This qualitative study examined distributed leadership enactment within Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens in Aotearoa New Zealand, exploring effective practices, systems, and processes. Drawing on perspectives from teachers, positional leaders, and chief executives, findings revealed that intentional, values-based, supportive structures alongside clearly communicated leadership expectations enable effective distributed leadership. The article offers ...

The notion of children's working theories is an overarching outcome of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa New Zealand's early childhood curriculum. Growing research examines children’s working theories and teacher support strategies. This article draws on doctoral research to present the spiral of working theory development model, providing a framework for understanding working ...

Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi) was born on 21 March 1929 in Wharekahika, East Coast, the daughter of Matenga Matuakore Thatcher and Winirangi Albert (nee Chelsey), and recently passed on 1 February 2025. This article chronicles four decades of dedicated struggle and visionary leadership in Dame ...

Children’s inquiry is an approach where tamariki explore and research their own questions and curiosities over sustained periods of time with the support of their kaiako. This article explores findings from research examining how this approach has been interpreted and enacted by early childhood kaiako in Aotearoa New Zealand. The ...

Kaiako in Aotearoa New Zealand inquire into innovative practice in meaningful ways. This mixed-methods study explored the use of curriculum innovation and key factors that shape kaiako self-belief, relationships, and teaching contexts. Phase 1 utilised a national quantitative survey of early childhood education (ECE) kaiako from a range of teacher-led ...

This article explores the intricate connections between identity and place in early childhood education with refugee and immigrant children and their families, by focusing on the work of five early childhood settings. The article foregrounds the development of an online resource, that provides illustrative examples from the early childhood settings ...

This article is one component of a doctoral study that explored six early childhood teachers’ experiences of working with culturally diverse refugee children and their families in an urban district of New Zealand. Specifically, this article focuses on how teachers supported the transition of refugee children from home to centres ...

This article endeavours to inform early childhood education teachers about the issue of poverty. It draws on a body of literature to argue for the critical importance of teachers being reflective and reflexive in relation to children and families who face economic disadvantage. Furthermore, it contends that unless teachers are ...

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic rapidly impacted the education sector both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. Most research has focused on the impacts within the primary, secondary, and tertiary education sectors. This article brings attention to the challenges faced by early learning kaiako while providing learning opportunities during lockdowns. It ...