+Congratulations to all those who were awarded EYPS 2012 Long Pathway 2011-2012

Jackie Rhodes, Nickie Channer, Amanda Holden Donna Fowler, Sam Coult, Gaynor Dodds, Sally Goy, Jackie Foster Smith, Helen Morey, Lucy Smith and Katie Smith

ECSD to EYPS

Karen Woodhead, Katie Lowther, Rebecca Davis, Hollie Snape, Anna King, Sarah Blaney and Helen Colledge

Graduate Practitioner Pathway

Michaela Kelly, Rochelle Richards, Alison Savage, Fran Loczki, Jessica Polkey, Debra Goldsworthy

Undergraduate Practitioner Pathway

Jacqui Hannaby, Kirsty Headford, Kirsty Breckney, Natasha Unwin, Kay Castledine, Anne Jaques, Sarah Morley, Kelly Howard and Nicola Stanley

+

Who am I?exploration of the professional self and identity

Dr Elaine HalletThe Institute of Education: London

+Presentation outline

An exploration of;

The concept of professionalism in the early years

The development of the professional-self and professional identity

Where next? Reflective discussion

+Defining professionalism

Professionalism is a discourse as much as a phenomenon something constantly under construction within the national context.

(Dalli and Urban, 2008)

Conceptually complex, a cluster of related concepts

Being professional

Behaving professionally

Working with professional autonomy

Having a professional identity

+Professionalisman international perspective

Germany (Oberheumer, 2005)

Model of democratic professionalism based upon participatory relationships for collaborative, co-operative action between colleagues and stakeholders

Four levels of professional activity

Interacting with children

Care management and leadership

Partnership with parents

Knowledge base

+Professionalisman international perspective

Denmark (Peeeters, 2008)

3 dimensions to professionalism

Belonging to an expert group

Unique body of knowledge, restrictive entry, protected identity

Evaluative connotations

Different interpretation of profession to different groups

Recognition

Qualifications, better pay and conditions, recognition and appreciation by government

+Influences upon the construct of professional identity (McGillivray, 2008)

Professional identity

Job role/s and responsibilities

Training, continuing

professional development

Curriculum and

pedagogy

Work setting context

Social, culturalgovernment,

discourses, construct of the child

+The professional self

Professionalism is part of the ‘professional self’

5 interrelated elements Kelchtermans (1993)

Self-image

Self-esteem

Job motivation

Task perception

Future perspectives

+The professional self and professional identity

Development of self-image and self-esteem is contextually situated within the workplace

How we see ourselves, how others view us within the workplace

Supervisors, managers, leaders, peers, colleagues, parents influence our self-image, self-esteem and professional identity

(Miller and Cable, 2011)

+The learning professional

Guille and Lucas (1999)

The development of the ‘learning professional’

Underpins professionalism and professional identity

A positive approach to continuing professional development and learning

Practitioner seeks out opportunities to extend professional understandings and skill sets.

+The learning professional

Extended rather than restricted view of professionalism

Transformational learning

Access to higher education, transformed workforce

Research case study of EY foundation degree

transformational professional learning

(Hallet, 2013)

+Redefining professional identity

FD graduates redefined their professional identity through higher education learning

Increased specialized knowledge, personal and professional confidence

‘I feel professional inside. The FD gave me confidence and a professional identity. It’s made me a different person in a professional role.’

+Professional confidence

‘Once I got the FD, people saw me differently. I was no longer a nursery nurse but a professional person.’

‘At the beginning of my job as a children’s centre coordinator, I was seriously blagging it. I thought people would find me out, I’m just a nursery nurse and I’d say to someone ‘oh I’ve just said such and such!’ But now I can do it, I will talk to anyone and give presentations to larger groups.’

+Stories of experience

Reflective Learning Journey

Reflecting upon their story of experience through FD

Visual image (drawn)

Reflective piece of writing about their personal and professional learning and development

+Lisa’s reflective learning journey

‘Little me …….

Now managing a team

of 18 people.

+Transformational learning

The ‘invisible’ to the ‘visible’

Transformed women practitioners with agency and voice

‘The FD made me into a professional. My confidence not only

allows me to have a voice but to make sure it is heard.’

+Professionalism and quality

The Effective Provision in Pre-school Education (EPPE) now EPPSE (primary and secondary education)

High quality provision and highly qualified workforce

DfES (2005) Children’s Workforce Strategy. Create and support a world-class workforce, increasingly confident and competent

Early Years Professional role, raise status and quality PVI sector

+Professionalism with quality

Early Years Professional- a graduate leader

Role to lead pedagogy, provision and practice across the EYFS by role modeling and supporting others

Name = Early Years Professional

linking professionalism with quality

A name with a status

The ‘othering’ of less qualified practitioners

+EYP professional identityLloyd and Hallet, 2008

Influences on emerging professional identity from EYP

training and higher education

Felt more valued

Respect from others

Personal and professional confidence

Empowerment and agency

Pride and passion for working with children and families

Improved professional status EYP

+Professional identityThe LLEaP project

Research Leadership of Learning in Early Years Practice (the LLEaP project)

(Hallet and Roberts-Holmes, 2010)

EYP in one local authority

A key finding - EYP Network Group

Belonging to a professional group, developed shared understandings and vision for EYP role forming a collective voice for agency and development of their identity and role within LA

+Where next?Reflections …….

More Great Childcare (Truss / DfE 2013)

From Early Years Professional to Early Years Teacher

What impact upon professionalism of Early Years workforce?

How will it influence professional identity?

How will others view us?

Will the status of the early years sector alter?

+References

Dalli, C. and Urban, M. (2008) (eds)Editorial, in Journal of the European Early Childhood Research Association, Special Issue. Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care. 16 (2): 131- 3

Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Children’s Workforce Strategy. Norttingham: DfES publications

Guile, D. and Lucas, N. (1999) Rethinking initial teacher education and professional development in further education: towards the learning professional, in A. Green and N. Lucas (eds) FE and Lifelong Learning: Realigning the Sector for the Twenty-first Century. London: Bedford Way Papers, Institute of Education

+References

Hallet, E. (2013) The Reflective Early Years Practitioner. London: Sage. Chapter 7. Reflecting upon Professionalism

Kelchtermans, G. (1993) Getting the story, understanding the lives: from career stories to teacher’s professional development, Teacher and Teacher Education. 9 (5/6): 443-456

Lloyd, E. and Hallet, E. (2010) Professionalzing the early childhood workforce in England: work in progress or missed opportunity? Contemporary Issues in the Early Years. 11(1): 75-87

Oberhuemer, P. (2005) Conceptualising the early childhood pedagogue: policy approaches and issues of professionalism. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 9: 57-72

+References

Peeeters, J. (2008) The Construct of a New Profession: a European perspective in ECEC. Amsterdam: SWP Publications

McGillvray, G. (2008) Nannies, nursery nurses and early years profesionals: constructions of professional identity in the early years workforce. European Early Childhood research Journal. Special Issue: Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care, 16(2): 242-254

Miller, L and Cable, C. (2011) Professionalism in the Early Years. Abingdon: Hodder Education

Moss, P. (2008) The Democratic and Reflective Professional: rethinking and reforming the early years workforce, in L.Miller, and C. Cable, (2011)(eds)Professionalism in the Early Years. Abingdon: Hodder Education. pps. 121 -130