Family and Community Within Early Childhood Education By

Family and Community Within Early Childhood Education By Roseanne Pickering – EPS 6922 – 2011

Importance of Family Safe Environment UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Sharing and Caring Belonging Strength Support Secure Commitment Contributing Routines Helping hands Happiness TOGETHERNESS Fun & Excitement

Importance of Family Contribution In the Early Years Love Foster Development Foundational Learning Culture Set Routines Social Skills Behavioural Expectations Well-being Influencing Children’s Learning and Development Beliefs

Importance of Including Family and Community within the Early Childhood Centre Contribution Culture Belonging Social Connections Communication Empowerment Support Learning opportunities Relationship Inclusion Awareness Making connection

Biblical Perspective of the Value and Role of Family in ECE Encourage Worship in Generations Seeking Blessed Heritage Working Together Two Are Better Than One Love Children As A Gift Boundaries Honour and Obeying Fruits of the Spirit

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 have a place” (MOE, 1669)

Influence of Family and The Local Community Within 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 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. , Mc. Garva, 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.