In late 2003–early 2004, NZCER researchers surveyed early childhood services around the country, talking to parents, managers, and teachers about all aspects of what was being provided.
In late 2003/early 2004 NZCER researchers surveyed early childhood services around the country talking to parents, managers and teachers about all aspects of what was being provided.
We were able to survey about 15 percent of the sector - weighted to get a representative sample of each type of service - and we got at least one questionnaire back from 60 percent of the centres we contacted. Thank you to everyone in kindergartens, education and care centres, hospital and home-based services and playcentres who took part.
The report is part of an on-going national survey series that NZCER has run across the education sector since 1989, and our first on early childhood education. It is a very broad-based piece of research with data on all services with the exception of kohanga reo. We will use the data as a baseline to monitor a wide range of issues across the sector and we begin our second survey later this year.
Here's our report back to you on some of the key findings.
THE MOOD
•We had great feedback from parents - 93 percent were unreservedly happy with the centre their child attended.
•Teacher morale was high - higher than in the primary and secondary schools. But teacher turnover was high and that needs further investigation.
FREE 20 HOURS
We conducted the survey before the policy was adopted but we asked parents what they thought about the idea. We found:
•strong support for the idea of a free, universal entitlement, rather than one targeted at low-income families, for at least two years before school starting age.
•20 percent of parents would increase their child's use of early childhood services if there was a free entitlement
•Thirty percent would change what they did while their child was at a centre, mainly by starting or increasing hours of paid employment or taking up a training course.
RATIOS
•over half of all services operated at above the regulated adult:child ratios. Most were playcentres and education and care centres.
•80 percent of centres with children under 2 reported their ratios were better than required by regulation.
•About 20 percent of education and care and home-based managers, and some playcentres wanted more places for under-twos, suggesting continued pressure on provision of care for this group.
KEY FINDINGS
TEACHER EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND MORALE
•high teacher turnover: 22 percent of centres had one leave during the previous year, 14 percent had two and another 14 percent had three or more leave. Kindergartens were more stable.
•In the education and care part of the sector 123 community-based teachers and 68 in private centres responded to questions about conditions. Teachers in the private sector had significantly less non-contact time, less frequent staff meetings and poorer annual leave entitlements than colleagues in community-based centres.
•a third of teachers said their workload was fine, 21 percent described it as excessive. Kindergarten teachers were more likely to see it as excessive.
•Kindergarten teachers and playcentre educators were more likely to say they felt consistently part of a decision-making team
VOLUNTEERS
•Community-based services are supported by high levels of parent volunteering. Some committee members reported working more than 15 hours a fortnight.
•a substantial minority of playcentre participants thought their volunteer workload was too great. It was seen as contributing to difficulties in recruiting parents.
•parents reported enjoyment, companionship and a sense of belonging from volunteering.
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
•Just over half the teachers were involving parents and children in making decisions about the education programme.
•in most services, at least a little te reo Maari is spoken every day
•insufficient time was the main barrier to assessing, planning and evaluation.
Senior researcher Linda Mitchell writes...
I'm looking forward to beginning our second survey later this year, to build on the baseline data we gathered the first time round. There've been so many changes in the sector since then, as the strategic plan has rolled out, and the introduction of 20 free hours heralds another phase. The second survey will enable NZCER to get a really clear picture of the impact of funding and regulatory changes, and to keep a close eye on ratios, teacher qualifications, employment conditions and the like.
As you see above, there were many positive findings in the first survey, in particular the satisfaction levels among parents and the high morale of teachers. One thing that did strike us was the relative lack of connection and collaboration between different types of early childhood service. We tend to have silos -kindergarten teachers might rarely get to meet the teachers at the education and care centre up the road, who in turn might have nothing to do with the local playcentre. And when transitioning children to school, staff find it difficult to establish professional connections with teachers, especially when the children are heading to a number of different schools. There's so much to be gained from better relationships, and from a closer community involvement in planning for the services that are needed now and in the future. We're somewhat stuck in the models that have been around for ages. I think it's time to ask some challenging questions about what sort of services will best suit the needs of parents in the future. We hope our survey series will contribute to the debate.
TOP TITLE FROM NZCER PRESS
Observation: Origins and Approaches to Early Childhood Research and Practice
Valerie N. Podmore
Observation: Origins and Approaches to Early Childhood Research and Practice provides a comprehensive overview of the history of observation in early childhood education; a range of practical techniques, both qualitative and quantitative for practitioners; and a section, mainly for researchers, on ethics and also recording, analysing, and reporting observational data. It is rich in examples and draws on a variety of New Zealand studies to illustrate different approaches. These range from time sampling, category observations, and rating scales to running records, ethnography, Learning Stories, and Teaching Stories.
This book illustrates how observations in early childhood settings can contribute to providing high-quality education. Systematic observation, using sociocultural approaches can help teachers: understand children's strengths and interests; participate sensitively in their learning; link theory with practice and critique theoretical ideas; connect closely with Te Wh?riki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum; evaluate their teaching practice; understand aspects of children's worlds; and practise more inclusive strategies for a diverse range of learners.
The author has provided a stimulating array of ideas about observation and it benefits. Any practitioner or researcher using this book will find much to enhance their professional practice.
Valerie Podmore is an associate professor in the School of Education Studies at Victoria University College of Education in Wellington. She has been actively involved in co-ordinating observational research projects in early childhood education settings for many years.
| NZCER 2006 | ISBN 978-1-877398-13-1 | Price: $29.70 |
