Future Directions for EC Teacher Educators: 10 Principles

Overview & Synopsis

In this two-part series, the author's task is to draw out some themes from the Working Forum for Teacher Educators, held in Auckland, New Zealand on April 30-May 2, 2008. Earlier he identified ten concerns relating to future directions in early childhood teacher education. In this article, he suggests ten principles for early childhood teacher education programs: (1) Early childhood teacher education honours the whole person; (2) Early childhood teacher education welcomes the full expression of diversity; (3) Early childhood teacher education nurtures teachers and their journeys toward authenticity; (4) Early childhood teacher education values teachers' beliefs as instrumental in understanding their motivation and actions; (5) Early childhood teacher education nourishes the fullness of teacher presence; (6) Early childhood teacher education honours emotions, dispositions, and personality as reflecting the humanness of teachers--this includes joy, love, compassion, grace, humility, and passion; (7) Early childhood teacher education values freedom to initiate as well as to exercise autonomy with responsibility; (8) Early childhood teacher education enables teachers to critically reflect, self-reflect, contemplate, and to nourish their souls; (9) Early childhood teacher education encourages teachers to be wise and to grow in wisdom; and (10) Early childhood teacher education upholds and practises social justice. [For Part 1, see EJ864775.]