Early Care and Education at its Best: Listening to the Voices of Veteran ECE Teachers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Professional Development and Coaching

Abstract

We use a multiple case narrative approach to foreground the distinct voices of veteran early educators. We specifically focus this study on the teachers’ work with children and families from marginalized communities. In this paper, we explore the veteran teachers’ narratives of their experiences with equity-focused practices, as guided by the research question: How do experienced early educators enact practices to advance equity within their social-cultural context? Analysis of the participants’ narratives revealed their 1) building and sustaining positive relationships, 2) valuing and respecting each child, 3) individualizing approaches for each child as key for advancing equity.

Authors

• Leah Schoenberg Muccio, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

• Lea Ann Christenson, Towson University

• Kevin McGowan, Bridgewater State University