What's new

This qualitative narrative inquiry involved twelve recently graduated early childhood teachers from migrant backgrounds working in Aotearoa New Zealand. Using the concept of edgework, it examined how they balanced safety, accountability and teaching responsibility around children's engagement with risk. Their early approaches were shaped by earlier education that saw children as vulnerable and needing protection. Engaging with sociocultural pedagogies that see children as competent and capable changed their beliefs and practices over time. Making these changes meant handling tensions between regulation and autonomy, cultural expectations and local curriculum, and relationships with children, families and colleagues.

Why it matters in Aotearoa

As Aotearoa's early childhood workforce becomes more diverse, teachers bring different cultural understandings of risk. The study points to the need for culturally responsive teacher education and inclusive settings.

Putting it into practice

Mentors and centre leaders could hold open conversations with new teachers from migrant backgrounds about their beliefs on children's risky play, and support them as they work through local expectations.

How strong is the evidence

This is a qualitative narrative study with twelve participants. It gives in-depth insight into experience but cannot be generalised.

What to read

The findings on how participants' approaches to risk changed and the tensions they described.

Who it's for