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.