Family and Community
Within Early Childhood Education
By Roseanne Pickering – EPS 6922 – 2011
Importance of FamilyUNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Commitment
Support
Fun & Excitement
Routines
Secure
Belonging Strength
TOGETHERNESS
Sharingand Caring
Helping hands
Contributing
Safe Environment
Happiness
Importance of Family ContributionIn the Early Years
Love Foster Development Set Routines Behavioural Expectations
Foundational Learning Culture BeliefsWell-beingSocial Skills
Influencing Children’s Learning and Development
Importance of Including Family and Community
within the Early Childhood Centre
Culture
Belonging
Contribution
Learning opportunities
Empowerment
Support Inclusion
Making connection
Communication
Awareness
Social Connections
Relationship
Biblical Perspective of the Value and Role of Family in ECE
Love
Honour and Obeying Fruits of the SpiritChildren As A Gift
Seeking
Working Together
Two Are Better Than One
Blessed Heritage
Worship in GenerationsEncourage
Boundaries
Philosophy of Túrangawaewea• Tauranga (Standing Place) Waewae (Feet)
Translated as ‘a place to stand’. • A place where “we feel especially empowered and
connected...our foundation, our place in the world, our home.” (Kirkwood, 2000)
• Te Whaariki: “Children and their families feel a sense of belonging...[They] experience an environment where:connecting links with the family and wider world are affirmed and extended; they know they they have a place” (MOE, 1669)
Influence of Family and The Local CommunityWithin the ECE Setting
• Te Whaariki – knowledge about the features of the area of physical/spiritual significance of the local community. (MOE, 1669)
• Influences on the different cultures and customs that may be played out within the day to day running of a center.
• Influence of curriculum topics studied. *Opportunity to learn customs, language,
foods, games, arts including dance and song.
Reference List:• Amituanai-Toloa, M. (2009) Sao fa’alalelei: “Before you were born I knew you” – Respecting the born
and unborn. The First Years: Nga Tau Tuatahi. New Zealand Journal for Infants amd Toddler Education, 11(2), 5-8.
• Green, A. J. (2001). Collaborative communication for parent partnership. Christian Early Education, 2(1), 9-12.
• Ministry of Education. (2006). Te Whaariki: He Whaariki maatauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media
• Okagaki, L., & Diamond, K. E. (2000). Responding to culture and linguistic differences in the beliefs and practices of families with young children. Young Children, May, 74-80.
• Simmons, H., Schimanski, L., McGarva, P., Haworth, P., & Cullen, J. (2007). A bilingual interculture setting – what have we discovered? In A, Maede (Ed.), Cresting the waves: Innovation in early childhood education (pp. 36-70).Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Council for Education Reasearch.
• White, J., & Miller, D. (2006). Using the Knowledge base about family and community influences on child outcome. New Zealand Journal of Teacher’ Work, 3(2), 66-79.