title: Transnational conversations about teacher identities in early childhood places and spaces: Call for alliance-building, advocacy and activism

authors: Kamenarac, Olivera

subjects: teacher identities

abstract: The professional identities of teachers are fundamental to their understanding of how to be and how to act in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Professional identities have emerged as a key consideration both in policy and scholarship as a result of growing political interest in ECEC and the work of teachers. When we first called for papers for a special issue on teacher identities, it was in the context of a global neoliberal policy-scape dominated by ideas about the social and economic benefits of investing in ECEC, as well as free-market and entrepreneurial discourses. Specifically, our intention was to engage in a collective and cross-national conversation that problematised prevailing discourses, examined intersections with local concerns and policy priorities, and their shifting and ongoing influences on professional identities. The complexities associated with neoliberal discourse in ECEC have surfaced more urgently in the context of a global Covid-19 pandemic. In many countries, ECEC teachers have been positioned as essential workers supporting ongoing economic activity during the pandemic, sometimes at the same time as schools and tertiary institutions have remained closed. ECEC work has become more entrenched in economic narratives that position the purpose of ECEC as supporting work-force participation, child wellbeing, and family support. These new and unexpected contexts also shape teacher identities. The tensions present in current policy constructions of teachers and intersections with emergency measures present new opportunities to govern teachers and practice in particular ways. These materialise in teachers’ daily experiences, work conditions, and wellbeing. A current narrative about the pandemic includes the idea of not letting the crisis go to waste, and we agree that it is important to use this moment to re-think and problematise teacher identities across educational contexts and to encourage critical conversations about what we do, why we do it and who benefits.

text: Transnational conversations about teacher identities in early childhood places and spaces: Call for alliance-building, advocacy and activism The professional identities of teachers are fundamental to their understanding of how to be and how to act in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Professional identities have emerged as a key consideration both in policy and scholarship as a result of growing political interest in ECEC and the work of teachers. When we first called for papers for a special issue on teacher identities, it was in the context of a global neoliberal policy-scape dominated by ideas about the social and economic benefits of investing in ECEC, as well as free-market and entrepreneurial discourses. Specifically, our intention was to engage in a collective and cross-national conversation that problematised prevailing discourses, examined intersections with local concerns and policy priorities, and their shifting and ongoing influences on professional identities. The complexities associated with neoliberal discourse in ECEC have surfaced more urgently in the context of a global Covid-19 pandemic. In many countries, ECEC teachers have been positioned as essential workers supporting ongoing economic activity during the pandemic, sometimes at the same time as schools and tertiary institutions have remained closed. ECEC work has become more entrenched in economic narratives that position the purpose of ECEC as supporting work-force participation, child wellbeing, and family support. These new and unexpected contexts also shape teacher identities. The tensions present in current policy constructions of teachers and intersections with emergency measures present new opportunities to govern teachers and practice in particular ways. These materialise in teachers’ daily experiences, work conditions, and wellbeing. A current narrative about the pandemic includes the idea of not letting the crisis go to waste, and we agree that it is important to use this moment to re-think and problematise teacher identities across educational contexts and to encourage critical conversations about what we do, why we do it and who benefits.

year: 2021-05-07

title: Nickel(II) complexes of di- and tri-substituted thiourea mono- and di-anions

authors: Yuen, Ho Ying

subjects: nickel complexes

abstract: Reaction of nickel(II) acetate, 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), and a di- or tri-substituted thiourea R¹NHC(S)R²R³ (R³ = H or alkyl) with trimethylamine in hot methanol gave cationic nickel(II) complexes containing N,S-chelated thiourea monoanion ligands [Ni{SC(NR²R³)NR¹}(dppe)]⁺ , which can be readily isolated as their BPh₄⁻ salts. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ni{SC(NMe₂)NPh}(dppe)]⁺BPh₄⁻ is reported.

text: Nickel(II) complexes of di- and tri-substituted thiourea mono- and di-anions Reaction of nickel(II) acetate, 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), and a di- or tri-substituted thiourea R¹NHC(S)R²R³ (R³ = H or alkyl) with trimethylamine in hot methanol gave cationic nickel(II) complexes containing N,S-chelated thiourea monoanion ligands [Ni{SC(NR²R³)NR¹}(dppe)]⁺ , which can be readily isolated as their BPh₄⁻ salts. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ni{SC(NMe₂)NPh}(dppe)]⁺BPh₄⁻ is reported.

year: 2010

title: Whānau Stories: Creating meaningful engagement and wellbeing for the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Cruse, Diana Caroline Annavale

subjects: Engagement

abstract: This research sees my interests coalesce into a particular focus on how collaborative partnerships with parents/caregivers can provide whānau Māori with opportunities to strengthen wellbeing in their own lives. It is located in Aotearoa New Zealand and within the context of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996), Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.  The Ministry of Education has a target that 98% of all children in Aotearoa New Zealand under 5 will attend an early childhood education setting (Ministry of Education, 2016), with Māori children having lower participation rates than the national participation rate (Ministry of Education, 2013).  The premise for this thesis is that meaningful whānau engagement in early learning contexts within Aotearoa New Zealand can empower whānau Māori, and honour the promises made in Te Tiriti o Waitangi of partnership, participation, and protection.
Therefore, this thesis sets out to examine what constitutes meaningful engagement for whānau Māori in an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how meaningful engagement can assist whānau to enjoy an increase of wellbeing.
To explore this issue, I conducted research within an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, using methodologies of Kaupapa Māori Research and Narrative Inquiry.  I listened to the narratives of whānau Māori indicating how meaningful engagement was created for them, and investigated if links were generated between engagement and wellbeing for their whānau. These links were identified in the literature as significant levers for educational success.
This research discovered three stages of engagement for the whānau Māori who participated in this study: establishing engagement, developing engagement and solidifying engagement.  Once created, meaningful engagement can lead to flourishing, indicating that there is relationship between meaningful engagement and whānau wellbeing.

text: Whānau Stories: Creating meaningful engagement and wellbeing for the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand This research sees my interests coalesce into a particular focus on how collaborative partnerships with parents/caregivers can provide whānau Māori with opportunities to strengthen wellbeing in their own lives. It is located in Aotearoa New Zealand and within the context of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996), Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.  The Ministry of Education has a target that 98% of all children in Aotearoa New Zealand under 5 will attend an early childhood education setting (Ministry of Education, 2016), with Māori children having lower participation rates than the national participation rate (Ministry of Education, 2013).  The premise for this thesis is that meaningful whānau engagement in early learning contexts within Aotearoa New Zealand can empower whānau Māori, and honour the promises made in Te Tiriti o Waitangi of partnership, participation, and protection.
Therefore, this thesis sets out to examine what constitutes meaningful engagement for whānau Māori in an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how meaningful engagement can assist whānau to enjoy an increase of wellbeing.
To explore this issue, I conducted research within an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, using methodologies of Kaupapa Māori Research and Narrative Inquiry.  I listened to the narratives of whānau Māori indicating how meaningful engagement was created for them, and investigated if links were generated between engagement and wellbeing for their whānau. These links were identified in the literature as significant levers for educational success.
This research discovered three stages of engagement for the whānau Māori who participated in this study: establishing engagement, developing engagement and solidifying engagement.  Once created, meaningful engagement can lead to flourishing, indicating that there is relationship between meaningful engagement and whānau wellbeing.

year: 2017