THE QUALITY OF EARLY childhood education has dominated current debates in the ways educators develop and implement learning programs for children yet conceptions of quality vary contextually and culturally. This qualitative case study explored the insider perspectives of six early childhood educators in Sapporo, Japan regarding their conceptions of the quality of early childhood education. Analysis of the data collected through interviews indicated that the most important factor the educators consider when programming for quality learning in early childhood is 'happiness'. The conception of happiness expressed by the educators emanated from the philosophical thinking of three Japanese philosophers namely, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda. These thinkers argued that for education to be meaningful and serve society, happiness must form the fundamental principle of all learning programs. In this paper we argue that, by framing the quality of early childhood education in happiness, educators and children can engage deeply with learning that has the potential to influence the whole child and their full participation in society.
Numerous research has shown that quality of interactions between early childhood teachers and children contribute significantly to children's holistic development. Most literature on this topic comes from developed/Western countries and little is known about the kind of interactions occurring within the Soka kindergarten model. This article, based on a qualitative multi-site case study, explores the insider perspectives of 12 Soka early childhood educators based in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Of interest was how Soka values and beliefs influence educators' relationships and interactions with young children. Postmodern ideas of discourse, power and knowledge framed the analysis. Findings indicate four components: humanism, respect, compassion and unlimited potential are major philosophical factors influencing positive relationships between teachers and children. The results suggest greater research into humanist perspectives, and how this can be utilised to benefit teachers and children, may be warranted.
The relationship between quality early childhood programs and transition services in inclusive education for young children has not received the needed attention in current literature. School transition services are important for all children but pose potential challenges for many young children with special needs. By connecting and integrating quality and inclusive education into transition programs, all children entering the school environment can have a positive experience. This paper discusses the significance and application of quality transition services within inclusive education and highlights four interactive components; relationships, wellbeing, involvement and an active learning environment. Various factors in the development of a quality early childhood inclusion program are also discussed. The paper concludes with some recommendations of how a quality inclusive transition can support children entering school happily and successfully.
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