Pasifika perspectives of play: challenges and responsibilities

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges that Pacific Island early childhood teachers are confronted with when trying to advocate learning opportunities for young children through play. Research studies (Hughes, 2004; Leaupepe, 2008a; Mara & Burgess, 2007) reveal that Pacific Island teachers are seldom involved in children’s play experiences and rarely encourage play opportunities for children. These findings are attributed to a number of critical factors: cultural influences, parental attitudes towards play, and teachers’ values and beliefs about the term ‘play.’ Drawing from the findings of a research project that investigated Samoan and Tongan student teachers’ views of play (Leaupepe, 2008a) assumptions about the term play and the responsibilities of teachers in promoting play opportunities are explored. Aspects that are specifically related to play and Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education [MoE], 1996), Aotearoa New Zealand’s national early childhood curriculum, underpin this discussion. The implications of this document for Pacific Island early childhood teachers are discussed. The discussions in this paper are not intended to be conclusive. Rather, it is hoped that by engaging in a critical discussion concerning the need for Pacific Island early childhood teachers to understand theories of play, this paper will inform Pacific Island early childhood practice.