Early Childhood Education and Care in a Global Pandemic: How the Sector Responded, Spoke Back and Generated Knowledge

253 Pages·2022·6.134 MB·English

by  Linda Henderson, Katherine Bussey, Hasina Banu Ebrahim

‘A raw presentation of the impact of COVID-19 on children, teachers, and families
acrosstheglobe.Seenthroughtheireyes,thisinternationalbookisanimportantread.’
Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer, Foundation Chair of
Early Childhood Education and Development, Monash
University, Australia
‘This book presents a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the
impactofCOVID-19onyoungchildren,families,andeducatorsincountriesaround
the world. Leading international authors have come together to identify and address
thecomplexchallengesofthepandemicsuchastheimpactoneducationalprograms,
wellbeing and play, the evolution of innovative practices, and educator professional
identities. These are viewed through children’s perspectives, parents’ expectations,
and educators’ experiences. This is a must-read text on the topic.’
Andrea Nolan,Deakin University, Australia; Professor of Early Childhood Education
‘The contributing authors bring a socio-political lens to critical analysis of the
immediate effects of the pandemic, and the aftermath. The ethical concerns with
families, children and practitioners are threaded through each chapter, informed by
children’s rights. This is a challenging, but essential text for ECE students, practi-
tioners, teachers, families and policy makers.’
Dr Elizabeth Wood, Professor of Education, University of Sheffield
‘This state-of-the-art collection includes empirical and conceptual insight into how
the pandemic has impacted ECE in countries around the globe. The editors make
these alternative stories about children, parents, educators, pedagogies, the profes-
sion, the workforce, play and wellbeing, virtual learning, and of course lockdowns,
accessible. They are for the most part optimistic, and present an enlightened read
for practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and students.’
Sue Grieshaber, La Trobe University, Australia; Foundation
co-editor Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND
CARE IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
Early Childhood Education and Care in a Global Pandemic is a book that highlights how the
internationalearlychildhoodeducationandcaresectorrespondedtotheglobalCOVID-19
pandemic.Itshowstheresiliencyofthesectoraroundtheworldasitgrappledwitharapidly
changingenvironmentofuncertaintyandcomplexity.
Drawingonadiverserangeofearlychildhoodeducationandcarecontexts,thebookcaptures
real-life examples of how COVID-19 impacted children, educators and teachers, and families.
ChapterspresentcasesoftheparticularchallengesthatCOVID-19presentedinawiderangeof
countriesandthenhowtheyrespondedtothesechallenges–challengesthattestedtheresilience
ofchildren,educatorsandteachers,andfamilies.Byforwardanchoring,eachchapterexaminesthe
opportunities that arosefromthese challenges and how new local knowledgewas produced as
newwayswerefoundtosupportchildren,educatorsandteachers,andfamiliesduringthistime.
Thisbookoffersearlychildhoodeducationandcareatimelyresourceonlessonslearntfroma
once-in-a-lifetimeevent.Itoffersthesectorawayforwardtocommittodevelopingnewways
ofthinkingandworkingthatstemfromthelessonslearntduringtheCOVID-19pandemic.
LindaHendersonisaseniorlecturerintheSchoolofEducation,CultureandSociety,Faculty
of Education, Monash University. Her cognate research area is early years education. Her
researchfacilitatesthereimaginingofeducationalleadershipforearlychildhoodeducationandis
underpinnedbyissuesofsocialjusticeandequity.
Katherine Bussey is an infant and toddler specialist and research fellow in educational psy-
chology at Monash University and early childhood education at Deakin University. Recent
research projects focus on professional learning for teachers and educators to foster inclusion,
teacherandeducatorwellbeing,andearlychildhoodprofessionalplacementexperiences.
HasinaBanuEbrahimisaprofessorandtheUNESCOCo-chairinEarlyChildhoodEdu-
cation,CareandDevelopmentintheDepartmentofEarlyChildhood,CollegeofEducationat
theUniversityofSouthAfrica.Herresearchcoheresaroundthethemeofearlychildhoodatthe
marginswithspecialreferencetopolicy,practiceandworkforcedevelopment.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND CARE
IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
How the Sector Responded, Spoke
Back and Generated Knowledge
Edited by Linda Henderson, Katherine Bussey and
Hasina Banu Ebrahim
Coverimage:©GettyImages
Firstpublished2022
byRoutledge
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ISBN:978-1-032-19099-0(hbk)
ISBN:978-1-032-19027-3(pbk)
ISBN:978-1-003-25768-4(ebk)
DOI:10.4324/9781003257684
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byTaylor&FrancisBooks
CONTENTS
List of illustrations ix
List of contributors xi
Foreword xviii
1 Preschool children’s ideas about the COVID-19 pandemic 1
Ingrid Engdahl and Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson
2 Dora’s doll got sick: Preschool children’s wellbeing and play
during the COVID-19 crisis 17
Kristín Dýrfjörð and Anna Elísa Hreiðarsdóttir
3 Back to day one: The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the
return to kindergarten in Australia 30
Katherine Bussey, Natalie Robertson and Deborah Moore
4 Children’s transition between home and ECEC services:
Innovative practices during the COVID-19 pandemic 44
Isabella Di Giandomenico and Mariacristina Picchio
5 Children’s participation in education during COVID-19 57
Tina Yngvesson, Jonna Kangas, Heidi Harju-Luukkainen and
Susanne Garvis
6 COVID-19 pandemic and centre-based services for children
under three: Evidence and insights from the Portuguese context 70
Sara Barros Araújo, Sílvia Barros, Ana Silva and Rafaela Rosário
viii Contents
7 Predictors for caregiver involvement in childcare, education,
and early learning in Kenyan urban informal settlements during
COVID-19 83
Joyce Marangu, Vibian Angwenyi, Adam Mabrouk, Ezra Too,
Margaret Kabue and Amina Abubakar
8 Drop-off at the gate: Challenges to parent–staff collaboration in
Danish childcare in the era of COVID-19 102
Anja Marschall, Karen Prins and Sine Penthin Grumløse
9 Education and care: Expanding traditional pedagogies with(in) a
pandemic 113
Dragana Mirkovic and Kamini Kamdar
10 What does it mean to educate and care for children in Brazil in
times of COVID-19? 129
Gabriela Tebet, Heloísa A. Matos Lins, Lavínia Magiolino, Luciane
Muniz R. Barbosa, Maria Ap. Guedes Monção and Débora Mazza
11 Struggles at the frontline in pandemic times: Time to reimagine
early childhood care and education in South Africa 142
Colwyn D. Martin, Hasina Banu Ebrahim and Lorayne Excell
12 Distance learning in Cameroon: Case study of private nursery
school teachers’ experiences and challenges amidst the COVID-
19 lockdown 155
Emela Achu Fenmachi
13 Politics and practices of the new normal: Whatarepreschool
teachers’experiencesduringtheCOVID-19pandemicinTurkey? 170
Mehmet Toran
14 The role of the Australian Education Union Victoria in
supporting early childhood educators during a global pandemic:
Tensions, challenges and opportunities for the profession 181
Katherine Bussey, Linda Henderson, Sharryn Clarke and Leigh Disney
15 A ‘quint-essential(ised)’ ECE workforce: COVID-19 and the
exploitation of labour 196
Fiona Westbrook, Bridgette Redder and E. Jayne White
Afterword 211
Linda Henderson, Katherine Bussey and Hasina Banu Ebrahim
Index 223
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
1.1 The COVID-19 virus, called Corona by the teachers 7
3.1 Visual representation of one new interpretation of the
socio-ecological systems model 33
6.1 Teachers reporting adoption of COVID-19 prevention and
control measures 75
6.2 Teachers reporting reinforcement of pedagogical practices 76
7.1 Recruitment of participants 86
9.1 Spring flower exploration by CM 122
9.2 Fork porcupine by LT 122
9.3 Observational drawing by KK 123
9.4a Claire’s learning story: Page One 124
9.4b Claire’s learning story: Page Two 124
9.5a Tiana’s learning story: Page One 125
9.5b Tiana’s learning story: Page Two 125
12.1 Examples of Activities Sent to Children during Lockdown,
Nursery Two 161
12.2 Examples of Activities Sent to Children during Lockdown,
Nursery One 162
12.3 Examples of Activities Sent to Children during Lockdown,
Nursery One 163