This issue of He Kupu focuses on the crucial theme of supporting the connection between theory and practice in early childhood education. It is widely acknowledged that theory is essential for teachers to understand the underlying principles and concepts that guide effective teaching strategies. The more exposure student teachers have to solid theory, the more diverse their range of responsive models and frameworks becomes. Through the application of theories to practice, student teachers can make informed decisions, reflect on their teaching practices, and continuously improve their skills in the classroom.

The purpose of this article is to connect aspects of Piaget’s cognitive development theory to technological practice. The application and implementation of technological experiences will be examined by first defining what technology means in early childhood education followed by how technology can support children’s cognitive development. Research suggests that teachers may lack the knowledge of implementing and applying both digital and non-digital technologies due to an inadequate understanding of technological practices (Fox-Turnbull, 2019; Saxena et al., 2020). Therefore, teachers may underutilise rich technological experiences in early childhood centres. Piaget believed that children are able to adapt prior knowledge to understand new ideas through the real-life experiences they have and that they can change old ways of thinking with the introduction of new ideas that they are exposed to (Hargraves, 2021). By utilising the connection between aspects of Piaget’s theory and technological practice, the focus can be placed more on the prior knowledge, real-life experiences, and new technological ideas all connected to the child’s world, which will promote deeper understanding of both digital and non-digital technologies.

Exploring the intersection of proximal processes, attachment theory, and internalisation in the context of early childhood education is crucial for enhancing high quality teaching practices. With a specific focus on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model and the significance of proximal processes, this article aims to highlight how quality interactions between teachers and children act as powerful catalysts for children's development. Also considered is the importance of the concept of internalisation, a key metaphor that is characteristic of sociocultural approaches. The article will conclude with some suggestions of practices that early childhood teachers can use with developing children to integrate key pedagogical principles that underpin bioecological theory.

In early childhood Initial Teacher Education (ITE), there is a defined professional body of knowledge and research that student teachers are expected to engage with to inform their understanding of pedagogy and the influence they can have on children’s learning and development. Whilst practicing in early childhood centres, with the support of their associate teachers, students can be further scaffolded with developing key skills and dispositions including reflection, self-directed study and making connections from theory to practice. Therefore, associate teacher support and professional development is crucial. This article will briefly explore ways that associate teachers can support students by gaining insight into levels of understanding in learning (Hamer & van Rossum, 2020) and its application to student teachers. Our goal is to help associate teachers and mentors develop intentional mentoring skills in enabling theory-practice integration for student teachers.

Aotearoa New Zealand is now recognised as a superdiverse nation (Chan, 2019) and initial teacher education (ITE) programmes reflect this change with increasing numbers of early childhood education (ECE) students coming from migrant backgrounds. This paper is based on qualitative research carried out with 12 recent ECE graduates from migrant backgrounds, who are working as beginner teachers in early learning centres across Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on a narrative inquiry approach (Clandinin, 2023), the purpose of the study was to interrogate the image of the child held by these beginner teachers and explore how this might impact on their practice as emerging ECE kaiako. A key finding of this study was the significant role cultural beliefs and practices play in shaping participants’ image of the child, their practice as teachers and the ways in which they engage with tamariki, colleagues and whānau. Early childhood teachers play a vital role in supporting children’s agency (Tong, 2023) and this study found that by engaging with sociocultural theories that portray children as competent and capable (Ministry of Education, 2017), participants transformed their perceptions of tamariki from passive to empowered.

This article will share some of the findings of a research project I have carried out for my PhD at the University of Auckland, investigating the “wellbeing and belonging of parents who care for a child with additional needs in early childhood education” (Whyte, in press, p. 1). I will describe the workings of activity theory in interaction with the care and education centre’s Community of Learners (CoL). The centre community includes the children, the teachers, all parents and whānau (extended family), and support staff. I will then look at the dimensions of the CoL through the activity theory lens, to investigate some of the barriers to participation in the centre curriculum for parents who care for a child who is diagnosed with autism, as well as possibilities for further parent involvement. It is hoped that an understanding of activity theory will help teachers to promote collaborative engagement and sense of belonging for parents within the CoL.

Supporting Early Learning Through Rhymes and Stories is a practical and useful resource for new and experienced teachers, leaders, and student teachers alike in early childhood education. It encourages every early childhood educator to become “the teller of rhymes and stories” (p. 144). As the title indicates, the book is a guide for facilitating early literacy, language and communication by enhancing the rhymes and stories experience for young children. Authors Sarah Cousins and Hilary Minns are both experienced early years teachers, lecturers and published authors in England. They bring together and share their years of experience with young children to develop a practical resource for using rhymes and stories within early childhood education

Amy Thynne-Polglase, Dr Devika Rathore, Joy McLelland, Marjolein Whyte, Phoebe Tong, Rachael Burke, Dr Sean Dolan