This commentary aims to encourage a research-based, critical, inquiring approach to the development of play-based learning in primary schools. I suggest that this approach could build from the wealth of knowledge in the early childhood education sector. I also invite greater collaboration between early childhood and primary teachers, particularly…

Increasing the participation rates of Pasifika children in early childhood settings is a policy target in Aotearoa-New Zealand. Yet, participation may not engender positive learning outcomes for children from diverse cultural backgrounds without attention to teacher knowledge and practice. The early childhood curriculum document, Te Whariki,…

Children's interests and thinking emanate from their daily lived experiences in their families, communities and cultures. This paper substantiates the view that the construct of "funds of knowledge", understood through the lens of "cultural repertoires of practice", provides an analytical tool for early years teachers to…

Collaborative and reciprocal teacher-parent partnerships have been established in prior research as vital in empowering ethnic-minority children to be competent learners who value their home background, culture, and language and also learn the language used by teachers as the medium of education. Such collaborative relationships may be challenging…

Early childhood education highlights partnership between teacher and parents as positively influencing children's learning. This article describes how teachers became aware of a lack of shared understanding between them and parents about the "parent help" role in their kindergarten, and their efforts to redress this situation. Changes…

The necessity for parents and teachers to work together collaboratively to optimize children's learning and development in early childhood education is well recognized. Yet, ways in which initial teacher education programs might prepare teachers for professional relationships with parents are rare in the literature. This paper reports on the use…