A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme

Over the past decade there has been an increasing visibility of sustainable practices in early childhood centres in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article describes a small scale research project which investigated a teaching team’s journey into sustainability in one rural kindergarten over a nine mont...

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Main Author: Avril Maxwell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tuwhera Open Access Publisher 2015-12-01
Series:New Zealand Journal of Teachers' Work
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/teachers-work/article/view/41
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author Avril Maxwell
author_facet Avril Maxwell
author_sort Avril Maxwell
collection DOAJ
description Over the past decade there has been an increasing visibility of sustainable practices in early childhood centres in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article describes a small scale research project which investigated a teaching team’s journey into sustainability in one rural kindergarten over a nine month period. Joining the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme provided the teachers with support, resources and a shared focus, and contributed to a sustained commitment to and ongoing emphasis on sustainability as a key part of the kindergarten’s philosophy and practices. The research found the Enviroschools programme is a good fit with the early childhood sector and can support other early childhood educators contemplating a similar journey.  Factors significant to the successful transition into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme are identified and challenges that need to be overcome are also discussed.
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series New Zealand Journal of Teachers' Work
spelling doaj-art-b6ab3535dea0466eb7cb8aee8480af282025-08-20T02:03:18ZengTuwhera Open Access PublisherNew Zealand Journal of Teachers' Work1176-66622015-12-0112110.24135/teacherswork.v12i1.41A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programmeAvril Maxwell0Open Polytechnic Over the past decade there has been an increasing visibility of sustainable practices in early childhood centres in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article describes a small scale research project which investigated a teaching team’s journey into sustainability in one rural kindergarten over a nine month period. Joining the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme provided the teachers with support, resources and a shared focus, and contributed to a sustained commitment to and ongoing emphasis on sustainability as a key part of the kindergarten’s philosophy and practices. The research found the Enviroschools programme is a good fit with the early childhood sector and can support other early childhood educators contemplating a similar journey.  Factors significant to the successful transition into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme are identified and challenges that need to be overcome are also discussed. https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/teachers-work/article/view/41sustainabilityEnviroschools
spellingShingle Avril Maxwell
A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
New Zealand Journal of Teachers' Work
sustainability
Enviroschools
title A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
title_full A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
title_fullStr A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
title_full_unstemmed A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
title_short A kindergarten's journey into sustainability through the Enviroschools in the Early Years programme
title_sort kindergarten s journey into sustainability through the enviroschools in the early years programme
topic sustainability
Enviroschools
url https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/teachers-work/article/view/41
work_keys_str_mv AT avrilmaxwell akindergartensjourneyintosustainabilitythroughtheenviroschoolsintheearlyyearsprogramme
AT avrilmaxwell kindergartensjourneyintosustainabilitythroughtheenviroschoolsintheearlyyearsprogramme