Weaving RIE with Te Whāriki: re-thinking family involvement in assessment of learning dispositions

Abstract

Families play important roles in children's learning. Yet, teachers' values and beliefs may sway how families may participate in assessment of their child's learning within early childhood education. This paper reports on a qualitative case study in a New Zealand early childhood setting that explored teachers' views about involving families in assessment of infants’ and toddlers’ dispositional learning. Methods comprised interviews with five teachers, researcher field notes and documentation about children's learning. Findings suggested that teachers’ views about learning dispositions, teaching and assessment positioned families as consumers of, rather than participants in, assessment. Theoretical tensions arose between Gerber's Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) approach that guided teachers' philosophy and practice and Te Whāriki, the mandated early childhood curriculum of New Zealand. The paper argues that weaving RIE with a national curriculum framework requires teacher engagement in critical thinking and discussion regarding actively involving families in assessment.

Keywords:

• early childhood curriculum
• Resources for Infant Educarers
• infants and toddlers
• assessment
• teacher–family partnerships
• learning dispositions

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to the teacher participants, children and families involved in the study. Acknowledgement is given to the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee, for reviewing and approving the study (2010/615).

Notes on contributors

Maria Cooper is a professional teaching fellow in the School of Learning, Development and Professional Practice in the Faculty of Education at The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Her research and teaching interests include early childhood curriculum, infant and toddler pedagogies, teacher–family partnerships, and children's interests and inquiries.

Helen Hedges is a senior lecturer and deputy head (Research) in the School of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education at The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Helen Dixon is a principal lecturer in the School of Learning, Development and Professional Practice and deputy dean (Academic) at the Faculty of Education at The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.