The decision-making processes of early childhood teachers when working with children experiencing parental separation and divorce

Abstract

In this study, the pedagogical decision-making processes of 21 Australian early childhood teachers working with children experiencing parental separation and divorce were examined. Transcripts from interviews and a focus group with teachers were analysed using grounded theory methodology. The findings showed that as teachers interacted with young children experiencing parental separation and divorce, they reported using strategic, reflexive pedagogical decision-making processes. These processes comprised five stages: (1) teachers constructing their knowledge, (2) teachers thinking about their knowledge, (3) teachers using decision-making schemas, (4) teachers taking action, and (5) teachers monitoring action and evaluating. This understanding of teachers’ reflexive pedagogical decision-making is useful for identifying how teachers and educational leaders can support children experiencing parental separation and divorce or other life challenges.

Keywords:

• decision-making
• separation and divorce
• teachers’ knowledge
• grounded theory
• pedagogical practice
• reflexive thinking

Notes on contributors

Dr L. Mahony is a Doctoral graduate from the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. She holds an EdD in Early Childhood Education. Her research interests include children and families, inclusion, teacher knowledge and thinking, and how teachers’ knowledge and thinking inform pedagogical practice. She has presented at national and international conferences, workshops, and seminars on topics related to her research interests.

Dr J. Lunn is Professor and Assistant Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. Over the last decade, she has researched extensively in the field of personal epistemology in teaching and teacher education, with a particular focus on teaching in the early years of school. She has been the lead chief investigator on three national Australian Research Council (ARC) competitively funded research grants since 2006 and has over 58 peer-reviewed publications in the field of personal epistemology and education. Her ARC research has collectively investigated how early years professionals’ personal epistemologies influence interactions with children in schools and long day-care settings.

Dr A. Petriwskyj is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. Her key areas of research and publication are diversity and inclusion in early education and transition to school. Her other research and publication work includes early childhood professional education, leadership in early childhood services, inclusion legislation and policy, educational provision for autism spectrum disorder, natural disasters and early childhood services, intercultural education, science and technology education for young children, diversity and emergent writing, and early childhood curriculum and pedagogy.

Dr K. Walsh is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education and Child Protection. She is a cross-disciplinary researcher who is known for rigorous application of both qualitative and quantitative methods to answer pressing questions about child and family disadvantage. She is currently working on studies relating to school-based child sexual abuse prevention programmes, parent–child communication about sexual abuse prevention, professionals’ reporting of child abuse and neglect, training interventions for mandatory reporters, and interprofessional practice.