Mathias Urban

1
Framing DiversityCurricular Approaches and
Professional Standardsin Early Childhood
Education and Care
2
Diversity the new paradigm in ECEC?

• All children are different,so why talk about the
  obvious?
• Children are children, so why make a difference?
• What is special about childrenneeds as
  social / cultural construction.
• Diverse contexts the transformation of
  modernity.

3
Dealing with diversity

• In many countries, ECEC already seems to pursue a
  two-way-strategy
• 1. Increasing awareness and respect for the
  individual child
• Contextually appropriate approaches to pedagogy
• 2. Increasing inter-institutional and
  inter-professional collaboration
• Integration of services

4
Consensus on diversity?

• At a first glance, pedagogical frameworks and
  early years curricula seem to be based on a
  broad consensus
• in terms of
• overall goals and orientations
• principles
• attitudes
• ...
• But there are contradictions, when it comes to
  putting the principles into practice

5
Diverse approaches to diversity

• Fundamental Values
• the Swedish pre-school curriculum
• Effectiveness
• Early Learning in the UK
• Diversity and Equality
• The Irish National Framework for Quality
• Autonomy and Control
• Early years curricula in Germany

6
Dilemmas of diversity

• Respect for children vs. respect for adults?
• The challenge of prefigurative teaching and
  learning
• Professional challenges vs. formalization and
  regulation?
• The importance of uncertainty
• The development of a professional habitus vs.
  teacher training?
• Attitudes and (self-)confidence