Implementation of Early Childhood Education Beliefs and Practices: A case study of a private kindergarten in China

Abstract

A range of foreign education approaches has been introduced into early childhood education (ECE) in China, advocating for a recognition of the value of play and individual differences, and the implementation of child-initiated activities (N. Luo & Arndt, 2010; Wong & Pang, 2002; Zhu & Wang, 2005; Zhu & Zhang, 2008). Recent research, however, argues that practices adopted from one sociocultural context to another are controversial because of differences in cultural traditions and social values (H. Li, Rao & Tse, 2012; Tobin,2007; Zhu & Zhang, 2008).This research, undertaken at a privately owned kindergarten in China which claims to be implementing New Zealand early childhood beliefs and practices, investigated teachers' and parents' perceptions and experiences of implementation of such beliefs and practices in the kindergarten; it also elicited the factors that influence their perceptions and experiences. A case study with individual interviews and document analysis was employed to elicit the views, experiences and understandings of the research participants. Six parents and six teachers, representing the parents and teachers of three different age groups of children, participated in individual interviews. The research, based on a sociocultural theoretical framework and Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, aims to understand how teachers and parents define and contextualise New Zealand ECE beliefs and practices in a Chinese social-cultural context, and how sociocultural factors influence the implementations of these beliefs and practices. Three main themes were identified from the data: play and exploration, teacher-parent partnership and learning English language. Discussion of the data, drawing on sociocultural theories as well as Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, relevant literature and institutional documents, suggests that practices in the kindergarten do not align with dominant beliefs of New Zealand early childhood education as promoted in Te Whāriki. It was apparent that the teachers' and parents' understandings and practices are based on their own values and beliefs regarding culture, traditions, Chinese education regulations and their personal experiences. This research contributes to the literature on understandings of the social phenomenon of implementation of New Zealand ECE beliefs and practices in a Chinese ECE context, as well as providing implications for ECE practices in China. The thesis argues using a foreign curriculum, philosophy, or educational approach, one needs to make some adjustments that are culturally appropriate.