Are our infants, toddlers and young children getting quality care?

The New Zealand Childcare Association (NZCA) randomly picked ten early childhood centres to do research on and observe the teachers working in them. In five of the centres visited all of the teachers held an early childhood qualification and in the other five centres only between 50 and 79 percent of them were qualified (Te Rito Maioha, 2015). The researchers’ studies showed noticeable differences in children in the centres which had 100 % qualified staff including the experiences that teachers offered children and the learning that occurred (Te Rito Maioha, 2015). The researchers believe that children who are in centres with 100 percent qualified staff are more exposed to a richer learning environment rather than children in centres with only 50 to 79 percent qualified (Te Rito Maioha, 2015).

One of the researchers discusses that according to her observations the teachers who held a qualification as an early childhood teacher in the centres with 100 percent qualified staff were intentionally teaching the children. This was seen through planning and communicating with families about their children's learning. The qualified staff were knowledgeable about linking theory with practice and acted in a more professional manner (Te Rito Maioha, 2015).

The centres who had 100 % qualified teachers had their funding reduced in February 2011 which lead to changes. Such changes included teachers practice and “finances that impacted on teachers’ work” (Meade, Robinson, Smorti, Stuart, Williamson, Lind, Lundberg & Te Whau, 2012, p. 12). The centres who had less qualified early childhood teachers (50-79 %) had other things to face such as how they would utilize the teachers who were qualified alongside the teachers who were not (Meade, et al, 2012).

Some of the things that were more evident in the centres who that had 100 % qualified teachers was that whānau involvement was seen more and communication between teachers and parents when children would be picked up was valued more. The talk amongst parents and teachers revolved around the children’s learning rather than “How was your day? Or Hi how are you?” The teachers were able to talk about their personal and centre philosophy and the ways in which they planned and their reasoning behind this. The teachers in these 100 % qualified centres maintained a good routine with things like nappy changes and staff placings, for example, the same staff every day in the under two’s (Meade, et al, 2012).

In the centres with 50-79 % qualified teachers it was noticed that the teachers weren’t as able to discuss in as great detail their personal or centre philosophy or the planning or reasons behind their planning as well as the 100 % qualified centres were (Meade, et al, 2012). Te reo Māori was more evident in the centres with 50-79 % qualified teachers than in the centres who had 100 % qualified teachers (Meade, et al, 2012).

Overall, the most evident things seen was that children were more interactive with teachers who were qualified, the conversations between qualified teachers and children were more meaningful, “more episodes of sustained shared thinking,” (p. 14) and children seemed generally more concentrated and independent in the centres with 100 % qualified teachers (Meade, et al, 2012). In the under two’s teachers gave infants and toddlers a better level of quality care than the centres with 50-79 % qualified teachers (Meade, et al, 2012).

Although the centres with 100 % qualified teachers seem to be giving children better quality care, the funding being reduced in these centres means that children’s learning outcomes may be affected (Meade, et al, 2012). 


References

Me whai matauranga nga kaiako. (2015). Report supports qualified teachers in early chilhood education. Te Rito Maioha, Early childhood New Zealand. Retrieved from: https://ecnz.ac.nz/about-us/news/media-releases-and-updates/report-supports-qualified-teachers-in-early-childhood-education/

Meade, A., Robinson, L., Smorti, S., Stuart, M., Williamson, J., Lind, J., Lundberg, P. & Te Whau, S. (2012). Early childhood teachers' work in education and care centres: Profiles, patterns, and purposes. New Zealand Chidcare Association. Wellington, New Zealand.