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Engaging Early Childhood Teacher Candidates in Critical Conversations about Education Policy.

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Title: Engaging Early Childhood Teacher Candidates in Critical Conversations about Education Policy.
Authors: Blank, Jolyn1 (AUTHOR) jblank@usf.edu, Han, Sophia1 (AUTHOR), Smirnova, Daria1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Early Childhood Education Journal. Mar2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p2025-2036. 12p.
Subject Terms: *Education policy, *Early childhood education, *Student teachers, *Teacher education, *Qualitative research, Policy discourse
Abstract: Although early childhood teachers' experiences in schools are shaped by a range of early education policies and legislation, these topics are largely absent from teacher education programs. Early childhood teacher candidates (TCs) are rarely afforded opportunities to understand why certain policies are developed and adopted (both at the micro and macro levels), what possible consequences could occur, and how policies affect their day-to-day practices. As a result, early childhood teacher educators are increasingly called to support TCs' active participation in the policy conversations that shape their practice. This qualitative study describes how fifteen TCs in one early childhood teacher education program engaged in critical conversations about educational policies. Our findings illuminated how three distinct modes of engagement offered various affordances that inform teacher education practices: Taking a stance, striving for neutrality, and debating. After illustrating each mode of engagement, we discuss implications for teacher educators' practices. Ultimately, we assert the importance of making room for critical conversations about educational policy in early childhood teacher education programs in ways that position TCs as active participants in policy work rather than passive objects of reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Engaging Early Childhood Teacher Candidates in Critical Conversations about Education Policy.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education+Journal%22">Early Childhood Education Journal</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p2025-2036. 12p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+policy%22">Education policy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+childhood+education%22">Early childhood education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+teachers%22">Student teachers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+education%22">Teacher education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Policy+discourse%22">Policy discourse</searchLink>
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  Data: Although early childhood teachers' experiences in schools are shaped by a range of early education policies and legislation, these topics are largely absent from teacher education programs. Early childhood teacher candidates (TCs) are rarely afforded opportunities to understand why certain policies are developed and adopted (both at the micro and macro levels), what possible consequences could occur, and how policies affect their day-to-day practices. As a result, early childhood teacher educators are increasingly called to support TCs' active participation in the policy conversations that shape their practice. This qualitative study describes how fifteen TCs in one early childhood teacher education program engaged in critical conversations about educational policies. Our findings illuminated how three distinct modes of engagement offered various affordances that inform teacher education practices: Taking a stance, striving for neutrality, and debating. After illustrating each mode of engagement, we discuss implications for teacher educators' practices. Ultimately, we assert the importance of making room for critical conversations about educational policy in early childhood teacher education programs in ways that position TCs as active participants in policy work rather than passive objects of reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1007/s10643-025-01944-5
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Education policy
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      – SubjectFull: Early childhood education
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      – SubjectFull: Student teachers
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              Text: Mar2026
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              Y: 2026
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