Table of Contents

• 1. Positioning the arts in early childhood education: fostering the creative spirit
• 2. Ngä taonga tuku iho - Mäori visual arts and cultural fusion: studying authentic engagement
• 3. Navigating Pasifika visual arts in New Zealand early childhood settings
• 4. Actively engaging through the visual arts: recognising children's artistic experiences and repertoires
• 5. Changing times and changing contexts: examining visual arts provision for infants and toddlers
• 6. Artfully caring for the environment
• 7. A teaspoon of light: expressions of light and understanding through the voices of children in Christchurch
• 8. Living an art-full life: teachers thinking in, through and with visual art
• 9. Dance with connections to moving and playing in the early years
• 10. Re-visualising visual arts in early childhood education
• 11. Listen to this!
• 12. In the flow: relationships and rhythms in the arts

About the Author

Editors:

Beverley Clark’s focus is on education as transformation – for individuals, families, communities and society. Her current work and area of responsibility is in tertiary education, and she is Head of the Department of Education at Te Whare Wananga o Wairaka Unitec. Beverley’s past research has been in two major areas: second language acquisition with the underpinning thesis of language as vital cultural expression and human capital; and early childhood education with the importance of the early years as a fundamental belief. Her ongoing research is in the expressive arts in early childhood and the multiple ways in which children connect with others and their worlds.

Anne Gray is a Senior Lecturer at AUT University, and teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Anne’s main area of research is professional practice and leadership in early childhood education. Previously she taught in early childhood centres and in primary schools in New Zealand and Australia. Anne was involved in Playcentre as a parent. She has also been responsible for establishing community early childhood centres in the area near to where she lives.

Lisa Terreni works as a Senior Lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Education, in the School of Policy and Implementation. She teaches in the areas of visual art, multi-literacies, diversity, and learning environments in early childhood. She is the editor of ecARTnz, an e-magazine of visual art professional practice. She is currently doing doctoral research on early childhood access to, and use of, art museums in Aotearoa New Zealand. Prior to teaching at Victoria University, Lisa worked for many years as a kindergarten teacher and was a professional development provider. She is also an artist.