Child Observation as Teachers' Work in Contemporary Australian Early Childhood Programmes L'Observation des Enfant en Tant que Tache de l'Enseignant dans les Programmes Contemporains d'Enseignement Prescolaire en Australie Observacion Infantil como Trabajo Docente en Programas Comtrmporaneos Preescolares Australianos

Grieshaber, Susan; Halliwell, Gail; Hatch, J. Amos; Walsh, Kerryann

doi:10.1080/096697600111734

Cited by 14 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 9 publications

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“…An Australian study undertaken in Queensland (Grieshaber et al, 2000;Hatch & Grieshaber, 2002), found that increasing levels of accountability in the regulatory environment pressured the participating teachers to use child observations as an assessment tool for external audiences, rather than as a tool to inform curriculum decision making within the classroom. This study highlights the need to investigate the unintended and potentially adverse impact of regulatory requirements on teachers and their practice.…”

Section: International and Australian Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voices from the other Side of the Fence: Early Childhood Teachers' Experiences with Mandatory Regulatory Requirements

Bown

Sumsion

2007

Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood

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Guided by feminist research principles, the study reported in this article contributes to the growing research dialogue on early childhood teachers' experiences with, and perceptions of, the impact of regulatory requirements on their teaching and on their perceptions of themselves as professionals. Specifically, three teachers from metropolitan Sydney (Australia) offered insights into their experiences working under the state of New South Wales (NSW) Children's Services Regulation 2004 ('the Regulation'), a mandatory Regulation applicable to all children's services in NSW. Three early childhood teachers participated in research conversations and a visual/textual enquiry process, which involved teachers collecting, developing and constructing seven panels using photography, artefacts, text and visual art media, to represent their 'sense of place' in their work environment in light of the impact of the Regulation. Themes emerging from the data were identified and considered in light of the regulatory intent for children's services, and possible unintended adverse consequences for teachers. The themes include regulatory tension, mistrust, surveillance, sacrifice, resistance, compliance, relationships, interpretation and ambiguity, and the stifling of an educational focus. The findings suggest that early childhood teachers may operate behind a metaphorical regulatory 'fence', which contributes to their perceptions of safety but impinges on their professional freedom, integrity and passion for teaching. Clause 45 (1) Any part of the premises of a children's service that is designated for outdoor play space must be fenced on all sides. (2) The design and height of any fence or gate on the premises must prevent children from scaling or crawling under or through it and must inhibit or impede intruders from entering the premises … (4) ... All gates leading to or from the premises of a children's service must be designed so as to prevent children from entering or leaving the premises unsupervised. (Extract from the Children's Services Regulation, 2004 [Parliamentary Council NSW, 2004, Clause 45]) Fences Six feet in height four inches wide Teachers' Experiences with Mandatory Regulatory Requirements 31 dog-eared on top wood pickets line my yard. Three stories high thirteen rooms each gables on top twelve houses line my block. Seven miles wide fifteen miles long trains running through black pavement lines my town. Wide open space umbrella sky antelope graze barbed wire lines the range. One day, I swear, I'll take myself out to a place where nothing lines the world.

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Section: International and Australian Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%