“I want to be a great leader:”

Professional Identity and Advocacy in Australian Early

Childhood Education

TodayDefining early childhood Literature reviewMethodologyResults and discussionImplicationsRefreshments!

What is early childhood/education?

a chronological age/developmental stage;

a philosophical approach;a pedagogical term;a political ideology? (Hayden, 2000)

There are differences in:

receptivity to different approaches/beliefs;

openness to challenge and change;

the capacity to reflect critically and confidently about beliefs and practices.

The aims of the project were to: explore and examine the concept of

an early childhood professional identity;

identify and explore factors determining the construction of a professional identity: the relationships between critical reflection,

participation in dialogue, and the evolving nature of professional identities;

the early childhood professional’s capacity to engage with, reflect upon, and respond to current educational discourses.

The social and historical context:the philanthropic and gendered

basis of the EC profession:

“… well meaning women who have pleasant dispositions, patience and warmth.”

(Hayden, 2000, p. 1)

“… nice ladies who love children.” (Stonehouse, 1994, p. 1).

Louise Hard:add a picture in here

Is a profession:specialised knowledge and expertise;conformity to a code of ethics and

standards of practice;autonomy, internal control over

quality and self regulation;commitment to a significant social

value;members playing a key role in

initiating and influencing changes? (Feeney, Christensen & Moravcik, 1987; Stonehouse, 1988)

Professionalism is‘the understandings, knowledge, skills and

procedures that early years educators apply in their work with young children and

their families’ (Moriarty 2000, p.236 ).

Identity formation:

is a process whereby a person creates and recreates themselves as they interact with their environment;

is partly “inherited” as a result of being historically located in social space;

is actively achieved as the person takes up some of the inherited categories, rejects or resists others and creates their own (Coldron & Smith, 1999).

MethodologyRecognition of participants.Qualitative: open-ended interview

and survey data. Survey participation was invited

from first- and fourth-year students and graduates of of the Bachelor of Education (EC) course.

AnalysisInterview and survey responses were

examined for commonalities related to the predetermined themes evident in the questions.

Survey responses were coded according to positioning, discursive strategies and agency (Weedon, 1987).

Survey questionsWhat constitutes professional

practice and how is this projected?What are perceived as influences on

professional identity development during “prac” and course work?

What are your strongest positive and negative thoughts on the profession as a whole?

Interview questions What does professionalism

mean in your own practice?

How is your professionalism most evident in your sphere of influence?

What have been the most powerful influences in the formation of your professional identity?

Is there any aspect of your professional life that you struggle with?

IdentityAgency

Identity, DiscursivePractices

Identity, Agency

Concepts of professionalism1st yrs

practical goals and purposes

personal/professional stakes

4th yrs altruistic goals

and purposes stakeholders in

the community’s future

Neophytes realities in focus awareness of

status perceptions

Professionals working with

parents, children being well

organised making rational

decisions professional

appearance

Beliefs about the EC professionStudents power of external

controls:doing the right

thingconformity to

rulesNeophytes

power of internal controlsadjusting

personal needs with professional community expectations

Professionals extending opportunities

intersystemic dialogueintercultural experience

Factors determining identity constructionStudents

serving the community agency advocacy self-actualisation high expectations of professional

fulfilment

Neophytes merging of

personal, social/cultural goals

associated challenges

Professionals interest in

external opportunities for dialogue, development

struggle for confidence and professional autonomy

Relating critical reflection, dialogue, identityStudents

knowing WHAT and HOW challenges to confidence and

competence:inequityvalue judgements of worthiness

Even in situations where all students are admitted to the arena of learning, learning is likely to become unevenly distributed in its specifics.

Teachers will take some students’ groping claims to knowledge seriously on the basis of certain

signs of identity. These students they will encourage and give informative feedback. Others,

whom they regard as unlikely or even improper students of a particular subject … are less likely to

receive their serious response.(Holland Lachicott, Skinner, Cain, 1998, p. 135)

Critical reflection, dialogue, identity (cont’d)

Neophytes different philosophical positions of

colleagues:challenges“new” fitting with “old”

challenges from the community how to talk in order to exchange ideas

Professionals responding to

alternative viewsnew ideascriticismsquestioning

Dialogic engagement and advocacyStudents

relationshipschildrenothers

Neophytes talking with

others

Professionals disinclination in

the field for dialogue, debate

“status quo” maintenance

Current and future roles and responsibilities1st yrs

links with confidence and competence and successful participation

4th yrs leadership

aspirations advocacy appreciation of

privileged position

Neophytes growing confidence leadership acceptance non-acceptance

Professionals desire for

new knowledgechangeadvocacy

Figured worlds provide the contexts of meaning and action

in which social positions and social relationships are named

and conducted. They also provide the loci in which

people fashion senses of selfthat is, develop identities.

(Holland, et al, 1998, p. 60)

Implications for practice:dialogue with others—articulating

practice;work in different places with different

people; professional networks: time for

reading and reflection;climates of questioning; communities of EC “researchers.”

.

Special thanks to Angelina Cimmino for her help with the technology.

Thanks to the participants and to you for attending today .