‘Unpacking our thinking in front of each other’: A case study in knowledge flow within an early childhood teaching team

Abstract

The complex and fluid nature of knowledge is a key dimension of the early childhood curriculum and of early childhood teaching and learning. Such complexity adds to the already complex and dynamic work of an early childhood teacher. With a dynamic view of knowledge in mind, this article reports on research with a team of early childhood teachers to explore the ways in which knowledge is experienced for the teaching team. We explore formulations and debates on knowledge that engage with the complexity of knowledge relationships in an early childhood teaching team. The data provides an insight into the importance of leadership and interpersonal relationships in determining how knowledge moves within the ecology of a teaching team. The benefits of critical dialogue are explored in terms of supporting the work, and well-being, of early childhood teachers and teaching teams.