Graduate early childhood teachers: experiencing the head and heart of teaching

The aim of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of how the University component of the Bachelor of Teaching and Learning degree had impacted on the teaching experiences and perspectives of early childhood graduates. The ten participants were graduates of the degree that was jointly awarded by the Christchurch College of Education and the University of Canterbury. This co-operative arrangement changed the face of pre-service training for early childhood and primary teachers. Trainee teachers, who had previously been in separate diploma programmes were now sharing lectures and tutorials within the University component of the degree. Data collection was carried out through focus groups using a semi-structured interview format. The findings reveal that the 'degree' had impacted positively on how the graduates saw themselves and their profession. In light of their six to eight months of teaching experience the graduates were pre-occupied with the practical reality of teaching and would have liked more field work and links between theory and practice. The graduates believed that the University component was too theoretical and idealistic and yet they negate this by saying they felt well prepared to teach as a result of having a 'degree'. Relevant findings are discussed with respect to implications for supporting early childhood graduate teachers and teacher education providers