Children are gifts and our future. The child is considered tapu and represents the atua and the tipuna. This concept of the child being special requires that the child be treated with great consideration. One important consideration that needs to be look upon is the quality of education and care they receive during their early years. The early years are the most crucial years for child development (Caroll-Lind & Angus, 2011). The increasing number of mothers joining the labour force, emerging understanding on the benefits of early childhood participation and the move to promote social equity among children of diverse backgrounds are some of the reasons for the growing need to provide quality early childhood curriculum for the youngest members
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It is complex and values-based (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003; Farquhar, 2012). It is also seen as the essential components of early childhood environments which supports the well-being, rights and development of the children which are valued by the society and supportive of their whanau functioning (Smith, Grima, Gaffney, Powell, 2000). The complexity of quality definition can be viewed using global and cultural contexts beyond the local environment. (Smith, & May, 2006). Quality has five dimensions namely; experiences and outcomes for children (belonging, well-being,contribution,involvement and achievement) experiences of parents and whanau (well-being, belonging, involvement, accessibility and affordability), interactions between all stakeholders and the wider community, structural conditions, system evaluation,monitoring and quality improvement (Urban, Vandenbroeck,Van Laere, Lazzari, & Peeters, 2012). Best practice is an evolving process where stakeholders and participants provide and maintain services of perceived highest quality (Goodfellow, 2001). Quality is transitory and ever changing (Bryson and Thompson,1998 as cited in Goodfellow 2001), multidimensional (Ebbeck & Wainiganayake, 2003) and a continuous process (Urban et al, …show more content…
staff training, education and experience, materials, equipment and schedules, (Smith & May, 2006; Cassidy, Hestenes, Hansen, Hegde, Shim, & Hestenes, 2005), process quality, those that children experiences like teacher-child, child to child , group interactions that requires human interaction (Smith & May, 2006; Cassidy, et al. 2005) and global ( teaching practices that foster children’s growth and learning (Ceglowski, 2004, Katz, 2003). Education Review Office (2009, p.3) identified nine key aspects of early childhood practice that promotes quality. These components are leadership, philosophy, vision, relationships and interactions, teaching and learning, assessment and planning, professional learning, qualifications and support, self-review and management. As a regulating body, it defines quality on a broader sense and represents the government’s role as key player in quality control and assurance (Smith, & May, 2006). This perspective defines quality in ECE through compliance with standards and regulations indicated in ECE Regulations and Licensing Criteria of 2008 covering adult and child ratio, staff qualification requirements, health and safety provisions, inclusion and diversity, underpinning the goals of Te Whariki on children’s health and wellbeing and diversity (Ministry of
It is complex and values-based (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003; Farquhar, 2012). It is also seen as the essential components of early childhood environments which supports the well-being, rights and development of the children which are valued by the society and supportive of their whanau functioning (Smith, Grima, Gaffney, Powell, 2000). The complexity of quality definition can be viewed using global and cultural contexts beyond the local environment. (Smith, & May, 2006). Quality has five dimensions namely; experiences and outcomes for children (belonging, well-being,contribution,involvement and achievement) experiences of parents and whanau (well-being, belonging, involvement, accessibility and affordability), interactions between all stakeholders and the wider community, structural conditions, system evaluation,monitoring and quality improvement (Urban, Vandenbroeck,Van Laere, Lazzari, & Peeters, 2012). Best practice is an evolving process where stakeholders and participants provide and maintain services of perceived highest quality (Goodfellow, 2001). Quality is transitory and ever changing (Bryson and Thompson,1998 as cited in Goodfellow 2001), multidimensional (Ebbeck & Wainiganayake, 2003) and a continuous process (Urban et al, …show more content…
staff training, education and experience, materials, equipment and schedules, (Smith & May, 2006; Cassidy, Hestenes, Hansen, Hegde, Shim, & Hestenes, 2005), process quality, those that children experiences like teacher-child, child to child , group interactions that requires human interaction (Smith & May, 2006; Cassidy, et al. 2005) and global ( teaching practices that foster children’s growth and learning (Ceglowski, 2004, Katz, 2003). Education Review Office (2009, p.3) identified nine key aspects of early childhood practice that promotes quality. These components are leadership, philosophy, vision, relationships and interactions, teaching and learning, assessment and planning, professional learning, qualifications and support, self-review and management. As a regulating body, it defines quality on a broader sense and represents the government’s role as key player in quality control and assurance (Smith, & May, 2006). This perspective defines quality in ECE through compliance with standards and regulations indicated in ECE Regulations and Licensing Criteria of 2008 covering adult and child ratio, staff qualification requirements, health and safety provisions, inclusion and diversity, underpinning the goals of Te Whariki on children’s health and wellbeing and diversity (Ministry of