Journal of Childhood, Education & Society (JCES)
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The post-earthquake pedagogical implementations of the earthquake victim pre-school teachers
Full text linkThe main aim of this study is to investigate the pedagogical approaches of earthquake-affected teachers after the earthquake that caused great destruction and loss of life in Kahramanmaras on the February 6. Teachers have crucial roles in revitalising education settings in the post-disaster phase. Based on this point, this study was organised as a qualitative research within the case study. Thirty participant teachers were selected from schools in the areas affected by the deadly earthquake in Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis. Semi-structured interviews were employed to gather data, and a descriptive content analysis method was used to analyse the data. The findings were explained through five main themes: activities pre-earthquake, the changes made in the educational settings, indoor activities in post-earthquake, outdoor activities in post-earthquake, and children and teachers\u27 attitudes towards activities in post-earthquake. The teachers placed importance on outdoor activities after the earthquake and stated that they fully understand what children experienced; therefore, they behave more considerately when compared to before and after the earthquake. This research aimed to help shape policies and professional development programmes that equip educators to address post-disaster education challenges
Critical reflections on care and dyadic relationships in a toddler group
Full text linkAuthors explore role and status of care in a toddler classroom and ways dyadic relationships between children and their educator mirror care processes. Specifically, they investigated the care, and the characteristics of the dyadic relationships established by the educators with the children, with the aim to understand the values of care being played out in the practices that sustained them and their role in the development of the children\u27s emancipation, here understood as the process of growing in autonomy and power over their lives. The case study was conducted in a class of children aged two to three years old. Class was part of a nursery school located in the Greek municipality of Ioannina. Data was collected through non-participant observation, using field notes. Results have revealed that care experiences offered by early childhood educators to toddlers represent important contexts for children´s early affective and autonomy development. Educators become a figure of subsidiary secure attachment, particularly during stressful situations and these care experiences. The dyads established between the child and the educator in care situations strengthen safe attachments if the adult respects the children´s bodies, rhythms, necessities, and interests. These safe relationships benefit all children, including those who experience social problems at home. Children could develop negative expectations and fear about interpersonal relationships and conflictive behaviors of all kinds if established relationships with them are hostile. Results indicate that secure attachments are formed only when educators empower children. In that sense, results highlight that education and care are strongly interrelated
Creating innovative Canadian approaches to anti-racism in early childhood: Transformative practices for addressing and disrupting racism
Full text linkCanada projects itself as a land of opportunity, embracing inclusivity and multiculturalism in both education and broader societal discourse. However, this ideological framework obscures the realities of race and institutional racism, failing to address persistent inequities experienced by Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities, including immigrants and refugees. In early childhood education, dominant discourses of diversity and color blindness reinforce the notion that young children are racially innocent and unaffected by race. Yet, reconceptualist early childhood scholars demonstrate that by ages three to four, children develop racial awareness, identification, and attitudes, positioning themselves within racial hierarchies. This recognition underscores the enduring and systemic nature of racism embedded in both formal and informal educational settings. This paper explores innovative anti-racist educational approaches that extend beyond individual and interpersonal racism to challenge structural and systemic inequities within educational institutions. Centering marginalized critical theories, including Indigenous epistemologies, Critical Race Theory, and critical pedagogy, frameworks often overlooked in mainstream early childhood education, we highlight transformative pedagogies and practices that disrupt racism and advance equity in diverse educational contexts
Operationalizing radical hope: Broadening whole-child approaches to restructure the whole system
Full text linkAlthough a “holistic” tenet of equitable early childhood education and care, focusing on the whole-child overlooks how systems maintain inequality. Predicated on individual-level interventions, the whole-child approach prioritizes “fixing” children, but not the oppressive systems that contextualize children’s realities. This paper describes historic and ongoing oppressive reasoning that guide educational theory and developmental science. Relatedly, cultural knowledge embedded in the Afro-centric, Ghanaian principles of Sankofa guide our looking back to identify the etiology of asymmetric power relations that characterize formal education systems, which helps redirect how we move forward to rectify unjust systems starting at personal and social levels
A longitudinal case study of a preschool-age child’s acquisition of writing
Full text linkThis article refers to a longitudinal case study, the main aim of which was to depict the development of the writing skills of a child from a high social class background, called Andreas, during the phase of his emergent/early literacy. The writings Andreas produced during literacy events that took place in his family environment from his birth until his entrance in primary school were assessed using the child’s intended purpose and text characteristics as the main axes, while a series of supplementary data was also examined. The results of the in-depth analysis of the written productions provided a satisfactory outline of the process for Andreas’ acquisition of the writing code as this developed over time, and they also brought to light the reasons that prompted him to write
Factors affecting first-grade pupils\u27 physical activity during the school day: A pilot study
Full text linkPhysical activity is essential for the healthy development of children, yet many do not achieve the recommended levels. This study investigates the influence of school environments and educational practices on pupils\u27 PA during the school day, emphasizing the importance of supportive school conditions and structured activities. This pilot study involved 43 children from three primary schools in the Olomouc region of the Czech Republic. PA was measured using digital pedometers. Data on school conditions and family lifestyle were collected via two questionnaires. The analysis employed variance inflation factor analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), multiple linear regression, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient to identify key predictors of PA. The results show that the most influential factors on PA were passive conditions of the school environment, particularly school size and access to sports facilities. Active conditions, such as organized PA breaks and outdoor learning, also had a positive effect on PA levels. However, family lifestyle did not show a significant direct impact on school-day PA. The findings underscore the crucial role of school environments and educational practice in maintaining children\u27s PA. There is a significant need for policies and initiatives that promote active school environments. Schools should implement comprehensive PA programs to support children’s overall health and well-being
What white people did next: Insights on building an anti-racist early years forum
Full text linkThis collaboratively written paper explores the formation and purpose of the Bristol Early Years Forum for Anti-Racist Practice, a grassroots initiative led by early years educators in the UK. Through collaborative autoethnography, the authors reflect on their motivations, positionalities, and the tensions involved in leading anti-racist work within a predominantly white profession. Drawing on Critical Race Theory, racial literacy, and Emma Dabiri’s (2021) framing of coalition over allyship, the paper interrogates the limitations of racial liberalism and developmentalist thinking in early childhood education. It argues for the political urgency of anti-racist practice in the early years and examines how white educators might engage in more meaningful ways. This paper contributes to the limited body of literature on white educators\u27 roles in anti-racism and offers insight into the transformative potential of community-based professional development
Centering Black women’s voices to advance anti-racist pedagogy and pro-Black approaches in early childhood settings
Full text linkDespite calls for anti-racist and pro-Black pedagogy in early childhood settings within Canada, such approaches generally remain absent, and many past efforts have been erased or. Colorblind approaches continue to persist in early childhood care settings. This kind of systemic racism may be linked with the overrepresentation of Black (and Indigenous) children in the child welfare system. To date, few studies have investigated the possible mediating role of early childhood educators. Early childhood educators have the potential to serve as mandated reporters, and this article draws from Black feminist thought, Black critical theory (BlackCrit) and pro-Black pedagogies to explore how Black early childhood educators in Toronto, Canada can challenge anti-Black racism in childcare settings. Using these frameworks, the article aims to explore the resistance strategies of Black early childhood educators and specific ways they use their knowledge to resist anti-Black racism and enact pro-Black pedagogies. Nine semi-structured interviews yielded four key themes: (1) teachable moments to challenge anti-Black racism and advance anti-racism; (2) pro-Black approaches as liberatory pedagogical practice; (3) othermothering principles and community leadership to challenge oppression; and (4) resistance practices among Black early childhood educators. The findings revealed how Black early childhood educators affirm Black children\u27s humanity and center Black ways of knowing while disrupting anti-Black racism toward themselves and the children and families they support
Assessing social studies competencies of 5-year-olds across different early childhood education programs in Slovenia
Full text linkThe main objective of the research was to analyse the differences in children\u27s competencies in social studies among the various kindergarten programs in Slovenia. The assessment of competencies of five-year-old children enrolled in full-day, half-day, and shorter (240-hour) early childhood education programs were compared. The study included teachers’ assessments of 955 five-year-old children, with a balanced distribution by gender and homogeneous age group, with a special focus on evaluating children\u27s competencies in shorter programs. The results regarding the differences at the beginning and end of the shorter programs for the social studies competencies show statistically significant improvements in competencies, even though the duration of the program is only 240 hours. Comparisons between programs revealed significant differences on all items for the social studies between children in shorter programs and those in full-day or half-day programs, with children in shorter programs scoring lower compared to children in full-day or half-day programs. No significant differences in social studies competencies were found between children in full-day and half-day programs. The study results are crucial for developing teaching and learning strategies in early childhood education as they highlight the need for an approach that considers both the quality and duration of early childhood education programs
Reimagining professional identity: Early childhood educators amid California policy shifts
Full text linkEarly Childhood Education is undergoing structural transformation in California with the expansion of Universal Transitional Kindergarten and the PK-3 Early Childhood Eduction Specialist Credential. While these policies aim to professionalize the field, they risk reinforcing historical inequities by prioritizing TK-12 centric credentialing over community-rooted expertise. This study explores how ECE practitioners navigate, resist, and reimagine their professional identities amid these systemic shifts. Grounded in Critical Feminist Theory and conceptualized through Intersectionality and Community Cultural Wealth, this research employs Critical Phenomenology Research to illuminate the lived experiences of ECE practitioners with specialized early childhood expertise. Findings reveal three key themes: (1) Reclaiming Professional Identity, (2) Resisting Systemic Marginalization, and (3) Envisioning Transformative Leadership. The study calls for equity-driven professionalization, advocating for credentialing pathways that affirm lived experience and community-based knowledge, contributing to critical dialogues on workforce equity, educational sovereignty, and the future of early learnin