Current issues of excellence and
equity in New Zealand as it pertains to the Early Childhood Environment
Unfortunately my international
connection is proving to be much too busy to answer questions that require a
lot of thought. Instead of getting discouraged I have found another resource
within the same country that could help point me in the right direction for
answers.
In regards to the question what
issues in early childhood excellence and equity are at the
forefront of professional discussions in New Zealand I found that the issue of
Interculturalism: sharing and learning across cultures that promotes
understanding, equality, harmony and justice in a diverse society, is the main
topic in regards to program excellence and equity. (Banks & Banks 2004)
We have discussed many topics this
week among them are school readiness, curriculum, assessment, and achievement gaps;
I did not expect that in New Zealand the most talked about issue in regards to
excellence and equity would be cultural. Maori are native to New Zealand and
over the years have suffered a lot of prejudice and inequalities. Current early
childhood research shows that children develop prejudices as early as the age
of 3 and this solidifies by the age of 6. (Doyle & Aboud, 1995).The early
childhood classroom is a powerful conduit of values.
In a high quality Early Childhood
Classroom in New Zealand teachers are expected to know and be sensitive to different
religions and cultures, family structures, and languages, become more aware of
their explicit and implicit biases, and avoid generalizing children into
cultural groups. Early Childhood advocates propose that the professionals in
the field reach a consensus about teacher training addressing diversity.
Addressing cultural issues is necessary for creating a more equitable
educational system and starting with early childhood is necessary to assist our
youngest citizens with learning acceptance and understanding of others to
create a more just society. (Interview with Miriam Zmiewski-Angelova)
References:
Banks, J.A., & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of
research on multicultural education
Doyle, A.B., & Aboud, F.E. (1995). A longitudinal study
of white children’s racial prejudice as a social cognitive development.
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 41(4), 210–229.
Interview with Miriam Zmiewki-Angelova, Seattle Preschool
Program Educational Coach, February 5, 2016.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting that cultural backgrounds are such a big issue in the New Zealand. Do you is their broader society similarly structured as compared to ours? Do all children receive an education? Thanks for sharing! -Liz Plaskon
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post for this week. I also find it quite interesting that one of the most talked about issues in New Zealand in the early childhood field is about cultures. The expectation of the classroom teachers in high-quality programs is a positive in my book. It would be nice if other countries had the same expectations of their classroom teachers. Interesting information,thanks for sharing!
Linda Reid
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post for this week. I also find it quite interesting that one of the most talked about issues in New Zealand in the early childhood field is about cultures. The expectation of the classroom teachers in high-quality programs is a positive in my book. It would be nice if other countries had the same expectations of their classroom teachers. Interesting information,thanks for sharing!
Linda Reid