Global Education Review (Mercy College, New York)
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An Exploration into the Spiritual Dimension of Froebelian Philosophy and Pedagogy
No full textThere is little doubt that the ideas of Friedrich Froebel have transformed the way society views early childhood education (Bruce, 2019; Brehony, 2024). Although Froebel’s perspective is not the only foundation of modern early childhood education, Montessori, for example, pursued a distinct pedagogical path, and traditions such as Reggio Emilia and Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) emerge from broader constellations of influence (Lilley, 1967; Hinitz & Lascarides, 2000; National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2025), his “children’s garden” metaphor remains particularly influential, positioning education as the careful cultivation of conditions in which children can flourish (Herrington, 1998; Tovey, 2018). Yet, beyond this well-recognised aspect of his work, there is a dimension that underpins and coheres his entire pedagogical vision, often less visible in current readings, namely the spiritual orientation through which Froebel understood education as relationally binding human beings, nature, and the divine (White, 1907; Lee & Evans, 1996). Aslanian (2023) describes spirituality as Froebel’s “invisible” foundation, which knits together the more readily discussed elements of his approach (Wasmuth, 2024) and reflects Froebel’s conviction that spirituality is intrinsically implicated in human life and meaning making (Eliade, 1959; Giesenberg, 2000). This characteristic remains one of the least explored within Froebelian philosophy (Lee, 1993; Lee & Evans, 1996; Wasmuth, 2020; Best, 2016; Aslanian, 2023). This article explores the spiritual dimension of Friedrich Froebel’s educational philosophy. Employing a narrative literature review, it examines Froebel’s original writings alongside interpretations of key scholars, addressing the nature and role of spirituality in his thinking. Extensive research reveals that Froebel’s spiritual philosophy, while non-dogmatic, was firmly grounded in his Christian faith and was central to his pedagogical approach. Nearly all aspects of Froebel’s vision, including his concept of Unity, his elevation of play, his reverence for nature, and his high view of humanity, hold a spiritual characteristic, ultimately pointing to a relationship with the Divine
Examining the Teaching Practicum in Zambia:: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities
No full textThe teaching practicum is a critical component of teacher education programs, as it allows pre-service teachers to put into practice the knowledge acquired during their training. This study examined the strengths and weaknesses of the teaching practicum for pre-service primary grades teachers in Zambia. Data was collected through interviews and focus group discussions in three colleges of education and two universities and analyzed thematically. Strengths were identified related to institutional commitment and shared purpose. Gaps included limited preparatory micro-teaching opportunities and weak relationships across teaching practicum stakeholders. We conclude with suggested steps to improve teacher preparation in Zambia
Editors’ Introduction: Engaging ECE in times of chaos and authoritarianism
Full text linkEditorial for volume 12 (2025), issue
The Moral Politics of Authoritarian Practice in a Post-Truth era
No full textThis study examines the ideological reshaping of early childhood education standards, focusing on how the concept of family is constructed and governed within state social studies curricula. Critical discourse analysis within a case study methodology reveals how official knowledge is strategically reordered to serve emerging authoritarian nationalist agendas fused with neoliberal managerial logics. This process narrows discursive possibilities, enforcing a moral and social order that restricts pluralism and critical inquiry. The study highlights education’s role as a contested site where competing visions of identity, knowledge, and democracy are materially enacted and politically contested
Holistic Multilingual Early Learning: Lessons From Families, Educators, and Administrators in a Preschool Program
Full text linkThe Reggio Emilia approach, including the concept of the hundred languages that children use, offers expansive opportunities for affirming and sustaining the multilingual identities of young children (Fyfe et al., 2023). This paper counters the authoritarian culture of power (Delpit, 1988) in schooling that privileges monolingual, monomodal English as superior and dominant. We examine the intersections of multilingualism and a Reggio Emilia approach in the early childhood context. We draw on data from a study with a public, Reggio-inspired preschool dual language program in a large Midwest city in the US, created and operated in close collaboration amongst administrators, families, teachers, and staff. Through individual interviews and focus groups, families, educators, and administrators shared their perspectives on the history and the current implementation of the program’s curricula, the program structures that sustain the quality of the educators and staff, the impact on children’s development and learning, and the contributions of families and community. We analyze bilingual identity development for young children and their families in the context of dual language schooling, as well as the necessity of uplifting and amplifying multilingualism within foundation pedagogical approaches like Reggio. Finally, we identify ways that multilingual pedagogies, including but not limited to translanguaging and translanguaging universal design for learning (TrUDL) (Cioè-Peña, 2022), are inextricably linked with other seminal approaches to early learning, rather than an afterthought or appendage that must be squeezed into preexisting learning structures
A Corpus-based Study of the Conceptualizations of Childhood in the Iranian Culture and their Implications for Early Childhood Education
Full text linkThis study investigates the conceptualizations of childhood in the Iranian culture through a linguistic analysis of three Persian lexical items for a child (bache, kudak, tefl) and their implications for Early Childhood Education (ECE). Employing a corpus-based approach supplemented with ethnographic insights, the study investigates how the Persian speaking members of the Iranian culture understand childhood as a cognitive cultural concept. The findings highlight a divergence between traditional and modern conceptualizations of children, where a traditional, socially determined, non-chronological definition coexists with an age-based definition. It is shown that the concept of ‘evil’ child as understood in Western societies is absent in the Iranian culture. Diverse cultural conceptualizations of childhood are identified, including children as a source of joy, playful and mischievous, innocent and vulnerable, naïve and simple-minded, compliant subordinates and, in some cases, out-of-control beings, who also attempt to negotiate their agency. The study highlights the heterogeneity of Iranians’ conceptualizations of childhood that are shaped by ongoing negotiations between tradition and modernity. This heterogeneity has direct and vicarious implications for ECE, which highlight both the role of parents and educators in dealing with children and educational materials
The dominance of the English language as a challenge for the field of Early Childhood Education and Care
Full text linkMás Que Palabras [More Than Words]: Chaos, Discourse, and Praxis in Ecuador’s Early Childhood Policy
No full textThe Ecuadorian government’s lackluster implementation of its Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) policies merits further scrutiny. Seeking to catalyze change, we explored the discourse surrounding ECEC in Ecuador, as represented in government (n = 22) and media documents (n = 110) as well as social media posts (n = 253) to unveil incongruencies between policy and reality. Utilizing Critical Policy Analysis and an ecological lens, our semiotic discourse analysis study uncovered promising ECEC conceptualizations, contrasting the dissonances between propaganda and implemented policy. In a country shaped by political chaos, ecological warfare, and narco-violence, ECEC is not immune to these forces, as reflected by policymakers’ stances and implementations. Findings and recommendations are provided to guide future policies
Exploring Shadows: Letter Writing as a Pathway to Counter Authoritarianism in Education?
No full textOur society is influenced by neoliberalism and new public management, and the education system is no exception. Students are navigating a system characterized by market fundamentalism, resulting in the prevalence of standards-based educational policies and an intense focus on assessments and quality measures, making higher education more of an assembly line. As a response to the acceleration in society, which can cause alienation, this article is inspired by Rosa (2022) ideas of resonance and Biestas\u27s (2021) work on subjectivity in education. Our response is based on a search for the students\u27 experiences by looking in the shadows for hidden perspectives guided by the following question, What moves in the shadows of teaching among students, and how can letter writing contribute to counteracting authoritarian structures and conventional discourses in higher education? We have used letter writing as an approach to uncover tacit thoughts and meanings from the students, aiming to provide an opportunity for developing a context and path for uncovering insights and make room for the students\u27 dialogue with the world, subjectification as well as empowering the students to fight authoritarianism partly by raising awareness of resonance as one way to counter neoliberalism in our education and society