Knowledgeable and qualified early childhood teachers: Tensions, constraints, and possibilities

Abstract

The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 (Ministry of Education, 2019b) Objective 3 is “Teaching staff and leaders are well qualified, diverse, culturally competent and valued” (p. 3). Tensions, constraints, and possibilities arise from analysing historical developments and positionings of early childhood teacher knowledge amongst policy aimed to provide well qualified and valued teaching staff. We advocate for investment in what we conceptualise as ‘knowledgeable teachers’ who educate children at the most important time of their lives.