Holding the baby: the contribution of Early Years Teachers to leading practice with babies

Pedagogical practice and leadership with babies in nursery settings requires professionals who understand how babies learn and develop within the context of loving relationships with adults who know them well. Experiential placements with babies in supportive early years settings facilitate this. But, further opportunities for reflective supervision to explore their thoughts and feelings about their experiences helps to shed light on the values and beliefs they hold about what pedagogy with babies means in practice. This is particularly relevant for Early Years Teacher trainees working towards Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) who are expected to become early years specialists and pedagogical leaders with babies. The research project used insider research to engage with two groups of postgraduate trainees working towards EYTS on their experience of taking part in reflective supervision and experiential learning from their training placements with babies. The first phase of the research took place at the end of the training period and used focus groups and interviews to explore the participants’ insights on pedagogical leadership and practice with babies and their views on the effectiveness of Work Discussion seminars as a reflective supervision strategy. The second phase of the research, presented as a Case Study, focused on the process of working as a group supervisor and placement tutor with a small group of trainees. This phase of the research continued to explore the contribution of Work Discussion group reflection on the group’s engagement with the emotional aspects of professional practice with babies. It also considered how they made use of the individual tutor support they received during their baby placement experience and the influence that had on their reflective learning about pedagogical leadership with babies and their readiness for this professional role. Findings highlighted that trainees were able to make effective use of Work Discussion group reflection to explore their personal responses to professional issues and find their own solutions to practice challenges from sharing emerging ideas and thoughts with others. Together with targeted individual support during their training placements with babies these opportunities for reflection helped them to develop their confidence to articulate a more nuanced understanding of pedagogical practice and leadership with babies. This led to an increase in their perception of themselves as pedagogical leaders and their confidence in applying their learning in their employment practice. The relationships and peer support that developed in the trainee supervision groups over the training period was shown to have had a significant influence on their empowerment as professionals and their advocacy for babies in nursery settings. Conclusions drawn from the research suggested that professionals preparing for caring and pedagogical leadership roles with babies benefit from group and individual reflective supervision opportunities where they can share and process their thoughts and feelings about their work. Facilitated Work Discussion groups provided an open-ended space to share personal reflections on work and placement experiences and dilemmas. Thinking together in a group allowed personal understanding and exploration to flourish. These experiences empowered the trainees’ professional confidence, wellbeing and development and led to the development of a community of practice that extended beyond the training context. Recommendations include the recognition of and continued funding for a specialist graduate pedagogical leadership role for professionals working with babies in nursery settings that has parity with other graduate professionals employed in practice roles with children.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

DProf

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

DProf thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Middlesex University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Wilson, D.

Identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:27y419

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:27y419