Recognising Beach Kindy as a Pedagogical Approach for Critical Agents of Change Within Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Research (Davis, Elliot, Hagglung, Johansson, Ritchie, Miller, Inoue, Chua, Sageidet, Young, Cutter-Mackenzie, Ji, Stuhmcke, Mackey, Ohillips, Enggahl, Arlemalm–Hagser, Barrat, Barrat–Hacking, Black, Chawla, Rivkin, Gorman, Sundberg, Ottander, Gilbert, Fuller, Palmer, Rose, Farrell, Danby, 2014) has indicated that very young children are capable of supporting the Agenda for Global Action through transformative and creative pedagogical approaches utilised through their environments, that are informed and practiced by knowledgeable early education practitioners and leaders. The early years offers multiple opportunities to surround young children with the awe and wonder of their world, linking to their local cultures, as they seek to question, challenge and access possibilities to transform their families and communities. Beach Kindy utilises the natural environment of the coastline, at sites that demonstrate the biodiversity of the planet. Water, for example, is recognised not only as an effective medium and tool for education for sustainable development but also its immense capacity to support holistic, interconnected areas within early childhood education. However, it is acknowledged that this approach is not without challenges. The four home nations that make up the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales) have distinct early years curriculum frameworks and this paper focuses on the English framework, The Early Years Foundation Stage (The Department of Education (DfE) (2014). The DfE (2014) imposes what is perceived by many as a linear statutory framework and policy makers must try to move towards embedding education for sustainable development and encourage more flexible, creative approaches to learning. The English Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, DFE 2014) statutory guidance focuses on three Prime areas, (Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Physical Development and four Specific areas including, Understanding the World (UW). This Specific area (UW), presents a renewed emphasis on a ‘concentric approach to learning’ (Tickell in The early years: foundations for life health and learning (Tickell review), DfE, London 2011, p. 104) where children are guided to ‘make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment’ (DfE 2014, p. 8). Children can become young scientists, utilising the coastlines and becoming “ocean literate”. Early education practitioners can thus provide “a platform to channel their infinite capacities for activism into the creation of a better world”. (2015, p. 12). This paper seeks to explore how Beach Kindy can help implement both the Sustainable Development Goals and the scientific approaches embedded within UW, whilst also recognising the challenges that it may bring.