The educationalising of early childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand: tracking “free play” 1940s–2010

Abstract

Geographically isolated in the south-west Pacific but intellectually and culturally connected to Western Europe, Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood education sector is a unique mix of influences. The imprint of progressive education is evident in a legacy of “free play” programmes, yet its national curriculum is built on the construct of “mana”, reflecting the cosmology and aspirations of the indigenous Māori people. These influences are held in tension with contemporary economic drivers to expand the sector and to focus on politically approved “learning outcomes”. Within this dynamic tension, the place of play and of “free play” is paradoxically both visible and invisible both in the education of very young children, and also in teacher education. This study draws on oral history interviews that focused on “free play” across 60+ years. The analysis of these indicates a process of “educationalisation” evident across three “reform agendas”: Play, Unity, and Education.     

Moving Developmental Constructs across Cultural Boundaries： Lessons from Cross-Cultural Research on Attachment and Parenting Styles

Increasingly, investigators have been asking the question： Are psychological constructs developed among Americans relevant or adequate for understanding Asians？ Two examples from developmental research （i.e., attachment, authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles） were used to answer this question. The evidence for and against the relevance and adequacy of these constructs for understanding Asian parenting and child development was described. The gaps that still exist in answering this question as well as implications for developing grand theories of socialization and development were discussed.     

‘Someone had to have faith in them as professionals’: an evaluation of an action research project to develop educational leadership across the early years

This article reports on an evaluation of three action research projects developed by a group of teachers working across the early years in three independent schools. The article examines the role of action research in developing educational leadership capabilities. Drawing on the educational leadership literature, concepts and ideas of action and activism, influence and change, and capacity to develop a vision are used to describe and analyse the data from qualitative pre-project and post-project individual interviews. The article argues that the empirical findings suggest action research was a powerful tool in developing educational leadership capabilities. This article concludes by suggesting that further research is needed to better understand how action research can be utilised to develop sustainable forms of educational leadership in the early years.     

早期经验对沈从文创作的影响

早期经验对沈从文创作的影响很大，具体表现在沈从文早期经验中的感觉印象和深刻心理体验以及由这两方面所形成的忧郁自卑的心理模式对他创作的影响。     

Discipline and rules in four Hong Kong kindergarten classrooms: a qualitative case study

Classroom discipline is a topic of international interest and teachers are bombarded with advice regarding how to and why they should manage children’s behaviour in their classrooms. This paper draws on data related to classroom discipline gathered from a detailed classroom observation schedule, teacher interviews, and field notes with four purposively selected kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong with children aged 5–6 years. The findings of this qualitative case study show that the teachers were concerned about disciplining children to ensure good behaviour. They expected all children to follow the rules and used characteristic discipline strategies such as stating expectations and ‘praising the opposite’ to maintain good behaviour. The paper discusses these findings in light of the Westernisation of kindergarten teaching practices in Hong Kong.     

Parenting priorities and pressures: furthering understanding of ‘concerted cultivation’

This paper re-examines the purposes of a planned and intentional parenting style – ‘concerted cultivation’ – for different middle-class groups, highlighting that social class fraction, ethnicity, and also individual family disposition, guides understandings of the purposes of enrolling children in particular enrichment activities. We examine how parents and their children engage in extra-curricular activities for instrumental reasons with a view to securing skills, qualities and distinction for the future. Additionally, however, enrichment activities are understood as offering present-day values such as enjoyment, social bonding and purposeful activity. The paper also highlights that current policy and broader commercial discourses call for the increased responsibilisation and intensification of parenting, which means that ‘good’ parents are required to ‘buy into’ extra-curricular activities for their children, with concomitant implications for those whose access to activities is limited by economic circumstance.     

幼儿教育小学化倾向的表现原因及解决对策

幼儿教育是针对学龄前儿童的教育,目前幼儿教育往往是有严重的小学化倾向。为了解决当前幼儿教育中小学化的趋势,有必要分析其表现和形成原因,最终制定完善的解决策略,提高幼儿教育的效率,使儿童在良好的教育体系下实现健康稳定的发展目标。     

福利多元主义视角下日本育儿支持体系的重构及其启示

20世纪70年代以来,为应对少子化压力,日本基于福利多元主义的视角,对其传统的以国家提供为主、体现"家庭主义"特点的育儿支持体系进行了重大改革,逐步转为在政府引导下,由社区、市场、民间组织等多部门共同协作为家庭提供育儿支持,这有效地缓解了家庭育儿压力。当前我国家庭在育儿方面缺乏政府与社会的各方支持。借鉴日本的改革经验,我国应加强顶层设计,健全相关法律体系和机构部门;发挥市场作用,发展多样化托育服务,满足不同家庭的需求;推动社区及社会组织参与育儿服务,创建有利于育儿家庭的社会支持环境;重视家庭的不可替代作用,实现社会多元支持下的"再家庭化"。     

衡水市80后父母教养方式调查

随着时代的发展,80后成为了受关注的一代。他们作为父母对待孩子的教养方式也是我们关注的。我们以衡水市80后父母的教养方式为研究对象,揭示当今社会80后父母独特的教养方式。80后父母的教养方式对比以往的教养方式有很大的不同,他们的文化水平高,基本上都是核心家庭,他们对待孩子更加尊重,更加重视孩子的学习,而不仅仅是单纯的溺爱或是严厉,而是以民主积极的方式来教养孩子。     

试析冯至早期诗的青春特质

冯至早期诗歌可分为"昨日"时期和"北游"时期。"昨日"时期的作品宣扬"爱"和"美"的思想,同时又有着悲剧性的内涵,这与其时处于青年早期的冯至思想发展的状况密切相关;而从"昨日"到"北游",冯至诗风的变化,也可以看作青年冯至接受"成年礼"的心路历程。