Exploring environmental sustainability through a bicultural lens
ECE lecturer and lifelong environmentalist Christine Vincent-Snow believes it is important that early childhood teachers understand the significance of promoting and creating sustainable practices within the early childhood setting.
In her article ‘Bicultural approaches to sustainability within early childhood settings in Aotearoa/New Zealand’ published in NZTC’s online ECE journal He Kupu, Christine identifies valuable ways educators can support children’s learning, care and protection of nature.
“Sustainable practices need to be built on an ethics of care, where our care for nature is intertwined with nature’s care for us. The deep connections Māori have with nature as whakapapa and their role as kaitiaki (guardians) ensures this longevity of care and comes under the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“The role of kaitiaki is also found within the Belonging and Exploration strands of Te Whāriki, where teachers are required to support children in their love, care and guardianship of the land. When they care for the natural environment, children develop skills and knowledge that support them in caring for nature throughout their lives.”
Reflecting on her own experiences in early childhood centres, Christine says that no matter where an early childhood setting is located, there are opportunities to promote caring, sustainable practices as children learn and explore kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection).
“We grew and tended to gardens, created worm farms and took tamariki on walks to parks, forests and beaches to provide respite from the busy, hectic world and foster a love of nature.
“Children were encouraged to gather autumn leaves, stones and seed pods which were put in wooden bowls and used for holistic play-based learning, including the development of maths, science, language and social-emotional skills.”
Christine feels that teaching sustainable practices with a bicultural approach will help to ensure that both our tamariki and the Earth have long and healthy futures.
“The United Nations has recognised the importance of teaching sustainability to young children, as their influence is not only long term, but spreads across families/whānau and into the communities they live in.
“I hope that my article inspires educators to engage in professional discussions on what teaching for sustainability looks like in their ECE setting, and ways they can further develop this for their unique environment.”