, try to determine where Australia might fit in.

When you have worked out what you think, combine your internet search skills with your discussion board abilities to speculate on how Australia might perform in each category. Any surprises?

Purpose

This week's scenario and learning materials invite you to start reflecting on historical factors that influenced the early childhood profession. For example, you will discover those first kindergartenswere established with a goal to take poor children off the street. Or that historically, early childhood education was womens work (Whitehead, 2008, p. 35), which had to do a lot with social and political realities of the past.

This discussion will help to develop your ideas forAssignment 1: Reportrelating to the historical context of early childhood education and the shifts toward the modern system.

This discussion supportsunit learning outcome 3.

This should take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Readthe following scenario

Scenario

You are an educational leader at an early childhood centre. An angry and/or concerned parent has just come to see you after morning drop off because there is a male (relief) educator in his or her child's room. The parent explains they are angry because: 'Apart from the sign on the door indicating a regular educator was absent and would be replaced by "Tom", there was no prior warning of this happening. Why wasn't I told there was a man in the room?' You explain that Tom is a qualified teacher and has undertaken the same security checks and processes that any other relief teacher would. The parent does not seem comforted by this at all, and chooses to take the child home for the day.

Step 2: Posta short statement that covers the following two questions:

What do you think has influenced the parent's reaction to the male in the above scenario?

Would the reaction be different if Tom was the relief teacher in a primary school setting? If so, why?

Step 3: Replyto a peer's post by listing two actions you could take in the future to prevent this situation happening again. Include your reasoning behind these actions with reference to current literature.

2.7 Week in review

Essential readingsMoving with the times: Leaders in education since 1908: 100 years of the Auckland kindergarten association (PDF 8.17 MB)(Links to an external site.)(Duncan, 2008, pp. 1318 and pp. 6173).

The construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now(Links to an external site.)(Whitehead, 2008).

Additional resourcesLifting our game(Links to an external site.)(NSW Government, 2020).3.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: The early childhood profession in Australia.

Last week, we examined the history of the early childhood profession. You should now be able to describe how early childhood has changed over time and explain how historical factors have influenced the profession.

This week, we focus on some of the issues and challenges of working in a diverse and complex profession. We examine different models of early childhood education in the Australian context and the diverse characteristics of the workforce.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

describe the the Australian context for early childhood education

identify and analyse some of the complex issues facing the early childhood profession

become aware of dominant discourses in early childhood education

examine different models of early childhood education and the diverse characteristics of the workforce

explain how the Australian socio-political context influences policy development.

3.2 The early childhood profession in Australia

We will now look at the factors that shape the early childhood education profession in Australia.

Waniganayake et al. (2017) explain that the Australian context is '... a political system framed by three tiers of government, including eight separate state and territory jurisdictions, all of which have some involvement in the provision of EC programs' (p. 20). As such, early childhood education is located in a complex policy environment with multiple funding, regulatory and accountability requirements. It's critical that leaders and managers are abreast of politics and policy, as changes to policy and agendas at government-level impact on policies, funding, and legislative and regulatory requirements.

Policy must be considered in the context of the setting in which it takes place. The early childhood sector in Australia includes a diverse range of settings. Each of these has different core values and beliefs in relation to their purpose and market.

For example, kindergartens may see their primary role as preparing children for school, and long daycare settings may see their primary role as supporting working families. Beliefs about the role of settings will influence both policy and practice. Currently, each state and territory in Australia has different policies on school-starting age, but generally speaking, the age is between four and six years (Waniganayake et al., 2017).

One of the challenges in defining and understanding the early childhood profession is the diversity of settings in which it is delivered. As we have discovered, early childhood education and care in Australia is delivered in a range of settings, including: long daycare centres, family daycare, pre-schools/kindergartens, primary schools (Foundation to Year 2), occasional care settings, mobile early childhood programs, and outside school hours care. Each of these settings differs, not only in physical qualities, but also in the hours of opening, ages of children attending, legislative and regulatory requirements, funding, and the qualifications required for professionals.

Reflect

Consider the following questions:

What is the purpose of early childhood education and who is it for?

What do we hope for children, families, teachers, and the local and global communities to gain from having early childhood education settings?

How should early childhood settings be organised, staffed and funded?

How should services be delivered?

3.3 Balancing influences

Philosophy, pedagogy and practice are influenced by the context of the education setting. Although guided by a national curriculum framework, the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (DET, 2019), the early childhood curriculum in Australia is also influenced by the values, beliefs and expectations of the teachers, children, families and community in which it takes place. This community influence places the responsibility on professionals to connect with the community and make teaching decisions that are responsive to their context.

We begin this week with a scenario that for many would present a dilemma.

Do we stay true to our profession's dominant beliefs and values in relation to 'play-based' learning, or do we respond to a parent's requests that we may not agree with?

Scenario

You work in an early childhood centre that is attached to a metropolitan university. The child (and parent) composition is culturally very diverse. Many of the children are attending the centre for either the one, two or three years that their parents are studying graduate degrees, then returning to their country of origin. Your centre curriculum is informed by the EYLF and values a play-based approach to learning, building on children's interests and collaborations with families and the community.

When picking up their child, a parent who is on a student visa from China comments that the children are always playing and questions why the centre does not do more structured and scholastic work, such as mathematics, reading and writing. After all, she argues, 'these are important school skills, certainly for the child's future in China, but also in Australia'.

Reflect

The image '5 simple questions' (2014) provides examples of five easy-to-ask and understand questions that might be asked to children engaged in play in early learning classrooms in order to encourage student voice.

Could we apply these same questions to hear parent voice?

What are the benefits of seeking the voices of others?

How can the questions help to guide the way we voice our own ideas in relation to play-based curricula for example?

As you reflect on the scenario, consider these questions too.

What are the issues raised by the parent?

What might be influencing the parents' concerns?

What are your concerns?

Consider each perspective and share how you would respond. Did you place a higher priority on the parent or educator's view, or did you find a solution where each party would compromise? Justify your decision to do so.

5 simple questions

Student voice in a classroom is a powerful tool of engagement. But to create that culture of student inquiry, good questions are essential. Here are 5 good ones, useful at any time, in any lesson.

"What do you think?"

Best used after a statement, prediction, conclusion or bservation. Students will often need for us to provide clarity on what we mean by"What do you think?"Ironically, the simplicity might confuse them.

"Why do you think that?"

Push students to provide more depth and reason for their answers.

"How do you know this?"

When this question is asked, students can make connections to their ideas and thoughts with things they've experienced, read and have seen.

"Can you tell me more?"

This question challenges students to extend their thinking and share further evidence for their ideas.

"What questions do you still have?"

Questions like this require patience - wait time, but also time for students to get used to asking questions, not just answering them.

Brevity is a part of why these aresimple yet powerfulquestions. They require students to provide the weight, depth and complexity to a conversation.

3.4 Early childhood settings

As noted in Week 1, one of the challenges in defining and understanding the early childhood profession is the diversity of settings in which it is delivered. Each setting differs not only in physical qualities, but also in the hours of opening, ages of children attending, legislative and regulatory requirements, funding, and the qualifications required for professionals.

A significant aspect of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia is its diverse and, at times, complex nature. Variations in policy approaches to, and delivery of, ECEC arise out of the number and mix of jurisdictions involved in developing policy and funding frameworks for the care and education of young children. There are also differences between and within state and territory areas of portfolio responsibility. This is particularly evident in the areas of school education, pre-school education, early intervention and the regulatory environments for ECEC. In Australia, there are a number of models of early childhood education and care, and these are located across Australia in regional and rural areas, suburbs, and major cities. Early childhood education in Australia is not compulsory and is delivered to children through a range of settings, including childcare centres and pre-schools (also referred to as kindergartens in some parts of Australia) in the year before full-time schooling.

When we think about the diverse landscape of Australia, we can also include coastal, bush, mountain ranges, and desert regions, both hot and cooler climates. The population is also diverse in culture, language and socioeconomic status.

Where did you grow up, and how do you think your early education experiences differ from someone who grew up in a vastly different region?

When we consider context, even briefly, we quickly realise that settings will cater for very diverse needs, and if they are responsive to their context and community, then they will have very different philosophies, practices and learning environments.

Specific services that make up ECEC provision in Australia

The following table details different services and their provisions in Australia.

Services that make up ECEC provision in Australia

Service Provision

Family day care (FDC) FDC provides home-based care for children aged 012 years. Care is provided by registered caregivers within the carers home. Local FDC coordination units oversee the placement of children, recruit and resource caregivers.

Home-based care Home-based carers look after other peoples children in their (the carers) own homes for payment. They are not attached to a family daycare scheme. In some states and territories, home-based care may be regulated depending on the number of children cared for. Where such care is unregulated, it is part of the registered (informal) care sector.

Long daycare centres (LDC) LDC centres primarily cater to children from birth to school age. They are open for at least eight hours a day, five days a week and 48 weeks/year.

Multifunctional Aboriginal Childrens Services (MACS) MACS cater to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) children aged 012 years and are managed by the local ATSI community. MACS provide a range of different services according to the needs of their community.

Multifunctional Childrens Services (MCS) MCS cater to children 012 years in rural areas and offer a range of different types of care and education according to the needs of their community. Services offered may include long daycare, outside school hours care and family daycare.

Mobile childrens services (i.e. Mobiles) Mobiles are travelling resource units that cater to families in rural and remote areas. Mobiles may offer a range of services including child care and pre-school, as well as activities for older children, playgroups and toy libraries. The types of services offered vary according to community needs.

Occasional Care Centre (OCC) OCCs cater to children birth to school age. They provide short-term care on a regular or irregular basis. Hours and days of operation vary from service to service.

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) OSHC provides activities for children aged 512 years before and after school hours and during school vacations.

Playgroups Playgroups provide activities for families with children aged birth to school age. Playgroups are usually attended by children in the company of their parents (or carers).

Pre-schools or kindergartens Pre-schools generally cater to children aged 3 to 5 years. They are usually open only during school terms and most commonly during the hours 9am to 3pm. Children may attend on a half-day or full-day basis (with each half-day equivalent to one session of pre-school). Pre-schools may also be referred to as kindergartens or pre-primary. There are variations among states and territories regarding the age range of children attending pre-school, hours of operation, location, and management of programs.

Registered care Under registered (informal) care, carers such as relatives, friends, home-based carers and nannies are registered with the family assistance office. Registration does not play a regulatory role. It enables eligible parents paying for such care to claim a rebate toward the cost of care from the Commonwealth Government.

Schools School education is compulsory for all children over the age of six years. Distance education programs cater to the educational needs of children in geographically isolated areas. Children attend school for up to six hours per day, with some variation in hours and the lengths of school terms around the country and between the government and non-government sectors. The age of commencement of school varies between states and territories. In general, the age of compulsory attendance is six with children being able to commence school sometime during their fifth year. In most cases, when children enrol at age five, they enrol in a preparatory year. (Pre-school refers to a sessional program that runs before this preparatory year and may or may not be connected to a particular school depending upon jurisdiction and location.)

Toy libraries Toy libraries have toys and games available for borrowing by parents and/or other childrens services. The equipment is usually selected to assist childrens development. Some toy libraries are specifically targeted to children with special needs or to rural and remote areas through mobile services.

OECD thematic review of early childhood education and care policy (2000) adapted from Commonwealth of Australia, p. 9

Ongoing issues and challenges facing the profession

In Week 2 it was evident that the care and education divide has contributed to ongoing issues including low status, debates about qualifications, and low expectations of professionalism in early childhood education and care.

What's changed since then?

The following table explains what has changed.

Issues expressed by Stonehouse in 1988 and 2012

Issues that Stonehouse expressed in 1988 Issues that Stonehouse expressed in 2012

1: What do we call ourselves? 1: Quality improvement of the profession.

2: Who is in the profession and who is not? 2: Defining what it means to be an early childhood professional today; what knowledge and skills are requirements?

3: What are the motivations for people who enter the profession? 3: 'People who just want to work with children' is not good enough.

4: Blurred professional roles and increasing responsibilities. 4: Key aspects of our work need to be understood and articulated e.g. partnerships with families, image of the child, holistic view of curriculum and meaningful learning.

5: Divisions across sectors and the 'care versus education' debateschools, family daycare, outside school hours care. 5: Professional terms: are we a field, industry or profession?

6: The threats of external factors on teacher training and the problem the profession has in explaining what we do. 6: Put documentation in its place; it should not dominate what we do.

7: The belief that the work can be done by anyone (female). 7: Robust discussions of the profession: who is in, who is out, and does it matter?

8: A lack of clarity about why our services exist: are they for the workforce, for care, education, socialisation or school preparation? 8: Avoiding collaborating ourselves into extinction.

9: We cannot guarantee our outcomes. 9: That we focus too much on activities and not enough on relationships and routines.

10: Our major stakeholders (children) cannot advocate for us. 10: The poor status of those working with infants and toddlers.

11: Not finding the balance between teamwork and expertise and responsibility that comes from formal qualifications. 12: Our inability to articulate what we do. 13: Our confusion about the obviousness of what we do contributes to the lack of understanding of what we do (e.g. the pedagogies of play). Issues that Stonehouse expressed in 1988 and 2012 (2012) created by Swinburne Online

Essential readings

The first reading for this week isChapter 2: The Australian policy context(Links to an external site.)(pp. 2040) from your eText, which introduces the complexity of the Australian context from a socio-political perspective.

The second reading isNice ladies who love children: the status of the early childhood professional in society (PDF 585 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Stonehouse, 1994). In it, Margaret Clyde asserted that the early childhood profession is not clear about who they are and what they do, whether they are, could be or even should aspire to being a profession. She stated that we have two choices: either to adopt the established criteria or to set lower standards and not be a profession (Clyde, 1988, as cited in Stonehouse, 1994).

At the 1988 Australian early childhood conference, Anne Stonehouse gave a keynote on the status and identity of early childhood professionals called 'Nice ladies who love children'. It is an understatement to say that much has changedbut has it all been change for good?

Stonehouse's reflections at the ECA conference, Perth 2012, illustrated that many of these issues still exist many years later, and although the early childhood profession has experienced enormous reform and change, many aspects remain the same.

Additional resources

Read pages 15 ofEarly childhood education and care in Australia (PDF 1.66 MB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2011) for an introduction to key terms and a snapshot of the Australian scene. This report from ECA explains terminology and descriptions of early education and care in Australia today, including the diverse population and Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children and families, and state, territory, and Australian governments.

Whitehead (2008) discusses the ideas of teacher education with Lillian de Lissa who worked in early childhood teacher education in Australia and the United Kingdom for over 40 years during the early 1900s. Historical views are used to discuss contemporary understandings of professional identities.

For a relevant example of using history to shape our current identity, readThe construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.)(Whitehead, 2008).3.5 Diversity and inclusion: A professional responsibility

Diversity and inclusion are important aspects of 21st-century teaching and learning, global thinking and early childhood education. As noted by ECA (2010), Australia's population is culturally and linguistically diverse, with approximately 22 percent of the population born overseas. There is great diversity among children's languages in Australia, with almost '400 languages spoken and 16 percent of the population speaking a language other than English at home' (Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2012).

In Australia, you will at times work with families with very different beliefs and values to your own. Working professionally with children and families demands an acknowledgment, understanding and healthy respect for diverse cultures, abilities, circumstances, values and child-rearing practices. In addition to being culturally and linguistically diverse, children also differ in their socioeconomic status, family structure, everyday family practices, living conditions and mental, physical and emotional health.

Inclusion is the act of acknowledging and accommodating difference so that every child can engage and participate fully, experiencing a strong sense of belonging and acceptance. Inclusion involves taking into account all children's social, cultural and linguistic diversity in curriculum and pedagogical decision-making processes (Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2012).

The aim of inclusive practice is equity. Equity is often confused with equality. Equality is about having equal rights: for example every child has the right to an education. Equity is about ensuring that each child and family has what they need to get an education. For example, some families may need emotional or financial support, transport or interpreter services.

As an early childhood teacher in Australia, you may work with children and families with very different backgrounds, languages, values and experiences. Effective communication helps us to acknowledge, understand and respect diversity. Your final reading this week shares parent perspectives about quality.

Reflect

As you read, consider how culture can have an impact on our expectations for children's learning and what we think about quality?

Seeking diverse perspectives can help us to see parent's views and expectations more clearly, avoid conflict and enrich our understandings of the purpose of early childhood teaching and the children we teach.

Essential readings

To explore these considerations further, readParent perspectives on child care quality among a culturally diverse sample(Links to an external site.)(da Silva & Wise, 2006, pp. 614).

3.6 Activity: Keeping up to date

Purpose

This week we explored some of the issues and challenges of working in a diverse and complex profession, and the different models of the early childhood education profession in Australia. It is important to be able to stay informed and up-to-date with information. The fortnightly e-newsletter for Early Childhood Australia (ECA) offers an eclectic mix of information on:

early childhood development, growth and learning

early childhood practice, programs and policy

emerging issues and research.

Additionally, 'The Early Education Show' is a weekly podcast that is produced and presented by Liam McNicholls, Leanne Gibbs and Lisa Bryant. This is also a valuable source of information that analyses the news of the week, explores topics of professionalism and advocacy in-depth, and interviews some of the big players in the sector. The show is not afraid to tackle the political issues of our times, and provides insight into the profession that will help with your assignments in this unit. A new episode arrives every Friday.

This activity will allow you to stay up to date with relevant industry information. You will be able to use the information obtained through both sources to help with bothAssignment 1: ReportandAssignment 2: Reflective philosophy.

Task

Step 1:Subscribeto HYPERLINK "http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-webwatch/" t "_blank" WebWatch(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2020). You can also readpast issues of WebWatch in the HYPERLINK "http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-webwatch/webwatch-index/" t "_blank" WebWatch index(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2020).Step 2: Explorethe website and consider some of the items that you discovered about this organisation.

Step 3: Subscribeto get new episodes ofThe Early Education Show(Links to an external site.)(n.d.) as soon as they arrivethese will help with both assignments. To subscribe, follow the link to the podcast webpage.

Step 4: Exploresome of the podcasts targeting today's political issues. What are some interesting key points you could take away that will assist you with your assignments?

3.8 Week in review

Essential readingsEarly childhood education and care in Australia (PDF 1.66 MB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2011, pp. 15).

Nice ladies who love children: the status of the early childhood professional in society (PDF 585 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Stonehouse, 1994).

Parent perspectives on child care quality among a culturally diverse sample(Links to an external site.)(da Silva & Wise, 2006, pp. 614).

Additional resourcesEarly childhood education and care in Australia (PDF 1.66 MB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2011).

The construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now(Links to an external site.)(Whitehead, 2008).

4.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Current trends and movements.

In last week's topic, we explored the diversity and complexity within the early childhood profession. You should now be able to describe the importance of diversity and identify and analyse some of the complex issues facing the early childhood profession. In this week's topic, we continue to explore the early childhood profession as we examine current trends and movements.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

identify some of the key trends that impact on the early childhood profession

analyse and critique the influence of these trends.

4.2 Addressing new trends

The scenario this week relates to a question posed by a recently qualified early childhood teacher.

Scenario

You are an educational leader at an early childhood centre. A new early childhood teacher fresh out of university asks you why the centre does not emphasise a Reggio approach, as this is what they learned about at university. This approach, she argues, is 'fantastic' as it includes projects based on children's interests, photographic documentation and apparently 'everyone is doing it'.

Reflect

What is a Reggio approach, where did it originate, and what do you think is potentially beneficial, challenging or dangerous about adopting a new approach to early childhood education?

What would you need to consider before making such changes?

If you are unsure of the Reggio approach to early childhood learning, or if you want to reflect on what 'Reggio inspired' might mean, watch this short promotional video from St Michael's School (2013) in Canada.

Reflect

What are your thoughts on the approach as presented in the video?

Does it help you with your response to your new employee?

4.3 Adaptation and reform

In a rapidly changing world, education systems are forced to respond to shifting political, economic, societal and technological trends. Comprehensive research in brain development highlighted the importance of early childhood experiences, and as a result many governments and communities across the world are reconsidering their early education and care systems to better support families and prepare children for the diversities and complexities of life in the 21st century.

Changes, in any system, impact on the expectations and practices of those who work within them. In Australia, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is leading a national approach to transform the early education sector. In November 2008, COAG agreed to a new national quality agenda aimed to reform early childhood education and care. Early childhood was noted as a 'critical time in human development' with 'international evidence' indicating strong returns on the investment in early childhood services for 'children from disadvantaged backgrounds' (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009). Many initiatives have been put forward to increase the qualifications, conditions and retention rates of early childhood practitioners, and to provide a nationally consistent approach to education and care.

Apply your learning

Explore the following resources as they provide you with more important elements of the reform agenda:

What is the NQF?(Links to an external site.)(Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority, 2020c).

The national quality standard(Links to an external site.)(Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority, 2020b).

Assessments and quality ratings(Links to an external site.)(Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority, 2020a).

The reforms also included the development and implementation of a national curriculum framework for children aged birth to five years and national laws and regulations that will be discussed in later weeks.

Essential readings

Early childhood education and care in Australia: A discussion paper (PDF 1.66 MB)(Links to an external site.) prepared for the European Union-Australia Policy Dialogue, 1115 April 2011 (ECA, 2011). Read pp. 2529 for the national quality agenda and associated workforce issues.

Current trends and interests in pedagogical approaches

The scenario this week focuses on Reggio Emilia: a pedagogical approach to education that, in over the last decade, has gained enormous attention both nationally and internationally.

What are the benefits and challenges in drawing on international examples of early childhood education?

You can find out more about the Reggio Emilia approach at Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange. Other approaches gaining momentum are those set in outdoor environments, including theForest kindergartens of Germany(Links to an external site.)(Neate, 2013). If you are interested in learning about an Australian example of this approach, see HYPERLINK "http://www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-kinder" o "Open the reading - Westgarth Kindergarten's bush kinder" t "_blank" Westgarth Kindergarten's bush kinder(Links to an external site.)(Westgarth Kindergarten, n.d.).

Additional resources

Read:

A critical analysis of the national quality framework: Mobilising for a vision for children beyond minimum standards(Links to an external site.)(Fenech, Giugni, & Bown, 2012, pp. 514).

Evidence brief on staff to child ratios and educator qualification requirements of the National Quality Framework (PDF 944 KB)Download Evidence brief on staff to child ratios and educator qualification requirements of the National Quality Framework (PDF 944 KB)(ECA, 2013).

Latest trends in early childhood education(Links to an external site.)(Kaur, 2016).

Tune in and stay abreast of changes

It's now time to revisit your scenario for this week. It is important to note that a review of the framework is now underway. A new government will often result in a change of policies and the current political environment is no exception. Stay tuned to the media and share any debates, questions or issues you hear during the week.

4.5 Week in review

Essential readingsEarly childhood education and care in Australia: A discussion paper (PDF 1.66 MB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2011, pp. 2529).

Additional resourcesA critical analysis of the national quality framework: Mobilising for a vision for children beyond minimum standards(Links to an external site.)(Fenech, Giugni, & Bown, 2012, pp. 514).

Latest trends in Early Childhood education(Links to an external site.)(Kaur, 2016).

5.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Ethical professionalism.

Last week, we reviewed trends and movements within early childhood. You should now be able to identify some of the key trends that impact on the early childhood profession and analyse and critique the influence of such trends.Over the next two weeks we will examine the professional obligations, standards and requirements for teachers. These weeks are important for you career and will also support your second assignment. We begin by looking at the critical role of ethics.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

describe the importance of ethical relationships and practices within early childhood profession

describe the characteristics of effective teamwork and communication

explain the importance of teamwork and communication for early childhood professionals

explore ethical issues and the notion of ethical 'critical incidents' by integrating ethical tools into decision-making.

5.2 Teamwork and professional communication

Teamwork

When working closely with others, effective communication is vital for sharing ideas, visions and information about children and families. This enables consistent approaches to teaching to take placewhere teachers carefully and thoughtfully negotiate through individual beliefs and values to ensure that each individual feels respected. This does not mean that everyone has to agree or have the same values; rather, they work in a direction guided by a mutual philosophy and unique culture that has been created by the team. This team approach also nurtures a sense of belonging and work satisfaction. Kearns (2010) explains that effective teamwork is much more than sharing tasks equally. It involves the identification and practise of individual skills and expertise. Kearns (2010) notes that effective teamwork involves particular skills and attitudes, including cooperation, initiative and being flexible and open to change. As we have noted in earlier weeks, the workforce in early childhood education is diverse and the size and structure of teams will vary in different settings.

Kearns (2010) describes diversity in a team as including life and work experiences, qualifications, sociocultural backgrounds, philosophy and age. Appreciating and respecting diversity involves tolerance, a willingness to hear new ideas and treating each individual with respect.

Early childhood professionals from a range of backgrounds collaborate to achieve the best outcomes for children and families. According to Chan, Chng, Wong and Waniganayake (2010), the following principles of cross-cultural communication are helpful to consider when working in diverse and multicultural workplaces:

Look inwards: Be reflective about your responses, views and thoughts that might be influencing your behaviour. This will enable you to identify personal bias or preconceived notions about practices from other cultures.

Be open and honest:Dont be surprised when you discover a new way of doing or viewing things. Be open to differences and try it out for yourself instead of judging. Talk openly about your own cultural practices and ask questions regarding the cultural practices of others, so that it opens lines of discussion.

Maintain professionalism and accountability:Be a team player and build trust with others by fulfilling your role as a staff member, regardless of your cultural notions. Actively demonstrate your commitment and dedication to the organisation and the early childhood profession.

Find alternatives:It is not about abandoning one culture for another, but finding ways in which any culture can be valued and respected. Therefore, it is about building shared understandings.

Professional communication

Communication skills are central to teaching and learning, and they form the foundation for building and maintaining relationships. Communication relates to sending and receiving information in an effective manner and involves both verbal and non-verbal methods and active listening.

Often, it is the non-verbal methods that carry the greatest power. Our tone, volume, facial expressions and gestures shape the meaning of the words being communicated in face-to-face scenarios. Communication is not always straightforward and messages can be misunderstood, particularly when there are strong emotions, language barriers or conflicting values/communication styles involved.

In your reading, Kearns (2010) noted and described the following factors that impact on communication:

Personal space (different zones of physical contact).

Individual communication styles (choice and use of language).

Professional roles, status and communication (what is the impact of power?).

Body language (non-verbal communication).

Different language and accents (what strategies can help?).

Assertiveness (how does our sense of self influence this?).

Sending the message (unclear and hidden messages).

Receiving the message (effective and reflective listening).

Reflect

What are some of the other obstacles and challenges that can impact on professional communication?

Think about time, environment, individual differences and attitudes. How does personal and professional communication differ?

Reflect on how you communicate with your friends. What features of this communication would be different in a professional context?

In the following images, we will explore the various causes of conflict and their consequences.

Conflict causes (2014)https://bit.ly/2QgwlXfWhat causes conflict?

intolerance

poor communication

needs not met

prejudice

challenges to values

lack of compromise

making assumptions

desire for power

lack of empathy

ignorance

cultural threat

self-interest

What are the causes of conflict in your life?

Conflict consequences (2014)https://bit.ly/3bUi0IbWhatare the negative effects of conflict?

unhappiness

fear

poor self-esteem

withdrawal

anger

confusion

negative thoughts

frustration

distrust

physical violence

loneliness

stress

insecurity

avoidance

hostility

What are the positive effects of conflict?

Essential readings

Ebbeck and Waniganayake (2003) point out that early childhood educational settings are not free of workplace conflict. Therefore, it is critical to develop the skills to identify conflict (and the sources of it) and to effectively manage and resolve it. The following reading,Creating the context for conflict resolution in the workplace (PDF 1.4MB)(Links to an external site.)(Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003), discusses these skills and provides strategies for dealing with conflict in the early childhood setting.

5.3 Reflecting on ethical decisions

Early childhood professionals have an ethical obligation to be advocates for children and families by virtue of their role. It is important to understand the effect of advocacy and public policy on the lives of children.

(Gibbs, 2003, p. 9)

Choosing to act ethically is a defining feature of being an early childhood professional. From decisions to support childrens rights and uphold their agency, to deciding what to say or not say to a parent or colleagueethics are a part of everyday practice. This week explores the delicate art of understanding what we have a right to do and what is right to do. It applies, in equal measure, to the relationships we pursue with children, families, our colleagues and to the way we understand ourselves. As the dimensions of our practice change and the nature of community life become more complex, the need for an ethical frame to inform and shape our professional decisions becomes even more critical. Understanding the place of ethics in our everyday work is a means of calibrating our thinking so we can better navigate the way forward. This will be an interactive session where educators will be encouraged to ask questions, share ideas and identify strategy for change.

We will refer to the following scenario as a critical incident. A critical incident is a positive or negative experience in your workplace that might be something quite everyday and ordinary, or something a bit unusual and interesting. The point is that the incident causes you to reflect on your response and this reflection can cause you to think about the assumptions, views and behaviours that underpin your work practices. The information sheet titled,A 'critical' reflection framework (PDF 24.2 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education and Training Victoria, 2007), explains the framework in more detail.

As you will see, the critical incident does not seem particularly exceptional.

Scenario

A parent has told you that they do not want their child to sleep during the day, as it proves too difficult to settle the child at night and is disruptive to both their morning and evening domestic schedules. The parent suggests that you could give the child downtime instead, so that he/she can draw. Nevertheless, the child desperately wants to sleep and when you put him/her at a table to draw, they immediately drop their head on the table to sleep. You wake the child up, which upsets them and causes them to protest and cry.

5.3 Reflecting on ethical decisions

(Gibbs, 2003, p. 9)

As you will see, the critical incident does not seem particularly exceptional.

Scenario

Integrating ethical tools into your decision-making

One of the most challenging aspects of teaching is dealing with the frequent dilemmas that arise from working closely with others. At times, it is difficult to negotiate through the multiple layers of values, beliefs and attitudes, so as to make decisions about teaching practices. Your second assignment for this unit requires you to respond both professionally and ethically to a scenario.

As with many situations that occur in early childhood education, there is no one right way to respond. Instead, you are required to consider your legal and regulatory requirements together with your ethical obligations, and to make a professional decision.

We are able to make informed decisions about ethical problems by using ethical reasoning, which is influenced by a variety of factors shown in the diagram shown.

Ethical dilemmas

A dilemma can be defined as a 'choice between two possible outcomes of equal virtue' (Tronto cited in Blaise & Nuttall, 2011). As noted earlier, teachers are often required to make decisions where choices are not obviousin most situations, these are known as dilemmas. Blaise and Nuttall explain that for teachers, there are two main types of dilemmas: professional and ethical (2011).

Ethical reasoning (2019) Created by Swinburne Online

Arrow showing ethical problems going into the circle of ethical reasoning.Laws, orders and regulations, basic national values, traditional army values, organisational values, personal values and institutional pressures are factors that are linked to ethical reasoning.

Decision response is the outcome of ethical reasoning.

'Dilemmas arise in our work with children, colleagues and families because of the intimacy, complexity and intensity of teachers' work' (Blaise & Nuttall, 2011, p. 228).

In the following chapter, Blaise and Nuttall explain the difference between professional and ethical dilemmas, offering reasons why they occur, scenarios based on practice and the opportunity to pause and reflect (2011).

They introduce tools like the code of ethics, legislation, discussions and concept mapping, and they note the importance of being aware of your own values. The tools used to respond to the scenarios in this chapter will be helpful for your assignment.

Watch this short clip, which presents a hypothetical teacher-parent relationship and the dilemma it poses for a number of stakeholders. While the setting is a secondary school, the issue is transferable to an early childhood setting. While you watch, imagine you are the principal and then also the teacher involved. Unpack the dilemma and analyse it from personal, professional and legal perspectives. Additionally, consider that if it were to take place in an early childhood teaching setting, would any different issues be raised?

Reflect

Now that you have watched the video, let's return to the critical incident scenario.

Ethical dilemmas occur when more than one stakeholder (parent, child or teacher) has legitimate and competing needs. This is evident in our scenario this week. Whose needs will you give a higher priority, the individual child, the parent, the children in the group or the teachers?

Pause and reflect on the scenario:

What are the needs of each person/group in the scenario?

Refer to the code of ethics for insight.

Consider some possible compromises and solutions.

Acting professionally and ethically also involves maintaining confidentiality, the dignity and respect of all involved, and acting in accordance with laws and regulations.

Essential readings

As highlighted by Blaise and Nuttall (2011), codes of ethics can be used as a tool to guide professional practice through dilemmas when they arise. Codes of ethics can help guide professionals as they deliberate on the ongoing question: What should I do? ReadChapter 9 The ethical teacher (PDF 572 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Blaise & Nuttall, 2011, pp. 229245) to learn more.The following link will guide you to theEarly Childhood Australia code of ethics (PDF 433 KB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2016), which offers a guide to using the code of ethics in practice.

Additional resources

For a real world example of codes and standards for teachers, explore:

Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct(Links to an external site.)(VIT, 2021).

Australian Professional Standards for TeachersDownload Australian Professional Standards for Teachers(AITSL, 2017).

You may already be familiar with these documents from previous units. You are not required to read or memorise them all. However, it is important that as a professional (and for your assignment in this unit), you have access to them and are familiar enough to effectively navigate to the sections that are relevant to your practices and dilemmas.

If you are located outside of Victoria, we recommend you search and download a copy of relevant codes.

5.4 An ethical question of space

The classroom is often referred to at the 'third teacher' in Reggio Emilia early childhood schools. Space is moreover viewed as a key part of pedagogy. Thoughtful attention to creating an environment enables children to develop relationships with the world around them, themselves and each other. This is an important aspect of any early childhood curriculum. Malaguzzi (cited in The Compass School, 2020) states, 'Space has to be a sort of aquarium that mirrors the ideas, values, attitudes, and culture of the people who live within it'.

Space is at a premium in Australian cities, as land and house prices grow and more early childhood education settings are being built within high density and high-rise locations. In 2017, O'Brien (2017) wrote that, in Victoria, the Education Department confirmed that three Melbourne childcare centres were granted exemptions from national standards which cover the minimum amount of outdoor space due to a lack of suitable outdoor land for play, and twelve more had application processes in place at the time.

Apply your learning

Read,How fake nature in child care centres could be damaging(Links to an external site.)(Cook 2017) and consider some of the key ideas and concerns.

Once you've completed this reading, readNatural environments photographs (PDF 3.91 MB)(Links to an external site.)(DET, 2010) and examine if these exemptions to space requirements in the legislation align with the features outlined in the article.

Considering regulations in decision-making

We begin by revisiting the scenario from5.3 Reflecting on ethical decisions. You are now encouraged to draw on your readings and links to find relevant areas of the legal and regulatory requirements. This will further guide your response to the scenario and support your future teaching practice.

As you think about the different issues, voices and perspectives included in this scenario, watch this Early Childhood Australia (ECA)Learning Hub (2012) clip of toddlers' sleep time transition to afternoon tea at a childcare centre. This video provides examples of how routine can be planned and implemented in ways that meet quality standards.

The following information shows the sleep time philosophy and policy at a child care centre. Use its information to further enhance your response to the scenario and the parent involved.

Sleep time at Sea Breeze Child Care Centre

Primary carers at Sea Breeze Child Care Centre know the sleep needs and preferences of their children very well. Within the group, there are some children who have two long sleeps a day, others who have several short 'catnaps'. The majority have one sleep after lunch, which varies from 20 minutes to two hours.

There is a cot room with low beds for the toddlers. One baby is used to sleeping in a hammock. Her mum has supplied a hammock for her sleeps and the carers have hung it in a quiet corner of the playroom. Indira is used to the noise and bustle of a very large family. Carers try to make the same 'spot' available to a child on the days they attend.

Carers are very observant, alert to each child's cues, and take into account each child's usual sleep habits as well as any other factors that may influence when and how much sleep each child needs. Children's personal rituals are respected, and carers ensure that they have familiar comforters. The toddlers are given unhurried time to complete their preparations for sleep. Primary carers or carers familiar to the children are available if children need help to relax and go to sleep.

Around the time when group lunch finishes, the carers dim the playroom lights, play soft music and talk softly to convey that a quiet time has begun. For children who have already slept or are not sleepy, there are books and quiet activities and a carer available. This peaceful interlude in a busy day is stress-free and appreciated by carers and children.

Staff do take their breaks during this time; however, all children are supervised at all times. Both the cots room and the bedroom have sound monitors and windows so carers can frequently check sleeping children.

As each child wakes, their carer responds with a soothing voice and a cuddle. They recognise that the 'waking up' routine is just as important as the settling routine. Children are not hurried, are changed if needed, offered a drink, and are helped to join the group playing quietly in the playroom.

Additional resources

ReadChildcare centres encouraged to audit toys and books (PDF 51 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Urban, 2017).

ReadKept in to play(Links to an external site.)(O'Brien, 2017) and consider some of the key ideas and concerns.

ReadNatural environments photographs (PDF 3.91 MB)(Links to an external site.)(DET, 2010) and examine if these exemptions to space requirements in the legislation align with the features outlined in the article.

5.6 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 9 The ethical teacher (PDF 572 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Blaise & Nuttall, 2011, pp. 229245).

ECA code of ethics (PDF 433 KB)(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2016).

Creating the context for conflict resolution in the workplace (PDF 1.4MB)(Links to an external site.)(Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003).

Additional resourcesVictorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct(Links to an external site.)(VIT, 2015).

Australian Professional Standards for TeachersDownload Australian Professional Standards for Teachers(AITSL, 2014).

Childcare centres encouraged to audit toys and books (PDF 51 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Urban, 2017).

Kept in to play(Links to an external site.)(O'Brien, 2017)

Natural environments photographs (PDF 3.91 MB)(Links to an external site.)(DET, 2010).

6.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Legal professionalism.

Last week we looked at the critical role of ethics. You should now be able to describe the importance of ethical behaviour within the early childhood profession and integrate ethical tools into decision-making. This week is your final week before Consolidation Week, and we will be exploring the many legal and regulatory requirements for professionals in early childhood education. It is critical that, as a professional, you act in accordance with the relevant acts and regulations.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

identify and describe the key legal obligations that impact on the early childhood profession

consider regulatory requirements when making decisions

understand the link between ethics and the legal requirements of the profession.

6.2 Linking ethical and legal practices

This week we will be revisiting the scenario presented in Week 5. You are encouraged to draw on your readings and links to find relevant areas of the legal and regulatory requirements that will further guide your response to the scenario and support your future teaching practice.

This following scenario can be seen as either a positive or negative experience in your workplace. It might be something quite everyday and ordinary or something a bit unusual and interesting. The incident causes you to reflect on your response and this reflection can cause you to think about the assumptions, views and behaviours that underpin your work practices.

Scenario

As we have discovered, ethical standards are based on the human principles of right and wrong, which, in a profession such as ECE, align with a professional code of ethics. Legal standards are based on written law. The legislative framework that ECE teachers are accountable to have a major impact on professional roles, expectation and quality.It is essential that early childhood educators are provided with effective resources to support teaching healthy, safe and respectful relationships at the most critical time of a childs development, while attitudes and behaviours are still being formed.

Family violence

Ethical issues are part of the complexity of the ECE profession, as teachers work closely with children, families and the community. A recent issue that has gained prominence according to the 2015 Royal Commission in to Family Violence is how the early childhood profession offers important support for families and builds respectful relationships. Such programs help to challenge existing rigid gender stereotypes that create inequity and violence-supportive attitudes and behaviours, so as to ensure that these 'important messages are being embedded from an early age and in all phases of development' (Royal Commission into Family Violence, 2017, p. 1582).

Start Early(Links to an external site.)(ECA, 2020) is a program developed by Early Childhood Australia with free online modules exploring how early childhood educators can foster healthy and constructive relationships throughout the early years of a child.

Legal obligations and practice

Select the following to learn more about legal obligations and practices:

National law -- The national law sets a national standard for childrens education and care across Australia.

National regulations --The national regulations support the national law by providing detail on a range of operational requirements for an education and care service.

Approved learning frameworks --Under the national law and national regulations, services are required to base their educational programs on an approved learning framework.

Professionals in early childhood education must work in accordance with all legal, statutory, industry and service requirements (Kearns, 2010, p. 31). The early childhood profession is highly regulated and it is important to have a reasonable understanding of the legal obligations. Kearns (2010) also notes that there are a number of local, state/territory and national government requirements, including:

public health regulations (including collecting information about immunisation and the exclusion of children with particular infectious diseases)

Commission for Children and Young People

child protection legislation

human rights and equal opportunity requirements

occupational health and safety

anti-discrimination requirements

equal employment requirements

privacy and personal information protection regulations

international treaties and declarations, including theUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child(UNICEF cited in Kearns, 2010).

If you are not familiar with any of these requirements or legislation, a quick Google search should provide you with sufficient background information.

There are also regulations that establish minimum standards for the operation of an early childhood education setting. These cover areas such as the physical environment (facilities and equipment), staffing requirements (child to staff ratios, qualifications, character checks), child enrolments, operational requirements, administrative requirements and required records/record keeping.

Professionals must understand their duty of care, which is a legal responsibility to take all reasonable care to act in the best interests of the children and work to an appropriate standard. Professionals must also understand the national quality standards, curriculum frameworks and, in school settings, the Australian Curriculum.

The legislative and regulatory requirements and standards are explained in more detail in your readings for this week. You should already be familiar with the quality standards and curriculum requirements from earlier weeks, so you may wish to skim over these sections and focus on the areas you feel you need to explore in more detail.

Additional resources

National law(Links to an external site.)(ACECQA, 2020b).

National regulations(Links to an external site.)(ACECQA, 2020c).

Approved learning frameworks(Links to an external site.)(ACECQA, 2020a).

6.3 Legal issues in ECE

Care arrangements for children in contemporary Australian society vary significantly from family to family and within sibling groups. It is imperative that child care professionals and other child care service employees are informed and remain up-to-date about who has legal access to a child and information about that child.

Collecting a child from an education setting

Every ECE setting must have policies and procedures in place. Enrolment forms should require detailed written information about each person authorised to collect a child, including the persons full name, residential address, telephone number and relationship to the child.

Sometimes, a court order may prevent a parent or other person from collecting/having access to a child. Examples of such orders include family court orders, family violence-related orders, child protection orders and bail orders.

Identification should be used to ensure only authorised persons are permitted to collect a child and permission must be given from an authorised person to collect a child. On occasion, a parent or authorised person may attend to collect a child while under the influence of a drug or alcohol, or present in such as manner as to suggest his/her ability to safely collect a child is impaired.

Child care service providers owe a duty of care to the children in their care to ensure their safety is paramount. In doing so, they must comply with their obligations under state or territory child protection laws. In circumstances where the collection of a child poses a potential risk to a childs safety, which cannot be addressed by alternative means, child protection authorities or police should be notified and advice should be sought as to how to proceed.

Select the following headings to learn more about personal and professional ethics, values and morals:

Professional --Ethics

What relevant standards and expectations are outlined by my profession in its code of ethics? How do ethical principles conflict in this case? Note:If ethical principles conflict, use an ethical decision-making process to resolve (Allen, 2012).

Law and policy

Are there any legal obligations in this case? How do my agency's policies direct me? Are there any conflicts between my profession's ethics and my legal obligations and/or agency's policies? Note:Legal obligations usually supersede professional ethics. Agency policies should not prevent the ethical practice of social work and supervision must be sought in both cases (Allen, 2012).

Personal -- Values

What relevant personal values apply in this case and where did they originate? What professional values are outlined in the code of ethics and do any of them apply in this case? Note:If there is conflict between personal and professional values, how can we manage personal values so that professional ethics guide the way? Supervision must be sought and the self reflection and values clarification process must be used (Allen, 2012).

Morals

How does my behaviour reflect my relationship with others? What would I like to do and/or what would I want done to me in a situation like this? Note:Distinguish between personal and professional behaviour and obligations (Allen, 2012).

Links to legislative and regulatory requirements

The national law and regulations for early childhood education in prior-to-school settings are available on theACECQA(Links to an external site.)(2020) website. You will note there are some variations for particular states. Additionally, laws and regulations are subject to updates, so it is important to stay abreast of any changes.

The following links provide information about who must report suspicions of child abuse and neglect, and the relevant state and territory departments responsible for child protection throughout Australia:

Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect(Links to an external site.)(Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014a).

Reporting abuse and neglect: State and territory departments responsible for protecting children(Links to an external site.)(Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014b).

Duty of care

Duty of care is the responsibility or duty to take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that could expose people, for whom there is a responsibility, to a reasonably foreseeable risk of injury. The level of duty of care will vary depending on circumstances. The higher the qualification and role, the greater expectation of duty of care.Essential readings

Chapter 1: Complying with regulatory frameworks(Links to an external site.)(Kearns, 2016, pp. 145) will help with both assignments, as it identifies the components of the national quality framework, including the laws and regulations. It also provides scenarios and makes links to relevant standards and documents. The reading will help you to understand the guidelines and requirements that apply to early childhood professionals, including legal, ethical, quality and organisational requirements and guidelines. Pay attention to the images and charts that highlight the connections between these elements.

The next reading,Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years (PDF 210 KB)(Links to an external site.)(City of Darebin, 2017) explores Melbournes Darebin City council's gender equity guide.

6.5 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 1: Complying with regulatory frameworks(Kearns, 2017, pp. 145).

Creating gender equity in the early years (PDF 210 KB)(Links to an external site.)(City of Darebin, n.d.).

Additional resourcesNational law(ACECQA, 2020b).

National regulations(ACECQA, 2020c).

Approved learning frameworks(ACECQA, 2020a).

7.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Beinga professional Identity and preparation.

Last week we explored the legal and regulatory requirements for professionals in early childhood education. You should now be able to identify and describe the key legal obligations that impact on the early childhood profession and consider regulatory requirements when making decisions.

The following weeks of the unit now shift our attention to focus on being and becoming an early childhood professional. Scenarios within practical situations will continue to support your reflective thinking, as they frame and challenge conceptual ideas from the readings and current cultural perceptions.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

describe the concept of professional identity and the factors that shape it

explain what it means to be a professional in the early childhood context

align professional identity with the legal obligations of the ECE profession.

7.2 Professional identity

Let's begin this week with a powerfulprovocation:

I cant help but think its the same in ECEC, that we have a responsibility to actually teach and not just the fun easy stuff, but the meaningful challenging stuff - especially the meaningful challenging stuff. Not just the stuff which comes up - the dinosaurs and diggers, the seasons and shapes, but the big, important stuff - diversity, acceptance, advocacy, respect. And the really important stuff might not always just conveniently occur; you may not have a child with 2 mummies, a Sudanese child or a child in a wheel chair at your service, but that does not mean its ok to create an environment in which these children and their families are not represented. Sometimes you have to intentionally teach. Ive never ever in all my years of teaching had an actual, live dinosaur at my centre, and yet, not a year goes by that we dont learn about dinosaurs!

(Lunenorie, 2017)

Throughout this unit, the term identity refers to the individual teacher's sense of professional selfhow they see themselves as a professional, how they articulate who they are to others and how they are seen and valued by others. We also refer to the identity of the professionhow the early childhood profession (as a collective) is viewed/understood by both those within it and those external to it.

Considerations of professional identity include the following points:

Job titles impact how professionals perceive themselves and how they felt perceived by others.

Engagement in professional development.

Identity is fluid, so it can shift over time throughout a career.

The nature of the workwhat roles and practices shape identity?

According to the Oxford Dictionary (2014), identity is 'the fact of being who or what a person or thing is'. Rather than being fixed or universal, identities are increasingly viewed as fluid, shifting, multiple and, at times, contradictory (MacNaughton, 2005). Identities can be considered as constructions; they are made-up of many elements and can change based on how we are feeling and the experiences we have. These feelings and experiences are influenced by many factors, including policies, pay, working conditions, parent and community expectations, and relationships with other professionals.

Reflect

As you read the following quote, consider the internal and external influences on professionalism in early childhood education.

'The status of being a professional is conferred from the outside by society. Behaving professionally, on the other hand, is under the control of the individual' (Stonehouse, as cited in Kearns, 2010, p. 2).

Over the past six weeks, you have explored many of the external factors conferring the status of being a professional. This week, the focus on you begins. As you work your way through this week consider the following:

How do you see yourself as a professional?

How will you behave professionally?

In general terms, a 'professional' can be understood as one who holds formal qualifications, abides by a code of ethics, and has specific knowledge and skills particular to the field in which they are positioned. Early childhood literature positions early childhood teachers as members of a professional group (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003).

Throughout literature, early childhood 'professionals' can refer to a variety of roles. In the EYLF, those working directly with children, regardless of qualifications, are described as early childhood 'educators with professional knowledge and skills', engaging in professional practice with professional judgment noted as central to their role (DET, 2019).

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework [VEYLDF] uses the term 'early childhood professional' for 'any person who works with children between the ages of birth and eight years' The terms 'practitioner' and 'educator' are also used in reference to those 'who work directly with children in early childhood settings' such as long day care (Department of Education and Training Victoria, 2011, p. 5).

While using 'professional' as an umbrella term for all persons who work with children may serve to enhance the recognition of those with no formal qualifications, there is also a danger of 'de-professionalising' university-qualified teachers (Ortlipp et al., 2011, p.67).

In a paper titled Discourses of the Early Years Learning Framework: Constructing the early childhood professional, Ortlipp et al. (2011) explain professional identity in more detail and explores how Australian early childhood practitioners perceive themselves as professionals. The introduction of the EYLF was viewed by many as an opportunity to raise the status of professionals within the early childhood sector. Ortlipp et al. (2011) identify both possibilities and challenges presented by this view.

Take note

The images inIdentity: The early childhood profession(al) (PDF 1.34 MB)(Young, 2012) may have sparked some feelings and assumptions about the professionals they portrayed. It is a reminder that our image (how we look) is important for making an impression; however, there are many more elements to being a professional.

As you look through these, take note on how they make you feel. For instance, what message do they send about your role as a professional in early childhood education? Do any make you uncomfortable? Is there one image in particular that you identify with, and if so, why?

Essential readings

ReadChapter 7: Negotiating professionalism: challenges and resistance(Links to an external site.)(Osgood, 2012) as it offers a post structural lens towards being a professional. Osgood (2012) highlights examples of social inequality that are perpetuated by normalising discourses encouraging critical reflection and an attempt to reconceptualise early childhood education.

ReadDiscourses of the early years learning framework: Constructing the early childhood professional(Links to an external site.)(Ortlipp, Arthur & Woodrow, 2011).

Identity: The early childhood profession(al) (PDF 1.34 MB)(Young, 2012) presents 'images' of the early childhood professional.

7.3 The image of the professional

According to Schweikert (2012), being a professional also involves looking the part, acting the part, having professional knowledge, being prepared and present, having a positive attitude to teaching, and building caring and supportive relationships.

Select the following headings to learn more about each of these.

Looking the part --Dress professionally, yet allow yourself to still actively engage with children in play and learning. Clothes, hygiene and grooming are all important. Be familiar with your setting's policies as many will have particular guidelines in relation to dress codes including jewellery and tattoos.

Acting the part --It's important to be polite, use people's names, know the policies and practices in your setting, communicate effectively, and maintain confidentiality. Remember that you are a role model and that children, families and your colleagues are watching you.

Having professional knowledge --This includes an understanding of curriculum and assessment, pedagogy, child development, behaviour guidance, family partnerships, health and safety and legislative requirements. Engage in ongoing learning through further education, dialogue and professional development.

Being prepared and present--Remember to be in the moment for children, families and colleagues. Smile and make yourself available, keep your mobile phone and personal belongings stored appropriately.

Having a positive attitude--This involves taking care of yourself so that you can focus on others when you need to. It is important to be flexible and open to change.

Building caring and supportive relationships--Build relationships with children by investing time with each child, especially those you find difficult to connect with. Remember that children come with families, and building relationships with families has a positive impact on children's learning and development.

Take note

As you continue making your way through this week, consider the following questions:

What do you think a professional should 'look' and 'act' like?

What advice would you give a pre-service teacher arriving at your setting?

What have you observed in your experience that demonstrates professionalism?

Professional identity in the early years sector

Professional identity can be defined as the attributes, beliefs, values, motives and experiences that we attribute to the professional role. Some roles, such as medicine, can be seen as prestigious, whereas in comparison, others are less valued. Early childhood educators in schools, kindergartens and childcare centres have a historic struggle for recognition of their professional status. This has been sustained by the construction of the care and education dichotomy that we addressed in Week 2 (Sims, 2014).

Factors that shape professional identity

The factors that shape professional identity include the following:

Qualifications and ongoing professional development to increase specialised knowledge have the greatest impact on professional identity, both to the individual and how they are perceived in communities. This means that professionals need to commit to continual learning through conferences, magazines, journals and formal learning, like qualifications.

Self-esteem, self-belief, job satisfaction and belonging to a community of practice, which is also valued by governments, peers, parents and wider society, are critical to shaping professional identity.

Join professional groups and networks.

Maintain standards of practice defined by the profession, such as codes of ethics and legal conduct.

Essential readings

Promoting early childhood teacher professionalism in the Australian context: the place of resistance(Links to an external site.)(Fenech, Sumsion, & Shepherd, 2010) extends thinking about teacher activism and promotes resistance-based professionalism as one way of producing an alternative habitus about quality early childhood education and the integral role early childhood teachers play in such provision. Fenech, Sumsion and Shepherd (2010) argue that in the early childhood education context, professionalism is 'confined to objective, technical practices' (p. 89). The paper presents a case study undertaken in a high-quality long day care setting in Sydney, and encourages teachers to move beyond the confinements to re-imagine professionalism and produce new and alternative views about the role of teachers.

Additional resources

InChapter 1 Working (PDF 2.92 MB), Kearns (2010) provides brief definitions of values, attitudes and beliefs, and explains how a strong sense of social justice and social responsibility lies at the core of professional practice in early childhood education. The value of developing a philosophy, professional goals and professional knowledge are also discussed.

7.4 Leadership and professional identity

Professional identity and leadership research in early childhood education increasingly recognises the critical importance of leadership in relation to change management, quality practices and positive outcomes for children and families (Waniganayake, Cheeseman, et al., 2012; Rodd, 2013). This is examined in detail throughout EDU30008 (the unit on early childhood leadership and management); however, as we recognise that acting professionally also involves leadership, it is important to discuss this relationship here also. Rather than the sole responsibility of the specific positions and titles (e.g. coordinators, directors or educational leaders), leadership in early childhood is increasingly recognised as a shared responsibility (Rodd, 2013; Waniganayake et al., 2012).

In everyday practices, teachers will lead others through change, innovation, advocacy and mentoring. Louise Hard (2006) proposes that one's professional identity impacts on one's capacity to lead and her reading this week discusses a number of issues and challenges that are present within the field of early childhood education. Hard (2006) notes that a professional's sense of identity is largely shaped by the views of others. Hard raises some interesting ideas that she argues impact upon professional identity and leadership enactment. These include a prevailing 'discourse of niceness' and 'horizontal violence' (behaviours that exclude or marginalise).

There is some irony that a caring profession can sometimes behave so unprofessionally and with a lack of care for some of those who work within it.What does this look like?

Rivalry between educators in different rooms

Sarcasm and insults.

People talking about you behind your back or stopping talking when you walk in.

Overhearing negative conversations about yourself or other colleagues.

Gossip about children, and families

Eye rolling.

Breaching confidentiality to others and/or on social media

Ignoring. Not answering emails. Not responding to questions.

Resistance to new ideas and change.

(Adapted from Rodd, 2013, p 117).Crab bucket mentality

Crab bucket mentality' (Hard, 2006, p.44): 'Anyone who has gone crabbing knows that it is unnecessary to cap a crab bucket because as soon as one crab tries to scuttle out, the others drag it back down. Some faculties function in the same way, actively resisting the efforts of any member to press beyond normal practice. Teacher leadership can hardly thrive in such circumstances' (Duke, as cited in Hard, 2006, p.45)

Crab bucket (n.d.) https://bit.ly/33wepKNDisrupting a dominant professional discourse

Reflecting on the following scenario will give you an opportunity to identify your professional identity and enable you to articulate who you are, what you do and what this means to communities.

Scenario

You are a graduate early childhood teacher attending a barbecue with friends, when someone asks you what you do for a job. When you reply to their question, they explain how they had recently heard a politician talking about how child care workers don't really need a qualification to do their job, as they only really worry about wiping children's noses.You try to remain calm and respond by telling them that there is a lot more to your work than wiping noses, as you have to help children learn. However, you can sense that the person is no longer listening and you feel foolish and angry.

Reflect

Reflect on identity and the early childhood professional by considering the following:

What are the issues raised by this person and why might your professional role be undermined in this way?

What does this scenario tell you about a dominant discourse?

How would this make you feel?

What do you believe is the purpose of early childhood education?

What is the relationship between the identity of the profession and the identity of the professional?

7.6 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 7: Negotiating professionalism: challenges and resistance(Osgood, 2012).

Promoting early childhood teacher professionalism in the Australian context: the place of resistance(Links to an external site.)(Fenech, Sumsion, & Shepherd, 2010).

Discourses of the early years learning framework: Constructing the early childhood professional (PDF 145 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Ortlipp, Arthur, & Woodrow, 2011).

Identity: The early childhood profession(al) (PDF 1.34 MB)(Young, 2012).

Additional resourcesChapter 1 Complying with regulatory framework(Links to an external site.)(Kearns, 2014, pp. 143).8.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Belonging to a profession Finding your tribe.

Last week we explored the identity of being a professional. This week, we look at the responsibility for ECE professionals to create a culture of continuous learning. The focus is on the value of professional development and, in particular, we will focus on mentoring for ongoing learning and growth.

We will continue to provide scenarios to support your reflective thinking and help you to put the theoretical ideas from the readings into practical situations. Please continue to engage with the weekly scenarios and remember to post your thoughts. Contributing to discussions about the weekly scenarios will help illustrate multiple perspectives and create a rich learning environment, which will greatly support you in completing your final assignments for this unit.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

define what is meant by professional development and continuous learning

explain why professional development is important for early childhood professionals

outline strategies of professional conduct, such as mentoring, belonging to professional organisations, subscribing to journals and ongoing research.

8.2 Using mentoring and networking for professional growth

While definitions and understanding of professional development may vary, overall, professional development can be seen as a tool for affirming current knowledge and practices, as well as acquiring new knowledge and practices (Russell, 2013). Undertaking professional development can therefore be seen as a strategy for keeping up to date and managing change.

The networked teacher (2011) <https://bit.ly/3cMZH70>The networked teacher (2011) https://bit.ly/3cMZH70Arrow showing ethical problems going into the circle of ethical reasoning.Laws, orders and regulations, basic national values, traditional army values, organisational values, personal values and institutional pressures are factors that are linked to ethical reasoning.

Decision response is the outcome of ethical reasoning.

Factors that play a role in the networked teacher include:

curriculum documents

colleagues

popular media

print and digital resources

family and local community

blogs

wikis

video conferences

chat/IRC

social networking services

digital fora and online communities

social bookmarking

digital photo sharing

tool/content development communities

Scenario

You are a teacher in a remote, rural early childhood centre. The centre where you work only employs you and the centre manager. You are keen to grow professionally, but it is difficult for you to attend professional development programs and conferences.

Reflect

What do you think is the impact of physical or geographical isolation for professional development?

How do you personally feel about working by yourself or in a very small team, as opposed to being part of a larger team/network.What would be the benefits, and challenges, for children, parents, and teachers?

Developing your practice

One of the most important aspects of a professional's role is the commitment to lifelong learning. Lifelong learning not only forms part of our ethical responsibility, but also ensures our thinking does not stagnatethat we stay abreast of changes in policies, initiatives, innovation and current practices.

This week examines professional development, and includes identifying a range professional development opportunities as well as contributing to the professional development of others through mentoring.

By the end of this week, you will have:

developed an appreciation of education as a lifelong process that contributes to professional growth

identified a range of professional development opportunities for early childhood professionals

strategies for contributing to the professional development of others, including mentoring.

Review the table to see the differences between teachers training and teacher development.

Teaching training and development

Teacher training Teacher development

Time-bound Continuous learning

Related to the needs of the course Related to the needs of the individuals

Pre-determined final outcomes and products Free final outcomes and products

Transmission oriented Problem-solving oriented

Fixed agenda (timeline) Flexible agenda (timeline)

Top-down oriented Grass-roots oriented

Externally administered and oriented Oriented and managed by colleagues

Top-down learning Bottom-up learning

Professional development (2009)http://bit.ly/1xjmF9R8.3 Professional development

In the 21stcentury, the concept of lifelong learning highlights the value that society places on continued growth and keeping up-to-date (Miller, Dalli, & Urban, 2012). While definitions and understanding of professional development may vary, professional development can overall be seen as a tool for affirming current knowledge and practices, as well as acquiring new knowledge and practices (Russell, 2013).

Undertaking professional development can, therefore, be a strategy for keeping up-to-date and managing change. Russell (2013) notes that professional development 'means different things to different people' (p. 6). Overall, 'professional development' was perceived as continuous learning that enabled practitioners to affirm existing understandings and acquire new knowledge and skills, thereby allowing them to remain up-to-date with evolving developments in the field. Many participants also associated professional development with personal growth (Practice Potentials as cited in Russell, 2013, p. 6).

Professionals need to be aware of the range of professional development and any opportunities for continuous learning and growth. In some contexts, professional development is a legislated obligation, and teachers may be required to undertake and provide evidence of their professional development for teacher registration or validation. Leaders can play a key role in identifying suitable learning opportunities for colleagues.

New technologies support a diverse and flexible range of opportunities for learning and a larger community presence for sharing pedagogy and engaging in advocacy leadership.

Types of professional development opportunities

The following information is adapted from Waniganayake et al. (2012, p. 238), and identifies professional development that can take place individually, with a mentor and/or collaboratively in a group. Select the following tabs to learn more about the different professional development opportunities.

Self-directed learning --Review the following professional development options you can undertake on your own:

Read and keep abreast of relevant research policy and practice.

Pursue further studies and qualifications.

Keep a journal to document, analyse and reflect on challenges that emerge in daily practice.

Document and review your personal goals and vision for the early childhood sector.

Guided learning --Review the suggested development opportunities you could get help or guidance with:

Consider career development and succession opportunities.

Articulate your vision so that others can understand its meaning and relevance.

Discuss alternative strategies when problem-solving or making recommendations.

Establish a practitioner inquiry project with the guidance of an external expert as a mentor.

Collective learning--Review these opportunities for development as part of a group or workplace:

Attend a conference with colleagues and present an implementation plan at a staff meeting.

Organise a regular reading group to examine relevant topics of interest to all.

Lead online discussions (such as webinars).

Join or create professional networks.

Apply your learning

Now that you have learned about professional growth and development, investigate the range of early childhood professional associations, special interest groups and organisations.

Find one that you would be interested in joining. Identify the name and website, and briefly think about what would motivate you to join this organisation. How could it meet your professional needs?

Professional conferences are a great way to connect with people in the profession, establish networks and find your professional tribe.

Watch theECA conference video(ECA, 2020)to listen to other professionals reflect on what they enjoy about conferences.

Additional resources

Read,I change lives, so please value my work: A day in the life of an early childhood educator(Links to an external site.)(Matilda, 2015) as it provides a passionate statement on the importance of the profession as an early childhood educator.8.4 Why is professional development important?

It is important to note that professional development in some contexts is a legislated obligation, and teachers may be required to undertake and provide evidence of their professional development for teacher registration or validation. The learning materials below discuss professional development for prior to school and school settings. The information within these can easily be transferred to other contexts, but you may wish to focus on the context that you believe you will be teaching in.

Essential readings

Read,Chapter 15: Career development and succession planning(Links to an external site.)of your eText (pp. 276 290).

Professional development for teachers in prior-to-school settings

Childcare staff: Learning and growing through professional development(Links to an external site.)Download Childcare staff: Learning and growing through professional development(Links to an external site.)(Russell, 2013) was developed from research into the current context of professional development for childhood professionals. It shares the insights and practices of the research participants. Use the table of contents to focus on areas of most interest and value to you.

Professional development for teachers in schools

The Australian Institute for Teacher Standards and Leadership (AITSL) supports and promotes professional learning for teachers and school leaders, with the aim of improving teacher standards and driving excellence and equity for all young Australians.

ReadThe Australian charter for the professional learning of teachers and school leaders: A shared responsibility and commitment(Links to an external site.)(AITSL, 2012) which is an example of such support and promotions of standards among teachers.

Reflect

As you progress through this week's readings consider:

Is the opportunity of ongoing training enough?

How can you ensure that our learning is put into practice?

How do we support others to share their learning and put it into practice?

Mentoring

Mentoring is frequently highlighted as a way of learning how to become a leader and a way of surviving as a leader (Waniganayake et al., 2017).According to Russell (2013), having a mentor or being a mentor is an effective way to receive and provide professional development. Mentoring, when effectively organised and implemented, can offer support, encouragement and the sharing of knowledge and practice. In particular, Russell (2013) found that mentors were particularly helpful in making visible the links between theoretical learning and practice, and for helping mentees develop confidence in themselves as learners. Therefore, mentoring can provide many benefits for teachers (both mentors and mentees), as well as for children and their families.

Comparison of mentoring and coaching

There are a few similarities and differences between mentoring and coaching. Select the follow to explore these similarities and differences further:

Mentor -- Mentoring is a process where skills and knowledge are shared. A mentor understands the teaching and learning process and does not need specific technical expertise.

Coach Coaching focuses on developing a specific skill set. Coaches provide directive instructions to learn a particular set of skills and have the expertise in a specific skill set that others want to learn.

Coaches and mentors -- Both coaches and mentors are good listeners and provide guided learning experiences. They both promote self-development and provide independent and correctional advice. Additionally, they like to challenge and inspire.

Essential readings

Read,Mentoring as a leadership strategy(Links to an external site.)in Chapter 10 (pp. 188189) of your eText to learn more about mentors, mentoring and how it compares with coaching.

For an additional definition of mentoring and an explanation of the value of mentoring in the early childhood profession, readInterpretations of Mentoring during Early Childhood Education Mentor Training(Links to an external site.)(Kupila, Ukkonen-Mikkola & Rantala, 2017, pp. 3646).

The Victorian Department of Education and Training development offers opportunities for qualified and experienced early childhood teachers to support new graduates. Information about the program is available on the following link. If you are interested, you may wish to stay abreast of developments inMentoring for early childhood teachers(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education andTraining Victoria, 2019), or similar programs in other states, as they may be available when you graduate.

Additional resources

This week you have examined the role of professional development. The following article explores what happens after the event. In other words, how we can support professionals to put into practice what they have learnt?

ReadSo what happens after the event? Exploring the realisation of professional development with early childhood educators(Links to an external site.)(Brown & Inglis, 2013).

The Victorian government supports the early childhood sector's ongoing learning and improvement with a range ofScholarships and professional development(Links to an external site.)opportunities for early childhood professionals(Department of Education andTrainingVictoria, 2017). If you are based outside of Victoria, you may wish to search your state government's websites for professional opportunities. You may also find opportunities of interest at universities and training organisations, early childhood organisations and consultants.

Another useful reading isInterrogating Belonging in Belonging, Being and Becoming: the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia(Sumsion & Wong, 2011).

8.5 Activity: Goals for the future

Purpose

This activity is designed to give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning so far. Specifically, it asks you to apply the concept of the three types of professional development mentioned in8.3 Professional development.

This activity will also assist you withAssignment 2: Reflective philosophy, which requires you to articulate your philosophy of teaching.

Task

Step 1: Listento our experienced practitioners share their own experiences and goals for the future.

Rachel -- Professional growth and career planning. I think we need to make sure that we don't stay stagnant in ourselves or in a service that we're in and we need to make sure that we're constantly feeling challenged and that we're, you know, feeling that we can continue to contribute to the industry. And I think particularly in a leadership or in a management role as well, you need to make sure that you've still got that live passion to be able to transfer that on, not only just for yourself but also people behind you as well because you know, we're only just now starting to be recognised in the wider community that, you know, there is - we're doing so much more for children and for the industry in preparation for them for their schooling year. So I need to, you know, make sure that we're - how can we continue to share that with families and with the media and things like that, and make sure that you know, in ourselves we feel challenged enough that we continue to meet goals and to do more for ourselves and for others as well. My next goal in my career, I think just to continue maybe more studies for me, I think it's about time to do more studies for myself, and also too just to see what more we can do here as a service with the community and how we can help students more I suppose, in whether they come here for more tours or setting up sort of like a mentorship for new graduates as well who are new to the industry, that's something that I'd love to do. Where we can open our door here just as a support for them for when they're new into the world and to see what it is that we do day to day because it's very different, obviously, when you're studying and you haven't had that much experience. So that's what we would like to do long-term over the next few to two years. So that's that.

Karen--Professional growth and career planning. This is probably, I guess, one of the most important aspects for me personally and professionally. It's something that I've always enjoyed doing myself, I've always studied while I've been working. And I also enjoy finding everybody else's next learning experience and getting them on to further study. So part of my - one of the big parts of my role as an educational leader was to source different opportunities for professional development. So short term, short courses, in-service trainings, but also the longer term and more formal qualifications as well. So that was a big part of the early childhood reform and the changes that came in, where everybody had to have a minimum qualification of a certificate III, and there had to be, you know, a certain amount of diplomas and also a degree trained person, but we also have people within our settings studying their masters. So people are really taking that learning on board and enjoying it and going further. And often people will say, oh, what do you, you know, what are you doing your masters for, you don't need your masters? Or why are you doing a degree when there's already a kindergarten teacher here? And it's really refreshing to hear, you know, the teachers say how much they actually enjoy it and how much they are learning and how they see the value of putting what they're learning into practice with the children. So ultimately, it's better outcomes for the children, but also I think you can see individuals being empowered by their learning, and that's really important.

Jess--I feel ongoing learning is absolutely vital in any industry. It keeps you fresh, it keeps you up to date and it keeps you motivated. So I've done a lot of PD recently, I did some PD around reflecting on programming and how we best implement the program to get the best out of every child that is in our care. I've done PD around other forms of - other aspects of leadership. So definitely around the communicating side of things and being the catalyst for change. I've done PD around children with additional needs, so I've done a lot around children on the autism spectrum line. So very interesting for me, doing further PD and gaining further knowledge and expanding my horizons, specifically around children and around this industry. My ultimate long-term goal would be to own my own centre and run it however I choose. But I see that as being a very much a long-term goal. So in the meantime, there are lots of things I'm interested in. I'm interested in adult education and teaching other adults how to do what I do in this industry. I'm interested in furthering my knowledge of children's mental health, and looking further at attachment theory and good parenting. I'm very much interested in supporting young mums. So looking at how I can do that through this industry and also through other aspects of mental health and different areas of government. But yes, ultimately, I would love to own and run my own centre and have so many ideas about how I would love to see that happen, and just to have complete control over that would be really fantastic.

Katrina--How important is professional growth and career planning? Look, I believe that setting ongoing professional learning goals and actively working towards these is extremely important for your own growth and development, and I also believe that it's a key responsibility of all educators. Within our setting we are required to establish smart goals at the beginning of each year, one of which should be a team goal and three that are personal goals. Throughout the year, we then have two review periods: one mid-year and one at the end of the year, to discuss our progress, our level of achievement with each of the goals, and obviously these will be based on evidence that we collect throughout the year. I feel that this process really does encourage staff to reflect on as well as evaluate and improve their own practice. And furthermore, we get to celebrate our accomplishments throughout these milestones, throughout the year.

Step 2: Reflecton your own experience. Ongoing professional development and learning is critical to leadership and continuous improvement, and there's always more to learn. Think about how you might connect your experience with those of our practitioners andwith the three professional development types mentioned in8.3 Professional development.

8.6 Discussion: Professional development and the remote teacher -

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

Participating in this discussion will assist you inreflecting on professional identity and professional growth as you prepare forAssignment 2: Reflective philosophy.

The discussion supportsunit learning outcomes 4 and 5.

This should take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Readthe following scenario:

Scenario

Step 2:Thinking aboutthe type of professional development opportunities that you are currently interested in,postyour dream professional development opportunity.

Step 3:Replyto one of your peers' posts by offering a link to a professional development opportunity in an area of development that is not provided face-to-face.

8.7 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 15: Career development and succession planning(Links to an external site.)(pp. 276290) of your eText.

Mentoring as a leadership strategyin Chapter 10 (pp. 188189) of your eText

The Australian charter for the professional learning of teachers and school leaders: A shared responsibility and commitment(AITSL, 2012).

Interpretations of mentoring during early childhood education mentor training(Kupila, Ukkonen-Mikkola, & Rantala, 2017, pp. 3646).

Mentoring for early childhood teachers(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education andTraining Victoria, 2019).

Additional resourcesSo what happens after the event? Exploring the realisation of professional development with early childhood educators(Brown & Inglis, 2013).

Scholarships and professional development(Victorian Department of Education andTrainingDevelopment, 2017).

Interrogating Belonging in Belonging, Being and Becoming: the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia(Sumsion & Wong, 2011).

I change lives, so please value my work: A day in the life of an early childhood educator(Matilda, 2015).

9.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Values, beliefs and reflective practice.

This week, we focus on reflection and offer frameworks and models to support you in developing reflective skills for ongoing professional growth and for completing your final assignment. Specifically, we provide you with examples of, and advice on, how to write critically, reflectively and effectively in order to successfully complete Assignment 2.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

explain what is meant by reflective practice

explore Brookfields lenses of reflection

reflect on your own identity and practice within the early childhood profession.

9.2 Writing reflectively

Think of a time in your life when something has happened to you that really challenged the way you went about an activity or what you had thought about a situation or event. By challenged, we mean it caused you to stop and think something like, 'Hang on, I've always thought or done X, but suddenly X seems a bit suspect and maybe Y is a better way to go.' This time or event is what we would call acritical incident.

Rather than begin with a scenario to consider as we have in previous weeks, we instead begin with examples of how to write critically and reflectively.

Using Brookfield's four lenses to write reflectively

Brookfield's lenses video(Links to an external site.)(Beeson, 2013) andBrookfield's four lenses: Becoming a critically reflective teacher(Miller, 2010)introduce some advice on how to employ Brookfield's four lenses to effectively reflect on a critical incident. Indeed, the reflective essay exemplifies Brookfield's (1995) framework in practice. The following are some key questions to ask yourself as you read the ideas in the essay and watch the video, so that you engage more productively with the materials:

How does the teacher use first person to describe the experience?

How are personal views supported by literature?

Does the reflection demonstrate professional growth and learning? Why or why not?

Select each lens type to find out more about Brookfield's four lenses.

Self lensTeachers focus on their experiences as a teacher in order to reveal aspects of their pedagogy that may need adjusting and or strengthening.

Student lens

Engaging with student views of the learning environment leads to responsive teaching. This includes evaluations, assessments, journals, focus groups and/or interviews that provide cues to improve teaching and learning.

Peer lens

Peers (colleagues) can highlight hidden habits in teaching practice, and provide innovative solutions to teaching problems. Peers can be, and mostly are, inspirational and provide support and solidarity.

Literature lens

Teaching theory provides the vocabulary needed for teaching practice and offers different ways to view and understand your teaching. By practising this lens, you will find ways to utilise scholarly literature in your teaching and critical reflection.

Essential readings

For an explanation of these lenses, please readBrookfield's four lenses: Becoming a critically reflective teacher (PDF 94 KB)(Miller, 2010).

Additionalresources

Brookfield's lenses video(Links to an external site.)(Beeson, 2013) from The University of Northampton advises how you could use Brookfield's four lenses to develop your critical and reflective writing.

9.3 Frameworks of reflective practice

Here we will explore reflection, a form of self-assessment and an essential component of ongoing learning and professional growth.

So what is reflection, how does it enhance teaching, and how can we include it in our everyday practice?

You may have already completed reflections for your professional experience units, and so you may be familiar with some of the ideas discussed this week.

However, in this unit we will focus on some frameworks and models of reflection that will support you in the completion of your final assignment for this unit. Clark and Grey point out that 'one way knowledge evolves is through self awareness' (2010, p.85). Reflection is very much a part of the everyday practice of an early childhood teacher as it is one of the five key principles that the EYLF identifies as underpinning early childhood pedagogy. Reflective practice is also identified as a requirement in professional codes and standards for teachers in early childhood education and care.

In the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework for children aged birth to eight years [VEYLDF],Practice Principle 8 is called 'Reflective Practice'(Links to an external site.)(Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2017, pp. 432). We begin this week by examining the practice guide.

The guide explains:

what reflective practice is

why it is important

how to go about reflective practice

what to reflect on

who to reflect with.

The guide offers many examples of reflection from practice.

Did you identify with any of these scenarios?

Did the reflective questions encourage you to dig deeper and/or think differently about these scenarios?

The final pages of the guide include ideas for reflective practices with children and families. You may wish to examine these ideas further for your next practicum or in your future work experience.

Reflection,as we have noted, is about examining our practices and bringing to light our hidden assumptions (Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2012; Clark & Grey, 2010). If we do this critically, then we must also analyse these assumptions and how they impact on teaching practices.

Brookfield (1995) suggests the best way to 'critically reflect' on practice is to examine teaching through four lenses (or perspectives):

The autobiographical

The students' (or stakeholders')

The colleagues'

The literature's.

Apply your learning

ReadIntegrated assessment: New assessment methods. Evaluation of an innovative method of assessment - Critical incident analysis (PDF 296 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Crisp et al., 2005, pp. 511) and Appendix C & D.As you read, consider:

How did the reading prompt your thinking about 'incidents'?

What do you find most challenging about this section of your assignment?

Essential Readings

To support you in developing reflective skills and assist you with your final assignment, the following readings will share particular models and frameworks:

Explore theVictorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework,Practice Principle guide 8: Reflective practice (PDF 491 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2017, pp. 432).

Additional readings

You may also find it helpful to visitReflective learning(Links to an external site.)(Oxford Brookes University, 2012) for resources used in the first steps in learning and teaching massive open online course. These resources include audio, videos and documents about Brookfield's lenses.

9.4 Discussion: Values and beliefs -

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

As part ofAssignment 2: Reflective philosophy, you are required to demonstrate your skills on critical reflection. This discussion will support how you write a philosophy using your values and beliefs to critically reflect.

Values and philosophy

A philosophy is a series of beliefs that form the basis of your work with young children. It might include beliefs about:

how children should be treated

how children should learn and develop

the type of environment they need for optimal growth, development and learning.

Philosophies are based on our own values, that is, those things that we hold to be valuable and important. Professional philosophies are based on a sound knowledge of childrens development and current best practice.

Your values affect your work with young children in the following ways:

your actions and interactions

your role in relation to the care and education of young children

your accountability as a professional

dealing with conflict

why you work, what you gain from it and how work fits in with the rest of your life.

Reviewing your professional base

A philosophy is not the same as goals. Goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and within a time frame. Reviewing your professional baserequires you to know and be able to articulate the following:

What young children and their families need as well as having a sound knowledge of theories about how children learn and develop.

Integrating your values with your professional knowledge into a clear statement of what you believe is important for young children.

Once established, the philosophy forms the basis for the next step, broad goals, specific goals and strategies.

The discussion supportsunit learning outcomes 4 and 5.

This should take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Considerthe above explanation on values and philosophy.What do you believe is important for young children to know?Tip:Think about what you believe, value and consider important in your own life and the lives of children.

Step 2:Postyour response to the following question:

What are your values and understandings about children, learning and teaching in early childhood education?

Step 3:Replyto one of your peers with an example of how they might apply their teaching philosophy in practice.

9.5 Week in review

Essential readingsBrookfield's four lenses: Becoming a critically reflective teacher(Links to an external site.)(MIller, 2010).

TheVictorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework,Practice Principle guide 8: Reflective practice (PDF 491 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2017, pp. 432).

Integrated assessment: New assessment methods. Evaluation of an innovative method of assessment - Critical incident analysis (PDF 296 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Crisp et al., 2005, pp. 511).

Reflective learning(Links to an external site.)(Oxford Brookes University, 2012).

Additional resourcesBrookfield's lenses video(Links to an external site.)(Beeson, 2013).

Reflective learning(Oxford Brookes University, 2012).

10.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Professional philosophy and preparation.

This week weexplore the processes of reflection that helps create our professional identity. We will identify what reflection is, how it enhances teaching and how it is used in everyday practice. Developing a personal and professional philosophy requires such reflection.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on your own identity and teaching practice within the early childhood profession, including the role of the pedagogical leader

explain what is meant by reflective practice

articulate how critical reflection enables teachers practice and professional growth

write a personal and professional philosophy.

10.2 Developing an education setting philosophy

A written statement of philosophy outlines the principles under which an education setting operates. It underpins the decisions, policies and daily practices of the approved provider, nominated supervisor, educators and staff members; and it assists in planning, implementing and evaluating quality experiences for children. Your service's statement of philosophy should reflect the principles that underpin the national law and must include an approach to participation and access, equity and inclusion, and the core elements of approved learning frameworksincluding secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships; partnerships; high expectations and equity; respect for diversity; and ongoing learning and reflecting practice.

A philosophy statement considers the specific needs and features of the local community and outlines the beliefs, values and attitudes that you believe the education setting encompasses. national law, regulations and the approved learning frameworks also help to identify some key goals.

The following table could be used as a guide when developing the statement of philosophy:

Developing statement of philosophy

The statement ofphilosophy needs toaddress the followingquestions: Who is the service there for?

In a broad sense, what should the service try to offer children, families and staff who are involved in the service and thecommunity surrounding it?

As you review yourphilosophy, ask yourselfhow your philosophydoes the following: Guides pedagogy and teaching decisions.

Guides interactions with children.

Demonstrates a commitment to full participation of children with additional needs.

Communicates the services approach to access and participation.

Communicates the services approach to equity and inclusion.

Communicates who the service is there for.

Communicates what the service offers children, families and staff, and the community surrounding it.

Communicates how families can contribute to the development and review of the statement of philosophy.

Does your statement ofphilosophy reflect theprinciples that underpinthe national law? In accordance with the national law, the following principles apply when making decisions about operating education and careservices, working to achieve the national quality standard and improving quality outcomes for children:

The rights and best interests of the child are paramount.

Children are successful, competent and capable learners.

The principles of equity, inclusion and diversity underlie the national law.

Australias Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are valued.

The role of parents and families is respected and supported.

Best practice is expected in the provision of education and care services.

Think about what eachof these means to yourservice delivery and howyou can uphold these ata service level: Core elements of the Early Years Learning Framework and the Framework for School Age Care in Australia:

Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.

Partnerships.

High expectations and equity.

Respect for diversity.

Ongoing learning and reflecting practice.

Does your statementof philosophy reflectthe practice principlesof the VictorianEarly Years Learningand DevelopmentFramework? The most effective ways for early childhood professionals to work together with children and families to facilitate learning anddevelopment include:

family-centred practice

partnerships with professionals

high expectations for every child

equity and diversity

respectful relationships and responsive engagement

integrated teaching and learning approaches

assessment for learning and development

reflective practice.

Developing service philosophy (2019) <https://bit.ly/2U2GFl8>

Essential readings

Read,Chapter 6: Pedagogical leadership(Links to an external site.)of your eText (pp. 101111), as it describes why a vision and philosophy are important.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework for children aged birth to eight years (VEYLDF) Practice Principle 8 is called 'Reflective Practice' (Department of Education and Training Victoria, 2011). TheVictorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework,Practice Principle guide 8: Reflective practice (PDF 491 KB)(Links to an external site.)(Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2017, pp. 322)explores what reflective practice is, why it is important, how to execute reflective practice and offers examples of what to reflect on and who to reflect with. The guide also offers many examples of reflection from practice and scenarios that are similar to the ones explored in this unit.

10.3 Developing a personal and professional philosophy

Organisational philosophies work best when they integrate the values and beliefs of the team, especially in small organisations where this is practical. The reading from the text in this module identifies how pedagogical leadership is central to understanding and influencing decision-making in contemporary ECE contexts.With all of this in mind, its important that the entire staff team are able to share ideas about their philosophy and that the philosophy is developed collaboratively to reflect contemporary theories and research evidence concerning childrens play, leisure, learning and pedagogy. Your second assignment for this unit will focus on writing a philosophy, which is a practical skill and tool that can be used to articulate who you are as an early childhood professional. This skill can also be used with job applications and interviews in the future.

In accordance with the EYLF (DET, 2019), a teacher's philosophy offers important information for families and communities, some of which have been outlined:

A personal philosophy about early years education identifies the beliefs and values that inform your teaching with young children.

Theories and contemporary perspectives also inform your personal philosophy, helping to define what you think is important for children to know and learn.

It can articulate your belief's about the role of families in childrens learning.

It can describe the kinds of ideas and issues you see as worthwhile for young children to consider and talk about, such as Indigenous and environmental perspectives in early years education.

It can inform what you are currently doing and what else you could do to develop the understanding of all children about Australias history, cultures and heritages.

It can inform how we establish and maintain effective relationships with families that demonstrate mutual respect.

Writing the philosophy

There is no one way to write a philosophy and you may decide to personalise your philosophy with quotes, visuals and something that reflects your personality.

These are some helpful guidelines:

Keep it brief: the philosophy should be no more than one to two pages.

Use present tenseand write the statement in the first person.

Avoid jargon: use common and everyday language, not technical terms.

Create a vision that comes to life with practices and strategies for learning.

Make sure that it authentically reflects your beliefs.

Proofread to remove any typographical errors and mistakes that may appear.

Example: Teachers as provocateurs

This is an example about the role and image of the teacher that could appear in a personal philosophy.

Philosophy statement

I believe in the capacity of children to respond to enticements that encourage them to think and create in a divergent way, and to be open to mental conflict that such provocations can bring. This means that teachers should not feel they have to make the thinking process smooth or easy, but rather acknowledge the complexity of ideas.

Strategies

Teaching strategies that stimulate learning can be designed to provoke ideas and critical thinking. Provocations, if seen as a pedagogy to help children learn about thinking and problem-solving, stimulate the ups and downs of learning that create cognitive conflict, so as to show many perspectives and encourage flexible thinking. This can happen in conversations, discussions, processes of critical thinking and inquiry-based learning.

Critical thinking

The critical thinking skills cheat sheet as shown in the following table is a simple tool that offers questions that work to develop critical thinking on any given topic. When you want to exercise critical thinking, ask yourself these questions whenever you discover or discuss new information. This will be useful when you have to reflect on your teaching philosophy.

Critical thinking skills cheat sheet

Who ... benefits from this?

... is this harmful to?

... makes decisions about this?

... is most directly effected?

... have you also heard discuss this?

... would be the best person to consult?

... will be the key people in this?

... deserves recognition for this?

What ... are the strengths/weaknesses?

... is another perspective?

... is another alternative?

... would be a counterargument?

... is the best/worst case scenario?

... is most/least important?

... can we do to make a positive change?

... is getting in the way of our action?

Where ... would you see this in the real world?

... are there similar concepts/situations?

... is there the most need for this?

... in the world would this be a problem?

... can we get more information?

... do we go for help with this?

... will this idea take us?

... are the areas for improvement?

When ... is this acceptable/unacceptable?

... would this benefit our society?

... would this cause a problem?

... is the best time to take action?

... will we know we've succeeded?

... has this played a part in our history?

... can we expect this to change?

... should we ask for help with this?

Why ... is this a problem/challenge?

... is it relevant to me/others?

... is this the best/worst scenario?

... are people influenced by this?

... should people know about this?

... has it been this way for so long?

... have we allowed this to happen?

...i s there a need for this today?

How ... is this similar to_____?

... does this disrupt things?

... do we know the truth about this?

... will we approach this safely?

... does this benefit us/others?

... does this harm us/others?

... do we see this in the future?

... can we change this for our good?

Critical thinking skills cheatsheet (n.d.) adapted from https://bit.ly/2Uc4HKE

10.4 Activity: Writing a philosophy

Purpose

As part ofAssignment 2: Reflective philosophyyou are required to reflect on your teaching philosophy. This activity will help you develop your writing skills enabling you to articulate your reflectivephilosophy.

Task

Step 1: Writean important value, belief, aspect of professional knowledge that is part of who they as a teacher.

Step 2: Writea philosophy statement that builds on your value. Use terms such as :

I value.

I believe.

I understand.

I am inspired by.

I acknowledge.

Example: Teaching children how to respect andempathisewith others is important to me as I have experienced the negative effects of racism and understand how this impacts learning.

Step 3: Writea strategy statements for your philosophy statement giving a clear overview of what this would look like in practice. Usinga stem sentenceor termsuch as therefore can help guide the writing process:

Therefore, my teaching includes:

ThereforeI implement the following teaching strategies:

Thereforemy teaching is guided by these beliefs in the following ways:

The following are some example of philosophy statementsfor children:

Each child has unique interests and strengths and the capacity to contribute to their communities.

Children are citizens from birth with civil, cultural, linguistic, social and economic rights.

Effective learning and teachingischaracterised by professional decisions that draw on specialised knowledge and multiple perspectives.

Partnerships with families and communities support shared responsibility for childrens learning, development and wellbeing.

Democratic, fair and inclusive practices promote equity and a strong sense of belonging.

Respectful, responsive and reciprocal relationships are central to childrens education and care.

Play and leisure are essential for childrens learning, development and wellbeing.

Research, inquiry andpractice-basedevidence inform quality education and care.

10.5 Discussion: Critical reflection

Purpose

We will return to the scenario from Week 3 and consider thecritical reflection questions fromThe critical thinking skills cheatsheet(National Geographic Education, 2017) to help develop your reflection skills. This discussion will assist withAssignment 2: Reflective philosophywhere you are required to reflect on your teaching philosophy.

The discussion supportsunit learning outcome 5.

This should take approximately15 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1:Readthe following scenario we explored in week 3:

Scenario

Step 2:As an early childhood professional,consider the critical reflection questions from the critical thinking cheat sheet andposta short summary on how you would respond to this scenario. Explain if this is different to your initial response in week 3 and why.

Step 3:Replyto one of your peers' and pose one of the critical thinking questions to elicit more information on how they would handle this situation.

10.6 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 6: Pedagogical leadership(Links to an external site.)(pp. 101111) of your eText.

TheVictorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework,Practice Principle guide 8: Reflective practice(Links to an external site.)(Kennedy & Stonehouse, 2017, pp. 322).

11.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Professional wellbeing and resilience.

Last week we looked at professional philosophy and preparation. You should now be able to explain what is meant by reflective practice andarticulate how critical reflection enables teachers practice and professional growth.

This week, we explore professional wellbeing and resilience.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

explain the importance of professional wellbeing and resilience for early childhood professionals

reflect on your own professional wellbeing and resilience.

11.2 Understanding burnout and resilience

Throughout the unit, we have identified issues that impact on the profession including burnout, stress, low status and high staff turnover. This week aims to provide you with information and strategies to address some of these issues for your individual wellbeing, and in order to support your colleagues and the profession as a whole.

By the end of this week, you will have:

an understanding of burnout, including factors that contribute to or act as barriers against burnout

developed skills to identify and combat stress

examined the concept of 'horizontal violence'

developed strategies for your wellbeing and resilience.

These techniques will assist you in preventing, as well as recognising and addressing, symptoms of stress like those in Figure 1.

Techniques to prevent, recognise and address symptoms of stress

Behaviour You can often increase your consumption of stimulants, such as alcohol or cigarettes.

Your eating habits frequently change.

You can become less reliable, with poor timekeeping and increased absence from work, and even become more accident prone.

Mental health symptoms You will often be increasingly irritable and withdrawn.

Anxiety and depression are fellow travellers with stress

You will usually find it harder to maintain your concentration and become increasingly forgetful.

Sleep often becomes more difficult.

Physical symptoms 'General aches and pains' sounds almost petty, but people living with stress often find these lasting longer and developing into tense muscles and a general lethargy.

Headaches and migraines become more frequent.

You can become more susceptible to colds and flu.

Figure 1. Stress symptoms group into three broad areas (2014) <https://bit.ly/3qXVliL>

In Week 5 and 6, you examined tools to support ethical decision-making and you were encouraged to draw on your readings and links to find relevant areas of the legal and regulatory requirements that will further guide your response to the scenario and support your future teaching practice.

Scenario

You are the coordinator at an early childhood centre. You have noticed that Lee, one of your educators in the toddlers' or babies' room, is unusually short tempered and unfriendly and has started smoking again. Lee is absenting herself from her room for more than the prescribed 10 minutes per morning and afternoon and is returning late from such breaks. Moreover, some parents have commented that they have seen a staff member smoking, and this concerns them because of its potential connection with SIDS and their child's health in general. The situation is impacting on your own wellbeing as you feel that you are increasingly covering for Lee both physically in the room and through advocacy in conversations with other colleagues and parents.

Reflect

Identify the potential issues in the scenario by using Brookfield's (1995) four lenses (from9.2 Writing reflectively) to briefly reflect on the scenario from multiple perspectives e.g. personal, child/family, Lee, or literature.

Factors influencing your wellbeing and resilience

This week we focus onwellbeingandresilience, and examine factors that impact on these in the early childhood profession. We begin with the relationship between professional identity and leadership enactment, and then look at challenges such as change management and burnout before finishing with strategies to support wellbeing and resilience.

Professional identity and leadership enactment research in early childhood education increasingly recognises the critical importance of leadership in relation to change management, quality practices and positive outcomes for children and families (Waniganayake et al., 201). This is examined in detail throughout EDU30008 (the unit on early childhood leadership and management); however, as we recognise that acting professionally also involves leadership, it is important to discuss this relationship here also. Rather than the sole responsibility of the specific positions and titles (e.g. coordinators, directors or educational leaders), leadership in early childhood is increasingly recognised as a shared responsibility (Waniganayake et al., 2012).

In everyday practices, teachers will lead others through change and innovation, advocacy and mentoring. Louise Hard (2006) proposes that one's professional identity impacts on one's capacity to lead. The final reading this week discusses a number of issues and challenges that are present within the field of early childhood education.

Hard (2006) notes that a professional's sense of identity is largely shaped by the views of others. Hard raises some interesting ideas that she argues impact on professional identity and leadership enactment. These include:

a prevailing 'discourse of niceness'

'horizontal violence' (behaviours that exclude or marginalise)

'crab bucket mentality' (Hard, 2006, p.44): 'Anyone who has gone crabbing knows that it is unnecessary to cap a crab bucket because as soon as one crab tries to scuttle out, the others drag it back down. Some faculties function in the same way, actively resisting the efforts of any member to press beyond normal practice. Teacher leadership can hardly thrive in such circumstances' (Duke, as cited in Hard, 2006, p.45).

Essential readings

ReadHorizontal violence in early childhood education and care: Implications for leadership enactment(Links to an external site.)(Hard, 2006, pp. 4048).11.3 Dealing with change

Change is another factor that can significantly impact on professional wellbeing. As noted in early weeks, early childhood education is in a state of flux and ongoing change is inevitable. New curriculum documents, quality processes, funding arrangements and legislative requirements can cause uncertainty and angst for teachers. There are also changes in staffing and expectations that occur within centres. 'The only real constant in any organisation is change' (Reimer, 2012, p. 6). Reimer (2012) also notes that even when support mechanisms are in place, individuals can find change challenging.

Take note

As you work through this week consider how we manage change as individuals and how can we support others in times of change.

Reimer (2012) identified wellbeing and resilience as factors that reduced the stress caused by change. Individuals cope with change and the pressures of everyday life and work in different ways. Creating an environment that supports wellbeing and resilience can help to reduce the likelihood of burnout and professional dissatisfaction.

Reflect

In the EYLF, children's wellbeing is said to result from having physical and psychological needs met and through environments that promote a sense of security and purpose (DET, 2019). Ask yourself:

How can this be transferred to our thinking about the professional?

Burnout in early childhood education

According to Macfarlane and Noble (2005), the high level of burnout experienced by teachers is consistently identified as a major issue in education settings. Sumsion argues that dominant 'idealised and romanticised' ideas about young children and families do not help to prepare teachers for the complexity and diversity that is present in early childhood education, and therefore contribute significantly to burnout (as cited in Macfarlane and Noble, 2005, p. 53). The rates of burnout are presented in the following paper with some comparisons made between early childhood, primary and secondary teachers.

Changing perspectives

In the TED Talk, Alain de Botton questions many people's assumptions about success and failure, highlighting the positive influence of looking at things differently to find happiness in our work (de Botton, 2009).

The following reading and links are provided as suggested further exploration.

Please join your peers in this week's discussion and respond to this week's critical incident scenario, which relates to your final assignment.

Essential readings

Your next reading,Staff resilience: Qualities when dealing with change(Links to an external site.)(Reimer, 2012), identifies common attitudes toward change, and offers some practical tips.

Then readRomance or reality? Examining burnout in early childhood teachers(Links to an external site.)(Macfarlane & Noble, 2005). Consider he following questions as you read:

What other factors can contribute to burnout?

Have you ever experienced burnout in your work, education or personal experiences?

What contributed to this?

What do you believe would help to prevent burnout or support overcoming burnout?

11.4 Discussion: Burnout

Purpose

Reflecting on the importance of professional wellbeing and resilience will help you to put the finishing touches onAssignment 2: Reflective philosophy.

The discussion supportsunit learning outcomes 4 and 5.

This should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Postof a time when you suffered the symptoms of a burnout. Your example can either be a burnout caused by study or one caused by balancing work and life commitments.

Step 2: Replyto one of your peers' posts by analysing their story and offering a strategy/resource that would support them in that situation.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

11.5 Week in review

Essential readingsHorizontal violence in early childhood education and care: Implications for leadership enactment(Links to an external site.)(Hard, 2006, pp. 4048).

Staff resilience: Qualities when dealing with change(Links to an external site.)(Reimer, 2012).

Romance or reality? Examining burnout in early childhood teachers(Links to an external site.)(Macfarlane & Noble, 2005).

12.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Belonging to a profession Professional growth and career planning.

Last week, we we explored professional wellbeing and resilience. You should now be able to explain the importance of professional wellbeing and resilience for early childhood professionals and reflect on your own professional wellbeing and resilience.

In your final week, we invite you to consider what it means to belong to a profession.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

recognise the value of belonging to professional organisations and associations and networks

acknowledge the benefits of networking in enhancing professionalism

identify the purpose and value of communities of practice.

12.2 Professional community

Being a member of a professional community can be seen as joining a club or group of like-minded people that offers an environment for collaboration, the sharing of ideas, debating, challenging thinking and opportunities to understand what the early childhood profession is, and how it can be moved forward.

Throughout the unit, we have come to understand the early childhood professional as multidimensional and complex. Being a professional is hard work that requires both personal and professional commitment. It means being recognised for your achievements, and being compensated for your knowledge and skills. This knowledge needs to be constantly updated, so, as we noted in earlier weeks, a commitment to lifelong learning is required. Professionals are never 'done' learning: there are always new ideas, strategies and techniques, not just in early childhood education, but in any field.

Select the 'Networked professional development' image to learn more about networked professional development.What do you think it implies about professional development?

Networked professional development (2006) <http://bit.ly/2jgtfC7>

Scenario

You are an educational leader at an early childhood centre. You decide to run a centre PD session on wellbeing and resilience and you want to invite a guest speaker, perhaps a psychologist, to convene a session on identifying and managing stress.

Reflect

Consider the following questions in relation to the scenario.

How might you learn more about the types of wellbeing PD sessions other centres might run?

Where you might find and contact a psychologist or specialist?

12.3 Belonging: professional organisations

Once you graduate and begin your career, it can be a challenge to step outside of the setting you are in for ongoing learning and growth. In the day-to-day routines of teaching, you may find that you miss the learning and professional dialogue from your study and peers.

Joining (or establishing) a professional organisation/network is a great way to keep up the learning and professional conversation. It can help to provide inspiration and reduce feelings of isolation. Joining professional networks and/or organisations is also a great way to share your knowledge and give something back to the profession.

Why join professional organisations and associations?

Joining organisations that are related to early childhood education is an important activity to support both your studies and your career. Membership can enhance your professional contacts and complement your networking activities. Membership also enables you to support the early childhood profession in a number of ways. For example, you could lobby for greater working conditions and pay; you could advocate for children who are in detention centres; or you could develop policy for early childhood settings, arrange a conference or seminar, produce pamphlets, newsletters or publications.

The focus may be on professional issues, education and pedagogical issues, political issues or industrial issues. Ideally you increase your knowledge and skills in return you contribute something worthwhile to the field in which you work. These organisations also help to establish the specific body of related knowledge and disseminate this to members and the wider community. Professional membership therefore enables members to participate in both learning of specialised knowledge and skills and also sharing knowledge, resources and skills with other professionals. These associations help their members achieve this by holding conferences, producing publications of the profession, and creating networking opportunities. A professional organisation can be a large or small group, often focused around a key area of interest and they are usually, but not always, non-profit organisations with voluntary members.

The following comprise several examples of such professional organisations from the field:

Investigate the range of early childhood professional associations and organisations.

Find on that you would be interested in joining. Identify the name and website and briefly discuss what would motivate you to joining this organisation.

Consider: How could it meet your professional needs?

Early Childhood Australia [ECA] (2014)<http://bit.ly/1noSW9D>

Early Childhood Australia(Links to an external site.)(ECA) is a non-profit organisation that 'promotes and works toward what is best for children and the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector' (ECA, 2014). This key organisation has been established for over 75 years and provides supporting and advocating for high quality education and care. They produce a wide range of resources and subscription based publications for members and the wider community.

Child's painting of a koala her baby from REAIE (2014)<http://bit.ly/1yOIKl6>

The Reggio Emilia Australia information exchange(Links to an external site.)(REAIE) 'draws on the educational project in Reggio Emilia, Italy as the ongoing catalyst for thinking, research and advocacy in Australian educational settings' (REAIE, 2014).

REAIE network groups operate in a variety of ways at different locations throughout Australia. The intent of the networks is to provide a forum for discussion, debate and research for pedagogical practice within Australian educational settings in response to the provocation of the educational project of Reggio Emilia.

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care [SNAICC] (2014)

<https://bit.ly/3bXvine>

The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander child care(Links to an external site.)(SNAICC) is the national non-government peak body in Australia that represents the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Formally established in 1981, SNAICC has a network and subscriber base of over 1400 organisations and individuals.

Early Childhood Intervention Australia [ECIA] (2014) <http://bit.ly/1vOkNG3>

Early Childhood Intervention Australia(Links to an external site.)(2014) is the peak body for early childhood intervention in Australia. ECIA's work provides a national focus and forum, assisting children with developmental delays and disabilities, their families and the networks that support them' (ECIA, 2014).

1.1 week's focus

This weeks topic is: A sense of wonder.

We will begin this unit by considering the following overarching questions:

What do we mean by nature play?

Is it beneficial for children to acknowledge nature relations?

What do they learn in nature?

What do they learn with nature?

What do they learn through nature?

What do they learn as nature?

This week explores the sense of wonder that most children demonstrate as they witness and experience new senses, movements, language, objects, ideas and relations. Childrens play is a reminder of wonder as children make sense of their world through exploring everyday objects like a cardboard box, learning how living species grow and flourish, and finding evocative delight in watching bubbles in the wind. It is this openness and connection that children seek with nature.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

define nature pedagogies and articulate why they matter in early childhood education

analyse nature pedagogy concepts such as wonder, connections, wilderness, and childnature relations

consider how nature is named, constructed and shaped by human knowledge.

1.2 Nature knowledgesA childs world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.

(Carson, 1956, p. 28)

The first reading this week is from Ann Pelo, a practicing early childhood teacher-researcher from the USA. Pelo also acknowledges the importance of a sense of wonder. She believes it links to childrens ecological identities as they cultivate a connection to place, a love of the features in the landscape such as beaches or parks, and relationships with other species and their wellbeing. This reading enables you to consider how the ideas from a sense of wonder are still relevant today and how to foster childrens ecological understandings.

The second reading is from a childhood nature handbook that we will use throughout the unit. Allison Black outlines how early childhood teachers can foster a sense of wonder for themselves and children through arts-based curricula.

Essential readings

A sense of wonder: cultivating an ecological identity in young children and in ourselves(Links to an external site.)(Pelo, 2014).

Remembering and representing the wonder: using arts-based reflection to connect pre-service early childhood teachers to significant childhood nature encounters and their professional role(Links to an external site.)(Black, 2019).

Additional resources

The spell of the sensuous: perception and language in a more-than-human world(Links to an external site.)(Abram, 1996).

Trouble with wilderness; or, getting back to the wrong nature(Links to an external site.)(Cronon, 1995).

Rachel Carsons childhood ecological aesthetic and the origin of the sense of wonder(Links to an external site.)(Greenwood, 2019).

Uncommon worlds: towards an ecological aesthetics of childhood in the Anthropocene(Links to an external site.)(Rousell & Cutter-Mackenzie Knowles, 2019).

You may also like to look out for Rachel Carson's book:A sense of wonder(1956/1987).

1.3 Nature landscapes

Nature pedagogy

Nature pedagogies are increasingly important for science, ecological literacy, environmental education and civic engagement. As we face the challenges of the Anthropocene and environmental concerns, it is vital that teachers and education systems are inspired to create new naturalist learning pathways for children and young people. In this unit, we consider implications for how teachers could conceptualise and support nature learning pathways that involve deep engagement with, and connections to, nature.

Nature pedagogy places attention on childrens learning about nature systems in ways that embrace nature and all its complexities. The Western world has increasingly separated children from nature, believing that education happens inside buildings. This separation is also reflected in changed urban lifestyles, smaller homes, increased extra curricula activities, and busy 21st century lifestyles. This separation also views nature as a place to visit and learna place that is over there, somewhere else. This means that teachers who worked with less-natural playgrounds did not have opportunities for expensive excursions or access to forests, bush or natural landscapes; therefore, you could assume they were not able to adopt nature pedagogies. To create a paradigm shift of thinking from learning about nature to moving towards learning with and as nature, requires new paradigms, tools and approaches.

For example:

learning spaces can embrace nature in the inside and outside spaces, but more importantly, it needs to be embedded in curriculum

teachers can be clear with learning about, and articulating the benefits of, being in nature

the perception of the challenges and risks faced in nature experiences have to be considered from both a risk and benefit position

nature pedagogies must be ongoing and embedded in the everyday curriculum, as stand-alone activities hold little benefit, whereas a holistic nature program is clear about the values, learning dispositions and behaviours

nature pedagogy addresses ethical implications of everyday choices such as food, teaching resources, sustainable design features, and natural elements

mostly teachers need to adopt philosophies and methodologies that help children understand and even challenge their place in the world

teachers and children can adopt inquiry-based learning that explores how humans are part of nature and multispecies life on Earth.

Overview of nature pedagogy in early childhood

Nature pedagogies have a long history in Western early childhood education. The origins of this are explored in Week 2, and contemporary examples of what this looks like in practice, in Week 3. Exploring nature and a sense of wonder is easy to observe with children who gravitate towards natural elements such as water, sticks, mud and sand. Children and teachers have long known that animals, plants, water, and other aspects of the natural world delight children and engage them as learners and teachers. As a result, most education settings will adopt nature pedagogies or natural elements in their teaching to achieve nature learning outcomes and begin to develop care and concern for the natural world. Select the following tabs to learn more.

Connections with the natural worldFeeling apart from nature? Humans can never actually be separated as nature is everywhere, be it the birds on your balcony, the spiders hanging from your ceiling, or the animals living on you and in your microbiome right now.

Nature and culture are separated in many ways. Culture is human knowledge that allows you to behave in a way that is understandable by those around you. Culture is indicative of the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and values within groups. Nature as a cultural construction is incredibly fluid and dynamic, having a lot of implicit meanings. Obvious things about nature are easy to agree on, but our role and relations with the natural world is harder to agree on.

Defining natureSo how do we define nature? Perhaps much of what we think of nature is a human invention.

For a child, it could be a newborn lamb, a pet, a worn path through the bush, a hollow made out of a clump of trees, or the sound of the ocean.

At the simplest level, nature is the elements that make up the worldoften referred to as the natural world, physical world, or material world. Nature refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and to life in general. Nature may also refer to living plants and animals, geological processes, organisms, landforms, celestial bodies, weather, and physics, such as matter and energy.

Nature may also be used to describe natural environments or wildernesswild animals, rocks, forests, beaches, and in general, areas that have not been substantially altered by humans, or that persist despite human intervention. This construct and naming of the world creates a separation between natural environments and artificial or manmade environments. For example, manufactured objects and human interaction are often not considered part of nature; this concept of nature implies a distinction between natural and artificial elements of the Earth. 'This construct is both problematic and inaccurate as nature includes the material world and all of its objects and phenomena; by this definition a machine is part of nature. So is toxic waste' (Louv, 2010, p. 8).

William Cronon (1996) asserts that unless we examine the values we place on the natural environment, without a unified concept, perceptions of nature will create conflicting methodologies in terms of the environment and how we perceive it. Without a perception of the natural world, we aren't quite sure of our place in it and what it is we are trying to conserve. Until we understand the methodologies that influence our value placing systems, how we regard nature and how we develop ethics toward it will not be joined into a common consensus of environmental and sustainable practice.

What we already recognise is that defining nature is difficult, as is recognising our place in it. This defines some of the values and goals of nature pedagogies that will continue to unravel throughout the unit. One of the key philosophies threaded within this unit is thathumans, too, are part of nature and never disconnected, and when we take the time to attune, or listen, we experience a sense of wonder.

Sense of wonderWonderis anembodied expression of surprise when perceiving something new, unexpected and/or aesthetically engaging. Wonder has historically been seen as an important aspect of human nature and progress, specifically being linked with curiosity and the drive behind intellectual exploration. Ancient philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle believed that philosophy stems from a sense of wonder as it is this curiosity or wondering that questions human existence and our place in the world.

The American biologist Rachel Carson is often described as the grandmother of the environmental movement because she revolutionised our perceptions of the natural world. Her book,Silent Spring(1962) examined the use of the chemical DDT that was used to kill mosquitoes, and how it had entered the food chain of birds, fish and mammals, including humans. It became an instant bestseller and would go on to spark dramatic changes in the way the government regulated pesticides, and how some environmentalists came to perceive nature.

Carson wrote the book,The Sense of Wonder(1956) as a document of the nature walks that she shared with her five-year-old nephew, highlighting the important role that adults play in fostering wonder and sharing knowledge. She captures a certain way of seeing the world and how to share that sense with children using senses by opening sensory impressionsand not only through sight. Opening to the aesthetics of nature is a way of learning with and as nature as it is less about learning facts and more about a curiositywhat we might today call mindful attention. Carson adopts child-centred pedagogy in the tradition of Rudolf Steiner, Maria Montessori and John Dewey (Greenfield, 2019).

Rachel Carson has managed to balance imaginative, poetic and scientific pedagogical perspectives that could be understood within the paradigm of transcendentalism. The underlying transcendentalist beliefs about children, and children and nature, is that children experience a deep sense of awe and wonder when they are in nature. This experience can be described as something outside of the boundaries of human rational thoughtan intuition or feeling of spirituality.

The following video about Rachel Carson's work also demonstrates a storytelling experience that will be helpful forAssignment 1: Folio Storytelling experience.

Wilderness and wildnessCronons (1996) example of 'wilderness' explains how wilderness and wild places were once seen as desolate wastelands associated with harsh conditions. Todays Western perceptions envision the idea of wilderness as an oasisa sanctuary for the last part of the natural world left untouched by humans. This change in perception across time and space indicates that wilderness is therefore a human-created concept as Western culture idealises and romanticises the distant wonderland of wilderness that separates us from the spaces where we actually live, and the species that live there. Cronon writes that the environmentalist goal of wilderness preservation is conceptually and politically flawed. This belief about nature/culture separation is perpetuated by the packaging of nature as a product for consumption through wilderness holidays, wildlife documentaries, and nature companies that sell items such as plastic owls, which create a disconnect between actual spotted owls whose habitats and food sources are disappearing.

The problem is that we haven't learned to live responsibly in nature. The environmentalist aim of legislating humans out of the wilderness is no solution as it enhances the separation. Cronon argues that people are inextricably tied to nature, whether they live in cities or countryside. Rather than attempt to exclude humans, environmental education should help us learn to live in some sustainable relationship with nature. It is our home.

Nature can inspire many responses in children. Standing in a space like that shown in the image, a child might find freedom, a place to run, imagination and privacy.

1.4 Nature provocations: Activity-planning a wild adventure

Purpose

Each week, we identify a provocation that may connect you with the purpose of the unit in unique ways. It will be helpful to write a journal or keep a list of these provocations and your responses to the questions and ideas as they will help you with both assignments. This activity has been adapted from HYPERLINK "https://www.rememberthewild.org.au/" t "_blank" Remember the wild(Links to an external site.)(2019).

Task

Step 1: Writea list oraddto your journal and include a place or a list of places you want to visit and why you would like to go there. Use the following categories to guide your list:

Within 5 km of your home.

Between 5 km and 30 km from home.

Between 30 km and 150 km from home.

Somewhere 500 km from home but in your state.

Somewhere in another state.

Somewhere in another country.

Step 2:Continuethe exercise byansweringthe following questions related to each place you have listed:

What might you need to prepare for an adventure for each of these places?

How will you get there?

What are you hoping to experience?

What will you see along the way?

Who is coming on this adventure with you?

Do any of these places include areas that might be defined as wilderness?

What is the environmental impact of your travel?

Step 3:Answerthe following questions based on the following statement:

Making plans to visit new places within varying distances from home helps us to explore our world without imagining we have to head far away to find 'holiday', 'wilderness', 'adventure' or 'peace'. It alsoreminds us there is so much to explore, stopping us from falling into the trap of always going down the well-worn paths we already know or desire. Sometimes, in our thirst to travel to distant, exotic lands, we miss the adventures and opportunities for connection with the everyday, that are right under our noses.

What would these places be for you?

What might these everyday places be for a young child?

Step 4:Thinkof the place you most want to go to in the whole world andponder:How would you feel if you never got a chance to go there?Travelling is a privilege. This is something people have been experiencing during the Covid-19 shutdown; for many others, this has long been a lived reality as they choose not to travel to limit environmental impacts. Think about the unique aspects of nature that you can find close to home, and how you can help to care for nature in your neighbourhood.

1.5 Nature touchstones

Each week, we identify a touchstone that may connect you with the purpose of the unit in unique ways. It will be helpful to write a journal or keep a list of these touchstones and your responses to the questions and ideas as they will help you with both assignments.

Rousell and Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles (2019) suggest that there exists complex moments in every childs life 'through which the common world of nature is felt, perceived, and experienced differently' (p. 1). These touchstones often stay in your memory and may elicit:

a felt affect or aesthetic response to something witnessed, read or watched, such as the beauty of ancient trees in Tasmania or the suffering of an animal in a documentary

a shift of thinking as something spurs you to shift ideas with new knowledge or perspectives

expanded conceptual understandings

a sensory response, such as the smell of autumn leaves or the sounds of birdsong.

Apply your learning

This first week continues to explore the concept of wonder and a touchstone of how we find or source it as teachers.

Consider a couple of examples of how you could do the following things in your professional practice:

Be open to displays of brilliance that move, engage and spark joy.

Look at your life through someone else's eyes.

Approach things from new perspectives.

Slow down and find the time to attune with the more-than-human world.

Change your lenses to see the world anew.

Learn about the diversity of nature, for example, the parts of natural elements such as flowers.

Enliven the senses and focus on the living things found in your environment, whether that environment is rural or urban.

'Exploring nature with your child is largely a matter of becoming receptive to what lies all around you' (Carson, 1956, p. 46).

What can you identify as touchstones in your life that have helped you experience wonder?

1.6 Literatures resources

Essential readingsA sense of wonder: cultivating an ecological identity in young children and in ourselves(Pelo, 2014).

Additional resourcesThe spell of the sensuous: perception and language in a more-than-human world(Links to an external site.)(Abram, 1996).

Trouble with wilderness; or, getting back to the wrong nature(Links to an external site.)(Cronon, 1995).

Rachel Carsons childhood ecological aesthetic and the origin of the sense of wonder(Links to an external site.)(Greenwood, 2019).

Uncommon worlds: towards an ecological aesthetics of childhood in the Anthropocene(Links to an external site.)(Rousell & Cutter-Mackenzie Knowles, 2019).

You may also like to look out for Rachel Carson's book:A sense of wonder(Carson 1956/1987).

2.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Legacies of the past.

Children are perceived to have a special relationship with nature. This belief is expressed by many communities, researchers and education settings. The new nature movement also aspires to get children back into nature (Louv, 2005). While there is merit in understanding children engagement and responses with nature, as articulated in last weeks focus on a sense of wonder, it is important to critically reflect on the Western tradition of coupling childhood with nature. This week revisits some of the legacies of the past that are still entrenched in Australian early childhood practice.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

analyse natural learning philosophies and their historical origins

critically reflect on romanticised ideals associated with nature pedagogies and the values of the new nature movement

explore the different perspectives of nature pedagogies, including learning about nature, in nature, from nature, and as nature.

2.2 Nature knowledgesThis focus on the human subject to the detriment of other possible agentic subjects in the ecology has seen a very narrow view of child-nature relations.

(Taylor, 2013, p. 66)

The first essential reading traces the various ways in which European early childhood educators have drawn upon Rousseaus Natures Child figure to inform curriculum and pedagogical design from Froebels original German kindergarten through to the establishment of contemporary Nature Kindergartens. It deconstructs the ways in which Rousseaus idea of Nature as Teacher has been variously interpreted and permeated these early childhood education initiatives. It also considers the impact of the new nature movement and how these have been taken up in a revival of natural outdoor education within early childhood.

The second essential reading extends some of the ideas introduced in the first reading by critiquing 'nature-deficit disorder' (NDD). NDD is Richard Louvs popular theory of how and why children are alienated from nature, specifically within the context of one forest conservation education program that aligns with and operationalises Louvs message.

Essential readings

Reconfiguring the natures of childhood(Links to an external site.)(Taylor, 2013).

The misdiagnosis: Rethinking 'nature deficit disorder'(Links to an external site.)(Dickinson, 2013).

Additional resources

Nature by default in early childhood environmental education(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Young, 2015).

Wild pedagogies: Touchstones for re-negotiating education and the environment in the Anthropocene(Links to an external site.)(Jickling, Blenkinsop, Timmerman, & Danann Sitka-Sage, 2018).

Last child in the woods. Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder(Links to an external site.)(Louv, 2005).

Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2016).

Beyond ecophobia reclaiming the heart in nature education(Links to an external site.)(Sobel, 1996).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Centuries of childhood(Aris, 1962).

Nurture through nature(Warden, 2007).

Nature kindergartens and forest schools(Warden, 2012).

2.3 Nature landscapes: Historical influences of nature pedagogies Rousseau and Froebel

Outdoor play and nature study have been a feature of early childhood education for hundreds of years. Two of the most influential scholars on the development of nature pedagogies are Jean Jacques Rousseau and Friedrich Froebel. Explore the following content to learn more about each of these individuals and their influences.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

During the European Enlightenment period of the 18thand 19thcenturies, the Enlightenment philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau (17121778) wrote an impassioned education essay called 'Emile'. Rousseau was one of the first to couple children and nature as he believed that if we attend to nature, we are more likely to live a life of virtue; many of these ideas still reverberate in education today. A key concept in his argument was that nature is the child's best teacher. This was a social and political reflection of the historical and geographical time period in Europe as childhoods in the Middle Ages were very bleak, and his philosophy attempted to provide a road map for social and revolutionary change. The image of the child prompted poetry, art, and political debate during the Romantic period. This debate occurred because society reconsidered childhood. Before the 19th century, children were seldom viewed as having an identity separate from adults; instead, they were miniature adults, not much different from their parents (Aries, 1962).

The Romantic period was a key moment in the formation of modern attitudes about how children should be educated, what a parent's relation to a child might be, and how the study of early childhood connects to some of the most debated concepts, including:

human nature is essentially good

knowledge is gained through intuition more than deduction

important concepts of nature, innocence, and individuality.

(Elliott & Young, 2015)

This is where the romantic ideals about children and nature started to take root in the principles of humanism, focusing on humans and their values, capacities, and worth. Humanism escalated through literature and artistic endeavours, and later through scientific discoveries that propelled humans into positions of power and exceptionalism. Humanists reacted against the utilitarian approach to education, seeking to create citizens who were able to speak and write with eloquence so they could engage with the civic life of their communities.

Romanticism was a reaction to the Enlightenment period that took place before the Industrial Revolution, which loomed on the horizon. The Enlightenment was about rational, scientific thinking; Romanticism aimed to challenge that by focusing on emotions and the beauty of the natural world. If this is sounding familiar, it is very much the philosophy of the new nature movement, which we explore later.

Friedrich Froebel

The German word 'kindergarten' translates as 'childrens garden' and came from Friedrich Frobel (17821852), a German educator who emphasised the uniqueness of the natural environment. He saw it as an important context for learning, and saw children as plants in a garden who need to be nurtured. Froebels thinking was influential in the establishment of the first kindergartens in Australia. Freidrich Froebels thinking was influenced by Rousseau as his teacher was a Swiss educationalist named Johan Pestalozzi, who was a second-generation follower of Rousseau and his ideas.

Froebel had a background in forestry, mineral classification and architecture, and was the son of a Lutheran pastor. 'His unity philosophy was one that demonstrated the interconnectedness of God, external nature, human nature and ideal society' (Taylor, 2013, p. 40). Froebel spoke about kindergarten as both a garden of children (a place in which childrens natures are cultivated) and as a place with real gardens so that children could cultivate habits that would prepare them for living in a perfect world. Froebels beliefs have provided the fertile ground for Western early childhood education for well over a century. They influenced the ideas of Montessori, Steiner and in contemporary practices such as the design of the Nature Kindergartens in Europe.

2.4 Nature landscapes: Historical influences of nature pedagogies Montessori and Steiner

As the 20th century unfolded, education was firmly positioned within the behavioural sciences, closely aligned with psychology and development theory. Universal education in the Western world was delivered by trained teachers, who were increasingly formally inducted into the scientific study of cognitive development (Piaget, 1928). This scientific approach to childrens cognitive development moved theory from focusing only on behavioural responses, to focusing on development and growth. Within mainstream education, Rousseaus philosophy of bonding with nature through attending to the childs inherent 'primitive dispositions' had been replaced by calls for educators to follow the science of the childs natural development. The scientific rationalists disregarded Rousseaus sentimental attachment to learning in nature as natures child and dismissed his beliefs in the negative effects of education. 'The "Education of (rational) Man" prevailed and children were inducted into rationality by being taught about nature (Taylor, 2013, p. 43).

Maria Montessori and Rudolph Steiner held fast in their beliefs about natural education and resisted the new wave of scientific rationalism. They brought together an array of religious, romantic, philosophical and scientific beliefs about nature and childhood, just as Froebel had done in the previous century (Taylor, 2013, p. 43). Montessori was a devout Christian, a doctor and a follower of Darwins theory of evolution. She brought these perspectives together into a belief that children should be taught to be scientific observers of natural phenomena. Within this belief was a spiritual interweaving and reverence that learning about nature was divinely natural.

Learning about, in and from nature?

The romanticism of nature pedagogy that began in early childhood education and has persisted over the years, did not find its way into mainstream schooling in Australia, where a more rationalist approach was adopted. Nature was reduced into a subject of study where children learnaboutnature. On the other hand, many early childhood educators, fuelled by professional teacher training that recognised social justice, environmental education and Montessori and Steiner approaches, have consistently valued that children should be educated by learning about nature, in nature and from nature.

These beliefs are premised on the following:

Global concern about human-induced climate change and depletion of the earths resources (sustainability).

Transcendentalist thinking. (Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s that promoted intuitive and spiritual thinking rather than scientific thinking. Transcendentalists believe that children should learninnature.)

Sobel (1996) proposed that whats important is that children have an opportunity to bond with the natural world, to learn to love it, before being asked to heal its wounds'. Sobel suggested that ecophobia occurs when children become disconnected with the natural world around them and develop a fear of nature. This perspective posits nature as teacher. However, it is also suggesting that young children are not capable of managing the complexity of both learning to connect to and appreciate Earth, while also learning about and being an advocate for protection from the damage that they may see or know.

New nature movement

These ideas have also become revitalised with the global new nature movement. The journalist Richard Louvs book,Last Child in the Woods(2005), captured the imaginations and values of Western educators and families who were increasingly concerned about the perceived disconnection between children and nature. Claire Wardens (2007, 2012) Scottish nature kindergartens showed what this could look like in early childhood practice. Louv conceptualised diminishing nature in the lives of todays children as nature deficit disorder in response to some of the emerging Western trends, including childhood obesity, attention disorders, and depression. Louvs book brought together a growing body of people who started a movement suggesting that direct contact with nature is essential for a childs health, learning and wellbeing.

There have been many positive outcomes from the work of Louv, but others criticise what they believe to be a very limiting definition of nature. According to Louv (2010), 'nature comes in many forms' (p. 7). In his campaigning for children, he defines nature as, the outdoors and says, When I use the word nature in a general way, I mean natural wilderness: biodiversity, abundancerelated loose parts in a backyard or a rugged mountain ridge. Most of all, nature is reflected in our capacity for wonder (Louv, 2010, p. 8). Karen Malone (2016) critiques this definition of nature by noting, According to this definition, untainted or pure nature is ultimately the best type of nature for children. There is no direct reference to animals (domestic or wild) in his discussions, which assume animals, like humans, exist in relation to nature but are not nature, just as humans exist in relation to animals, but are not animals (p. 44).

Learning as nature?

This unit adopts an approach that extends notions of nature pedagogies where children learn about, in, and from nature to knowing they too are nature and are therefore, never separated. These ideas of being with and as nature are picked up in many of the readings. They are in opposition to understandings of nature built on anthropocentric views such as:

nature is a place out there to be used as a resource with wilderness areas left for pure untouched nature

human societies used to be closer to nature

humans are an exceptional species, and this offers rights to dominate

our current way of life is unnatural or distant from nature.

These beliefs support the perception in Western cultures 'that humans are not nature and it is possible for some species, namely humans, to be more or less nature, connected or disconnected from nature, and superior to or dominant over nature' (Malone, 2016, p. 43). In many other cultures, including those in Indigenous knowledge systems, human-nature relations are represented as kinship systems where humans are nature. Donna Haraway (2003) suggests it is helpful to think of human-nature relations by considering how bacteria exists in the internal organs of humans and other species to digest food and exist in the species that help to produce that food. We are never completely human as more than our bodies consist of bacterial colonistswe are bacteria having a human experience.

2.5 Nature provocations: Romanticised nature pedagogies

The romantic discourse of childhood involves various perceptions of childhood where children are viewed as passive, needing affection and protection. This is contrasted to the critical view of children that suggests defining children as empowered and active social agents. The way a teacher perceives children, interacts with children, sets up environments for children, documents childrens learning, and the way that children are represented in that documentation reflects their image of the child.

Reflect

In these reflections of thought and action, do we see childhood as a time of innocence, authenticity and purity? Do we believe that childhood is a time to be protected from the evils of society and the adults who are part of that society? Do children and nature seem like a perfect match and do we romanticise this relationship?

Do you think that Louv is romanticising nature and the childs relationship to nature?

What is Rousseaus image of the child?

What is Rousseaus legacy in early childhood education?

What do you think of the word 'wild'? This word carries a double entendre; do you think of the wildness of nature, or do you think about the wildness of children?

Are their parallels between Romanticism and the new nature movement?

Do our early childhood programs offer children many opportunities to experience nature?

How do we define nature with children? Are their ways that teachers reinforce nature-culture separation?

Why might these ideas of romanticising nature matter?

2.6 Nature touchstones: Nature as co-teacher

This week has explored how the ideas from the past still exist in early childhood education, and there has been a challenge to the romanticised ideas of the new nature movement from both readings. This focus has clarified how important it is to view nature as complex, multiple, and for most of us, still evolving. This means we need to question who we are in and as nature. The touchstone of co-teaching helps to acknowledge the relations of naturecultures. Elliott and Young (2015) ask whatcould happen if we ask different questions, such as: what do humanhuman relationships have in common with humannature relationships?

Animal narratives and encounters can be conducive to thinking-with this relational environmental approach. For example, a large tree close to an early childhood setting was home to a family of magpies, and at certain times of the year, the educators placed signs to alert people entering the building to watch out for swooping magpies. Parents often arrived after a swooping incident, appearing agitated as they exclaimed, Cant you do something about them?'

The birds could be destroyed, the tree cut down, or more signs posted, and all of these strategies would drive a wedge between us and themthem as the pest and us as the controllers of the problem. These are the everyday multispecies encounters where children learn about the separation of human and non-human animals. How would this separation be challenged if educators decided to try to understand and explain why magpies swooped and then integrated this relational ontology with childrens questioning and thinking?

Magpie making its nest in a large tree (2019) <https://bit.ly/3dddbXR>

The children could write and illustrate a picture book that explained how magpies protected their babies, just like human parents protect their babies and young children. This example presents opportunities to move beyond just watching and listening to birds; or, as eloquently expressed by Tsing (2005), that we 'turn to the beasts and flowers, not just as symbols and resources, but as co-residents and collaborators (p. 172). This relational collaborative frame integrates environmental justice, kinship and cohabitation, empathy, habitat destruction, ecological sustainability, social justice, and intersectionality. The potential for children in this relational pedagogy is to realign humans as part of nature, and something changes when this is explicit. It is not a story of us and them, but the reimagining of we (Elliott & Young, 2015, p. 5).

This touchstone can help challenge some of the ideas presented in the readings that call for teachers to respond in new ways. It comes from theWild Pedagogiestext from last week (Week 2).Education is richer, for all involved, if the natural world and the many aspects of it that co-constitute places, are actively engaged with, listened to, and taken seriously as part of the educative process. This touchstone reminds educators to acknowledge, and then act on, the idea that working with, caring for, and challenging childrens learning must include more-than-human beings. This is more than just learning from the natural world; it includes learning with and through it, as well as co-teachers.

Through this process, the learning experience is de-centered and the taken-for-granted human voice quietens to enable the more-than-human voices to emerge. All of the beings, the animals, the water, plant life, and geographyparticipate in the process of our coming to know the world and ourselves in it. We must be willing to recognise and make space for these co-teachers to engage children meaningfully. This means that when these moments arise, we need to provide time and space for the inquiry to unfold.

2.7 Week in review

Essential readingsReconfiguring the natures of childhood(Links to an external site.)(Taylor, 2013).

The misdiagnosis: rethinking 'nature deficit disorder'(Links to an external site.)(Dickinson, 2013).

Additional resourcesNature by default in early childhood environmental education(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Young, 2015).

Wild pedagogies: touchstones for re-negotiating education and the environment in the Anthropocene(Links to an external site.)(Jickling, Blenkinsop, Timmerman, & Danann Sitka-Sage, 2018).

Last child in the woods. Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder(Links to an external site.)(Louv, 2005).

Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2016).

Beyond ecophobia reclaiming the heart in nature education(Links to an external site.)(Sobel, 1996).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Centuries of childhood(Aris, 1962).

Nurture through nature(Warden, 2007).

Nature kindergartens and forest schools(Warden, 2012).

3.2 Nature knowledgesScandinavian traditions all adhere to the saying that theres no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.'

(Fardtad, 2005, p. 14)

Your first essential reading offers a comprehensive overview of the Danish Forest School Approach and the elements of this particular approach to early childhood teaching and the relationship it holds with quality early years practice. Chapter four offers an analysis of the learning environments, their risks and challenges and what a learning environment is made up of.

Essential readings

Chapter 4: The learning environment in Understanding the Danish forest school Approach: Early years education in practice(Links to an external site.)(Williams-Siegfredsen, 2017).

From forest preschool to Bush Kinder: An inspirational approach to preschool provision in Australia(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Chancellor, 2014).

Additional resources

The spell of the sensous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world(Links to an external site.)(Abram, 1996).

Early childhood education in the outdoors in Aotearoa New Zealand(Links to an external site.)(Alcock & Ritchie, 2018).

Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies(Links to an external site.)(Christianson, Hannan, Anderson, Coxon & Farghar, 2018).

Outdoor learning: Past and present(Links to an external site.)(Joyce, 2012).

I ur och skur, rain or shine. Swedish Forest Schools(Links to an external site.). (Robertson, 2008).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Forest schools & outdoor learning in the early years(Knight, 2013).

Rituals: Making the everyday extraordinary in early childhood(Lyon & Christie, 2017).

3.3 Nature landscapes 1

Forest preschools and nature-based learning

By learning in and with nature, nature pedagogies have a connection and a similarity in their work. Earlier pioneers in Europe such as McMillan, Pestalozzi, Froebel and Frohm have greatly influenced current nature pedagogies (Joyce, 2012) with an emphasises on childhood, individuality, health, active learning, and storytelling that are common in many nature programs today. These similarities explore the centrality of relationships both to the land and to each other as a community of learning; the respectful acknowledgement of the role of the natural world and the view of the child as confident, capable, and curious. Beyond these similarities, the models start to vary in the time spent outside, how they use resources, what the space they access looks like, the requirements for licensing by the regulatory bodies, and the need to document what children learn. The most influential aspect of nature pedagogies can be witnessed by the philosophies and methodologies adopted by teachers, some of which are tightly bound to the past and others we explore as we progress through this unit, who experiment with new ideas and wonderings.

The following video from Rachel Larimoreshares the foundations of nature-based education at the Nature Preschool at Chippewa NatureCentre inMichigan, USA.

Swedish I Ur och Skur schools

The I Ur och Skur schools in Sweden, translate as rain or shine, referencing the practice of going outside in all weathers and aligning with the common phrasetheres no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.Swedish early years pedagogy called Skogsmulle is an experiential learning methodology for children aged 111 years of age. Despite the growth in popularity of this movement, its pedagogy is still relatively little known in Sweden, in much the same way as the Reggio approach is little known in Italy (Joyce, 2012). Skogsmulle facilitates play-focused learning in outside natural landscapes that are believed to stimulate childrens imaginations and development. Skogsmulle was developed in 1957 by Gosta Frohm. Skog means wood and Mulle is a fictional character who helps children learn to love and care for nature (Robertson, 2008). Frohm created fairy tales, songs and games for young children so they could expand their imagination to help them learn about the natural environment, therefore storytelling is a key pedagogy. For example, he came up characters like Mulle, Laxe and Nova and many more who are characters which help the children learn about the outdoors and educators dress up as the characters or use puppets to bring the stories alive. Parental involvement between children, parents and teachers were also central to Frohms philosophy and practice (Joyce, 2012).

Norwegian BarnehagesBarnehage is Norwegian for childrens garden, which is Norwegian pre-school and childcare. Outside play is a strong feature, even in the cold when the temperature is well below freezing. This reflects the Norwegian philosophy of not being too comfortable as discomfort builds reliance and knowledge. Similar to Skogsmulle, nature pedagogy in Norway is influenced by the concept of Friluftsliv which is a Norwegian expression that translates as open-air living and was popularised in the 1850s by the Norwegian playwright and poet, Henrik Ibsen, who used the term to describe the value of spending time in remote locations for spiritual and physical wellbeing. Friluftsliv is part of Norwegian culture and also used in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, in everyday life, education and workplaces. Unlike the Danish term hygge which emphasises the importance of cosiness combined with social connectedness, Friluftsliv points to the human need for uplifting interactions with nature (Joyce, 2012).

Danish Forest skovbornehaveForest Schools were well established in most Scandinavian countries in the 1980s and became central to early years provision in Denmark (Knight, 2013). Forest preschools are very similar to nature-based preschools in that they typically teach 35-year olds. In a forest preschool or skovbornehave, however, 70100% of the day is spent outdoors. The indoor space is typically less developed, serving as a shelter from really bad weather and like nature-based preschools, nature is infused into all aspects of the program, and the pedagogy emphasises learning through play and hands-on discovery that emerges from the childrens interests. Historically forest preschools are grounded in Denmark by Swedish Skogsmulle program models (Wiliams-Siegfredsen, 2014).

The video from a Danish Forest preschool offers a glimpse into the forest preschools with Jane Wiliams-Siegfredsen who has written the book the Danish Pedagogue that is a reading this week.

Reflect

Having watched the video on Denmark's Forest Kindergartens, reflect on what your responses are to:

children climbing the thin sapling trees

use of tools like knives to whittle wood

approach to safety

skills of the children

parents responses

benefits.

3.4 Nature landscapes 2

Scottish Nature kindergartens

Forest Schools were first introduced to the UK in the 1990s (Joyce, 2012), although nature education has a much longer history. Knight (2009) outlines the significant cultural difference between the Scandinavian forest schools and those in the UK is that the majority of Scandinavians use the countryside regularly, where this is not common in the UK. Claire Wardens Scottish kindergartens are where children spend 8090 per cent of their time learning outside in the natural environment at Whistlebrae Nature Kindergarten in Perth and Auchlone Nature Kindergarten in Kinross. Like nature-based preschools, children have daily outdoor time as part of their curriculum and nature is infused into all aspects of the inside learning spaces through physical materials, reading materials and topics of inquiry.

Claire Warden has been a key figure in developing professional learning for nature pedagogies in Europe, US and Australia and has recently created anInternational Association of Nature Pedagogy(Links to an external site.)(2019) designed to promote and support all forms of nature-based education for children aged 08 years throughout the world. This includes Forest Kindergartens, Forest Schools, Nature Pre-Schools and Nature Kindergartens.

New Zealand Enviro preschools

Early childhood education in New Zealand was initially influenced by the Frbelian model of the kindergarten or childrens garden. 'Later models such as the Khanga Reo movement, the highly respected curriculum Te Whriki: He whriki mtauranga m ngmokopuna o Aotearoa, and the Enviroschools programme are grounded in te ao Mori, Mori worldviews, that feature a strong connectedness to place, and a deep sense of a spiritual inter-relationship with the land, mountains, rivers, and oceans' (Alcock & Ritchie, 2018, p. 77). Enviro preschools have only been marginally influenced by the Scandinavian forest preschool experience and as Alcock and Ritchie (2018) suggest, traditional Indigenous Mori worldviews and knowledges give meaning and contextualised authenticity to forest schools approaches in early childhood education in Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Australian Bush kindergarten

Inspired by Scandinavia's forest preschools and a history of nature education in Australia, the bush kindergarten movement in Australia is building momentum as growing numbers of education settings have adapted their practices and use of space to immerse children in natural settings. Bush kindergartens have been steadily increasing in Australia and can be described as a preschool program where children access a natural outdoor space (in the bush, at the beach or in local parkland) for an extended period of time each week. Some education settings attached to private schools with large grounds are able to access these spaces on a regular basis.The Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network(Links to an external site.)is an organisation for educators to share their experience of providing early childhood education outdoors, learn from each other, and promote outdoor learning for young children. Christianson et al (2018) describe three examples of bush kindergarten. One that is influenced by local Indigenous knowledge systems, uses minimal resources and risky play, another addresses the significance of the land in Aboriginal cultures and the importance of the bush in Australian folklore and uses no typical preschool resources and the third example is influenced by practices in Denmark such as the storage of equipment, benefit-risk analysis, and the philosophical and pedagogical elements: trusting children; supporting risk-taking; supporting language; and scientific education. They also invite experts to support teaching and learning, including the schools Indigenous studies director.

Elliott and Chancellor (2014) collaborated with teachers to identify the following learning principles for a project they conducted that researched bush kindergartens:

children develop their emerging autonomy, interdependence, resilience and sense of agency

children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation

children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity

children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating

children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another

children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials (p. 47).

3.5 Nature provocations: Bush kindergarten Caring, co-learning or colonisingConsider the following scenario.

Rory is a pre-service teacher who is undertaking professional experience at a bush kindergarten where the children attend two four-hour sessions at a parkland setting each week in addition to time in their standard kindergarten environment. Rory is very excited about learning the philosophies and methodologies that are adopted in the curriculum. The teacher uses an approach sometimes referred to as naked pedagogy, emphasising the role of child-led play without tools, toys and art supplies(Christianson et al, 2018). Therefore, only natural materials such as those found in the natural environment are used and the children engage in mostly free play.

After a few weeks, Rory becomes increasingly disappointed as he senses that the teachers leave the children to make a lot of decisions and some of these involve being very destructive in the parkland, using branches to smash trees and plant foliage. He also notices that some children are not respectful with small creatures such as snails, insects and worms. He is surprised by this as he felt that bush kinder was supposed to teach environmental principles of caring for nature, whereas these children seem to be trashing it.

Reflect

What are your reflections?

Why might teachers enable this type of destruction to take place?

Do nature pedagogies perpetuate colonial legacies that can naively romanticise ideals around beauty in nature and nature as a place to dominate?

Can nature pedagogies position humans as outsiders observing nature, rather than intra-actively living, playing and relating within natural places?

How could nature pedagogies minimise a humanist dominant mindset?

3.6 Nature touchstones: Silence and ritual

The Norwegian concept of friluftsliv is not only about being outside in nature as it is rooted in a state of mindfulness, but it is also about being connected to a larger whole, and communing with nature. Rituals are symbolic actions that have a deeper purpose than just the actions themselves as they 'foreground what we value' (Loader & Christie, p. 5). They usually follow a system and contain a sequence of actions where the ordinary moment becomes a touch point of who we are and what it is important. Rituals transform the mundane practices of everyday into the sacredthis is why they are popular with religious practice. Engaging in rituals helps to attune with the rhythms of nature. Participation in the ceremony of rituals help quell anxiety, capture a shared purpose, and forge a collective identity and a sense of belonging. For example, early childhood teachers often use ritual at the beginning of the day as the whole group sits on a circular mat, shares news and gather their energies in preparation for what is ahead.

Because speech is such a feature of the human experience, quietening enables other sounds to enter. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures often value the practices of extended periods of silence during conversations. Silent pauses are used to listen, or show respect or consensus. Maria Montessori designed a silence game, a ritual that started each day as children transitioned from home to the education setting learning to listen and regulate their thoughts and actions. David Abram (1996) argues for deep listening and silent awareness to open up to a conscious awareness of silent conversations between our sensing bodies and the more-than-human world.

What becomes clear in the essential reading this week from Williams-Siegfredsen, (2017) is the elements of ritual that can be witnessed in the Danish Forest school approach learning environment such as the following:

Light Soft lighting from candles and lamps automatically creates a calm atmosphere. If you are creating an energising ritual with children, consider the use of direct sunlight and soft candles prompt listening at storytime.

Sound Nature soundscapes can only be heard in silence, so practicing silence and listening outside is a useful practice. Use music to help support the purpose of your ritual. Choose soft and relaxing sounds for sleep and meal routines, silence to enjoy nature, popular music for creating togetherness, or fast-paced rhythms like getting ready to go outside.

Smell Use gum leaves, plants or aromatherapy essential oils to harmonise and promote the health of your mind, body and spirit.

Hands-on learning

How could you integrate the touchstone of silence and ritual in your nature pedagogical practices?

3.7 Week in review

Essential readingsChapter 4: The learning environment in understanding the Danish forest school approach: early years education in practice(Links to an external site.)(Williams-Siegfredsen, 2017).

From forest preschool to bush kinder: an inspirational approach to preschool provision in Australia(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Chancellor, 2014).

Additional resourcesThe spell of the sensous: perception and language in a more-than-human world(Links to an external site.)(Abram, 1996).

Early childhood education in the outdoors in Aotearoa New Zealand(Links to an external site.)(Alcock & Ritchie, 2018).

Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: no tools, no toys, no art supplies(Links to an external site.)(Christianson, Hannan, Anderson, Coxon, & Farghar, 2018).

Outdoor learning: past and present(Links to an external site.)(Joyce, 2012).

I ur och skur, rain or shine. Swedish Forest Schools(Links to an external site.)(Robertson, 2008).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Forest schools & outdoor learning in the early years(Knight, 2013).

Rituals: Making the everyday extraordinary in early childhood(Lyon & Christie, 2017).

4.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Nature pedagogy philosophies.

This week outlines four nature pedagogy philosophies: social ecology, ecofeminism, Indigenous ecological knowledge systems and posthumanism. We explore these philosophies to gain a sense of some of the differing paradigms that underlay teaching and the ways such paradigms lead to different insights and lines of inquiry. Becoming aware of ones philosophical worldview will help articulate what you value and how other paradigms might enable complementary insights.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

explore different ecological worldviews associated with four nature pedagogy philosophies and consider the practical applications of these philosophies in early childhood education

articulate the concepts of the logic of separation and domination of the nature/culture/object dualisms

consider how stories and storytelling can play an important role in a nature program.

4.2 Nature knowledgesThe nature/culture dualism is the foundational delusion of the West. It is a "dangerous doctrine, strongly implicated in the environmental crisis."

(Plumwood, 2003)

There are four readings that align with each of the four philosophies this week. You may choose to read all four readings or the one philosophy that aligns with your choice for assignment one.

The reading from Young (2015) will support your understanding forAssignment 1: Folio: Storytelling experience, as it explores pedagogical strategies that teachers could use to grapple with complex environmental ideas including stories, storytelling, puppets, picture books, play props and imagined stories.

Essential readings

Social ecology:Environment, place and social ecology in educational practice(Links to an external site.)(Wattchow, Burke &, Cutter Mackenzie, 2008).

Ecofeminism:Ecofeminism and an ethic of care: Developing an eco-jurisprudence(Links to an external site.)(Cross, 2018).

Indigenous ecological knowledge systems:Possum skin pedagogy: A guide for early childhood practitioners(Links to an external site.)(Atkinson, 2017).

Posthumanism:Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2016).

Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?(Links to an external site.)(Young, 2015).

Additional resources

Meeting the universe halfway: Quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning(Links to an external site.)(Barad, 2007).

What is Social Ecology?(Links to an external site.)(Bookchin, 1993).

Negotiations 1972-1990(Links to an external site.)(Deleuze, 1997).

The social construction of nature(Links to an external site.)(Gifford, 1996).

Political writings(Links to an external site.)(Lyotard, 1993).

Alternative narratives in early childhood: An introduction for students and practitioners(Links to an external site.)(Moss, 2018).

Dark Emu: Black Seeds - Agriculture or Accident?(Links to an external site.)(Pascoe, 2014).

Feminism and the mastery of nature(Links to an external site.)(Plumwood, 2003).

Toward an ecofeminist ethic(Links to an external site.)(Warren, 1988).

Story you can hold(Links to an external site.)(Yunkaporta & Wyld, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the following:

The hidden forest(Baker, 2000).

The Murray Bookchin reader(Bookchin & Biehl, 1997).

4.3 Nature landscapes 1

Ecological worldviews

Ecology comes from the Greek word oikos, meaning household and family. Philosophical approaches view ecology in different waysparticularly if your view sees humans as inside or outside of nature. For example, ecology could refer to kinship networks of the human and more-than-human, or could represent what is captured in the logic of domination exercised by the patriarchal modes of thought and power relations, which construct nature like a family home, the place of the oikeoin, of the secluded and separated women, slaves, animals, plants, under the control of the master of the household (Lyotard, 1993). This is what philosophical worldviews enable us to dothey stretch thought to embrace new ideas and concepts, hopefully opening to diverse ways of knowing; an openness to other-than-usual ways of knowing. This requires acknowledgement of all those that can no longer be sidelined as others.

Exploring ecological worldviews helps to build philosophical understandings that can be considered as a matrix of beliefs and ideas that place ecology, the connections, flows, relationships, interdependence, evolution and consciousness of earth systems, at the centre of the teaching and learning. As Deleuze (1997) suggests, philosophy should be playful and insightful so as to enable conceptual sparks to 'flash and break out of language itself, to make us see and think what was lying in the shadow around the words, things we were hardly aware existed' (p. 141).

Some environmental worldviews are human-centred (anthropocentric), others are life-centred (biocentric) and others are earth-centred (ecocentric).

Reflect

Which of these descriptions most closely fits your worldview?

Which of them most closely fits the worldviews of your parents?

How would your worldview influence your teaching?

Social ecology

Social ecology stems from sociology and can take different directions. However, almost all of the manifestations of this philosophy present a holistic rather than reductionistic approach, reject nature/culture dualisms, and attempt to minimise anthropocentrism. Social ecology invites questions of what it is to be human and to know our humannessnot through a lens of domination and hierarchy, but within human social relations. This is because nearly all our present ecological problems arise from deep-seated social problems (Bookchin, 1993).

Social ecology is closely identified with the theory of the activist Murray Bookchin (1993, 1997), who outlines concerns about human environmental impacts and called for a recognition of the unjust, hierarchical relationships in capitalist economies. Bookchin believed that change occurred from advocacy and action within small grassroots community action; therefore, social ecology adopts principals of critical theory to fight for environmental justice. Some of the principles of anarchism including resistance to hierarchy, horizontal decision-making, cooperation and democratic decision-making within communities by the individuals that inhabit them.What might social ecology look like in ECE?Teachers would be committed to social and environmental activism.

Democratic social relations are fostered with children, families and communities regarding social and ecological issues.

Teachers can foster recognition of the mutualistic relationship between humans and the non-human natural world.

Encourage ecologically sustainable human activity and behaviours.

Ecological problems are addressed in teaching and learning with a focus on the social problems that create environmental problems.

A socially critical curriculum is conceived as engaging students in social problems, tasks and issues, and giving them experience in critical reflection, social negotiation and the organisation of action, both individually and collectively.

Ecofeminism

Ecofeminists point to links between the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature. Ecofeminism espouses how environmentalism is entwined with womens emancipation and other forms of social justice. For example, Val Plumwood (1993) theorises connections between women and nature in western societies to oppressive systems of sexism, colonialism and anthropocentrism. in the form of a network of dualisms. Accordingly, the human has been framed in opposition to nature in western thought, with human capacity for reason and abstract thought as the grounds for transcendence and domination of nature. In turn, reason is framed as masculine through its opposition to (and domination of) all that is associated with nature, the body, reproduction, emotion and, ultimately, the feminine. Plumwoods work demonstrates how such dualisms are false constructs; underpin oppression; and that such domination is unethical and damaging. Therefore, ecofeminism believes that feminising women and nature leads to the domination of both.

Ecofeminism is also attached to ethics. Karen Warren devised a framework that aligns ethical decision-making with the principles of feminism (Warren, 1988). Teaching and learning needs to attend to an ethic of care for the health and wellbeing of earthly beings, including animals and nature. An ethic which listens to and is responsive to the diversity of all environmental expressions.What might ecofeminism look like in ECE?Ecofeminist theory and philosophy challenges dualisms that dominate anthropocentric thinking between self and other, mind and body, society and nature, human and animal and outline the commonalities and differences of these entanglements.

Teachers may reconsider the dominance of gendered pronouns used in stories and discussions when talking about animals that are often labelled as he by default, unless they are feminised animals, such as cats.

Finding ways to explore interconnectedness to discredit the theory that man is separate from nature and, thus, entitled to dominion over nature resources.

Adopt an ethic of care to respect, value and teach strategies that foster caring citizens who are aware of animal sentience and caring for nature.

Seek nature relationships that teach children to value the kinship networks. These new ways of relating seek to empower and foster creativity and growth that is not dependant on overpowering another.

4.4 Nature landscapes 2

Indigenous ecological knowledge systems

Many Indigenous communities describe relational kinship as a connection to Country, which is built on knowing place and the kinship networks of the human and more-than human who are part of Country. For example, Maori peoples of Aotearoa-New Zealand use the term 'whakapapa' to describe a genealogical system that links all life through a kinship with the land, which has kinship rights. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have evolved with those who dwell in the landscape to shape a community that is woven together, with every element of nature participating. This is Country. It includes the river and sea Country, sky Country and knowledge of the cosmos, the ancestors, the plants, the animals, the weather, rocks, fire, soils, waters, air and all of planet Earth.

Indigenous relationality is recognised as the life force that supports and nourishes community life (Bird-Rose, 1996). Humans are part of this community, evolving together, with and as nature and the intricate network of kinship between humans and more-than-human offers opportunities for restoration if Indigenous ecological knowledge systems are taken seriously and acknowledged as the oldest living civilisation.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal people survived in the Australian landscape by relying on their intricate knowledge of the land and its plants and animals. Tracking and hunting, growing crops, making bread and maintaining surface waters were just some of the ways that people survived the harsh environments and, in turn, developed important knowledge about ecological processes (Pascoe, 2014). Culturally modified trees,(Links to an external site.)often known as scar trees, are an example of this knowledge and philosophythey are where bark and wood are sourced from a living tree to make a canoe, rather than needing to kill the whole tree. You can read more about this inHow a stone wedged in a gum tree shows the resilience of Aboriginal culture in Australia(Links to an external site.)(Spry 2020).What might Indigenous ecologies look like in ECE?Adopting the ritual of acknowledging Country each day with children and families.

Indigenous pedagogy being still, observing, listening and waiting.

Laying down and looking at Sky Countrylistening, breathing, being stilla new understanding for me that Country is not only land and waters (Rundle cited in Atkinson, 2019, p. 21).

Integrating song, story and art in the curriculum.

Using sand talk (Yunkaporta, 2019) signs and symbols to reflect an oral knowledge system.

Exploring concepts and practices of Indigenous sustainability and care for Country that has sustained the oldest people in the world.

Inviting Indigenous community and paid Indigenous consultants to work with children.

Learning about animal and plant food sources.

Explore and value kinships systems.

PosthumanismPosthumanism refers to a detour, but not abandonment of humanism. Posthumanism as knowledge production confronts how changes in society across time and place require teachers to rethink the humantheoretically, methodologically and ethically. There is no singular form of posthumanism as it is a theory that is synonymous with multidisciplinary approaches. Posthumanism extends beyond anthropocentric worldviews, towards entangled and complex relations with more-than-human, animal species, environments and technology. Barad (2007) describes posthumanism not as something that comes after humanism, rather, a way of being attentive to the construct of the human in its various entanglements with more-than-human others.

Posthumanism grapples with what it is to move beyond the constructed boundaries of being human, to becoming liberated from the constraints, to an awakening of the more-than-human, where the human and the more-than-human emerge to define each other in mutual relations. More precisely, a posthumanist worldview rejects the essentialist separation between natureculture, emphasising the ways early childhood education is measured by decentering the human and recentering the more-than-human, enables posthumanism to become a philosophical tool in education (Young, 2019).

What might posthumanism look like in ECE?Spaces of learning are opened to seeing, listening, sensing and theorising the more-than-human experience in everyday life and not only through the all-knowing human, privileged positionings and understandings of what it is to be human.

Consider other ways of knowing nature by being open to unknown possibilities of how plants, animals, human animals and earth elements intra-act.

A critique of humanism challenges species hierarchy and human exceptionalism. It honors the exceptionalisms of others, seeking to know how power and desire are theoretically and politically enacted.

Question how topics such as food production and hunting discussed at mealtimes or the containment of animal species in zoos and aquariums during excursions or in picture and story books? (Young, 2019).

4.5 Nature provocations: Dualisms

A dualism can be described when something is conceptually divided into two distinct categories such as nature/culture, human/animals or man/women. In Western thought, nature has tended to be understood as dualistically opposed to culture or humanity. As we have discovered, nature can be perceived as those parts or places that are mostly unaffected by people such as wilderness, national parks or wild places. The nature/culture dualism is the product of the cultural history of the West that positions humans as outside nature. We have changed our relationship with our surroundings, with an intention to make life easier for ourselveswe are not acting as a whole set of species and organisms who live in unison, for in the Anthropocene humans have interrupted the balance of life on Earth.

Not all worldviews do this. For example, people in Indigenous and Indian Vedic cultures do not divide the world in this way, nor think with linear worldviews. They do not perceive themselves as other than nature, but rather a part of the cycle, systems, plants, and animals and land that is part of life on Earth. As we have become accustomed to taking from nature, using and altering nature to our advantage and gradually moving ourselves outside of nature, it makes sense that certain peoples have become accustomed to regarding themselves as separate entities from nature.

Apply your learning

Step 1: Selectanddragthe dominated constructs into the correct column.

Step 2:Now you have identified the dominated constructs,placethe corresponding subordinated construct next to the relevant dominated construct.

Culture Nature Dominated

construct Subordinated construct

Subject Object Reason Emotion Individual Collective Mind Body Developed world Developing world Able bodied Disabled Animals Plants Step 3:After you have completed the activity above,reflecton the following questions:

What are your thoughts about the game and how the pairs came together?

Are there any word pairs you would add to the list?

Consider the following idea by Plumwood (2003) that dualisms come together from a 'certain kind of denied dependency on a subordinated other. This relationship of denied dependency determines a certain kind of logical structure, in which the denial and the relation of domination/subordination shape the identity of both' (p. 41).

Hierarchy of dominance

Relationships are then prescribed with a hierarchy of dominance that intersect such as the following:

Men are rational.

Women are closer to nature.

Whiteness is civilised and clever.

Children are undeveloped.

Children (and animals) are in their bodies more than their minds.

Children are animalistic.

Children are closer to nature and therefore closer to women.

4.6 Nature touchstones: Stories and storytelling

Writing, imagining and telling stories is an artform that takes practise and skill. Have you observed someone who has these skills? Someone who can engage a group of children by using character voices, prompts that invite children to participate and the ability to create or retell a story that has peaks and flow and a tension that leaves children wide eyed in anticipation and able to revisit the resources and tell the story in their own way afterwards? Stories become touchstones in our lives as they help us remember key events by drawing you in with an invite to think and feel.

Tracy Young sees stories as a useful tool to think about and move towards the future. Her image of the child is that of a global citizen with a right to shape and impact on their communities, supports the goals of environmental education (Young, 2014, p. 1). This strategy of storytelling is part of a larger strategy of thinking about child nature in a holistic way that integrates all aspects of nature pedagogies, rather than a tokenistic approach which results in ad hoc experiences with worm farms and vegetable gardens.

Peter Moss (2018) also emphasises the importance of stories.

First, the importance of narratives, that is the stories we hear and tell, for how we interpret or make meaning of ourselves and our lives, of our families and other relationships, and about what goes on in the world around us. As a species, mankind has an innate tendency to communicate and to make sense of existence through stories (Bruner, 1990). Stories are, in short, the way in which we make meaning of our world and our place in it, rendering our existence meaningfulStories, then, are ubiquitous. They are how all of us weave reality; they help us explain and justify what we think and do. Depending on your perspective or viewpoint, stories can be good or bad, enchanting or disenchanting, can have benecial or harmful consequences, can trap us in dysfunctional positions or help us to move on.

(Moss 2018, p. 4)

How can teachers use stories to progress childrens thinking with nature?

Consider the following image of story stones.

How could you plan for using these props, or other story stones in an experience?

What story would you create?

How can you involve children in the process of storytelling?

What other props using everyday objects could be used in storytelling?

Consider how a pre-service teacher has developed this story experience using a picturebook,The Hidden Forestby Jeannie Baker.

Observe how this teacher has added sounds to illustrate the story. This story has also been captured in a digital format that children could explore repeat listenings and viewings on a tablet or computer.

Jeannie Baker writes a lot of picture books with environmental and nature themes, and this story is about Ben who holds little regard for sea life. When his fish trap is tangled in the kelp, his friend Sophie helps him to free it and takes Ben under the sea where he discovers the enchanted world of the kelp forest of Tasmania and its inhabitants. Bens experience turns him from fear and exploitation to exploration, wonder and delight in what he finds.

4.7 Week in review

Essential readingsSocial ecology:Environment, place and social ecology in educational practice(Wattchow, Burke, & Cutter Mackenzie, 2008).

Ecofeminism:Ecofeminism and an ethic of care: developing an eco-jurisprudence(Cross, 2018).

Indigenous ecological knowledge systems:Possum skin pedagogy: a guide for early childhood practitioners(Atkinson, 2017).

Posthumanism:Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Malone, 2016).

Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?(Young, 2015).

Additional resourcesMeeting the universe halfway: quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning(Links to an external site.)(Barad, 2007).

What is social ecology?(Links to an external site.)(Bookchin, 1993).

Negotiations 19721990(Links to an external site.)(Deleuze, 1997).

The social construction of nature(Links to an external site.)(Gifford, 1996).

Political writings(Links to an external site.)(Lyotard, 1993).

Alternative narratives in early childhood: an introduction for students and practitioners(Links to an external site.)(Moss, 2018).

Dark emu: black seeds Agriculture or accident?(Links to an external site.)(Pascoe, 2014).

Feminism and the mastery of nature(Links to an external site.)(Plumwood, 2003).

Toward an ecofeminist ethic(Links to an external site.)(Warren, 1988).

Story you can hold(Links to an external site.)(Yunkaporta & Wyld, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the following:

The hidden forest(Baker, 2000).

The Murray Bookchin reader(Bookchin & Biehl, 1997).

5.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Nature pedagogy methodologies.

There are many approaches to nature study and environmental education, and this week outlines four of the many nature pedagogy methodologies specifically, sensing ecologically, ecological narrative inquiry, multispecies ethnography and material practices. You will notice how there are lots of crossover points in these methodologies as many adopt similar methods. Methods of teaching come from particular methodologies such as inquiry-based learning that are influenced by philosophical ideas such as child-centred discovery. Last week you explored four philosophieswe now consider some of the methodological approaches that underlay teaching and the ways nature pedagogy methodologies can facilitate lines of inquiry.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

explore four nature pedagogy methodologies and consider the practical applications of associated teaching methods in early childhood education

consider the connections between philosophies, methodologies and methods

reflect on what is means to be a teacher-researcher

articulate the similarities and differences between free play and intentionality in a nature program.

5.2 Nature knowledgesI sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent seeking to guide him, it is not half so important to know as to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, it has lasting meaning.

(Carson, 1956, p. 46).

There are four readings that align with each of the four methodologies this week. You may choose to read all four readings or the one methodology that aligns with your choice for assignment one.

Essential readings

Sensing ecologically:Sensing ecologically through kin and stones(Links to an external site.)(Malone & Moore, 2019).

Ecological narrative inquiry:Childrens imaginative play environments and ecological narrative inquiry(Links to an external site.)(Moore, 2019).

Multispecies ethnography:A feminist posthumanist multispecies ethnography for educational studies.(Links to an external site.)(Lloro-Bidart, 2018).

Material practices:Children who carry stones in their pockets: on autotelic material practices in everyday life(Links to an external site.)(Rautio, 2013).

Additional resources

Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia(Links to an external site.)(DET, 2019).

The emergence of multispecies ethnography(Links to an external site.)(Kirksey & Helmreich, 2010).

Walking-with children on blasted landscapes(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2019).

Children and materialities: The force of the more-than-human in childrens classroom lives(Links to an external site.)(Myers, 2019)

Walking methodologies in a more-than-human world: WalkingLab(Links to an external site.)(Springay & Truman, 2018).

Place in research theory, methodology, and methods(Links to an external site.)(Tuck & McKenzie, 2015).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world(Abram, 1996).

Children, spaces, relations: Metaproject for an environment for young children(Ceppi & Zini, 1998).

The goodness of rain: Developing an ecological identity in young children(Pelo, 2013).

5.3 Nature landscapes

The following interactive provides an overview of each of the methodologies discussed this week. The first tab provides you with an introduction to the different ecological methodologies, and the following four tabs describe each of these individually. These four methodologies all come under the umbrella of ecological methodologies as they all have been designed to extend ecological knowledge and they therefore align with nature pedagogies.

Ecological methodologies

Methodology is an organised system of knowledge that combines a theoretical philosophy with practical ways to study a topic applied to a field of study. For teachers this describes the ways they make explicit or implicit assumptions in the selection of nature pedagogies such as what they choose to teach, why they chose it and how it will be taught. Methodologies comprise the theoretical analysis of information generated through the methods associated with a branch of knowledge such as nature or education. In early childhood education, methods might be discussions with children, analysing artwork, photographs of events, walking or documenting learning. A methodology therefore captures these ideas in a framework. Nature pedagogies align with certain methodologies and methods that help to research and assess teaching and learning that takes place in a nature program.

Sensing ecologically

The word multisensory defines encounters that involve more than one sense. Many early childhood teachers are familiar with infants and toddlers who learn through their senses, so this methodology is very applicable for young children. For example, infants place objects in their mouths to learn the sense of different material textures and form, toddlers notice tiny details and point at items of interest and pre-school aged children enjoy manipulating mud, sand, playdough and water. Young children are sensory beings, so sensing with bodies is a way to create ecological sensory openings. These sensory perceptions are not just the five basic senses of smell, touch, sight, taste and sound, but other, more subtle senses that may not be obvious. Perceptions of light, for example, along with colour, acoustics, microclimatic conditions and tactile effects. There is no all-encompassing logic that governs such perceptions. Preferences in colour, touch, smell and light vary from individual to individual and are strongly influenced by subjective differences that cannot be attributed to standard values common to all. The environment as a multisensory place, not so much in the sense of being simply rich in stimuli but having different sensory values offers each individual a way to tune into their personal reception characteristics. In other words, 'standard univocal solutions cannot be conceived for everyone' (Ceppi and Zini, 1998, p. 16).Ecological narrative analysis

Narrative analysis is a methodology that teacher-researchers use to examine narratives of any kind, including personal experience stories, ethnographic and historical stories, individual stories, shared stories, written texts, and oral stories. It is a way of thinking about, and studying, experience. Narrative inquirers think narratively about experience throughout the analysis. Narrative analysis follows a reflexive process of moving ideas through story that can be linked with temporality, sociality, and place. Ecological narrative analysis, like all qualitative approaches highlight ethical matters as well as shapes new understandings of ecological experiences and how humans know, understand and make meaning of their place in the nature world.

Another important consideration with ecological narrative inquiry is to attend to ways that the more-than-human world is present in children stories. The tendency is to ignore the intelligence of the animate earth including the agency of non-human beings and the extent to which they shape experiences and understanding. How can teacher-researchers bring this intelligence to light so the more-than-human are co-teachers and co-communicating in ways that different from the norm , and to convey where a sense of a more-than-human world that 'beckoned' and 'solicited' (Abram, 1996, p. 55) the attention of children and teachers.

Multispecies ethnography

Ethnography refers to the study of culture and emerged from the field of anthropology in the early study of various cultures around the world (Tuck and MacKenzie, 2015). Multispecies ethnography is particularly attentive not only to telling, but showing what is happening with multiple species, such as humans, plants, animals, fungi and even microbes. Eben Kirksey and Stefan Helmreich (2010) describe this as this process of becomings that are new kinds of relations emerging from non-hierarchical alliances, symbiotic attachments, and the mingling of creative agents' (p. 546), Multispecies ethnography once more attempts to challenge the delusion of separation and human exceptionalism and situate itself within naturecultures and ecological concerns.

Multispecies ethnography challenges nature/culture binaries in nature pedagogies and early childhood studies, yet as Teresa Lloro-Bidart (2018) points out 'the field of educational studies has yet to confront its humanist roots' p. 253). Multispecies ethnography, as a methodology can begin to address and redress both social and species injustices in educational studies as it brings plants and animals into the presence of teaching and leanring.

Material practices

Material methodologies are influenced by the theories and philosophy of new materialism that draws ideas from quantum physics. Matter is not meaningless and inert, but rather the material elements of the world are entangled with everything else and are not passive but agentic. This is a bit of a mind trip if these concepts are unfamiliar, however this methodology pays attention to the material aspects of social lives such as technology, clothing or household objects. In the reading for this methodology Pauliina Rautio (2013) shines a light on children who carry small objects in their pockets like sticks or stones. This is an everyday practice that all early childhood teachers observe and wondering about what is happening through material methodologies enables us to analyse this practice, building new understandings of why children might feel compelled to do it.

Casey Myers extends these ideas by paying attention to everything that is entangled in the early childhood learning space, acknowledging that 'humans alone do not create the world or the relationships and meanings therein; space is opened for matter to matter in different and often confounding ways. All material bodieshuman and more-than-human alikeare phenomena in relation emerging through a kind of intra-action that is both material and discursive in nature' (p. 8).

5.4 Nature provocations: Free play and intentionality

The methodologies in this week emphasise the role of the teacher-researcher, suggesting that good teachers are always researching as they attend to what is happening and what children are doing and learning in partnerships with teachers, parents and communities. In other words, there is an intention to what is happening. The early childhood profession has not always adopted these pedagogical approaches as perceptions of a Froebelian or Piagetian influence was that children could be left to explore resources and learning spaces and the teacher took more of a back-seat perspective, so as not to interrupt furtive imaginations.

Apply your learning

This provocation plays with these ideas as you consider the following scenario:

'Why cant I just let the children play with natural materials? This is what we have always done, and they love it. Why does everything have to be turned into a lesson?'

5.5 Nature touchstones: Walking-as-method

Methods are the practices, processes or strategies that come from philosophies and methodologies and practical ways and tools to investigate a topic. Teacher-researchers use certain methods to generate data to assess childrens learning and uncover new ideas. This touchstone explores walking as a method that aligns with all four methodologies outlined this week as it works with research that is situated in place, offers opportunities to build narrative, explore relational more-than-human dimensions of walking and attends to material affects. The authors of some of the readings this week also show how they use this research method as an effective tool for nature pedagogies.

Walking is a way to traverse time and space (Barad, 2017) and it has become a popular method of early childhood pedagogy in recent times as children engage with excursions and take part in bush kindergartens. Walking as a research methodology has gained increasing attention as a method to move away from dominant practices which privilege speech and human interaction. Walking as method slows teachers as slow walking enacts the bodys openness and affective immersion in place-scapes with embodied learning that young children use all the time, rather than knowledge dominated by cognitive logic that perpetuates a mind/body dualism. Stephanie Springay and Sarah Truman (2018) have developed a HYPERLINK "https://walkinglab.org/" t "_blank" WalkingLab,(Links to an external site.)an international research network on walking engaging with a wide range of walking methods and forms including: long walks on hiking trails, geological walks, sensory walks, sonic art walks, processions, orienteering races, protest and activist walks, walking tours, mapping and school-based walking projects.

Consider this snippet of a longer reflection from Malone (2019) as she writes about walking with children in blasted landscapes of eastern Kazakhstan:

Walking-with children on blasted landscapes, means walking-with to notice, attune with sensorial knowing as bodies sweaty, heavy lifting with/through the unknowing. Monsters walk with us helping us to notice landscapes of entanglement, bodies with other bodies, time with other times (Tsing et. al., 2017). Children take me walking with on toxic blasted radiated landscapes. Afterwards I write children recognize the fragility and porosity of human and non-human life and its link to the contaminated earth. Kazakh indigenous and settler children walking on landscapes speak of dust, dirt, thick uneasy air, toxic radiation. Walking with children allows for deep relational knowing, we talk through with and being in place; place walking becomes our shared rhythm; the children bring me into their place. We take some photographs, I allow some words to resonate, turning over and over I re-turn to them and write then down when I am alone some time later. I concentrate on being present, a co-presence of beings-in-common; children worlding with the ignorant unknowing stranger, Donna Haraways modest witness

(Malone 2019)

This narrative offers an example of walking within an unromantic damaged natural environment that still embodies nature, human intervention and entangled lives as Malone (2019) speaks about the atrocities of the Anthropocene: to bring attention to the invisible, the monsters, the unsightly possibilities, and stories of fear and fascination, doom and dread.

Reflect

How do you feel about this immersion with researcher, children and nature?

Think back to some of the Richard Louv and new nature movement quotes about children being disconnected from nature. Do they speak of a mostly western concept of a particular aesthetic of the natural world?

The children in this place are very much connected with natureis this the kind of nature that the new nature movement writes about and if not, why is it missing from the discourse?

Walking and narrative are used in this example as a method of inquiry. How could this be used as nature pedagogies in early childhood education?

5.6 Week in review

Essential readingsSensing ecologically:Sensing ecologically through Kin and Stones(Malone & Moore, 2019).

Ecological narrative inquiry:Childrens imaginative play environments and ecological narrative inquiry(Moore, 2019).

Multispecies ethnography:A feminist posthumanist multispecies ethnography for educational studies(Lloro-Bidart, 2018).

Material practices:Children who carry stones in their pockets: on autotelic material practices in everyday life(Rautio, 2013).

Additional resourcesBelonging, being and becoming: the early years learning framework for Australia(Links to an external site.)(DET, 2019).

The emergence of multispecies ethnography(Links to an external site.)(Kirksey & Helmreich, 2010).

Walking-with children on blasted landscapes(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2019).

Children and materialities: the force of the more-than-human in childrens classroom lives(Links to an external site.)(Myers, 2019).

Walking methodologies in a more-than-human world: WalkingLab(Links to an external site.)(Springay & Truman, 2018).

Place in research theory, methodology, and methods(Links to an external site.)(Tuck & McKenzie, 2015).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world(Abram, 1996).

Children, spaces, relations: Metaproject for an environment for young children(Ceppi & Zini, 1998).

The goodness of rain: Developing an ecological identity in young children(Pelo, 2013).

6.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Planning with nature.

This week identifies the planning process of nature pedagogies with examples and videos of what this could look like within inquiry-based learning. Inquiry-based approaches our popular in ECE curricula as teachers and the profession have been influenced by the world-renowned pre-schools and infant toddler centres in Reggio Emilia, in Northern Italy. For example, inquiry-based learning extends ideas by making the learning visible through documentation and representation where childrens ideas, interests and theories inform the curriculum. The child is at the centre as inquirers who are knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, open-minded, caring, risk takers, balanced and reflective. Planning is designed according to these attributes, interests, strengths and needs.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

become familiar with the processes, practices and purpose of inquiry-based learning

consider the implications for nature pedagogies with infant, toddlers and pre-school aged children

explore examples of pedagogical documentation that make learning visible

critically reflect on how the concept of touchstones can support nature pedagogies.

6.2 Nature knowledgesIf a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonderhe needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the word we live in.

(Carson 1956, p. 55)

The first reading is the culmination of ideas from a range of experienced environmental educators from many countries who have collated their ideas about renegotiating nature pedagogies. It offers a range of practical applications for education and reflective questions. Read one of the touchstones or be inspired by all six.

The second essential resource support understandings of the early years planning cycle and how it can be applied to inquiry-based learning. You do not need to read the whole document. However, it will be a helpful resource for this and other ECE units in the course.

Essential readings

Six touchstones for wild pedagogies in practice(Links to an external site.)(Blenkinsop & The Crex Crew Collective, 2018).

Early years planning cycle resource for the Victorian early years learning and development framework(Links to an external site.)(Cohrssen, Hedge, Hill, Madanipour & Stewart, 2020).

Additional resources

The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation(Links to an external site.)(Edwards, Gandini & Forman, 2011).

Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2016).

Kath Murdoch education consultant(Links to an external site.)website (Murdoch, 2019).

At the crossroads: Pedagogical documentation and social justice(Links to an external site.)(Pelo, 2012).

Re-imagining childhood. The inspiration of Reggio Emilia education principles in South Australia(Links to an external site.)(Rinaldi, 2013).

Water play is essential play: Exploring water play and conservation in early childhood practice. Early Childhood Australia, Victorian Branch Environmental SIG poster and fact sheet(Links to an external site.)(Young & Ralton, 2008).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Acts of meaning(Bruner, 1990).

The power of inquiry(Murdoch, 2015).

Ecocubby: The building(The University of Melbourne ELC, 2011).

6.3 Nature landscapes: Inquiry-based learning

Inquiry-based learning

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a key pedagogical approach in teaching and learning in both early childhood and primary education. This approach is explicitly named in both the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2009) and The Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority, 2014). The aim of IBL is to nurture children who possess advanced inquiry, problem solving, and group work skills and who grow up to be rational and community-minded decision makers. Some of the benefits of Inquiry-based learning include the following:

Investigate ideas, explore phenomenon to construct new knowledge in multiple ways and communicate these ideas through language, art and other visual mediums.

Teachers and learners pose questions that are often about authentic interests and everyday life (Rautio, 2013).

Requires children to use high order thinking, because learners think beyond what they already know and form a deeper understanding of the concepts behind the active process.

Enables participation between children, teachers and families.

Supports a range of skills that have been identified as important capabilities in the 21st Century such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and persistence.

Supports learning dispositions and skills that have far-reaching implications.

Evidence that curiosity and interest in a learning project can contribute to higher motivation to learn (Murdoch, 2015).

Collaborative inquiry establishes a community of scientific practice in which knowledge and understanding about worthwhile problems and tools are socially created through activity, observation, interaction and conversation (Vygotsky, 1978).

Unlike a theme that focuses on a topic, IBL leads to further inquiry. Inquiry is thus an ongoing process rather than a means to an end.

Types of inquiry-based learning

There are numerous approaches to inquiry-based learning and the following three are applicable for ECE, including project-based learning, problem-based learning and design thinking.

Project-based learning In educationproject-based learning,learners design a pathway for investigation in response to the question or issue they have chosen to work on, with guidance and support from the teacher. According to Katz and Chard the project approach, 'refers to a way of teaching and learning as well as to the content of what is taught and learned' (1989, p. 3). It is a set of teaching strategies, which enable teachers to guide children through in-depth studies of real-world topics. Children are instrumental in deciding the topics, becoming the experts, and sharing accountability of learning with adults (Katz & Chard, 1989). The investigation is undertaken by a small group of children, sometimes by a whole group and occasionally with an individual child. Such projects typically last from four to eight weeks providing learners with plenty of time to plan, investigate, synthesise and evaluate their work (Murdoch, 2015).

Problem-based learning Problem-based learningis closely linked to project-based learning. Problem-based learning engages with messy, complex problems encountered in the real world as a stimulus for learning. Problems may be raised by children or teachers before the project is designed and by actively engaging with the problem first, learners develop skills around defining problems, identifying what information they need, and finding, evaluating and using information. These discussions may take a long time and children can be reminded of the generation of previous ideas through documentation or visual mediums such as drawing. Learners are able to connect their thought processes to solving problems in the real world such as this example that took place in an inquiry about water (Young, 2006) where Mia is expressing complex ideas about the problem of sourcing fresh water with an invention to remove the salt from the sea. She did not seem to have prior knowledge about desalination technology, so this is her original idea about a technology that actually exists.

Design thinking Design thinkingsupports and structures the creative process by generating ideas and bringing them into reality through concrete actions and products. Commonly used to frame childrens ideas in art, it is also adaptable to many other disciplines. Design thinking guides children through five phases of thinking and activity: discovery, interpretation, ideation, experimentation, and evolution. Learning by design engages learners in designing and creating an artefacta product of the learningthrough an iterative cycle of designing, creating, assessing and redesigning. Participating in these tasks helps to develop valuable skills such as generating ideas, planning, prototyping and evaluating (Barron & Darling-Hammond, 2010).

The example to the right is from the Eco-Cubby project where an architect worked with four and five-year-old children and their teachers to design a cubby house. The children explored ideas with drawing, design and clay over a 12-month period, made an architects model of their design, dug for clay, made mud bricks and the University of Melbourne ELC actually built the cubby based on the group design in their playground.

6.4 Nature landscapes: Principles of inquiry-based learning

Principles of inquiry-based learning

It should be clear by now that Inquiry-based teaching focuses on moving children beyond general curiosity into the realms of critical thinking and understanding. The following video offers broad ideas about IBL in education.

Throughout the inquiry process communication and discussion play important roles in supporting learning. Using a particular model/process can be helpful in designing a project such as Kath MurdochsModel for designing a journey of inquiry(Links to an external site.)(2019). A model is not a recipeit is a framework. To be an effective model of inquiry-based learning, the design and intent needs to embody the principles of child-driven learning. There are likely to be several steps or principles each of which contributes to deeper understandings:

Invite learners to share their own working theories about the way the world works.

Be curious about their ideas and about how the theories are evolving.

Pose questions, problems or scenarios rather than presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to knowledge.

Nurture curiosity in yourself, the learning space and with the children.

Let go of control, maintain intention and learn to be at home with uncertainty.

Inquiry with infants and toddlers

Effective teachers maximise the crucial stage of learning and the significant rapid rate of development that occurs in the physical, social, emotional, intellectual and aesthetic in the first three years of life. Infants and toddlers are curious about their world. They are able to predict and experiment with objects and they test predictions over and over again through repeated actions and schemas. They use body language such as gestures to express ideas and are starting to name objects and question what is happening, and they show joy and often surprise when their ideas work. Document these discoveries with photos of actions and body language, write down childrens words, record video, create an interest area, or develop other exciting ways to capture childrens learning. Display these discoveries at childrens level whenever possible so that children can share their work with peers and parents.

Watch the following video,Literacy teaching toolkit video: Making meaning in everyday situations(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education 2018) and note some of the interactions in the video:

The examples of topics and concepts embedded within interactions.

The ways that educators encourage children to communicate verbally and non-verbally.

The ways that educators created numerous opportunities for talk and interaction during these situations.

The ways that educators narrate their own, and childrens actions (self-talk and parallel talk).

The educators use of conversational (not just instructional) language.

Inquiry with pre-school age children

Pre-school aged children are using language with increasing vocabulary with connections to concepts. When starting a new teacher-led inquiry, ask children to think about the topic and have them share what they already know. They can share through whole group discussions that are recorded, through drawings or by talking in a small group, then encourage students to wonder about the topic. Their ideas will lead them to ask questions and become curious. This approach engages children in the learning where the students show interest and then lead them into the new content.

WatchLiteracy teaching toolkit video: Yarra River guided play(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education 2018) and note how the teacher in this vignette explores concepts related to the Yarra River in on ongoing inquiry in Melbourne with this group of three-year-olds.

How does she extend childrens thinking?

How are children actively engaged in the learning?

How does the teacher make the learning visible?

This teacher integrates an ethic-of-care pedagogical practicewhere is this evident?

Pedagogical documentation

Jerome Bruner (1990) wrote that if we do not tell about our experiences, we do not exist ... It is through documentation the processes of the childrens and teachers research and action can be seen. A variety of documentation can be prepared. Words, drawings, materials, colours and objects can carry the voices and thoughts of children and tell about them also during their absence (Edwards, Gandini and Forman, 2011, p. 319).

One important role of pedagogical documentation is to make visible the lives and experiences of young children, too often sidelined and discounted in our culture

(Pelo, 2012, p. 175)

Documentation is an integral part of nature pedagogies as it gives value to and makes explicit, visible and assessable the nature of the individual and group learning processes of both the children and the adults. As Rinaldi (2013) reminds us, the educational experience that unfolds in the infant-toddler centres of Reggio Emilia is richer and full of meaning when the documentation produced in progress is revisited, reconstructed, re-signified, and assessed; that is, interpreted. If documentation is just a record of what happened it is not effective as it is the analysis and interpretation of what is happening that makes it pedagogical.

Pedagogical documentation provides families with insights into their childs world and is about more than recording events, it is a way to uncover what children think and learn. It is also a way of actively listening to children.

Pedagogical documentation, embraced fully, carries us to the crossroads and calls us to live in authentic, vulnerable, transformative relationship with children, their families, and each other.

(Pelo, 2012, p. 190)

6.5 Nature provocations

You work in a local government early childhood service and because of the drought, the local council wants to introduce a policy that places a ban on children playing with water.

First, think about the following questions:

What are the key issues?

What are some alternative solutions?

Now think more deeply about the following questions:

How might this decision affect childrens learning and discovery?

What does this mean in relation to nature pedagogies in ECE?

How could you find out more about water usage and conservation?

Take some time to read the following poster and fact sheet Water play is essential play(Links to an external site.)(2018), a project designed by the ECA Victorian Branch Sustainability Special Interest group led by Tracy Young. This group were concerned that this scenario was actually playing our in early childhood and they wanted to find out more.

What did they discover about how water is used?

Why did they feel compelled to defend early childhood play practices and sensory learning?

Why do they feel that water play is essential in Australia?

What aspects of inquiry-based-learning are evident?

6.6 Nature touchstones

Embodiment

Embodiment pays attention to the body as a means of perceptual experience and engagement with the world. There have been shifts in the discourse of nature pedagogies that are less about being in and learning about nature and more about the felt, embodied experience of nature encounters and relationships. Where once we worried about nature deficit disorder (Louv, 2005), we now bring our attention to the dangers of the Anthropocene and 'human-nature binaries' (Malone, 2016). Embodiment is acknowledging that learning does not just take place in the brain, but through a mind/brain/hand connection that works through intra-action, supporting knowledge that is both felt, remembered and sensed. This intra-action means that materials are discovered by the child, and the materials also work on the child, and so it is a sort of give and take between child and the world that moves learning to new levels. The same can be said of childrens interaction with nature. When children are outside, where they discover soil, mud, rain or plants in terms of play, learning, and active doing, we dont only have an experience in nature, but rather we engage ourselves in a kind of reciprocity with the natural world, enabling nature to teach, enabling humans to teach.

Embodiment in nature is about feeling our own symbiotic relationship to our world. We are interconnected with the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we walk upon. Embodiment in nature has the potential to bring us home to the very heart of who we are.

Apply your learning

In order to develop an outdoor practice of embodiment, practice some of the following new or familiar practices on a daily walk for a week and note how they make you feel:

Walk bare feet on grass, especially if it still has the morning dew.

Take a moment to breathe into your body and mind as you slow down.

Sit under a tree for a while with your back close to the tree.

Take the time to become present by awakening your senses.

Set an intention for your time outdoors.

Allow yourself to observe the shapes of the natural world and playfully mirror these with your body, intuitively creating your own shapes.

Push your body in a way that you would not normally do by walking fast, climbing a tree, completing a cartwheel or something else.

Savour the sensory details of the light, the sounds, the smells. Notice the way the clouds move or pause with a moment of gratitude for your strong legs that carry your body through the world.

Notice what you bring away with you, and perhaps with a moment of gratitude, ask yourself what can you give back to our earth in return?

6.7 Week in review

Essential readingsSix touchstones for wild pedagogies in practice(Links to an external site.)(Blenkinsop & The Crex Crew Collective, 2018).

Early years planning cycle resource for the Victorian early years learning and development framework(Links to an external site.)(Cohrssen, Hedge, Hill, Madanipour, & Stewart, 2020).

Additional resourcesThe hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation(Links to an external site.)(Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 2011).

Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2016).

Kath Murdoch education consultant(Links to an external site.)website (Murdoch, 2019).

At the crossroads: Pedagogical documentation and social justice(Links to an external site.)(Pelo, 2012).

Re-imagining childhood. The inspiration of Reggio Emilia education principles in South Australia(Links to an external site.)(Rinaldi, 2013).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

Acts of meaning(Bruner, 1990).

The power of inquiry(Murdoch, 2015).

Ecocubby: The building(The University of Melbourne ELC, 2011).

7.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Nature play in action.

Those of you who have completed EDU40002 Play and Environments should be familiar with the concept of play and how it is a key pedagogical approach in early childhood education. This week will revisit some of this knowledge and align it with the practices of early childhood that require a balance between freedom and risk.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

explore aspects of nature play in action and articulate some of the benefits in early childhood education

evaluate how regulatory requirements can work with natural learning pedagogies, including excursions and the challenges and possibilities of managing risk

consider the governance of nature play including relevant policies.

7.2 Nature knowledgesIf a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the word we live in.

(Carson, 1956, p. 55)

Nature play brings challenge. Notice how the toddler in the image shown here has to navigate uneven heights, textures and surfaces helping them build coordination and sensory skills.Wynne and Gorman (2015) and the Association of Independent School of Western Australia have collated a comprehensive overview of nature play and nature pedagogy links to curriculum for the Early Years Learning Framework and Primary Curriculum that is very useful.

Essential readings

Applications of standards and regulations to early years outdoor playspaces(Links to an external site.)(Jeavons, Jameson & Elliott, 2017).

Risk-taking in outdoor play: Challenges and possibilities(Links to an external site.)(Little, 2017).

Possible nature play curriculum links(Links to an external site.)(Wynne & Gorman, 2015).

Additional resources

Nothing ventured... Balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors(Links to an external site.)(Gill, 2010).

Beginnings workshop: Safety and risk(Links to an external site.)(Gramling, Curtis, Levi & Warden, 2010).

Nature play & learning places: Creating and managing places where children engage with nature(Links to an external site.)(Moore, 2014).

You may also like to look out for the following resources:

Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention(Csikszentmihalyi, 2013).

Box of provocations(Stonehouse, 2018).

Nature kindergartens and forest schools: An exploration of naturalistic learning within nature kindergartens and forest schools(Warden, 2012).

7.3 Nature landscapes: Nature play

One of the benefits of nature play is that it supports what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (2013) refers to as flow states that can occur when children are absorbed in deep play as their sensory awareness is heightened as become immersed in the present moment and feel intensely alert and alive. Because play is rewarding, mental capacity is heightened and this stimulation enhances cognitive function, physical adaptability and strengthens social bonds.

Play is also prevalent in the animal kingdom. Through play, animals explore their world and discover all its possibilities of testing ideas and knowledge. Play is a means by which animals including human animals can express joy. For example, we have all witnessed the play of puppies and kittens. Crows have been filmed will slide on their backs on a steep snowy slope, then fly to the top to slide down again; bison will repeatedly sprint onto a frozen lake, then bellow gleefully as they skid across the ice. Brown bear cubs who play the most, Alaskan scientists have found, live the longest. The New Zealand kea is known as a smart parrot and a tendency to play with parts of cars. For instance, when the the New Zealand traffic agency recently discovered traffic cones near a tunnel had been totally displaced, camera footage revealed that these birds had been the culprits.

Watch the following video to see how these orphaned baby chimpanzees play with bubbles.

Baby chimpanzees playing with bubbles | BBC Earth (2020) https://bit.ly/30PX1BeNature play and the curriculum frameworks

Play is also an integral part of the Early Years Learning Frameworks where outdoor learning spaces are described as offering different possibilities from indoor play spaces, especially if they include natural environments such as plants, trees, edible gardens, sand, rocks, mud, water and other elements in nature such as loose parts that can offer changing and unpredictable sensory experience. These spaces invite open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature.

They foster an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform for ongoing environmental education.

(DET, 2019, p. 16)

Integrated teaching and learning is also visually represented in the frameworks of each state and territory so become familiar with the one that is relevant to you. The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development (VEYLDF) has useful information aboutnatural environments(Links to an external site.)(Department of Education 2018) defining a pedagogy of play and learning as a triple helix. First, child-directed learning is represented with exploration, experimentation, investigation and creativity controlled by the child, then guided play and learning becomes the second strand where adults are attuned with children play and learning. The third strand illustrates adult-led learning that involves intentional teaching, direct instruction and scaffolding that fosters high level thinking (Department of Education and Training, 2015).

The VEYLDF adopts a comprehensive approach to children's learning and development that can be accomplished through nature pedagogies. It identifies the five key Learning and Development Outcomes for children:

Children have a strong sense of identity.

Children are connected with, and contribute to, their world.

Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.

Children are confident and involved learners.

Children are effective communicators.

Integrated teaching and learning approaches in the VEYLDF (DET, 2015, p. 15).7.4 Nature landscapes: Compliance and governance

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia is governed by the National Quality Agenda for early childhood education. The National Quality Framework (NQF) was the result of a national partnership agreement between all Australian governments. The NQF operates under an applied law system and corresponding regulations, the National Quality Standard (NQS), an assessment and rating process, and approved learning frameworks for long day care, family day care, preschool /kindergarten and outside school hours care (ACECQA). Nature programs that have emerged have developed within the context of early childhood education provision and are therefore subject to the regulatory conditions of the NQF.

The readings this week both identify issues with compliance, policies, risk management and regulations.

Excursions

Excursions are a way to support connections with community and firsthand experience with natural environments like parks, waterways or the trees that are planted in the streets around the education setting. (Adapted from Stonehouse, 2018).Some important considerations for planning excursions include:

being aware of national regulations and those in your state and territory

offering everyday excursions in the local community are as relevant if not more so that the more exotic places

assessing risks for the intended location

considering how children can contribute, rather than only observe

planning the excursion with the children and preparing them for the event

revisiting the excursion through conversations

being mindful that the travellingwalking, train are highly enjoyable for children

integrating the needs and interests of all children including those with additional needs

keep revisiting the same place to observe seasonal and other changes.

Risk taking

Risk is the probability of occurrence of harm and the severity of that harm. A Risk Assessment involves consideration of the developmental benefit of the hazard, the probability that the hazard will cause harm, and the likely severity of the harm. A setting that has no risk would likely be flat, boring and limit opportunities for learning. Effective risk management for excursions, bush kindergarten and nature programs will include:

adults aware of the risks, how to manage those risks and the appropriate ratio of adults to children

first aid kits and other equipment, and people that are trained in first aid and the use of the required equipment

children that are aware of the risks and how they should respond to those risks. You also need to know the children you are taking and how they are likely to respond to the situations you might encounter

appropriate clothing for the situations that you are going into e.g. gumboots and coats for wet and muddy conditions

knowledge of the areas you are going into so that you have current knowledge of events and opportunities

contingency procedures for extreme weather events.

7.5 Nature provocations: Nature play Risk versus benefit

The boys in this photo were engaged in a serious experiment. They were working together to figure out how to get the grey tub to slide straight down the roof of the house without tumbling over and bouncing off. Some of the boys climbed up to the top of the roof to balance the tub on a wooden plank. They tied a string to the tub and threw the string down to the boy at the bottom, who is pictured in the midst of trying out the experiment.

Investigate

How do you manage risk in a strength-based approach where children are capable, competent and active contributors?

Is there a concern that we could over emphasise childrens strengths and abilities, possibly neglecting aspects of behaviour and learning where children need support?

Study the story and photo. If you were the adult on this playground and saw these four-, five- and six- year-old boys at play, what would your initial response be? Would you:

Stop them immediately because you think someone might get hurt?

Remind them of the rules about no climbing on the playhouse roof?

Ask them what interesting ideas they are up to and how you might help?

Something else.

This example comes from an American educator Deb Curtis (Curtis, 2010, p. 52) who asks:

Whats the risk of no risk?

There will be a range of responses to these questions as some teachers may be fearful that the children might hurt themselves, some may be worried about breaching a duty of care and others may relish the learning that is taking place and think the risk is worth it. Exploring these ideas with teachers, families and children helps to negotiate the risks and different perspectives. For example:

What are your life experiences with nature play and taking such risks?

How do these life experiences impact these challenging situations with children?

How are family views taken into consideration?

How do nature play settings like bush kinder and nature kindergartens manage risk? What can we learn from their experiences, practice and research?

7.6 Nature touchstones: Risk-benefit analysis

Arisk-benefit analysisis a comparison between the risks of a learning experience and its benefits. The goal is to reflect on whether the risk or benefit is most significant. It's used often in medicine, because every medical procedure has risks associated with it, and some procedures that could be beneficial actually turn out to statistically cause more harm than good. That's how medical researchers figure out whether certain procedures are worth doing and what types of people will benefit. Risk is also an important element of nature pedagogy because it challenges learning that can lead to further development of skills and knowledge. This can take place through:

climbing high landscapes such as steep hills, trees or climbing frames

using tools or fire with adult guidance

being exposed to weather conditions

not removing risky plants and animals that sting such as bees or stinging nettles, so children learn to navigate these dangers

being exposed to potentially distressing environmental problems and events such as discussions about animal habitat loss, climate change, bush fires and drought.

Because in challenging moments we are at the forefront in our thinking were pushing ourselves right to the edge of our capabilities.

(Warden 2012)

A risk benefit analysis enables teachers to balance and monitor the hazards and risks that exist in environments for children. Risk and hazard are subjective in the sense that one parent or teacher may be comfortable for a three-year-old to play outside with bare feet and another may find this very risky and unhygienic. Some of these values are contextual so in a hot state like Queensland, or a country like Bali, not wearing shoes may be less of a concern as it is a common practice. However, what are the benefits of children playing with no shoes or socks? Some of these might be the examples in the following case study.

Case study

Risk-benefit assessment of tree climbing (adapted from Warden, 2012)

Knowledge: of tree characteristics (bark/wood/branches), seasonal changes, weather implications

Develops physical gross and fine motor skillsBuilds self-confidence by achieving or extending a skill

Group co-operation to work out how to climb

Sense of wonder from looking through branches and seeing your world from a new vantage point.

Risks/hazards and strategies to mitigate

The following table displays a list of the risks and hazards and strategies used to mitigate these.

7.7 Discussion: Risks and benefits - EDU40020 Learning Group 02

66 unread replies.66 replies.Purpose

In this discussion, you will explore the difficulties related to balancing the risks of nature play with the benefits. We will never be entirely to eliminate risk entirely (and arguably we would not want to), however, we must always take precautions to ensure the risk is managed to a reasonable level. The major issue is establishing what this level may be which can often be a point of contention as there are no hard and fast rules for setting such a standard.

This discussion will allow you to explore some of these concerns and find ways of navigating these challenging which will help you prepare forAssignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcomes 3 and 4.

This should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Readthe following quotes which explore the role that risk has within an effective learning environment:

Play is great for children's wellbeing and development. When planning and providing play opportunities, the goal is not to eliminate risk, but to weigh up the risks and benefits. No child will learn about risk if they are wrapped in cotton wool.(Nature Play, n.d.)

The more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to look after themselves(Roald Dahl cited in Nature Play, 2017)

The outdoor play and learning environment needs to be an environment where inspiration and creativity can take root, where curiosity and spontaneity can be realised, and where risk and failures can be experienced.(Nature Play, 2017)

Setbacks, mistakes and failures are how to learn and the experience provides the foundation that teaches children how to be resourceful, persistent, innovative and resilient.(Jessica Lahey cited in Nature Play, 2017)

Step 2: Posta short statement explaining the extent to which you agree that risk plays a valuable role in childhood learning. Using an example activity, explain what you believe would constitute an acceptable and beneficial level of risk.

Step 3: Replyto at least one of your peers stating whether you agree with their perspective on risk and suggesting one way in which their example activity could be adapted to bring the risk level to what you view to be both reasonable and beneficial.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

7.8 Week in review

Before you move on toWeek 8: Material practices, take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsApplications of standards and regulations to early years outdoor playspaces(Links to an external site.)(Jeavons, Jameson & Elliott, 2017).

Risk-taking in outdoor play: Challenges and possibilities(Links to an external site.)(Little, 2017).

Possible nature play curriculum links(Links to an external site.)(Wynne & Gorman, 2015).

Additional resourcesNothing ventured... Balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors(Links to an external site.)(Gill, 2010).

Beginnings workshop: Safety and risk(Links to an external site.)(Gramling, Curtis, Levi, & Warden, 2010).

Nature play & learning places: Creating and managing places where children engage with nature(Links to an external site.)(Moore, 2014).

You may also like to look out for the following resources:

Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention(Csikszentmihalyi, 2013).

Box of provocations(Stonehouse, 2018).

Nature kindergartens and forest schools: An exploration of naturalistic learning within nature kindergartens and forest schools(Warden, 2012).

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program

Now that Assignment 1 has been submitted, your focus should turn to buildingAssignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program. Use this week to get familiar with the tasks involved. This week, the learning materials and the discussion will help you to start consideringregulatory requirements including how you will balance risk, resilience and planning to extend new skills and learning.

If you have any questions regarding the assignment, these can be asked on theAssignment 2 Q&Adiscussion board.

8.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is:Material practices.

This week marks a point of movement as we shift slightly from the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of nature pedagogies and focus our attention on the practical elements of designing a nature program. It is important not to lose sight of these underpinnings as they are an integral part of the nature pedagogy toolkit, providing a buffer against tokenistic practices that focus only on the physical space and resources. Material practices were touched upon as one of the methodologies outlined in Week 5 and some of the practicalities of the material practices within a nature program will be explored.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on the ethical considerations of material practices in early childhood education including choice and origins of materials

analyse nature pedagogy practices such as the use of loose parts and natural materials.

8.2 Nature knowledgesChildren might not need adults to provide them with equipment and allocate special spaces and time for participation. They might need an adult to take seriously the things and actions with which they encounter their worlds anyway: say, things called toys or stones.

(Rautio, 2013, p. 3)

The reading for this week explores the work of Casey Myers, an early childhood teacher-research who looks beyond the aesthetics of learning spaces as being only visually appealing to spaces that provoke, move and disrupt. The concept of tinythings challenges this thinking, highlighting the importance of everyday objects and materials. In this chapter, tiny materials like seeds or plastic parts from toys become disruptive agents that have far-reaching impact on nature relations.

Essential readings

Read the section HYPERLINK "https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-8168-3_5" l "Sec11" t "_blank" Tinythings(Links to an external site.)inChildren and materialities: The force of the more-than-human in childrens classroom lives(Myers. 2019, pp. 130179).

Additional resources

The art of awareness(Links to an external site.)(Curtis & Carter, 2012).

Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature(Links to an external site.)(Cutter-Mackenzie, Malone & Barratt Hacking, 2019).

Entangled childhoods(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2020).

Reconfiguring the natures of childhood(Links to an external site.)(Taylor, 2013).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The future of childhood: Toward the interdisciplinary study of children(Prout, 2005).

Beautiful stuff: Learning with found materials(Topal & Gandini, 1999).

Beautiful stuff from nature: More learning with found materials(Topal & Gandini, 2019).

8.3 Nature landscapes

The materials selected for use in an early childhood nature program speak back to the values and philosophy of the teachers, leaders, parents and community. For example, look closely at the image in the previous Nature Knowledges of this week where children are looking at insects and small creatures that have been placed in plastic, perspex blocks.

What are the origins of these animal specieswhere do they come from?

Did the animals suffer in the process of becoming an educational resource?

How do children perceive animal species when viewed in this way?

Most recently, childhood study scholars (Cutter-Mackenzie, Malone, & Barratt Hacking, 2019; Malone, 2020; Prout, 2005; Taylor, 2013) have begun to engage with nature and culture as entangled. They have done so through a broader identification of the ways in which childhood is understood, not merely as a social construction with people, but through more-than-human makings of the world. As Alan Prout (2005) argues 'that only by understanding the way in which childhood is constructed by the heterogeneous elements of nature and culture, which in any case cannot be easily separated, will it be possible to take the field forward (p. 44). Childhood studies he suggests, must move beyond the opposition of nature and culture towards naturecultures where 'childrens capacities are extended and supplemented by all kinds of material artefacts and technologies, which are also hybrids of nature and culture' (p.3). In summary, children are entangled as learners and consumers with more-than-human materials such as toys stones and technologies, and the living world of pets, plants and bacteria, through nature flows of bushfires and changing weather; as well as the important humans in their lives.

Curtis and Carter reflect on the influence of material practices where children are creators and not only consumers.

The bulk of activities and materials made for and marketed to children are invented by someone other than the child. Parents and teachers think that they are helping children by buying the latest fancy toy or curriculum package. Then they watch as the children become quickly bored and look for the next toy or activity. All of us know the story of the child who plays longer with the gift box than with the toy inside. What children really deserve is an environment stocked with open-ended materials and loose parts, things from nature as well as the recycle bin. When we offer children these kinds of materials, they become creators of their experiences rather than consumers.

(Curtis & Carter 2012, p. 96)

Loose parts play

British architect, Simon Nicholson first adopted the term loose parts in 1971, to describe open-ended materials that can be used in multiple ways by children. The story of loose parts play has become a dominant discourse in early childhood services in Australia. Loose parts do not have to be sourced only from natural materials and can also include any resource that are plentiful, open-ended, easily moved about and repositioned including natural materials, recycled materials and manufactured materials, and This thinking is evident and dominant in contemporary early childhood social media groups in addition to a range of human made, every day, commercial, recycled and homemade materials.

Loose parts can be used in a variety of ways, with many benefits and choices including:

offering many possibilities for creative and imaginative play

supporting childrens interest in collecting and gathering items

making connections between the relationships, structure, source and elements of various materials

offer an invitation for children to collaborate, design, problem-solve, think creatively, test out ideas and theories, negotiate conflicts and revisit their thinking with others.

Fostering environmentally sustainable practices by reusing and reclaiming materials that may otherwise be thrown away

inviting questions about where materials are sourced from

choice of natural sources such as shells, seed pods, sticks, rocks but also metal, glass, rubber, natural fibre fabric

choice of manufactured sources such as buttons, pegs, glass stones, cotton reels

choice of recycled sources such as plastic bottle tops, corks, offcuts from factories such as Laminex, fabric or tile samples.

Topal and Gandini (2019) suggest 'when we pay attention to childrens discoveries and persist in following them to deeper levels, the results can be quite extraordinary' (p. x). Creating a space in the learning environment for natural and found materials can be challenging if teachers and children are not familiar with the materials. For example, when children showed little interest in natural materials in a pre-school, they were invited to share their discoveries on 'a circle of black felt, to encourage them to look again at the objects that they had collected. This exercise made all the difference, renewing their interest in their natural objects they brought to the circle and in those brought by other children' (p. 12). This temporary collage experience enabled children to revisit and experiment with the materials.

The image of a range of loose parts depicts what Diane Kashin (2018) refers to this as a loose parts buffet that she uses for workshops with children and teachers to demonstrate the sustainability of these materials that are used for temporary collages and to support the idea of creating rather than consuming. The elements of these loose parts are natural, recycled or reclaimed manufactured items like buttons or pegs. Kashin (2018) states how she always has connectors available such as pipe cleaners, elastics, wool, and plasticine. These work to transform the loose parts into various creations but at the same time they can be dismantled, and the materials returned to the buffet, to live to play another day. When loose parts stay in place and children have the opportunity to re-visit this place over time and seasons, the development of pedagogy of place is supported.

Commercialisation of loose parts

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) includes a focus on environments and sustainable practices in Learning Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world. This outcome includes a focus on children becoming socially responsible and ethical. Because of the popularity of loose parts play in early child education, many suppliers of childrens resources and equipment are now selling items such as classroom packs of feathers, wooden tree cookies, large lotus pods, thick twigs, farmed seashells, acorns, sundried flowers and other products, often imported from could be unethical sources, both in Australia and overseas. When educators are not making their own collections of natural materials from local sources or are not encouraging children and their families to contribute to these collections by buying natural materials from unethical sources overseas, it is questionable if they are meeting the intent of learning outcome 2.

Natural materials

So far in the unit we have discussed a range of philosophical and methodical underpinnings of nature pedagogies that do not only focus on the physical settings, learning activities and resources. This has been an intentional focus as nature programs can be driven by the outside space and natural materials and this as we have discovered is only part of the story.

To ensure a holistic approach to nature pedagogies teachers need to plan for:

a program that is built on philosophical and methodical understandings that enable deeper, relations with the natural world

critical eco-pedagogies that question our ways of being in natural settings

knowledge of worldviews including Indigenous knowledgespractices that are ethical and ecologically sustainable

sustained and repeated engagement with natural settings and materials

child-led play-based learning approaches where children are entangled with learning as capable and competent learners, problem solvers and risk takers

communities of caring children, educators and families.

Nature play settings for inside and outside places are physically characterised by:

diverse sensory elements and landscapes such as hills and uneven surfaces, trees and plants, water, mud

loose materials for play including logs, bark, leaves, see pods, shells

places that encourage plant and animal species to flourish

risk and challenge that encourages balancing, climbing, fire, water, exploring new ideas

novelty and change like those explored with inquiry relating to changing seasons and human, animal and plant growth

local cultural and geographical relevance including Indigenous meanings, landmarks, local facilities.

8.4 Nature provocations: Using food for sensory play

Case study

Consider your responses to the following scenario:

Jake and Ella are teachers in a pre-school and Jake is questioning the use of food in the curriculum at a planning meeting such as coloured rice in a trough, macaroni threading and collage with dried beans. Ella defends the practice stating that children love it, the resources are inexpensive and we use playdough and that is made with flour.

Can the National Quality Standards help?

3.2: Children are supported to be environmentally responsible and show respect for the environment.

2: Educators, co-ordinators and staff members are respectful and ethical.

1: Respectful supportive relationships with families are developed and maintained.

The NQS and the ECA Code of Ethics do not offer specific guidance about food play, so teachers must read between the lines and think about their local communities and global perspectives to reflect on using food in this way.

Case study

Consider your responses to the following scenario:

Tracy is speaking at a conference about environmental education and raises the topic of using food in play. There is a lot of discussion with the participantssome offer alternatives for food that are long lasting and do not waste precious food resources, some suggest that they do not use food but feel that playdough is less of a concern as the food is not obvious to children, and others say they have not thought about the environmental concerns before. Sangay is at the back of the room and she stands to share her story of growing up in Laos with the group. She relays her shock when she saw children playing with rice in Australia as it made her think of her childhood, where every grain of rice was so precious that if her mother dropped any on the floor it was her job to sweep it up, so it could still be used.

Finding alternatives

consider the cultural and ethical responses of families to food play

create opportunities with children to discuss the origins of food, how it is made and where it comes from e.g. pasta could have travelled from Italy, rice is grown with extensive embodied water and legumes are a basic food source of many people in developing countries

consider what is a natural product and what is manufactured. Human-made products like plastic, rubber, metal still come from natural sources

explore what happens to our materials when we no longer need it, especially single-use itemswhere does it go, is it degradable and does it cause harm in landfill or waterways

invite children to identify and discuss alternative natural products such as coloured rice could be replaced with gravel, pasta play could be replaced with loose parts and dried beans could be replaced with found seed pods like acorns, pinecones and those from Australian native plants.

8.5 Nature touchstones: Reawakening your sense of awareness

This activity is adapted from Carter and Curtis (2012).

We have thought about a range of nature touchstones so far in this unit as pedagogical practices and ideas to prompt further thinking. This touchstone is designed to open your senses as a pre-service teacher and can be completed alone, but would benefit if completed with a partner, or better still a small group of people.

Task

Gather a collection of natural materials from your outdoor environment and items you may have in your home. Find items that have a variety of textures, colours, shapes, and complexity, such as leaves, wooden spoons, twigs, metal bowls, wool, stones, glass beads, shells, and seed pods. Arrange the objects so you will be able to explore them easily. Try to let go of the name, identity, purpose, or common description of the objects. Look at them as if youve never seen them before. Use the following guidelines to focus your exploration.

Notice how many different sounds you can make with these objects.

Keep track of how many you discover and list them.

Explore all of the different ways these objects are affected by light. Look for sparkles, shiny surfaces, reflections, refraction, transparency, and translucency.

Touch the objects and list as many words as you can to describe the textures and tactile feelings you notice.

Use more than your hands for touching. Move the objects in as many ways as you can think of. Discover as many ways as you can to change, transform, or combine the objects (take things apart, stack, squish, pile, knock over, and so on).

Notice what you are curious about and how you feel as you explore.

Write a reflection of what you did to explore the objects and the new insights or discoveries you gained from this experience

If you approach observing with reawakened awareness, you learn to see the smallest details of childrens sensory explorations. Challenge yourself to notice children using their senses when with on a field trip and in the education setting. As you observe, practice noticing the details of childrens involvement, and then find the meaning by looking for the childrens point of view. Articulate to children with descriptive language and in your assessment documentation what they are exploring, investigating, or trying to figure out. What do they find pleasurable, comforting, or intriguing?

Descriptive sensory language

Add this table (adapted from Carter & Curtis, 2012, p. 102) to your folio and keep adding to your list of sensory words.

Descriptive sensory language

Sense Words

Sight shiny, glistening, shimmering, sparkly, gleaming, glowing, brilliant, dim, hazy, foggy, transparent, glowing, silvery, flashing, colourful, vibrant, faded, vivid, pale

Sound crunchy, crackly, sizzling, whirring, crashing, thumping, tinkling, whispering, yelling, soft, loud

Taste salty, sweet, sour, spicy, oily, tart, bitter, savourySmell pungent, sweet, strong, musty, fresh, earthy, acidic, mouldyTouch slimy, cold, icy, warm, cool, hot, prickly, soft, smooth, tingling, squishy, bumpy, gentle, rough, hard

Movement glide, swoop, flutter, race, bubble, erupt, dodge, crash, bounce, speedy, graceful

Descriptive sensory language (2012) adapted from Carter & Curtis

8.6 Discussion: Increasing awareness of nature -

Purpose

This discussion provides an opportunity to discuss your experience of reawakening your senses found in8.5 Nature touchstone: Reawakening your sense of awareness. As you share your reflection with your peers, you will be able to explore some of the benefits associated with this type of play for children and consider ways in which you could utilise an approach within a early childhood education programme.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcomes 2 and 4.

This should take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Sharethe reflection your wrote for the activity described in8.5 Nature touchstones: Reawakening your sense of awareness.

Step 2: Replyto at least one of your peers suggesting a way in which their experience could inform an activity for children and benefit their learning experience.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

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Hello everyone,

This week is all about delving into our senses and trying to reawaken our awareness and curiosity as children's educators.I am currently reading Curtis and Carter's book "The art of awareness" (available in SOL library) and love their "homework tasks".

The invites you to:

Noticehowmany different soundsyou can make with these objects.

Keep track of how many you discover and list them.

Exploreall of the different ways these objects are affected bylight.Look for sparkles, shiny surfaces, reflections, refraction, transparency, and translucency.

Touch the objects and list as many words as you can to describe the textures and tactile feelings you notice.

Use more than your handsfor touching. Move the objects in as many ways as you can think of. Discover as many ways as you can to change, transform, or combine the objects (take things apart, stack, squish, pile, knock over, and so on).

Noticewhat you are curious about and how you feel as you explore.

Writea reflection of what you did to explore the objects and the new insights or discoveries you gained from this experience.

SO... a month ago I put together a collection of curious natural materials:

I collected all the leaves, tomatoes and berries in my garden

I placed them on the table and looked at them carefully.

First, I noticed how unique they are... Some are shiny, others are not so much. I tried to pile them up and make a mandala; line them up, stack them up. Some tomatoes and berries got squished :)

I also tried to send the leaves to fly and float in the air.

All these attempts made me realise that I love playing with leaves, that's why I always bring them to kinder and use them as a natural addition to all the tools and toys I have in the room. I found a sense of flow while playing with leaves and berries, some sense of freedom and child-like rigour to explore. I think I did not lose it, as I consider myself pretty fascinated by nature in general. What I lacked though is the descriptive language for colours, and sounds.

There is a fabulousvideoon using senses when exploring the backyard!

https://youtu.be/EO7je1HI5X0(Links to an external site.)

Cheers,Kate

8.7 Week in review

Before you move on toWeek 9: Nature pedagogies with place, take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsTinythings(Links to an external site.)(Myers. 2019, pp. 130179).Additional resourcesThe art of awareness(Links to an external site.)(Curtis & Carter, 2012).

Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature(Links to an external site.)(Cutter-Mackenzie, Malone & Barratt Hacking, 2019).

Entangled childhoods(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2020).

Reconfiguring the natures of childhood(Links to an external site.)(Taylor, 2013).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The future of childhood: Toward the interdisciplinary study of children(Prout, 2005).

Beautiful stuff: Learning with found materials(Topal & Gandini, 1999).

Beautiful stuff from nature: More learning with found materials(Topal & Gandini, 2019).

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning programis due in Week 12. You should now be aware of the requirements of the assignment. Depending on the idea chosen as your focus for your project, you may wish to read ahead to the following week's learning materials and discussion:

aspects of placeWeek 9: Nature pedagogies with placerelational connections with humans and the more-than-humanWeek 10: Nature pedagogies with human kinanimalsWeek 11: Nature pedagogies with animal kinplantsWeek 12: Nature pedagogies with plant kin.

9.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Nature pedagogies with place.

Last week we identified the importance of material practices and loose parts. This week defines how place and materiality are vital aspects of nature pedagogies. Children benefit from experiencing loose parts in addition to other nature pedagogies that accentuate hands-on, real-world learning that build stronger connection to place. Place-based education is the process of acknowledging how children are already entangled with the local community and environment through the collective relations and interactions of humans with multiple species, matter and forces and the places of their everyday lives as childrens lives are shaped by, and with places they inhabit. This could be the local park, the education setting, their parents workplace or their home and garden.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on space, place and environment, acknowledging how nature is everywhere and not always perfect

consider the interconnectedness of space, relations and intentional planning of pedagogies of place

describe and define the concept of relational perspectives and dwelling

consider the relational perspectives of weather, trees and animals

discover nature pedagogies that intentionally bring to life the entanglements of place.

9.2 Nature knowledgesApprehending the world is not a matter of construction but of engagement, not of building but of dwelling, not of making a view of the world but of taking up a view in it.

(Ingold, 1996, p. 117)

An idyllic place Imagination Grove in McLean, Illinois, a nature play area where children can play with less supervision and fewer rules (2014) https://bit.ly/3113BVKEssential readings

The authors of the reading for this weekEncountering waste landscapes: More-than-human place literacies in early childhood education(Links to an external site.)(Nxumalo & Rubin, 2019) invite the following questions:

What might movements away from humanisms or anthropocentrisms mean for thinking alongside young childrens literacies in place-based learning?

What forms of ethical responsibility emerge from paying attention to childrens relationships with the imperfect places they co-inhabit with more-than-human others?

What new forms of literacy and place learning emerge from focusing upon childrens relations with waste?

Additional resources

Ecocultural conversations: Bridging the human-nature divide through connective communication practices(Links to an external site.)(Dickenson, 2016).

Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal views on landscape and wilderness(Links to an external site.)(Rose, 1996).

Children becoming emotionally attuned to nature through diverse place-responsive pedagogies(Links to an external site.)(Tooth & Renshaw, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the bookA pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world(Wattchow & Brown, 2011).

9.3 Nature landscapes: Place-based learning

Place-based learning questions relations with nature and environment specifically, ecological conceptions of place and the mutuality of co-species. Childrens engagement with bush kindergartens, vegetable gardens and excursions possibly enhance childrens connection and a naturecultures approach to nature pedagogies challenges ideas like those of Louv (2008) who proclaim that children are distanced from nature, especially in western countries. Naturecultures acknowledge the complexity of place and to assume that children are distanced from nature is to assume the most simplistic conception of nature as separate from culture. Place-based education involving combinations of human and more-than-human requires significant thought, design, and planning if they are to have benefits.

The following TED talk from Emma Marris (2016) also supports the notion of nature being everywhere and not restricted to pristine wilderness.

Pedagogy of place

Nature is not culturally ordered or described as being outside, separated and designed with the principles of built landscapes. A pedagogy of place is not only about physical places as it may include literal, metaphorical and speculative teachings about living together with sensorial and affective forms of world-making that extends relations to the more-than-human. Ann Pelo (2009) shows how teachers can foster an ecological identity in children, one that shapes them as surely as their cultural and social identities. This ecological identity can be born in a particular place with teaching and learning that is responsive to local conditions, cultural traditions and an ethical response the outdoors as particular places, rich in local meaning and significance.

From the beach as place, to the bush as place to the park as place, what is important is the meaning making. Children develop a sense of place from their experiences and they can form an emotional attachment to place that contributes to place meaning. Place meaning can help to explain why people may be drawn to particular places as they develop an emotional response that supports place identity and a sense of belonging. Insights into the beliefs and values that might underlie nature pedagogy can be drawn from existing place-based pedagogies. Wattchow and Brown (2011), locate the body as central to learning. As they point out, multispecies bodies are not only ignored, but often erased in much of the outdoor education literature. There is usually little scope to explore how childrens bodies and movement are integral to understanding and identity in outdoor education. They highlight that the sensing body is an important way into knowing, living and moving to knowing and understanding a place. Wattchow and Brown offer four signposts to help teachers think about and develop pedagogies that are sensitive to the places they are in. What makes this approach distinctive is that it 'is the integration of sensory experiences, in community, and in places, coupled with reflection and representation that make the work of place-responsive outdoor educators distinctive in terms of curriculum and pedagogy' (2011, p. 196).

Being present in and with a place.

The power of place-based stories and narratives.

Apprenticing ourselves to outdoor places.

The representation of place experiences.

Tooth and Renshaw (2019) represent pedagogical content knowledge in nature-based experiential teaching as involving the intersection of three dimensions of place:

The materiality of place itself, its unpredictability, and its unique patterning of inanimate objects, natural features, and animate beings.

The cultural meanings that have been storied into the place by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, including the educators.

The agency of teachers, students, and parents, whose purposes and goals selectively foreground and background what can be experienced and learned in place.

Acknowledgement of Country

The interdependent relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the land is vital for individual and community health, as well as for the health of the environment and nature pedagogies. This was a feature of the unit EDU10005 Indigenous Education and Perspectives and the following link is a reminder of this Connection with Country fromCommon Ground(Links to an external site.)(n.d.).The video We are the land speaks to some of these connections with rangers from Kara Jarri and Nyangumarta Warrarn Country in Western Australia.

9.4 Nature landscapes: Nature pedagogies with entangled places

RelationalityRelational nature pedagogies are built around the belief that living in relation with the human and more-than-human, acknowledges the biological interconnectedness and the entanglements that are evident in all relations. Many Indigenous communities describe relational kinship as a connection to Country that is built on knowing place with kinship networks who are part of Country. For example, Maori peoples of AotearoaNew Zealand use the term 'whakapapa' to describe a genealogical system which links all life through a kinship with the land that has kinship rights. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have evolved with those who dwell in the landscape to shape a community that is woven together with every element of nature participatingthis is Country. It includes the river and sea Country, sky Country and knowledge of the cosmos, the ancestors, the plants, the animals, the weather, rocks, fire, soils, waters, airall of planet earth.

Indigenous relationality is recognised as the life force, and that which supports and nourishes community life (Rose, 1996). Humans are part of this community, evolving together, with and as nature and the intricate network of kinship needs to be restored to provide a space for new and old knowledges.

Examples of place pedagogy

Week 3 showcased nature programs and the following video example of a forest school in New Zealand with Dr Anne Meade follows the children as they venture out on their weekly 'Nature Explore' outings.

Take note

As you watch the video, consider the following:

Note why they choose to revisit locations.

What are the intentions of the curriculum?

What nature pedagogies are present in this example?

What additional skills and additional training might be needed by teachers?

Imagine a classroom without walls | Dr Anne Meade (2017) https://bit.ly/37PkcwZSome other ideas include the following:

Images and photographs can be used in the curriculum to reflect cultural and contextual diversity e.g. do not only use images that reflect pristine landscapes.

Create outdoor spaces for children that offer opportunities for embodied and sensory learning such as beautiful places to sit and wonder, places to create small worlds and patterns and mandalas with loose parts, place to build cubbies and hiding places.

Ask children to take photos with their families of places they have emotional connections within their local community. Use these photos to prompt discussion and a line of inquiry about place. These places might be parks, shopping centres, their bedroom or something at their grandparents house.

Plan excursions to local places of interest within walking distance that children can revisit. Note the strategies used in the following vignette.

River of words

The following vignette showcases an inquiry project about the Yarra River in Melbourne with a group of three-year-old children as they explore key ideas with their teacher. The teacher facilitates childrens vocabulary, as each child thinks of ways of describing how the Yarra River moves, what each childs word means, in the process of developing childrens higher order language and vocabulary. This vignette comes from a helpful teaching tool the Literacy Teaching Toolkit for Early Childhood developed by the Victorian Department of Education.

Take note

As you watch the video, observe how:

the teacher integrates natural materials when she set up a representation of the Yarra River with the children (before the video)

the teachers description of her discussion with each child, to prompt and hear their ideas and descriptive words about the Yarras movement

the teachers use of playful language, written text and gestures to scaffold the childrens explanations

the connections created by the teacher between lived experiences (by the Yarra), to discussions, back to lived experiences (releasing words on gum leaves into the Yarra)

she speaks about the Yarra having a voice in a relational way as the river also expresses ideas and knowledge.

River of words: Extending vocabulary (2018) https://bit.ly/37Rh1Vv9.5 Nature provocations: Sense of place

Place based philosophers and geographers suggest that to be grounded each of us needs to find a sense of place, a stream, a mountain, a backyard, or even pot plants on a balcony. Any piece of the earth with which we feel as one in a place we know, experience emotionally, and possibly even love. A sense of place is a unique collection of qualities such as cultural, social, and environmental characteristics that provide meaning to a location. A sense of place connects people with their surroundings in ways that establishes knowledge and appreciation for the location. This may nurture the development of empathy for the place and a feeling of belonging and many of these emotional responses develop in childhood. For example:

Case study

Georgia is a teacher who enjoyed visiting her aunty as a young child in a leafy inner suburb of Melbourne, where they would walk near the Yarra River along the waters edge. They discovered a place that was hidden that they would revisit, and Georgia named this as her 'happy, secret place'. As a teenager, Georgia loved the way the huge plane trees in some of the streets in this area join together in summer, creating shade with luscious, transparent, lime green leaves. She said they made her feel calm.

As a young woman, Georgia has chosen to live in this same part of Melbourne, and she wonders if her sense of place influenced this decision.

Reflect

Consider the influence of your childhood places:

What is a sense of place and why is it important?

Have your sense of place influenced aspects of your life and if so, how?

Describe how children and adults learn from direct experience with place?

Explain the difficulty that many people have in getting this type of experience?

What would children suggest are their special places?

These questions will form part of9.7 Discussion: Sense of place.

9.6 Nature touchstones: Ecocultural conversations

We continue to explore a range of nature touchstones in this unit as pedagogical practices and ideas to prompt further thinking. This touchstone concept comes from Elizabeth Dickenson (2016) who prompts ecocultural conversations as a means of bridging the human-nature divide by using applied, connective communicative practices that embrace disorder, contradictions, question harmful framings and create more sustainable possibilities. One of the problems with human scientific responses to nature is that we often work to make it orderly. Planting trees and crops in straight lines, placing plants, animals and things in categories and subcategories so we can define, classify and name them and then tell children and young people about this ordered design.

Dickenson (2016) illustrates how communication practices can help rethink ecocultural conversations through behavioural, emotional, and pedagogical modifications, including changing how teachers respond to childrens excursion and how children can be encouraged to name, to touch, and to experience quietness. For example, try not to name everything for children, especially if children have not asked. First, experience elements of nature without wordsask how it feels, sounds, smells etc. Ask children what name they would use and why, then name the element if it feels valuable.

Apply your learning

What are some other ways that this could be explored with children?

Some possible options include the following:

Being quiet helps with attuning to natural elements. Remind children that animals for example use gestures and often use touch more than sound.

Enable walks to take place with no purpose so children can meander. Young children are very good at this act of wayfaring and it often surprises parents and teachers to slow down in this way as it opens up new discoveries that get missed when walking with speed and purpose.

Make use of the spontaneous, teachable moments where a bird disrupts human speech or a branch falls from a tree. Question and wonder with children holding back with the answer so children can think more deeply. What did you see or hear? Did that bird speak? What is the bird trying to say?

'Embracing contradictions becomes a way to question dominant and largely unsustainable framings. Incorporating practices that change perception, culture, and pedagogy include more 'listening' and less rigid framing, from humans and other-than-humans alike' (Dickenson, 2016, p. 46).

9.7 Discussion: Sense of place - EDU40020 Learning Group 02

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

A sense of place is a unique collection of qualities such as cultural, social, and environmental characteristics that provide meaning to a location. In this discussion you will consider the influence of your childhood places.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcome 2.

This should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Considerthe following questions:

What is a sense of place and why is it important?

Has your sense of place influenced aspects of your life and if so, how?

Describe how children and adults learn from direct experience with place?

Explain the difficulty that many people have in getting this type of experience?

What would children suggest are their special places?

Step 2: Posta short reflection focusing on one of the questions in Step 1. Remember to include the question prompt in your post.

Step 3: Replyto a peer who selected another question, discussing how their experience is similar or different to your own and how these experiences could be used within a place-based learning program.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

9.8 Week in review

Before you move on toWeek 10: Nature pedagogies with human kin, take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsEncountering waste landscapes: More-than-human place literacies in early childhood education(Links to an external site.)(Nxumalo & Rubin, 2019).Additional resourcesEcocultural conversations: Bridging the human-nature divide through connective communication practices(Links to an external site.)(Dickenson, 2016).

Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal views on landscape and wilderness(Links to an external site.)(Rose, 1996).

Children becoming emotionally attuned to nature through diverse place-responsive pedagogies(Links to an external site.)(Tooth & Renshaw, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the bookA pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world(Wattchow & Brown, 2011).

AReference listis provided. The correct APAstyle should be used as much as possible to promote your skills in academic citation. This skill is particularly important in each of your assignments.

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning programis due is Week 12. This week's learning materials explored the importance of place-based learning, which acknowledges how children are connected to and influenced by the places they inhabit.

If you have any questions regarding the assignment, these can be asked on theAssignment 2 Q&Adiscussion board.

10.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Nature pedagogies with human kin.

Humans live entangled lives and these entanglements are unknown or barely acknowledged, and yet they form kinship networks that are always changing and evolving. This week will explore childrens worlding as the process through which they come to know and be in the world with humans and more than humans.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on the entangled lives of children within nature pedagogies

consider the collective agency and interrelationship of childrens lives as one among many

discover nature pedagogies such as the act of attunement that intentionally bring to life the human as already entangled with and as nature.

10.2 Nature knowledgesHuman life is what is traversed by and embedded in flows of life that cut across species, life forms and inanimate things. If human evolution depends to a very large extent on its neighbouring species as well, then does it not follow that human life, or subjectivity, is inextricably linked to these other life forms.

(Nayer, 2014, p. 79)

Human scale spider web by Sven Jonke, Christoph Katzler and Nikola Radeljkovi (n.d.) https://bit.ly/3df1f8dEssential readings

Learning-with: Reconfiguring relations with each other, students, and the environment(Links to an external site.)(Blaise, 2020).

Posthumanist learning: Nature as event(Links to an external site.)(Young & Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, 2019).

Additional resources

Moving beyond Innocence: Educating children in a post-nature world(Links to an external site.)(Kopnina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop & Piersol, 2019).

Val Plumwoods philosophical animism: Attentive interactions in the sentient world(Links to an external site.)(Rose, 2013).

Transdisciplinary journeys in the Anthropocene: More-than-human encounters(Links to an external site.)(Wright, 2017).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world(Abram, 1996).

Posthumanism(Nayer, 2014).

10.3 Nature landscapes 1

During the last twenty years the status of the human has been challenged as knowledge of animal culture, mind and behaviour has questioned presumptions of human uniqueness. Social media, robots and other technologies have also transformed our sociality, producing new ways of living, dying and communicating with the more-than-human. The Anthropocene argument has also focused attention to entangled processes of construction, destruction and extinction that are changing the landscape and systems of planet earth. These reconfigurations question human progress and the capacity of traditional humanist systems (like those taught in early childhood education) to adapt to teaching in ways that enable children to flourish in changing worlds.

Nature pedagogies that unsettle humanist ways of being and knowing are going to be hard to learn and do, and this week makes suggestions for tapping into this shifting space. The language of life is what environmental philosopher Deborah Bird Rose (2013) refers to as creature languages.

The sight and smell of flowers, the pain of the march fly bite and the sensation of blood running down the leg, the sight of swifts in the sky or flower petals drifting in the river, fireflies winking and the interminable racket of cicadas: these are multifaceted creature languages, and smart creatures take notice. Humans enhance their intelligence not by stepping out of the system and trying to control it, but by enmeshing themselves ever more knowledgeably into the creature-languages of Country.

(Rose, 2013, p. 104)

The following film by Alan Kwok and Nathan Emery (2015) also emphasises that nature is not separateit still surrounds us, existing as a picture worth admiring, a story worth listening to. Humans have an innate fascination with the natural world, yet all too often this is lost. Our film delves into how and why this happens and shows us that we can reconnect with nature everywhere, from wilderness to citiesits just a matter of opening our minds.

(Re)discovery - short film (2015) https://bit.ly/2Yh5wDY10.4 Nature landscapes 2

Philosophy of entanglement

What if we change the focus of education to not only being about the human child (or adult), but to start with the premises that all organisms, including humans, are entangled up with each other? This is a focus of this unittrying to move beyond the separations or bifurcation of the human constructed world, to naturecultures. How then do early childhood teachers integrate these ideas into teaching and learning so they are not perpetuating the separating ideas of humanist education?

The importance of acknowledging childrens worlding is to diversify childrens worlds beyond development paradigms as they are more than biological, social and cultural. Childrens experience of growing up is diverse, there is no one nature child. Describing this complexity is to acknowledge that children, like all humans, are not in the world alone, but exist in an array of complex relations. Childhoods are also profoundly entangled, and through play, patterns of consumption, use of technologies and within the context of the locations and sites where childhood exist, they are always deeply embedded and entwined in these acts of worlding. In this unit, you have been asked to explore and reflect on the importance of coming to know the world of children with the philosophies and methodologies of nature pedagogy to update our ways of viewing their potential with active childhood relations with other humans and the earth.

Nature pedagogies with the entangled human

Starting with the everyday

If nature pedagogies enable teachers to explore how human entanglements are relational, mixed, heterogeneous and messy, then teaching and learning must pay attention to the everyday attachments, refusing to consider things out of their contexts, always building up from the daily practices of everyday life. This awareness of the social nature of living looks to the experiences and relationships of the everyday lifeworlds. This addresses the endless flows of social life that take place with walking, rituals, mealtimes, what we consume and buy recognising how they are always attached to something else. This point is made more forcefully in Week 11 as the complex entanglements of children and betta fish show the histories, politics and contexts of speciesist life. Exploring these relations involves seeking the conditions of their existence, which exposing the entangled threads that produce them and the intersections of how things, ideas and beings are entangled.

Learning-with

We have touched on the thinking behind a learning-with approach in this unit with methodologies that embrace kinship and places, people and the more-than-human as co-teachers. Mindy Blaise (2020) offers the following helpful definition.

Learning-with is a radically different orientation from knowledge and from the world. It does not assume that knowledge is out there for humans to discover, find, explore, extract, and manage. It is associated with postpositivist traditions that do not bracket off the knower or the learner from the world. Rather, learning-with recognises that we are already entangled and connected with the world. We are of the world and each other in a co-dependent relationship.

(Blaise, 2020, p. 313)

Examples of human pedagogy entanglements

Pedagogy can be viewed as a process of accompanying people and bringing flourishing and relationships to life, caring for and with others and teaching and learning. It is easy to overlook the sophistication of this relationship and the capacities needed to be alongside another. It entails being with, and this involves attending to the other. One of the aims for teachers in a nature program is to consistently allocate humans as part of the natural worlds and not outside nature. Many of the listed ideas in Weeks 9, 10, 11 and 12 offer examples of how this can take place and these small steps are a way to circumnavigate the dominance of human privilege and exceptionalism.

Integrating childhood natures requires teachers to always be troubling adherence to dualisms such as human/nature, culture/nature, human/animal, modern/primitive, and human/wilderness.

There is nothing inherently wrong with school gardens or forest weeks, just as there is nothing inherently wrong with being a human; the objective here is to push environmental education beyond anthropocentric moves to innocence when addressing the emerging realities of nature-on-its-own-terms.

(Kophina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop, & Piersol, 2019, p. 10)

Pay attention to everyday practices and how nature is entangled with the events and routines of the everyday life.

Include human biology alongside other animal species. For example, when exploring dinosaur or animal bones, make sure human bones are part of the teaching and learning with x-rays on light tables, discussions and reference books with images of bones.

Explore life cycles of plants and animals but also human life. The picture bookLifetimesby Bryan and Ingen (1983) is a helpful resource.

Think of ways to integrate aspects of human-animal communication in stories, discussions and questions such as wondering about what your dog is trying to tell you, how pigs sing to their babies and children can imitate the patterns of movement of bee communication to learn how they work in hive communities.

Play lotto-type sound games with taped sounds from nature that match to pictures of places, animals and plants.

10.5 Nature provocations

This unit has challenged the romantic view of the natural world as a blissful place observed in nature documentaries, holiday brochures or images of children playing with furry animals. Malone (2019) showed us how children who live in blasted nature landscapes are understandably not romantic about it at all. People who live with severe weather, bushfires, natural disasters like landslides or hurricanes do not romanticise nature as they live with the changeability and dangers, as well as the beauty.

People may hold spiritual beliefs about the world around themthey may have a sense of the unity of nature or the aliveness of all things, but they still kill the animals and uproot the plants in order to eat and to live. It could be said that almost nobody wants to experience real nature. People may enjoy an escapist holiday within the comfort of a modern home with wi-fi and flyscreens, situated near wild spaces, water or bushland. They want a simplified life for a while, without the pressure of modern life. Nobody wants to go back to nature in any real way, for the natural world will demand that you adapt. It is a harsh, powerful, and unforgiving world, that most urban westerners have never experienced.

Reflect

Humans do, of course, live in and as part of nature wherever they are because nature is everywhere.

Consider these ideas and what it means for nature pedagogies.

What is your image of nature?

What do you imagine when you think about it and would you want to live there?

How could you avoid making generalised statements about nature with children and families?

When you hear people saying how children are disconnected with nature, how can you speak about the everyday entanglements they already live with how could you articulate a post human view of the natural world?

How could you emphasise how nature is complex and multidimensional?

When can you integrate global contexts of nature the good, the imperfect and the multiple contexts in the curriculum?

10.6 Nature touchstones: Attuning with nature

the game is to listen, not so much to the full orchestra, as to the separate instruments, and to try to locate the players...(Carson, 1956, p. 47)

Attuning with nature is one of the most important skills that children learn in a nature program and it is vital that a nature pedagogue knows what this is and how they can tap into the communication flows of the natural world. When we attune, our focus is on consciously paying attention to what is seen, but also what might be missing, silenced or unknown. Put more clearly, it is the ability to hear, see, sense and know how nature communicates with all the entities and elements that dwell on planet earth. Abram (1996) suggests that attuning enables us to become 'unselfed' and experience 'a dynamic presence that confronts us and draws us into relation' (p. 56). Attunement is important in nature because when achieved, you can listen to the signals, communications and warnings far more keenly than those who do not pay attention or cannot read the signs. The healthiest animal in the wild is usually the wisest and most attuned as this embodied knowledge helps them to navigate the terrain and sense out food, safety and water. Attuning with nature enables the give-and-take of intra-action to take place between animals, including humans, to receive information about food sources, dangers, other species and landscapes. Abram (1996, p. 68) describes this sensory act as touching 'the coarse skin of a tree is thus, at the same time, to experience ones own tactility, to feel oneself touched by the tree'.

Attunement also fine-tunes sensory instincts. Humans often talk about instincts, trying to understand how they work, while blind to half the picture. Humans think instincts are inherited, because of how deeply entrenched they become, however, instincts are codes of behaviour learnt during attuning to self, to nature and to the more-than-human. Instincts and reflexes are honed through play, and by repetition and learning about the sounds, small, touch that can be fostered by nature pedagogues. For example, the word petrichor is the smell that takes place just before it is going to rain as the earth releases a scent. The Australian Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) termed it petrichor:

The smell itself comes about when increased humidity a pre-cursor to rain fills the pores of stones (rocks, soil, etc.) with tiny amounts of water. While its only a miniscule amount, it is enough to flush the oil from the stone and release petrichor into the air. This is further accelerated when actual rain arrives and makes contact with the earth, spreading the scent into the wind.

(cited in Wright, 2017, p. 144)

Reflect

How can teachers develop their skills of attuning with nature? Consider some of the following:

Attune with the changing seasons and cycles of change.

Pay attention to breath and teach children how to do this by breathing deeply.

Walk barefoot on the earth and enable children to do the same as well as sensory play with mud, sand and natural elements.

Pay attention to the details of plant and animal life.

Practice silence.

Find out more from David Abrams writing and Kate Wrights (2017) book that uncovers her journey of travels in Australia with descriptive modes of attuning with stone, sky and water Country.

10.7 Discussion: Redefining the status of the human - EDU40020 Learning Group 02

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

This week you have looked at the way the humanist perspective has grown and developed over recent decades with various technological advancements. We have also looked at the way nature pedagogies can be used to challenge this view of the human position in the world. This weeks discussion will encourage you to explore some of the challenges associated with changing the embedded perception of nature and humanity as binary concepts.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcomes 1, 2 and 4.

This should take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Sharewith your peers what you believe are the three most significant challenges facing attempts to change how we perceive our human position in relation to nature.

Step 2: Replyto at least one of your peers suggesting a way in which the challenge could be addressed within early childhood education.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

10.8 Week in review

Before you move on toWeek11: Nature pedagogies with animal kin, take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsLearning-with: Reconfiguring relations with each other, students, and the environment(Links to an external site.)(Blaise, 2020).

Posthumanist learning: Nature as event(Links to an external site.)(Young & Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, 2019).

Additional resourcesMoving beyond Innocence: Educating children in a post-nature world(Links to an external site.)(Kopnina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop & Piersol, 2019).

Val Plumwoods philosophical animism: Attentive interactions in the sentient world(Links to an external site.)(Rose, 2013).

Transdisciplinary journeys in the Anthropocene: More-than-human encounters(Links to an external site.)(Wright, 2017).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world(Abram, 1996).

Posthumanism(Nayer, 2014).

AReference listis provided. The correct APAstyle should be used as much as possible to promote your skills in academic citation. This skill is particularly important in each of your assignments.

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning programis due in Week 12. This week considered children's worlding as the process through which they interact with humans and more-than-humans.

If you have any questions regarding the assignment, these can be asked on theAssignment 2 Q&Adiscussion board.

11.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Nature pedagogies with animal kin.

This week grapples with the relations of animal species, people and nature pedagogies. Human and other animal species engage with each other in a multitude of complex ways and these entanglements have always been present, motivated by both necessity and choice. As we become ensconced in the Anthropocene age with increased human population, global economies and advanced technologies, animal production and consumption escalate. This week considers how posthuman concepts of worlding, attunement and ethical relations can be adopted as nature pedagogies. This week also takes a more critical turn to unpack how speciesism is enacted in early childhood, discovering how animal species, including children, are shaped and reshape in the process.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on the entangled lives of children within nature pedagogies

consider the collective agency and interrelationship of childrens lives as one amongst many with concepts of kinship, ethics and worlding

analyse the concept of speciesism with a provocation that prompted an example of advocacy and activism that aligns nature pedagogies

discover nature pedagogies that intentionally bring to life the entanglement of animal species

paying particular attention to animality, sociality and the sensorial connections of how human and animal species constitute each other helps to blur the illusion of separateness and otherness.

11.2 Nature knowledges... we invite children into relationship with the world beyond walls and with the creatures that live there. We invite them into ethical thinking anchored by the compassion that comes from caring and being engaged.

(Pelo, 2013, p. 4)

In this week's reading, Malone explores how children bodies sense their worlds ecologically in order to imagine how children can engage/communicate with the more-than-human-world prior to language acquisition. Meaning through bodies; sensual knowing emerges as the means for making sense of things in the act of sensing. A young child finding ways to be with animals; plants; the weather; water; and materials in their everyday is described a sensorial ecological encounter.

Tracy Young and Jane Bone adopt a critical post human lens to explore concerns they have with animals in early childhood education where roaming pedagogy and a pedadog (Young, 2019) offers possibilities for alternative pedagogies.

Essential readings

Worlding with kin: Diffracting childfish sensorial ecological encounters through moving image(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2019).

Troubling intersections of childhood/animals/education: Narratives of love, life, and death(Links to an external site.)(Young & Bone, 2019).

Additional resources

What is critical about animal studies? From the animal question to the animal condition(Links to an external site.)(Pedersen & Stnescu, 2012).

A Betta outcome for fish in Geelong!(Links to an external site.)(PETA Australia, 2020).

To what future do the posthuman and posthumanism (re)turn us: Meanwhile how do I tame the lingering effects of humanism(Links to an external site.)(Weaver, 2015).

A report on the animal turn(Links to an external site.)(Weil, 2010).

Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?(Links to an external site.)(Young, 2015).

Shining an ethical light on egg-hatching programs(Links to an external site.)(Young, Clancy & Ahern, 2015).

You may also like to look out for the following:

The inner world of farm animals: Their amazing social, emotional and intellectual capacities(Hatkoff, 2009).

Animal liberation: New ethics for our treatment of animals(Singer, 1975).

The inner life of animals: Surprising observations of a hidden world(Wohlleben, 2017).

Connections and disjunctions: Hum(an)imal becomings in early childhood(Young, 2019).

11.3 Nature landscapes: Attuning with animal kin

Since the early 2000s, the question of the animal has become a more prominent focus of research since the animal turn in philosophy, psychology, ethology, cultural geographies, anthropology, history, visual arts, and sociology. Weil (2010) describes this attention towards animals the animal turn as an increasing scholarly interest in the status of animals beyond that of utilitarian function, agricultural scientific study and the larger-than-human degraded ecological times we are living in. This also reflects an increasing interest in animal welfare as communities question the farming of animals for food in industrial systems and the suffering and oppression that takes place in these large-scale animal food systems.

Despite this interest, as Weaver suggests (2015) the prevalence of humanist assumptions are as yet under-theorised in education. Critical animal scholars advocate that the animal turn also needs to be concerned with the animal condition, recognising how animal species have their own cultural interiority, biology, and lifeworlds (Pedersen & Stnescu, 2012).

This unit has been exploring the broad possibilities to question, critique and remake early childhood pedagogy and curricula. More specifically this week energises ethical pedagogy by unsettling animal representation in early childhood education and the contexts of childhood, seeking ways to address species and environmental injustice. Multispecies relations are integrated and elevate animal species as companions, co-learners and co-teachers.

Attuning with animal kin

We previously explored the concept and practice of attuning with nature. Some aspects of this attuning may be more challenging such as noticing plants. For example, how do you connect with beetroot plants as a relative or how can you find a kinship connection with bushland? This is difficult because we use human understandings of kinship, whereas attuning tries to notice, sense, feel, imagine how all species such as humans, plants and animals live, communicate, sense, and flourish.

All animal species communicate and have evolved many ways to do this which is worthy of greater attention. Some species communicate with smell, others by sound, gesture, magnetism, facial expression, or bioluminescence (the production and emission of light by a living organism) (Wohlleben, 2017). Many, including humans, communicate with a combination of different senses and affects, and several studies are helping to bridge the nature-culture divide, revealing how animals are much more sophisticated than once known.

Many people find kinships with animal species an easier practice, especially cute furry mammals with facesthose animals with large eyes and those we share our lives with such as dogs, cats and birds. Ethology studies how animals relate to each other, their environments and to other species and research about animal communication and cognition is currently enjoying increased academic attention. Farmed animals including pigs, chickens, sheep and cows for example, also exhibit complex thinking, intricate language, memory, intention and problem solving abilities (Hatkoff, 2009). Posthumanism also reflects how beings are continuously entangled with each other and this continuity reveals that beings understand each other, and this shapes them and impacts their shared worlds.

11.4 Nature landscapes: Worlding with kin

Karen Malone (2019) explored the concept of worlding as bodies sensing ecologically to imagine how children can engage and communicate with the more-than-human-world prior to language acquisition. The image of Penguin the magpie is an example of such worlding.

Sam, the mother of the Bloom family, fell into a deep depression after a fall from a roof terrace during a family holiday that left her paralysed from the chest down. An unexpected source of healing arrived when a magpie chick fell from her nest and as the family rescued the bird, Penguin Bloom, she also rescued them. The family created an Instagram account for her and soon had thousands of followers.

The story of Penguin helps us to see magpies in another way, not only as the birds who swoop or make loud calls to each other, but as creatures who feel and enjoy water, sharing human food, sleeping on a human bed and being cuddled and stroked. Penguin and the family become entangled through injury and shared worldings of healing. Penquin was not captured and contained in a cage but enabled to be healed and become healer as a magpie sharing a human home, until she decides it is time to leave.

Watch the story of Penguin in the following short video:

Penguin Bloom: the bird that saved a family (2016) https://bit.ly/2UPWV95Posthumanist approaches feature in the story of Penguin, and also in the following video which captures a young child engaging with a Groper fish in an aquarium. The child in the video is Karen Malones granddaughter who has been immersed in a range of nature-based experiences since birth. The guidance and collaboration in these endeavours is evident in the video. Malones (2019) article on worlding with kin explores differences as connections and relations within and between different bodies, affecting each other and being affected.

Reflect

Consider the following questions as you watch the video:

How is this child responding to the large Groper fish at an aquarium? Notice her actions, movement and body language.

How is the fish responding?

How have you encountered children at a zoo or aquarium? Were they yelling, knocking on the glass, making fish faces or something else?

As a nature pedagogue, how can you foster post-human ethical relations with children and animals on excursions, in the curriculum and in the learning spaces?

Childfish encounter (2019)https://bit.ly/2N7Vhv911.5 Nature landscapes: Ethics

Ethical, relational engagement

We are not going to consider what might constitute an ethical approach to animals and nature pedagogies. Young (2015) suggests that:

The entanglement of concern for non-human animals is much more than a warm and fuzzy ideal. It is essential in understanding the interconnectedness of all species and the systems that support life.

(Young, 2015, p. 20)

Each of these concerns is an extension of the other which means we cannot achieve environmental justice or care without concern for non-human animals, for we are joined, enmeshed, co-evolved and cohabiting. Likewise, we cannot understand the complexities of nature pedagogies without being compassionate, engaged and thoughtful about more-than-human relations, including animal species (Young, 2015, p. 20).

Ethical engagement acknowledges the complexity of the urgent questions of our time, notably in relation to human dominion, human power and living with ecological crisis. Knowing children and animals in a process of becoming-with is not just about learning about animal species or harmonious coexistence. Instead, it shifts the exclusive focus on the individual child to one that is entangled with and part of the earthly collective (Young, 2019).

Nature pedagogies with entangled animal species

Ethical engagements with animals can be overlooked in nature pedagogies that adopt a humanist approach of human dominance. This can be very challenging for teachers to balance as most humans use speciesist practices in their language, choice of food and the nuances of teaching practices and resources. Young and Bone (2019) explore this in more depth in this weeks essential reading.

When animal species are integrated as co-teachers in a nature program there are many benefits including the following. Select each tab to learn more:

Learning care and responsibility

Children learn to care and take responsibility for animals and to discover their needs and wants which are often similar to humans.

Learning empathy Children learn about empathy, relationships, the environment and nature.

Enriched observational learning Animal visitors such as birds and those that inhabit backyards give children an opportunity to observe, interact and learn about animals. This can be a valuable part of their education and care experience, enriching their learning about nature, ecology and relationship.

Understanding entanglements Children develop a greater awareness of the entanglements between people, place, animals and plants.

Understanding animals Children develop an understanding of how animals are a product of food, clothing and entertainment, but also how they have their own vibrant agency (Bennet, 2010).

Science discovery Children learn about biology, ethology and zoology.

Child-led inquiry Follows childrens curiosity as animals often feature as a key interest.

There are many examples of animal pedagogy, you will find a variety detailed in Young and Elliott (2004) and we have summarised some of these below.

Examples of animal pedagogyDiscussion and inquiry with small backyard creatures such as insects, snails, spiders, and worms found in the indoor and outdoor environments.Children are not always gentle and caring with animal species. This is part of nature pedagogies to teach that animals are living, sentient beings and minimise human dominance and oppression. Always supervise live animal experiences and teach children how to handle animals (if this is appropriate). Some species like frogs and toads should not be touched as it can harm the health of an amphibian creature.

Consider if and how animal visitors can be integrated with an ethic of care and respect. Chicken hatching programs are neither ethical nor respectful (Young, Clancy, & Ahern, 2015).

Install compost bins and/or worm farms for children to observe the lifecycle of compost worms and compare them with earthworms.

Leave places outside for rewilding or local wildlife. A vegetable garden at a childrens centre was designed with seven wooden planter boxes to grow herbs and vegetables that were covered with nets to protect from the possum community that lived in this inner-city space. One of the planter boxes was left without a net with the intent of sharing some of the crops with the possums.

Integrate inquiry projects and discussions with children about animal lives, feelings and emotions, habitats and lifecycles.

Encourage children to notice patterns and features of feathers, shells, fur skin by measuring, taking photos and drawing pictures.

Explore food chains and the web of life from both biological, ecological and ethical perspectives.

Explore differences and similarities among people and animals such as skin colour, fur, hair, eyes, size, patterns, family life and habitats.

Curate a collection of small animal figurines and human animal figurines with animal diversity such as farmed animals, sea creatures, dinosaurs, wild animals and family pets. Do the same with human diversity such as men, women, young, old and with different skin colour and ethnicity. Intentionally including humans with animals in this play will create interesting play worlds and is a small way to circumvent the human-animal binary.

Ask children to collect data for an inquiry about the animals in their homes, gardens and communities with photographs, conversations and drawings.

11.6 Nature provocations

Speciesism and Betta fish

Critical theory and pedagogies invite us to interrogate our values, identify contradictions between theory and practice, question power relationships in relation to class, race, gender, and abilities to promote ethically informed action. The concept of speciesism first came to attention through the Australian Peter Singer although he did not invent the term. Speciesism as defined by Singer (1975) is:

... a prejudice or attitude of bias in favour of the interests of members of ones own species and against those of members of other species.

(Singer, 1975, p. 6)

The concept aligns with other forms of prejudice, such as racism or sexism. Speciesism is also a system of oppression that normalises the human-animal separation. Most children learn that human desires, needs, and interests are always more important than any other species and to view certain species as worthy of care and compassion and others as products of consumption such as farmed animals.

Classroom animals and pets can also become products of consumption and entertainment and this unit explores advocacy and activism to challenge these practices. This weeks essential reading from Young and Bone (2019) focuses on this theme. For example, Tracy Young observed a decorative Betta fish being used as an aesthetic feature in a small glass bowl on a low coffee table in a home corner at an early childhood education setting, and Jane Bone observed a Betta fish at a local shopping centre. Bone challenged the company about the cruel practice of capturing, containing and selling these fish as pets.

Watch the following video and then reflect on the questions given below. The PETA article,A Betta outcome for fish in Geelong!(Links to an external site.)(PETA Australia, 2020) discusses the ethical implication relating to this treatment of animals.

Thousands of Betta fish confined to filthy bottles at Petco supplier (2019) <https://bit.ly/3hCIUFz>

Reflect

Consider the following questions:

What are children learning about animals when they walk into a shopping centre and see this?

What do you know about the origins and capture or breeding of where these fish (or other classroom animals) come from?

What do you know about the lives of Betta fish and have you questioned if living in isolation in a small bowl is part of their lives or just a convenient construct developed by pet companies to sell a pet who we are told needs a small space?

11.7 Nature touchstones

Sound as a touchstone brings back memories of past and present time and space, and can be a powerful learning tool.

Reflect

Take a moment to consider the sounds from your childhood or of home. Then close your eyes and listen to the sounds of everyday life from the space you are in. For example:

From my chair, I can hear the rhythmic agitation of the pond water feature that spurts forced water through plastic tubing, hitting the water with irregular plops and continual splats. I can hear the washing machines spin cycle muffled only slightly by a closed door. In the next room, the dogs whine in anticipation of a parcel delivery. Even further away, the hum of a plane passing by in the sky from the local airport, reminds me of the presence of the refrigerator when it charges through its cycle of gurgling, knocking sounds as refrigerant gases circulate, prompted by a rise in temperature. I can hear the distant whine of a drill and then I am bought closer to the soft click-clack of my typing on the laptop keyboard as I commit these words to the digital page.

This is your soundscape: all of the sounds that surround you in a particular time or space. A soundscape is the combination of all the sounds in an environment.

Another key term is earworm which refers to a tune or sound that stuck in your head (or ear). This ability to easy and quickly remember such melodies can be a useful memory device.

Soundscapes can be adopted as a teaching tool in nature pedagogies in a variety of ways. Consider some of the following examples:

Set up an iPad so children can listen to some soundscapes, prompting them to get to know the animal sounds.

Ask children to make their own soundscapes from the education setting, their homes and communities.

11.8 Discussion: Soundscapes - EDU40020 Learning Group 02

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

This discussion will give you an opportunity to consider the value of soundscapes as an educational tool. You will explore some of the ways that they can be used within teaching, sharing some of your ideas with your peers.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcomes 1, 2 and 4.

This should take approximately 40 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: ListentoWestern whips and a ruff duet [earworms from planet earth xiii](Links to an external site.)(Jones, 2020)

Step 2: Answerthe following questions:

How is knowledge communicated by Ann Jones in response to the childrens knowledge about bats?

How could you invite experts into your curriculum to respond to childrens questions and ideas?

Ann Jones invites people to ask questions and send soundscapes to the program. Could you build this into a nature curriculum?

How could you integrate the approach taken by the spider enthusiast, who wrote a poem from the perspective of a spider, into the curriculum?

Step 3: Sharesome ideas one how you could help children learn more about animal species and places through sound as a way of connecting with animal lives and communication.

Step 4: Replyto at least one of your peers commenting on what you like about their suggestions and proposing a way of building on their approach.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

11.9 Week in review

Before you move on toWeek12: Nature pedagogies with plant kin, take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsWorlding with kin: Diffracting childfish sensorial ecological encounters through moving image(Links to an external site.)(Malone, 2019).

Troubling intersections of childhood/animals/education: Narratives of love, life, and death(Links to an external site.)(Young & Bone, 2019).

Additional resourcesWhat is critical about animal studies? From the animal question to the animal condition(Links to an external site.)(Pedersen & Stnescu, 2012).

A Betta outcome for fish in Geelong!(Links to an external site.)(PETA Australia, 2020).

To what future do the posthuman and posthumanism (re)turn us: Meanwhile how do I tame the lingering effects of humanism(Links to an external site.)(Weaver, 2015).

A report on the animal turn(Links to an external site.)(Weil, 2010).

Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?(Links to an external site.)(Young, 2015).

Shining an ethical light on egg-hatching programs(Links to an external site.)(Young, Clancy & Ahern, 2015).

You may also like to look out for the following:

The inner world of farm animals: Their amazing social, emotional and intellectual capacities(Hatkoff, 2009).

Animal liberation: New ethics for our treatment of animals(Singer, 1975).

The inner life of animals: Surprising observations of a hidden world(Wohlleben, 2017).

Connections and disjunctions: Hum(an)imal becomings in early childhood(Young, 2019).

AReference listis provided. The correct APAstyle should be used as much as possible to promote your skills in academic citation. This skill is particularly important in each of your assignments.

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning program

Assignment 2: Folio of inquiry-based learning for a nature learning programis due on Monday next week (Week 12). This week is a good time to take a break and with fresh eyes review your draft. Take the time to edit and proofread your first draft, and check it against the requirements of this assignment.

If you have any questions regarding the assignment, these can be asked on theAssignment 2 Q&Adiscussion board.

12.1 This weeks focus

This weeks topic is: Nature pedagogies with plant kin.

This week you are going to explore human relationships with plants and the challenges associated with 'plant blindness'. We will explore how we can work to overcome such perspectives and consider how we can help children develop their understanding of the interconnectivity of nature and enhance their awareness of the natural patterns that surround us.

This week's objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

reflect on the entangled lives of children within nature pedagogies

consider the collective agency and interrelationship of childrens lives as one among many

analyse concepts such as plant blindness

discover nature pedagogies that intentionally bring to life the entanglement of children and plant species.

12.2 Nature knowledgesThe patterns of creation show you how to live in proper relation to the world, to care for everything and allow everything to care for you. We are not separate from nature. There is no naturethat is a false division that was invented very recently in human history. As soon as we stop thinking of the environment as something elsewhere that needs protecting, well be on our way to potential survival.

(Yunkaporta, 2019, p. 26)

This week's first reading explores the concept of plant blindness in more depth. The second reading continues to build on the touchstone of patterning putting forward the argument that innate knowledge of patterning has been eroded from our everyday lifeworlds, and knowledge and learning about patterning could enable children to make complex connections with their selves and environment, as ecological and aesthetically engaged learners.

Essential readings

Standing in the shadows of plants(Links to an external site.)(Sanders, 2019).

Patterning in childhoodnature(Links to an external site.)(Hannigan, Kilderry & Xuz, 2019).

Additional resources

Vibrant matter: A political ecology of things(Links to an external site.)(Bennett, 2010).

Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Young, 2015).

Requiem for the weeds: Reflections in Amsterdam city park(Links to an external site.)(Kophina, 2013).

Moving beyond Innocence: Educating children in a post-nature world(Links to an external site.)(Kopnina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop & Piersol, 2019).

Toward a theory of plant blindness(Links to an external site.)(Wandersee & Schussler, 2001).

The hidden life of trees: What they feel, how they communicate - Discoveries from a secret world(Links to an external site.)(Wohlleben, 2016).

Story you can hold(Links to an external site.)(Yunkaporta & Wyld, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

A sense of wonder(Carson, 1956/1987).

Just discover!: Connecting young children with the natural world(Young & Elliott, 2004).

12.3 Nature landscapes

Plants play a central role in life on earth by supporting ecosystems with oxygen, cleansed air, and food and shelter for humans, other animals and organisms. They occupy many niches in human society, including being worshipped in some cultures as deities. Trees experience pain and have memories. They have friendships in terms of symbiosis with other plants, fungi and microbes, living with their offspring and providing nourishment through a network of soil fungi that Peter Wohlleben (2016) calls the wood wide web.

Nature pedagogies with entangled plant species

One of the most difficult aspects of nature pedagogies is trying to balance worldviews where nature is a resource owned, constructed and colonised by humans with a worldview that attempts to step aside from anthropocentric dominance to where nature culture boundaries can be challenged and possibly crossed.

If we are to integrate notions of childhood nature in any meaningful way, the struggle will be to avoid the default practices of nature, outlined in this unit, which put growth, economy and consumption as the only way forward (Elliott and Young, 2015). Childhood innocence and romanticised worldviews of nature are also entrenched challenges. It is therefore crucial that childhood nature educators evoke complicated conversations to consistently trouble anthropocentric moves towards simplistic innocence of loving nature. As Kophina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop, and Piersol (2019) argue:

Given the deep-seated foundation that anthropocentrism provides in the dominant culture, it is not surprising to witness it inculcated and reinforced in modernist educational programs. The fact that it remains so tenacious, even in schools commit- ted to school gardens, forest weeks, and full-time immersion in the natural world, speaks to its power and psychological appeal.

(Kophina et al., 2019, p. 15)

Most children show an interest in their surrounding environment, and there are many ways teachers can encourage this inquiry and curiosity. Show enthusiasm yourself, and remember the touchstone of reawakening your senses by playing, as well as noticing plants, reading books, bringing plants and fresh flowers into the room at childrens level. Articulate the benefits of plant knowledge and experience in a nature program with parents so this becomes a regular feature such as children learning.

Benefits

Plant pedagogy has a number of benefits as it teaches children responsibility from caring for plants as they learn to understand cause and effect as plants wont thrive without water, food and light. Children will start to recognise the entanglements of people, place animals and plants as well as develop a knowledge of how plants are used in medicine, ecologies, food, gardens and habitats and how they have their own vibrant agency (Bennet, 2010).

As with animal pedagogy, science discovery is a key part of learning as children discover biology and botany. They will also learn about sources of fresh food and nutrition through cooking and learn about cultural identities from the diversity of cultural foods and crops.

Many of our biggest challenges of the twenty-first century link to plants including climate change, food security and the need for new pharmaceuticals that might help in the fight against diseases. Without a basic knowledge of plant structure, function and diversity, theres little hope of addressing these problems. It is therefore important to introduce children to plants and their relationship to them early on.

There are many examples of plant pedagogy, you will find a variety detailed in Young and Elliott (2004) and we have summarised some of these in the following examples.

Examples of plant pedagogyDiscussion with plants in the indoor and outdoor environments about and talking about plant species at mealtimes.

Use a compost bin and/or worms farms for children to observe the cycles of waste, soil and fertilisation.

Leave places outside for rewilding such as letting an area grow without or with minimal management (by simply observing what happens to the land without human care or maintenance). From this one might highlight, for instance, how bees conduct their ritual dance to indicate the location of flowering weeds and make honey used for the bees themselves (not only for human children) (Kophina et al, 2019, p. 9).

Integrate inquiry projects and discussions with children about plants, soil, and weather.

Encourage children to track the growth of plants by measuring, taking photos and drawing pictures.

Grow grass in large pots and use it as a prop for small figurines, of people, animals and loose parts.

Grow grass in garden beds or wooden boxes to use as seats.

Plant fast growing crops such as grass heads, radish, lettuce and alfalfa. Plant herb, vegetable and sensory gardens.Curate a seed pod collection with seed pods found in local parks. Ask children and families to collect them too in autumn when many fall to the ground.

Explore and plant deciduous trees which lose their leaves in autumn such as elm, oak and fruiting trees and compare with evergreen trees such as gum, wattle and pine. Why do they lose/retain their leaves?

Explore mosses and lichens that need low light levels.

Make a collection of dry seeds from the fruit eaten in the education setting such as apples, oranges, watermelons.

12.4 Nature provocations: Plant blindness

Forests, wood and bushlands are livelier than we know which often goes unnoticed by humans. While having such a major role in human lives, people still tend to overlook the importance of plants in the biosphere and show a blind eye towards their aesthetic and biological features leading to a low anthropogenic ranking, a phenomenon that botanists James Wandersee and Elisabeth Schussler (2001) termed plant blindness.

Unlike animal species, this inability to see and notice plants is because they lack visual attention cues. They dont have a face or eyes; they dont move in the way that animals do; and they do not pose a risk. Our eyes and visual cortex filter out perceived unnecessary information so most of the visual information about the plants we see is discarded. Plants also slip into low categories in the human-nature divide:

Even as the human shares the stage with the plant the discussion remains anchored in human perceptions and interpretations of plants, addressing questions of relatedness, exchange, governmentality and signification.

(Kopnina, 2013, p. 10)

It is thought that plant blindness begins in childhood, exacerbated by how little attention is paid to botanical content in education systems and the increased urbanisation of human life. Wandersee and Schussler (2001) found the powerful potential in human plant mentors bringing plants to children's attention:

Early experiences in growing plants under the guidance of a knowledgeable and friendly adult was a good predictor of later attention to, interest in, and scientific understanding of plants.

(Wandersee and Schussler, 2001, p. 6)

Reflect

Take a moment to think about the following questions:

Can you recognise this process of plant blindness in your response to the natural world?

If yes, how could you reawaken your sensory awareness of plants?

If no, what are some of the aspects of your life experience where plants were prevalent and became known to you?

12.5 Nature touchstones: Patterning

Tyson Yunkaporta (2019) reminds us that we are never separated from the natural world.

The patterns of creation show you how to live in proper relation to the world, to care for everything and allow everything to care for you. We are not separate from nature. There is no naturethat is a false division that was invented very recently in human history. As soon as we stop thinking of the environment as something elsewhere that needs protecting, well be on our way to potential survival.

(Yunkaporta, 2019, p. 26)

All around us, we see a great diversity of living things, from the microscopic to the gigantic, from the simple to the complex, from bright colours to dull ones. One of the most intriguing things we see in nature is patterns. The patterns found in nature are everywhere in the skies, in the cosmos, on the land and in the oceans.

Patterns help us organise information and make sense of the world around us. We tend to think of patterns as sequences or designs that are orderly and that repeat, but we can also think of patterns as anything that is not random. For example, we recognise the spots on a giraffe as a pattern, but they're not regular, nor are any of the spots the same size or shape. However, other patterns are orderly as is seen in the symmetry of a sea star or a snowflake.

Nature is full of mathematical patterns found in plants, trees, animals skins, horns and shells and soundscapes. A pattern exists when a set of numbers, colours, shapes, or sound are repeated over and over again. Some specific patterns are called fractals or spirals. Fractals are patterns that repeat at different scales like those in the broccoli image when zoomed in. The image to the right shows the fractals in Romanesco broccoli.

Fractals in Romanesco broccoli (2015) <https://bit.ly/37Noi96>

Another pattern found in animals and plants is a spiral. If you take a close look at a pinecone, you will see a double set of spirals running clockwise and counterclockwise. Seashells and red cabbage are also organised in a spiral pattern. In fact, mathematicians have been able to create equations using spiral patterns that explain why the world works the way it does.

The following video by Amy Lamb explores patterns in nature through a visual exploration of the relationship of patterns in flowers and their relationship to other forms seen in the physical and natural world. Spirals, branches and symmetry beautifully play a role in plant structure as well as in many other natural and physical forms.

Patterns in nature (2008) https://bit.ly/2AQv4PhThere are so many reasons why understanding patterns in nature is important. People have built cities and created art based on the patterns they see. We have used patterns, like the alphabet and sign language to help us communicate with one another. Since the world is always changing, patterns change too.

Next time you go outside, pay attention to patterns you see and learn to share this skill with children. Noticing the awe and wonder of patterns brings us back to where we started with Rachel Carson and the final words of wisdom for this unit which speak to these ideas.

Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.., their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner contentment and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength as long as life lasts.

(Carson, 1956, p. 24)

12.6 Discussion: Overcoming plant blindness - EDU40020 Learning Group 02

11 unread reply.11 reply.

Purpose

This week you have explored the ways in which we understand plants and relate to them, and this discussion will provide an opportunity to consider ways in which we can enhance our awareness of the plant life and ways to overcome 'plant blindness'.

This discussionsupportsunit learning outcomes 1, 2 and 4.

This should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Task

Step 1: Describean activity you could use to engage children with their natural environment and encourage them to recognise the interconnections between human and plan life.

Step 2: Shareyour activity explaining the learning benefits it would provide for children.

Step 3: Replyto at least one of your peers assessing the effectiveness of their activities, and suggest potential changes they could make to enhance the effectiveness of the approach.

Aim to contribute to the discussion by the end of the week.

12.7 Week in review

Congratulations on reaching the end of this unit. Take some time to reflect on this week's readings and assignment tasks.

Weekly readings

All the readings you came across this week have been collated so you can access them easily next time you're in the unit.

Essential readingsStanding in the shadows of plants(Links to an external site.)(Sanders, 2019).

Patterning in childhoodnature(Links to an external site.)(Hannigan, Kilderry & Xuz, 2019).

Additional resourcesVibrant matter: A political ecology of things(Links to an external site.)(Bennett, 2010).

Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability(Links to an external site.)(Elliott & Young, 2015).

Requiem for the weeds: Reflections in Amsterdam city park(Links to an external site.)(Kophina, 2013).

Moving beyond Innocence: Educating children in a post-nature world(Links to an external site.)(Kopnina, Sitka-Sage, Blenkinsop & Piersol, 2019).

Toward a theory of plant blindness(Links to an external site.)(Wandersee & Schussler, 2001).

The hidden life of trees: What they feel, how they communicate - Discoveries from a secret world(Links to an external site.)(Wohlleben, 2016).

Story you can hold(Links to an external site.)(Yunkaporta & Wyld, 2019).

You may also like to look out for the following books:

A sense of wonder(Carson, 1956/1987).

Just discover!: Connecting young children with the natural world(Young & Elliott, 2004).

References- weekly literatures resources

Week 1

Abram, D. (2012).The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world.Vintage. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.5840/enviroethics199719144

Black, A. L. (2020). Remembering and Representing the Wonder: Using Arts-Based Reflection to Connect Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers to Significant Childhoodnature Encounters and Their Professional Role.Research Handbook on Childhoodnature: Assemblages of Childhood and Nature Research, 777798. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_48

Carson, R. (1956/1987).TheSense of Wonder. Open Road.

Cronon, W. (1996). The trouble with wilderness: or, getting back to the wrong nature.Environmental history, 1(1), 728. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.2307/3985059

Greenwood D. A. (2020) Rachel Carsons childhood ecological aesthetic and the origin of The Sense of Wonder. In: Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles A., Malone K., Barratt Hacking E. (eds)Research Handbook on Childhoodnature. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_93

Pelo, A. (2014). A Sense of Wonder: Cultivating an Ecological Identity in Young Children-and in Ourselves.Canadian Children, 39(2). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.18357/jcs.v39i2.15218

Rousell, D. S., & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2019).Uncommon worlds: toward an ecological aesthetics of childhood in the Anthropocene. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_88Week 2

Aris, P. (1965).Centuries of childhood: A social history of family life.

Dickinson, E. (2013). The misdiagnosis: Rethinking nature-deficit disorder.Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, 7(3), 315335. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1080/17524032.2013.802704

Elliott, S., & Young, T. (2016). Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability.Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 5764. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1017/aee.2015.44

Jickling, B., Blenkinsop, S., Timmerman, N., & Sitka-Sage, M. D. D. (Eds.). (2018).Wild pedagogies: Touchstones for re-negotiating education and the environment in the Anthropocene. Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-90176-3

Louv, R. (2005).Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.Algonquin books. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1222344

Louv, R. (2008). Leave no child inside.Orion Magazine, 57(11), 16. Retrieved from https://www.childrenandnature.org/2014/04/17/leave_no_child_inside1/

Malone, K. (2016). Reconsidering children's encounters with nature and place using posthumanism.Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 4256. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1017/aee.2015.48

Sobel, D. (1995). Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education.Clearing, 91, 1620. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/docview/231187806?accountid=14205

Taylor, A. (2013).Reconfiguring the natures of childhood. Routledge. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1143687

Warden, C. (2007).Nurture through nature. Mindstretchers.Warden, C. (2012).Nature kindergartens and forest schools. Mindstretchers Ltd.

Week 3

Abram, D. (2012).The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world. Vintage. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.5840/enviroethics199719144

Alcock, S., & Ritchie, J. (2018). Early childhood education in the outdoors in Aotearoa New Zealand.Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 7788. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/article/10.1007/s42322-017-0009-y

Christiansen, A., Hannan, S., Anderson, K., Coxon, L., & Fargher, D. (2018). Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 6175. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/article/10.1007/s42322-017-0001-6

Elliott, S., & Chancellor, B. (2014). From forest preschool to bush kinder: An inspirational approach to preschool provision in Australia.Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(4), 4553. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A401214807/AONE?u=swinburne1&sid=AONE&xid=c2a6a350

Farstad, H. A. (2005). Nature: The space provider.Children in Europe, 8, 14.Froebel USA (2019, March 9).Nature-Based Education Outdoor Preschool Forest Kindergarten | Samara Early Learning Rachel Larimore[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQ5XzxzGj4

Joyce, R. (2012).Outdoor learning: Past and present. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xww&AN=414038&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Knight, S. (2011).Risk & adventure in early years outdoor play: learning from forest schools. Sage Publications.Loader, M., & Christie, T. (2017).Rituals: Making the everyday extraordinary in early childhood. Wellington: Childspace Early Childhood Institute.

Robertson, J. (2008). I ur och skur rain or shine Swedish forest schools.Creative Star Learning Company.Retrieved from https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Rain-or-shine-Swedish-Forest-Schools.pdf

SBS Dateline (2016, February 23).Denmark's Forest Kindergartens[Video].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkiij9dJfcw

Williams-Siegfredsen, J. (2017).Understanding the Danish Forest School approach: Early years education in practice.Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/reader.action?docID=4809716&ppg=54

Week 4

Atkinson, S. (2017).Possum skin pedagogy: A guide for early childhood practitioners. Retrieved from https://fka.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/possum-skin-pedagogy--a-guide-for-early-childhood-practitioners--journeys-and-outcomes.pdf

Baker, J. (2000).The hidden forest.London: Walker books.

Barad, K. (2007). Meeting the universe halfway: Quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning.Duke university Press. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1111/j.1527-2001.2009.00013_10.x

Bookchin, M., & Biehl, J. (1997).The Murray Bookchin Reader.London: Cassell.

Bookchin, M. (1993). What is Social Ecology? In M. E. Zimmerman (Ed.),Environmental philosophy: From animal rights to radical ecology. Retrieved fromhttp://social-ecology.org/wp/1986/01/what-is-social-ecology/

Cross, C. L. (2018). Ecofeminism and an ethic of care: Developing an eco-jurisprudence.Acta Academica, 50(1), 2840. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=131713482&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Deleuze, G. (1998).Negotiations, 19721990. Columbia University Press. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A19709059/AONE?u=swinburne1&sid=AONE&xid=b0487dd7

Gifford, T. (1996). The social construction of nature.ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, 3(2), 2735. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1093/isle/3.2.27

Lyotard, J. F. (1993).Political writings. University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved from https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/surfaces/1994-v4-surfaces04902/1064979ar.pdf

Malone, K. (2016). Reconsidering children's encounters with nature and place using posthumanism.Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 4256. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1017/aee.2015.48

Micaela Mathews (2018, May 26).The Hidden Forest by Jeannie Baker[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uxig3fcZHA&feature=emb_logo

Moss, P. (2018).Alternative narratives in early childhood: An introduction for students and practitioners. Routledge. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=5450845

Pascoe, B. (2014).Dark emu black seeds: Agriculture or accident?Magabala Books. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/docview/1829786833?accountid=14205

Plumwood, V. (2002).Feminism and the Mastery of Nature. Routledge. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xww&AN=76647&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Warren, K. (1988). Toward an ecofeminist ethic: Special issue on feminism, ecology, and the future of the humanities.Studies in the humanities, 15(2), 140156.Wattchow, B., Burke, G., & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. N. (2008).Environment, place and social ecology in educational practice. Retrieved from https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2008/wat081118.pdf

Young, T. (2015). Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?EINGANA Journal of the Victorian Association for Environmental Education, 38, 1721. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/fullText;dn=212220;res=AEIPT

Young, T. C. (2019).Connections and disjunctions: Hum(an)imal becomings in early childhood. (PhD). Monash University, Melbourne.Yunkaporta, T., & Wyld, K. (2019). Story you can hold.Books and Publishing, 99(1), 2627. Retrieved from https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=567007020203612;res=IELLCC

Week 5

Abram, D. (1996).The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world. New York: Vintage Books.

Ceppi, G., & M, Z. (1998).Children, spaces, relations: Metaproject for an environment for young children. Milan: Domus Academy Research Centre.

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2009).Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. Commonwealth of Australia.Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf

Kirksey, E., & Helmreich, S. (2010). The emergence of multispecies ethnography.Cultural Anthropology, 25(4), 545576. Retrieved from https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/stable/40930489?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

Lloro-Bidart, T. (2018). A feminist posthumanist multispecies ethnography for educational studies.A Journal of the American Educational Studies Association, 54(3), 253270. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1080/00131946.2017.1413370

Malone, K. (2019).Walking-with children on blasted landscapes. Retrieved from https://childrenintheanthropocene.com/2019/05/14/walking-with-children-on-blasted-landscapes/

Malone, K., & Moore, S. J. (2019). Sensing ecologically through Kin and Stones.International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7, 825. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1233642.pdf

Moore, D. (2019). Childrens imaginative play environments and ecological narrative inquiry. In A. Cutter-Mackenzie, K. Malone, & E. Barratt Hacking (Eds.),International Research Handbook on Childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature research(pp. 311334). London: Springer International Publishing. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_23

Myers, C. Y. (2019). Children and materialities: The force of the more-than-human in childrens classroom lives.Singapore: Springer Nature. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/book/10.1007%2F978-981-13-8168-3

Pelo, A. (2013).The goodness of rain: Developing an ecological identity in young children. Redmond Exchange Press Inc.

QldStudiesAuthority (2012, December 3).Extending children's ideas (video 1 of 4): Intentional teaching[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bylL-3W7pAI&feature=emb_logo

Rautio, P. (2013). Children who carry stones in their pockets: on autotelic material practices in everyday life.Children's Geographies, 11(4), 394408. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1080/14733285.2013.812278

Springay, S., & Truman, S. (2018).Walking methodologies in a more-than-human world: WalkingLab. Abingdon, Oxen: Routledge. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=5206897

Tuck, E., & McKenzie, M. (2015).Place in research theory, methodology, and methods.New York: Routledge. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1111/aeq.12150

Week 6

Blenkinsop, S., & The Crex Crew Collective. (2018). Six touchstones for wild pedagogies in practice. In B. Jickling, S. Blenkinsop, N. Timmerman, & M. Danann Sitka-Sage (Eds.),Wild Pedagogies: Touchstones for re-negotiating education and the environment in the Anthropocene. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-90176-3_5

Bruner, J. (1990).Acts of meaning.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Cohrssen, C., Hedge, K., Hill, G., Madanipour, P., & Stewart, L. (2020).Early Years Planning Cycle Resource for the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. Melbourne Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Retrieved from https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears/EarlyYearsPlanningCycle.pdf

Edwards, C. P., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. E. (2011).The Hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation(Vol. 3). Santa Barbara: Praeger. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=415849&site=ehost-live&scope=site

John Spencer (2017, December 5).What is Inquiry-Based Learning?[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlwkerwaV2E

Malone, K. (2016). Reconsidering childrens encounters with nature and place using posthumanism.Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 4256. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1017/aee.2015.48

Murdoch, K. (2015).The Power of Inquiry. Northcote: Seastar Education.

Pelo, A. (2012). At the Crossroads: Pedagogical documentation and social justice.Insights Chapter 10. Retrieved from https://www.reggioalliance.org/downloads/insights_ch10_1.pdf

Rinaldi, C. (2013). Re-imagining childhood. The inspiration of Reggio Emilia education principles in South Australia.Adelaide: Government of South Australia. Retrieved from https://reimaginingchildhood.com/about/re-imagining-childhood-the-inspiration-of-reggio-emilia-education-principles-in-south-australia

The University of Melbourne ELC. (2011). Eco cubby: The building. Melbourne: Kids Own Publishing.

Young, T., & Ralton, S. (2008). Water play is essential play: Exploring water play and conservation in early childhood practice.Early Childhood Australia, Victorian Branch Environmental SIG poster and fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/WATER-POSTER.pdf

Week 7

BBC Earth (2020, February 2).Baby Chimpanzees Playing with Bubbles | BBC Earth[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tpm9MQyRUY&feature=youtu.be

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2013).Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention.New York: Harper Perennial.

Gill, T. (2010).Nothing ventured...Balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors. English Outdoor Council. Retrieved from https://www.englishoutdoorcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Nothing-Ventured.pdf

Gramling, M., Curtis, D., Levi, D. E., & Warden, C. (2010). Beginnings workshop: Safety and risk.Exchange, March/April. Retrieved from http://www.ccie.com/library_bw/8219200.pdf

Jeavons, M., Jameson, S., & Elliott, S. (2017). Applications of standards and regulations to early years outdoor playspaces. In H. Little, S. Elliott, & S. Wyer (Eds.),Outdoor learning environments: Spaces for exploration, discovery and risk-taking in the early years. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/reader.action?docID=5049818&ppg=137

Little, H. (2017). Risk-taking in outdoor play: Challenges and possibilities. In H. Little, S. Elliott, & S. Wyer (Eds.),Outdoor learning environments: Spaces for exploration, discovery and risk-taking in the early years. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/reader.action?docID=5049818&ppg=36

Moore, R. (2014).Nature play & learning places: Creating and managing places where children engage with nature.Raleigh, NC: Natural Learning Initiative and Reston, VA: National Wildlife Federation.

Nature Play (2017).Learning Outdoors: BenefitsRisks. Retrieved from https://natureplaysa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/NPSA-Learning-Outdoors-Benefits-Risks-opt.pdf

Nature Play (n.d.).Resources: Nature Play Spaces - Risk vs Reward. Retrieved from https://www.natureplaywa.org.au/nature-play-spaces-risk-vs-reward

Stonehouse, A. (2018).Box of Provocations. Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.

Warden, C. (2012).Nature kindergartens and forest schools. London: Mindstretchers.

Wynne, S., & Gorman, R. (2015). Possible nature play curriculum links.Nature pedagogy. Osborne Park: Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia. Retrieved from https://www.ais.wa.edu.au/sites/default/files/aiswa_media_files/NP.pdf

Week 8

Curtis, D., & Carter, M. (2012).The art of awareness. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1105422

Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Malone, K., & Barratt Hacking, E. (2019).Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature. New York, NY: Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referencework/10.1007%2F978-3-319-67286-1

Malone, K. (2020). Entangled childhoods. In G. Latham, K. Malone, J. Faulkner, S. Dole, & M. Blaise (Eds.),Learning to teach(3rd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Myers, C. Y. (2019).Children and materialities: The force of the more-than-human in childrens classroom lives. Singapore: Springer Nature. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-8168-3_5#Sec11

Prout, A. (2005).The future of childhood: Toward the interdisciplinary study of children. London: Routledge.

Taylor, A. (2013).Reconfiguring the natures of childhood. Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1143687

Topal, C. W., & Gandini, L. (1999).Beautiful stuff!: Learning with found materials. Worcester, MA: Davis Art.

Topal, C. W., & Gandini, L. (2019).Beautiful stuff from nature: More learning with found materials. Worcester, MA: Davis Art.

Week 9

Dickenson, E. (2016). Ecocultural conversations: Bridging the human-nature divide through connective communication practices.Southern Communication Journal, 81(1), 3248.

Ingold, T. (1996). Human worlds are culturally constructed. In T. Ingold (Ed.),Key debates in anthropology.London: Routledge.

Nxumalo, F., & Rubin, J. C. (2019). Encountering waste landscapes: More-than-human place literacies in early childhood education. In C. R. Kuby, K. Spector, & J. J. Thiel (Eds.),Posthumanism and literacy education: Knowing/becoming/doing literacies. New York: Routledge.

Rose, D. B. (1996).Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal views on landscape and wilderness. Canberra: Australian Heritage Commission.

Tooth, R., & Renshaw, P. (2019). Children becoming emotionally attuned to Nature through diverse place-responsive pedagogies. In A. Cutter-Mackenzie, K. Malone, & E. Barratt Hacking (Eds.),Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature. New York, NY: Springer.

Wattchow, B., & Brown, M. (2011).A pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world. Melbourne: Monash University Publishing.

Week 10

Abram, D. (1996).The spell of the sensous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world. New York: Vintage Books.

Blaise, M. (2020). Learning-with: Reconfiguring relations with each other, students, and the environment. In G. Latham, K. Malone, & M. Blaise (Eds.),Learning to teach(3rd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-12212-6_2

Kopnina, H., Sitka-Sage, M., Blenkinsop, S., & Piersol, L. (2019). Moving beyond Innocence: Educating children in a post-nature world. In A. Cutter-Mackenzie, K. Malone, & E. Barratt Hacking (Eds.),Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature. New York, NY: Springer. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51949-4_40-1

Nayer, P. (2014).Posthumanism. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Planted Thoughts Productions (2015, August 6).(Re)discovery - short film[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vKgk3HU334&feature=youtu.be

Rose, D. B. (2013). Val Plumwoods philosophical animism: Attentive interactions in the sentient world.Environmental Humanities, 3. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1215/22011919-3611248

Wright, K. (2017).Transdisciplinary Journeys in the Anthropocene: More-than-human Encounters.Oxon and New York: Routledge. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=4767369

Images

Australian bushfires[Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.albany.wa.gov.au/services/emergency-management/fire-management-notice.aspx

Human scale spider web by Sven Jonke, Christoph Katzler and Nikola Radeljkovi[Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ignant.com/2016/02/19/giant-spider-webs-woven-from-tape-and-string/

Week 11

FigShare (2019, December 19).Childfish encounter[Video]. Retrieved from https://figshare.com/articles/Worlding_with_Kin/10079150

Hatkoff, A. (2009).The Inner World of Farm Animals: Their amazing social, emotional and intellectual capacities. New York: Stewart, Taboru and Chang Inc.

Malone, K. (2019). Worlding with kin: Diffracting childfish sensorial ecological encounters through moving image.Video Journal of Education and Pedagogy,4, 112. Retrieved from https://brill.com/view/journals/vjep/4/1/article-p69_69.xml?body=fullHtml-29622

Mamamia (2016, May 30).Penguin Bloom: the bird that saved a family[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_cvAGDEFFw

Pedersen, H., & Stnescu, V. (2012). What is critical about animal studies? From the animal question to the animal condition. In In Socha K.Women, destruction, and the avant-garde: A paradigm for animal liberation(Vol. 1). Amsterdam and New York: Rodopi. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/reader.action?docID=3008318&ppg=9

PETA Australia. (2020).A Betta Outcome for Fish in Geelong!Retrieved from https://www.peta.org.au/news/betta-fish-geelong/

Singer, P. (1975).Animal liberation: New ethics for our treatment of animals. New York Review/Randon House.Weaver, J. (2015). How do I tame the lingering effects of humanism. In N. Snaza & J. Weaver (Eds.),Posthumanism and educational research. New York and London: Routledge.

Weil, K. (2010). A report on the animal turn.Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies 21(2). Retrieved from https://read.dukeupress.edu/differences/article/21/2/1/60618/A-Report-on-the-Animal-Turn

Wohlleben, P. (2017).The inner life of animals: Surprising observations of a hidden world. London: Vintage Publishing.

Young, T. (2015). Can we see past what we imagine in early childhood education?EINGANA Journal of the Victorian Association for Environmental Education, 38(1), 1721. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/fullText;dn=212220;res=AEIPT

Young, T. (2019).Connections and Disjunctions: Hum(an)imal becomings in early childhood. (PhD). Monash University.Young, T., & Bone, J. (2019). Troubling intersections of childhood/animals/education: Narratives of love, life, and death. In A. Cutter Mackenzie, K. Malone, & E. Hacking Barratt (Eds.),The International Research Handbook on ChildhoodNature. London: Springer International Publishing.

Young, T., Clancy, C., & Ahern, P. (2015). Shining an ethical light on egg-hatching programs.Every Child, 21(3), 3839. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/documentSummary;res=IELHSS;dn=669449521780341

Week 12

Amy Lamb (2008, December 26).Patterns in nature[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=93&v=IGKLZ3NO9Qk&feature=emb_title

Bennett, J. (2010).Vibrant matter: A political ecology of things. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1170671

Carson, R. (1956/1987).A sense of wonder. New York: Harper and Rowe.

Elliott, S., & Young, T. (2015). Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability.Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 18. Retrieved from https://www-cambridge-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/core/journals/australian-journal-of-environmental-education/article/nature-by-default-in-early-childhood-education-for-sustainability/9CEB9CAAAB33989FE8FF58F93809EA9C

Hannigan, S., Kilderry, A., & Xuz, L. (2019). Patterning in Childhoodnature. In A. Cutter-Mackenzie, K. Malone, & E. Barratt Hacking (Eds.),Research handbook on childhoodnature: Assemblages of childhood and nature. New York, NY: Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_92

Kophina, H. (2013). Requiem for the weeds: Reflections in Amsterdam city park.Sustainable Cities and Society, 9, 1014. Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/science/article/pii/S2210670713000085

Sanders, D. (2019). Standing in the shadows of plants.Plants, People, Planet, 1, 130138. Retrieved from https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ppp3.10059

Wandersee, J. H., & Schussler, E. E. (2001). Toward a theory of plant blindness.Plant Science Bulletin, 47,29.

Wohlleben, P. (2016).The hidden life of trees: What they feel, how they communicate - Discoveries from a secret world.Melbourne: Black Inc. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=4522407

Young, T., & Elliott, S. (2004).Just discover: Connecting young children with the natural world. Melbourne: Tertiary Press.

Yunkaporta, T., & Wyld, K. (2019). Story you can hold.Books and Publishing, 99(Sept), 2627. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/documentSummary;res=IELLCC;dn=567007020203612

EDU43 Identity: The Early Childhood Profession (al)

Assessment: Reflective philosophy

Word limit: 1200 Weighting: 40%

Reference: APA (including all cited literatures and images)

This assignment is designed to extend your ability to reflect on the role of a professional. Reflection is a vital skill in knowing and understanding who you are in order to better position yourself within the context of teaching and working within educational settings.

Brookfield (2017, pp. 255256) defines a philosophy of teaching as:

a set of values, beliefs, insights, and convictions about the essential forms and fundamental purposes of teaching. Embedded in it are criteria for judging how far your practice exhibits features you feel are essential to good teaching and a set of purposes towards which your efforts are geared. When you consciously hold to such a philosophy, you have an organising vision of what you are trying to do, how you are trying to do it, and why doing it is important.

Your philosophy statement will be based on professional knowledge and contemporary practice; however, it should also reflect your personal values and will therefore be unique. Use first-person writing to express your views, and third-person writing to support these views with relevant literature. Your writing should consider your potential audience, including children's families, early childhood education professionals and prospective employers.

Your philosophy of teaching statement should:

identify and articulate your values and understandings about children, learning and teaching in early childhood education

address the theories/perspectives/documents that guide your teaching

explain particular approaches and teaching strategies that underpin your practice and how you aim to continue to learn and contribute to the profession.

This assignment has three parts, which you will submit astwo documents: one being the brochure for Part A and the other being a document containing Part B and Part C.

Part A: Philosophy brochure (500 words)

The brochure needs to be designed with clear information for stakeholders:

You will be writing four to six visionary statements based on your beliefs and values about education and care for the various stakeholders of an early childhood education setting including, children, colleagues, families and community (in total 1624 statements).

These must be written in a brochure format with your name and a clear heading outlining what the brochure is.

Make sure each statement is clear and concise and suitable for a wide audience.

Make use of professional graphics, images and/or design features that support your beliefs.

Include quotes, questions or poetry that align with your philosophy.

Make sure the philosophy reflects who you are as an early childhood professional; be clear about the personal and professional qualities that define you as an early childhood teacher.

Part B: Philosophy strategy statements (500 words)

The strategy statements are not written for the stakeholder as the brochure is designed as a short, snappy overview for this purpose. This part of the task is designed to assess your ability to put some of your visionary ideas into practice:

Describe how you will bring your visionary ideas into practice for each of the four stakeholders.

Give examples of pedagogy and practice that describe how you will implement your ideas

Include examples/strategies for each stakeholder group that show what each of your philosophical statements looks like in practice.

Integrate a range of in-text references to support your ideas and pedagogy.

Part C: Reflection statements (200 words)

This part of the task requires you to be self-reflective and to assess your understanding of the unique role of early childhood teachers:

Reflection demonstrates an insightful understanding and awareness of the unique aspects of the role of early childhood professionals and particular challenges of a teacher.

Articulate who you are as an ECE professional in a short statement.

EDU40003 A2 Flipped Collabhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzfmJBQr-zwSupport reading resources:

Brookfield, S. (2017).Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. Minnesota: John Wiley & Sons.

Hunt, H. (2018).How to make a brochure on Word (+Best practices).Retrieved from https://learn.g2.com/how-to-make-a-brochure.Sanders, C. (20210).How to design a stunning brochure in Microsoft Word. Retrieved from https://www.goskills.com/Microsoft-Office/Resources/How-to-make-a-brochure-in-Microsoft-Word.

Who am I writing for?

PART A-The Philosophy Statementis written for the stakeholders which include children's families, early childhood education professionals and prospective employers.This will be infirst person(eg. "I believe")- Part A - You might create your own brochure, use a brochure template online, or Word or PowerPoint have free brochure templates too.Part A: Philosophy brochure (500 words)

Some examples of language in the First Person for this section might be

* I value

* I am inspired to.

* I acknowledge

* I believe that..

* I understand that.

* I align with the notion that.

* I am influenced by.

Part B: Philosophy strategy statements (500)

Some examples of Third Person language to use here might be -

* Reflective practices encourage and facilitate..

* Effective teachers work to reflect upon

* Reflection assists . which then leads to.

* Reflection supports teachers to.

*Be sure to address the relevance of reflective practices within the Early Childhood Profession.

Then link your personal philosophy statements to HOW you can work towards this = Strategies

Here is one way to do this using both First and Third Person writing.

For example:

I believe that..

Strategies

Teachers can carefully design.

By following the interests and concerns of.

Implement actions that. such as

I understand that.

Strategies

Make careful use of.

Planning to..

Develop a focus on .

I align with the notion that.

Strategies

Connecting to abc allows..

Teachers can engage with.

Fostering a respect for.

I am influenced by the x approach.

Strategies

Teachers work to facilitate.by planning for

This type of learning environment enables..

This learning style respects

Part C 200 words - Part C: Reflection statements (200 words)

Throughout this unit, the main Text (reading materials) is:

Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shephard, W. (2017).Leadership: Contexts and complexities in Early Childhood Education(2nd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Weekly literatures resources

Week1

Bonnay, S. (2017).Early Childhood education: Then and now. Retrieved from http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early-childhood-education-now/

Bowditch Group on YouTube. (2010, December 13).Childcare Centre Advantage interview with Jessica, childcare worker[Video]. YouTube.[Video]. YouTube.Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVLtyTvo5tg

D'Arcy, C. (2015).Blokes can do it as well.Retrieved from http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/blokes-can-do-it-as-well/

Dahlberg, G., Moss, P., & Pence, A. (2007).Beyond quality in early childhood education and care: Postmodern perspectives(2nd ed.). London: Falmer.

Early Childhood Works. (2013, November 6).There is something special about early childhood[Vimeo]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/78790866

Get Into Teaching (2015, July 8).Become an early years teacher[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4JVsQetOPA&feature=emb_logo

Identity. (2014). InOxford dictionaries. Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/identity

Jackson, J., & Noble, K. (2019).Preschool is on the election agenda heres why it matters.Retrieved from http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/opinion/preschool-is-on-the-election-agenda-heres-why-it-matters/

McNicholas, L. (2016).Men in ECEC why the ongoing battle?.Retrieved from https://www.careforkids.com.au/childcarenews/2016/april/12/men.html

OECD. (2019).Education at a glance 2019. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/education/education-at-a-glance/

United Workers Union. (2017, 7 August).Big Steps in early education and care Ad[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGQjuO4LO4&feature=youtu.be

Week 2

Brennan, D. (1994).The politics of Australian child care: philanthropy to feminism and beyond(2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cheeseman, S., & Torr, J. (2009). From ideology to productivity: Reforming early childhood education and care in Australia.International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 3(1). (pp.61-74).

Duncan, J. (2008).Moving with the times :leaders in education since 1908 : 100 years of the Auckland Kindergarten Association. Retrieved from https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE27585557

Elliott, A. (2006). Early childhood education: pathways to quality and equity for all children.Australian Education Review(50). Camberwell: ACER Press.

Fenech, M., Sumsion, J., & Shepherd, W. (2010). Promoting early childhood teacher professionalism in the Australian context: The place of resistance.Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood,11(1). (pp.89-105).

Nasreen, N. (2012).Early child care and education.Retrieved from http://www.gcoekmr.org/pdf/MED15108GE_ECCE_AllUnits.pdf

NSW Government. (2020).Lifting our game. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/whats-happening-in-the-early-childhood-education-sector/lifting-our-game-report

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD]. (2017).Starting strong 2017.Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/school/starting-strong-2017-9789264276116-en.htm

Whitehead, K. (2008). The construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now.Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 33(3), 3441.

Week 3

Da Silva, L., & Wise, S. (2006). Parent perspectives on childcare quality among a culturally diverse sample.Australasian journal of early childhood.31(3), 614. DOI: 10.1177/183693910603100303

Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2019).Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved fromhttps://docs.education.gov.au/documents/belonging-being-becoming-early-years-learning-framework-australia

Early Childhood Australia. (2010).Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/code_of_ethics/code_of_ethics_%20brochure_screenweb_2010.pdf.Early Childhood Australia [ECA]. (2011).Early childhood education and care in Australia: A discussion paper prepared for the European Union-Australia Policy Dialogue, 1115 April 2011. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/eca_papers/eca_early_childhood_education_and_care_policypaper.pdf

The Early Education Show. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.earlyeducationshow.com/about/

Kaur, A. (2016).Latest trends in early childhood education.Retrieved from https://www.kinderpillar.com/blog/2016/09/29/latest-trends-in-early-childhood-education/

Kennedy, A., & Stonehouse, A. (2012).Victorian early years learning and development framework practice principle guide 5: Respectful relationships and responsive engagement. Retrieved from https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/earlylearning/prac-respectful.pdf

nevillejd. (2013, November 13).There is Something Special About Early Childhood[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/9-C0X3C3xM4

Stonehouse, A. (1994).Not just nice ladies: A book of readings on early childhood education and care. Castle Hill: Pademelon Press.

Whitehead, K. (2008). The construction of early childhood teachers' professional identities, then and now.Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 33(3), 3441.

Week 4

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2020a).Assessment and ratings. Retrieved from http://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/assessments-and-ratings.Commonwealth of Australia. (2009).Investing in the early years: a national childhood development strategy. Retrieved from http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2009-07-02/docs/national_ECD_strategy.pdf

Early Childhood Australia [ECA]. (2011).Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia: A discussion paperprepared for the European Union Australia policy dialogue, 1115 April 2011. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/eca_papers/eca_early_childhood_education_and_care_policypaper.pdf

Early Childhood Australian [ECA]. (2013).Evidence Brief on Staff to Child Ratios and Educator QualificationRequirements of the National Quality Framework.Retrieved from http://www.cccinc.org.au/docs/campaigns_evidence-brief-on-nqf-ratios-and-qualifications-february-2013.pdf

Fenech, M., Giugni, M., & Bown, K. (2012). A critical analysis of the National Quality Framework: Mobilising for a vision for children beyond minimum standards.Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(4), 514.

Neate, R. (2013, November 22). Campfire kids: going back to nature with forest kindergartens.Speigel online. Retrieved from http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/forest-kindergartens-could-be-the-next-big-export-from-germany-a-935165.html

smustube. (2013, September 4).Joyful learning: The Reggio-inspired approach to education[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPmuYVn6AOg

Westgarth kindergarten. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-kinder

Week 5

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL]. (2017).Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.Retrieved from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/standards/list

Blaise, M., & Nuttall, J. (2011).Learning to teach in the early years classroom.Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Chan, M., Chng, A., Wong, D., & Waniganayake, M. (2010). Developing inclusive relationships among early childhood staff.Every Child,16(1), 2010: 24-25.

The Compass School. (2020).Our school environment. Retrieved from https://www.thecompassschool.com/about/our-school-environment/

Cook, H. (2017).Haw fake nature in child care centres could be damaging.Retrieved from https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/how-fake-nature-in-child-care-centres-could-be-damaging-20170113-gtr5il.html.Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2010).Natural environments photographs. Retrieved from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/regulation/pracnotesnatenvph.pdf

Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2007).A 'critical' reflection framework: An information sheet. Retrieved from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/professionals/support/reffram.pdf

Ebbeck, M., & Waniganayake, M. (2003).Creating the context for conflict resolution in the workplace. Retrieved from https://commons.swinburne.edu.au/file/b4701e15-fbc7-44e3-a162-e63fa1c2bc56/1/99333186115.pdf

Early Childhood Australia [ECA] (2016).Code of Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ECA-COE-Brochure-2016.pdf

ECA Learning Hub. (2012, January 31).Toddlers sleep time transition to afternoon tea[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/oHYjeNVx0-c

Gibbs, L. (2003).Action, advocacy and activism: Standing up for children. Marrickville,Sydney: Community Child Care Co-operative (NSW).

Kearns, K. (2010). The big picture(2nd ed.). French Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Nieman, D. (2014, June 7).Teacher ethics video parent-teacher relationship dilemma HD[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmiaLxCUDkw

O'Brien. S. (2017). Childcare centres locate outdoor play centres inside due to space constraints.Herald Sun.Retrieved from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/childcare-centres-locate-outdoor-play-centres-inside-due-to-space-constraints/news-story/13f157c9967415617ae4fa8ff5a126a7

Urban. R. (2017). Childcare centres encouraged to audit toys and books.The Australian.Retrieved from http://kidsrights.org.au/childcare-centres-encouraged-to-audit-toys-and-books/

Victorian Institute of Teaching [VIT]. (2021).Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct.Retrieved from http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/professional-responsibilities/conduct-and-ethics

Week 6

Allen, K. (2012).What Is an Ethical Dilemma?. Retrieved from https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/ethics-articles/What_Is_an_Ethical_Dilemma%3F/

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2020a).Approved learning frameworks.Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations/approved-learning-frameworks

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2020b).National law.Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations/national-law

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority [ACECQA]. (2020c).National regulations.Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations/national-regulations

Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2020).Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect: fact sheet. Retrieved from https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect

Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2021).Reporting abuse and neglect: State and territory departments responsible for protecting children: fact sheet.Retrieved from https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect

City of Darebin. (2017).Creating Gender Equity in the Early Years: A Resource for Local Government. Retrieved from https://www.mav.asn.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/7279/Darebin-City-Council-Creating-Gender-Equity-in-the-Early-Years-A-Resource-for-Local-Government.pdf

Early Childhood Australia [ECA]. (2020)Start Early. Retrieved from http://startearly.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Karen, K. (2016).The big picture (4th ed.). Melbourne, VIC: Cengage.

Kearns, K. (2010). The big picture(2nd ed.). French Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Royal Commission into Family Violence. (2017).Royal commissioninto family violence. Retrieved from http://rcfv.archive.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/

Week 7

Cohen, R. (2010, 11 June).Top Ten Signs You're An Early Childhood Educator Keynote[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNdeX_5XPlM

Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2011).Victorian early years learning and development framework: For all children from birth to eight years.Retrieved from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf.Ebbeck, M., & Waniganayake, M. (2003).Creating the context for conflict resolution in the workplace. Retrieved from https://commons.swinburne.edu.au/file/b4701e15-fbc7-44e3-a162-e63fa1c2bc56/1/99333186115.pdf

Fenech, M., Sumsion, J. & Shepherd, W. (2010). Promoting early childhood teacher professionalism in the Australian context: the place of resistance.Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood,11(1), pp. 89-105.

Hard, L. (2006).How is leadership understood and enacted within the field of early childhood education and care. PhD thesis, Queensland University of Technology. Retrieved from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/16213/.Kearns, K. (2010).The big picture(2nd ed.). French Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Lunenorie, E. (2017).We are supposed to learn em what matters.Retrieved from https://eylfpirates.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/we-are-supposed-to-learn-em-what-matters/

MacNaughton, G. (2005).Doing Foucault in Early Childhood Studies: Applying Poststructural Ideas. London: Routledge.

Ortlipp, M., Arthur, L., & Woodrow, C. (2011). Discourses of the Early Years Learning Framework: constructing the early childhood professional.Contemporary issues in early childhood,12(1), pp. 56-70.Osgood, J. (2012).Narratives from the nursery: Negotiating professional identities in early childhood.Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/reader.action?docID=978922&ppg=158

Rodd, J. (2013).Leadership in early childhood: The pathway to professionalism 4e.Open University Press, Maidenhead, NSW.

Schweikert, G. (2012).Winning Ways for Early Childhood Professionals: Being a professional. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Weir, J,, Stephens, K., & Brook, B. (2017). Senator David Leyonhjelms childcare comments leave viewers gobsmacked.News.com.au.Retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/senator-david-leyonhjelms-childcare-comments-leave-viewers-gobsmacked/news-story/ddb42928df23c0bde12f0e884430c45b

Young, T. (2012).Image of the early childhood professional[PowerPoint presentation]. Swinburne University of Technology.Week 8

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL]. (2012).The Australian charter for the professional learning of teachers and school leaders: a shared responsibility and commitment. Retrieved from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/australian_charter_for_the_professional_learning_of_teachers_and_school_leaders

Brown, A., & Inglis, S. (2013). So what happens after the event? Exploring the realisation of professional development with early childhood educators.Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 38(1). (pp.11-15).

Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2019).Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf

Department of Education and Training, Victoria. (2019).Improve professional practice. Retrieved from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/professionals/profdev/Pages/practice.aspx.Department of Education andTraining, Victoria. (2017).Scholarships and professional development. Retrieved from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/students/support/Pages/scholarships.aspx

Early Childhood Australia [ECA]. (2020).Early Childhood Australia National Conference 2021[Video]. ECA. Retrieved from https://www.ecaconference.com.au/

Kupila, P., Ukkonen-Mikkola, T., Rantala, K. (2017) Interpretations of mentoring during early childhood education mentor training.Australian Journal of Teacher Education,42(10).Matilda, N. (2015).I change lives, so please value my work: A day in the life of an early childhood educator. Retrieved from https://newmatilda.com/2015/05/04/i-change-lives-so-please-value-my-work-day-life-early-childhood-educator/

Miller, L., Dalli, C., & Urban, M. (Eds.). (2012).Early childhood grows up: Towards a critical ecology of the profession. New York, NY: Springer.

Russell, A. (2013).Learning and growing through professional development. The Department of Education and Training [DET]. Retrieved from http://www.cscentral.org.au/Resources/PSCAPD_Resource.pdf

Sumsion, J., & Wong, S. (2011). Interrogating Belonging in Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood,12(1), 2845. https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2011.12.1.28

Vergara, L., Omaira, H., & Crdenas Ramos, R. (2009). Classroom Research and Professional Development.Profile Issues in Teachers` Professional Development, (11), 169-192. Retrieved March 22, 2020, from http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1657-07902009000100012&lng=en&tlng=en.Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2012).Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education. South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford.

Week 9

Beeson, H. (2013).Brookfield's lenses[Video]. In the University of Northampton,Skills Hub. Retrieved from http://skillshub.northampton.ac.uk/2013/09/03/brookfields-lenses-video/

Brookfield, S. (1995).Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Clark, B., & Grey, A. (2010).Ata Kite ate pae scanning the horizon: Perspectives on early childhood education. New Zealand: Pearson.

Crisp, B., Green Lister, P., & Dutton, K. (2005).Integrated assessment: New Assessment Methods. Evaluation of an Innovative Method of Assessment: Critical Incident Analysis. Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education. Retrieved from http://www.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/sieswe-nam-evaluation-critical-incident-analysis-2005-02.pdf

Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2011).Victorian early years learning and development framework: for all children from birth to eight years. Retrieved from http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears/veyldf_for_children_from_birth_to_8

Kennedy, A., & Stonehouse, A. (2017).Victorian early years learning and development framework practice principle guide 8: Reflective practice. Retrieved from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/pracguidereflectivepractice2017.pdf

Miller, B. (2010).Brookfield's four lenses: becoming a critically reflective teacher. Retrieved from https://valenciacollege.edu/faculty/development/courses-resources/documents/Brookfield_summary.pdf

Oxford Brookes University. (2012).Reflective learning #fslt12: Resources used in Week 1 of the First Steps in Learning and Teaching massive open online course. Retrieved from https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/e646a903-79ca-7312-51f0-b0360a77c0b8/1/.Week 10

Community Childcare Association. (2008).Philosophy development.Retrieved from https://www.cccinc.org.au/docs/article_philosophy-development.pdf

The Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2019).Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf

Wabisabi Learning. (n.d.).The critical thinking skills cheatsheet. Retrieved fromhttps://wabisabilearning.com/blogs/critical-thinking/critical-thinking-skills-cheatsheet-infographic

Week 11

Brookfield, S. (1995).Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

de Botton, A. (2009, July).A kinder, gentler philosophy of success[video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success?language=en

The Department of Education and Training (DET) for the Council of Australian Governments. (2009).Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years LearningFramework for Australia. Canberra, ACT: DET.

Hard, L. (2006). Horizontal violence in early childhood education and care: implications for leadership enactment.Australian Journal of Early Childhood,31(3). (pp. 40-49). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=22315068&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Macfarlane, K., & Noble, K. (2005). Romance or reality? Examining burnout in early childhood teachers.Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 30(3). (pp.53-58). Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA136342088&v=2.1&u=swinburne1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=a48d2730cce5d7a187e34621fde9af1f

Reimer, A. (2012). Staff resilience: Qualities when dealing with change.Every Child,18(3). (pp.6-7).

Waniganayake, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (2012).Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education. South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford.

Week 12

Early Childhood Australia[ECA]. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Early Childhood Intervention Australia[ECIA]. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ecia.org.au/

Parker, S. (2006).Network Learning.Retrieved fromhttp://networklearning.blogspot.com.au/2006/11/organisation-innovation-info-flow.html

Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange[REAIE]. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.reggioaustralia.org.au/

The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care[SNAICC]. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.snaicc.org.au/

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