Te Whariki, the first bicultural early childhood education curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, gained national and international attention. While there was widespread acceptance of its bicultural intent, Te Whariki was not well understood and implemented as a bicultural curriculum. Early childhood education teachers lacked confidence and struggled…

As an Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa NZ) realm nation, Tokelau people are part of the diverse Pasifika fabric that represents Pacific immigrants in this settler-colonial nation. Despite Tokelau's contentious geo-political history and climate vulnerability in Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, this paper briefly provides some of my inspirations and motivations as…

In response to growing attention to young children's citizenship, and recent calls for critique of Western discourses and practices, we explore the movement of Western 'pioneering' pedagogies of early childhood education (ECE) and their localisation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Employing a poststructural positioning, and theoretical devices drawn from…

Early childhood scholars in New Zealand have long lamented a rising dominance of neoliberalism. Correspondingly they suggest that there has been a lessening of socialist ideals and principles of Te Ao Maori after years of a right-wing government. With the 'refresh' of New Zealand's national early childhood curriculum, "Te Whariki" under…

A study tour of early childhood education (ECE) programs in Aotearoa New Zealand offered a rich opportunity to explore the implementation of "Te Whariki," the national ECE curriculum. This article describes three central aspects of the "Te Whariki" approach that have garnered international admiration as a model for ECE: the…

In this article, we examine how teachers in two kindergartens, one in New Zealand and one in China, used the stimulus of a fictional story combining mythical creatures from Maori and Chinese culture to enhance young children's sense of place and cultural identity. Sociocultural understandings about the role of collaboration and cultural tools in…

Early childhood practice in Aotearoa New Zealand is guided by "Te Whariki," a curriculum which is rich in moral concepts. While there are opportunities for early childhood educators in Aotearoa New Zealand to reflect upon moral concepts in their educational settings, it is the position of this paper that critical engagement with these…

Being Indigenous and operating in an institution such as a university places us in a complex position. The premise of decolonizing history, literature, curriculum, and thought in general creates a tenuous space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to confront a shared colonial condition. What does decolonization mean for Indigenous peoples?…

Evidence of the short- and long- term benefits of Pre-K is so compelling that K-12 districts, state education departments, and even federal officials have considered offering universal Pre-K at no cost to children and families. In Chicago, a plan published in March 2019 aimed to provide free Pre-K for all Chicago four-year-olds, regardless of…

The early years before compulsory schooling are crucial for children's identities, including their cultural identities. This article reports on a community-collaborative educational program that aimed to promote children's positive Samoan identities in a culturally safe environment. Data were collected through ethnographic methods, including…

Miss Isabel Little was a Scottish infant teacher who immigrated to New Zealand in 1912. She was described as a "Froebel trained Scot from Edinburgh" and known around Wellington education circles for her "modern methods". In contrast to known Froebelian pioneers, Miss Little's historical footprint is light but the few glimpses…

Museum visits can offer rich learning environments for preschool children. In potentiating learning environments, power is shared between adults and children as children and teachers co-construct understanding. Such learning environments also maximise opportunities for dialogue between adults, children and their peers. Drawing on the findings from…

Ear infection or otitis media (OM) occurs in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at a young age and tends to persist over a long period of time. Chronic OM is associated with conductive hearing loss that reduces a child's access to sounds. This can have a negative impact on development of listening and communication skills. Primary…

Using the Pacific metaphor of the vaka, va'a, waka [canoe] this review considers the journey of Pasifika early childhood education (ECE) in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past decade. The discussion covers three major areas within the Pasifika sector: the need to celebrate the strong heritage and resilience of Pacific early childhood educators and…

This article emphasises some of the shifts highlighted by the Ministry of Education in the refreshed "Te Whariki: He Whariki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa--Early Childhood Curriculum" (Ministry of Education, 2017) ("Te Whariki 2017"). Some of those shifts include the ideas of "Te Whariki 2017" being a…