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Cultural relevance in early education: practical strategies for community engagement and innovation

Mon, March 24, 4:30 to 5:45pm, Palmer House, Floor: 7th Floor, Dearborn 3

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Theoretical background. Child development is a biocultural project, and culture plays a key role in the dynamics and pathways of early childhood development (Keller, 2016; Keller at al., 2018; Morelli et al., 2018; Oppong, 2015; Scheidecker et al., 2021; Serpell & Nsamenang, 2014; Weisner, 2002; Keller, 2017; Jukes et al., 2021b). Culture influences the predominant values and norms in a given society, as well as the dynamics of adult-child interactions for knowledge transmission, play, discipline, socialization, and more (Bornstein, 2012; Ejuu et al., 2019; Harkness & Super, 2002; Wadende et al., 2016).

Early childhood is a period of rapid physical, cognitive, and socioemotional growth that influence a child’s overall developmental trajectory. (see Oppong, 2020a; Hyde & Kabiru, 2006; Irwin et. al., 2007; Richter et. al., 2017). While there are global frameworks that seek to establish timelines for developmental milestones that are broadly applicable across contexts, the dynamics, timing, and pathways for developmental milestones vary significantly from one culture to the next (Keller & Kärtner, 2013; Weisner, 2002). The cultural influences that children are exposed to from birth affect their socioemotional, physical, cognitive, spiritual, and moral development (Abo-Zena & Midgette, 2019; Albert & Trommsdorff, 2014; Shahaeian et al., 2014; Weisner, 2014).

The substantial and meaningful involvement of families in early childhood programs is essential. Although universal access to early childhood education is enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 4.2, it is essential to note that formalized early childhood education gained prominence only in the nineteenth century in Europe and the Americas (Kamerman & Gatenio-Gabel, 2007). For the vast majority of human history, early childhood education has been managed by the child’s family and community, ensuring the child is imbued with the skills, values, and beliefs to succeed in that particularly society.

Practitioners in the early childhood space worldwide, and particularly in Africa, must take cultural responsiveness seriously as a key element of program quality. Application of the practices and values embedded in so-called global frameworks to children outside of the contexts in which those practices originated risks imposing values, norms, and developmental pathways in a dynamic that is reminiscent of a colonial past (Keller at al., 2018; Lansford et al., 2016; Morelli et al., 2018; Oppong, 2015; Scheidecker et al., 2021; Serpell & Nsamenang, 2014; Weisner, 2002).

Guiding questions. What do we risk uprooting by promoting universal participation in early childhood programs? What community dynamics, cultural practices, and skills might be disrupted when young children are removed from the flow of the homestead?

Formal education in schools and centers, including early childhood education programs, are essential for ensuring that children from diverse backgrounds are able to build essential skills, compete in the global economy, share their stories with others, and defend their rights and interests. At the same time, it behooves practitioners to think critically about the goals, structures, and dynamics of the programs we help to create. How can we best integrate our work into existing community structures? How can we honor, rather than displace, the rich existing mechanisms for early childhood care and education?

Meaningful adaptation for cultural relevance begins with understanding the principles, relationships, and dynamics of teaching and learning: how is knowledge created and shared in this particular community? (Jukes et. Al., 2021b). Designing programs to uphold indigenous pedagogies serves to honor and preserve these dynamics, and to teach kids in the way that they are used to being taught. Superficial but still important adaptations including use of indigenous languages, stories, games, materials, and music. These approaches offer greater opportunities for parents and community members to participate in their child’s learning, and enhances program sustainability (Benson, 2004; Trudell & Young, 2016; Mukela, 2013; Pence & Shafer, 2006; Schafer et al., 2004).

In this panel, practitioners representing community-based early education initiatives will explore approaches for culturally responsive approaches for expanding access to quality early childhood education programs. The panel will critically question metrics of quality, fidelity, and scale. Regarding quality, panelists will explore that quality goes beyond boosting measurable outcomes in standard child development domains, encompassing healthy cultural pride, well-being of teachers and families, and respect for community values. Fidelity of implementation in the highlighted programs goes beyond adhesion to a predefined plan, instead prioritizing iteration and progressive innovation over a long period, capturing lessons learned from teachers and families and building them back into the program. Finally, the programs move beyond defining scale as expanding in breadth to reach as many children as possible, considering scale to also refer to increasing depth of impact, strength of local ownership, and program sustainability.

The panelists will share the importance of community ownership in early education, concrete examples of how to partner with communities, and strategies for ensuring cultural relevance and local ownership that can be applied across contexts. Key questions answered through this presentation include: How can early childhood programs uphold community values while preparing children for success on the national and global stages? How can a program achieve scale while ensuring community ownership? How can simple digital technology enable scale in remote areas without electricity and internet?

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