In recent years, the importance of culturally responsive practices in early childhood education has garnered significant attention among scholars, educators, and policymakers alike. A new comprehensive scoping review conducted by Freeborn, Mardhani-Bayne, and Soetaert sheds critical light on the intricate dynamics between quality indicators in early learning environments and the dispositions of educators working with Indigenous families in urban settings. This research, published in the 2023 issue of ICEP, delves deeply into how educators’ attitudes, beliefs, and competencies can either empower or hinder the engagement and educational outcomes of Indigenous children in city-based early learning and child care programs.
Urban early childhood education settings present unique challenges and opportunities for Indigenous families, whose traditions, values, and worldviews may differ considerably from mainstream educational paradigms. Recognizing this complexity, the study underscores that quality in these contexts cannot be comprehensively measured by standard indicators alone. Instead, quality must be understood as a multidimensional construct that integrates cultural relevance, relational trust, and reciprocal respect between educators and Indigenous families. The authors argue that educator dispositions—the internal thought processes, cultural understandings, and epistemological commitments educators bring to their practice—are pivotal in crafting these high-quality learning experiences for Indigenous children.
The review methodically surveyed diverse literature sources, ranging from empirical studies to policy documents, to map the existing knowledge scaffold around educator quality and Indigenous engagement in urban early learning spaces. Their findings reveal a significant gap in scholarship regarding how urban early childhood educators negotiate their positions, biases, and practices when working with Indigenous populations. This gap is alarming given the growing numbers of Indigenous families residing in metropolitan areas, migrating from rural and remote regions where Indigenous identity and cultural grounding are often more visible and supported in educational contexts.
A crucial insight from the scoping review is that many educators, despite good intentions, lack critical cultural competencies necessary for meaningful engagement with Indigenous families. These competencies include more than just knowledge of cultural protocols; they involve a disposition of humility, openness, and willingness to co-construct knowledge alongside families. Such dispositions encourage educators to critically reflect on their own assumptions and biases, crucial steps toward an educational praxis grounded in respect and equity. The authors illustrate that without these dispositions, attempts at culturally responsive education risk becoming tokenistic and superficial, potentially alienating Indigenous families.
Quality indicators traditionally emphasize child outcomes, pedagogy, and physical environments, often sidelining the affective and relational dimensions that govern educator-family interactions. Freeborn and colleagues advocate for a paradigm shift where quality assessment tools incorporate criteria related to educator dispositions, focusing on relational trust-building and cultural safety. Urban early childhood programs can then be evaluated based on how well they foster environments where Indigenous languages, stories, and knowledge systems are welcomed and woven into everyday practices.
The article further delineates how systemic factors influence educator dispositions. Structural inequities, institutional racism, and policy ambivalence toward Indigenous rights permeate educational settings, shaping how educators perceive their roles and responsibilities. These external pressures often constrain educators’ ability or willingness to develop meaningful relationships with Indigenous families. Hence, systemic reform is paramount to remove barriers, support professional development, and create workplace cultures that celebrate Indigenous presence and perspectives in urban early childhood education.
Moreover, the authors emphasize the interdependence between family engagement and child development, highlighted through an Indigenous lens that values community connectedness. Educators who adopt this holistic viewpoint are better positioned to nurture children’s identity formation and well-being. This approach contrasts with deficit-driven narratives that frame Indigenous children as needing remediation, instead centering strengths-based frameworks that celebrate Indigenous resilience, knowledge, and cultural continuity in urban contexts.
Recognizing educator dispositions as a dynamic and evolving component of quality, the scoping review calls on teacher education programs to embed culturally sustaining pedagogies within their curricula. Future educators should develop capabilities not only to understand Indigenous histories and contemporary realities but also to engage in self-critical reflexivity. Such preparation enables them to navigate the complex realities of urban classrooms with respect and sensitivity, fostering authentic partnerships with Indigenous families.
The study also highlights exemplary urban early learning initiatives that have embraced Indigenous ways of knowing as foundational, rather than peripheral, to programming. These include community-based collaborations, Indigenous-led professional development, and curriculum designs co-created with Indigenous elders and families. Such initiatives demonstrate that when educator dispositions align with respect, humility, and reciprocity, urban early learning environments can become transformative spaces where Indigenous children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Another compelling component of the review pertains to the role of language preservation in urban early childhood settings. Indigenous languages are vital repositories of cultural knowledge and identity. The authors emphasize the educator’s disposition toward supporting language revitalization efforts, recognizing that language inclusion strengthens cultural resilience. This facet of quality adds another layer of complexity but also opportunity for educators to engage deeply with Indigenous families’ aspirations within urban early learning frameworks.
Technological advancements and digital learning tools also enter this discourse, as urban Indigenous families often navigate issues of access and representation in digital spaces. Educators’ dispositions toward integrating technology in ways that honor Indigenous cultural contexts are increasingly important. The article suggests that professional development must address how digital pedagogy can be tailored to respect Indigenous knowledge systems and linguistic diversity, rather than perpetuating Western-centric paradigms.
The scoping review furthermore discusses the psychological dimensions of educator dispositions. Empathy, culturally informed emotional intelligence, and resilience emerge as core attributes necessary for sustained engagement with Indigenous families. Educators who cultivate a mindset attuned to Indigenous worldviews and trauma-informed practices can better support children’s holistic development. This holistic approach challenges reductionist educational models that prioritize academic metrics over emotional and cultural well-being.
The authors also highlight the importance of policy advocacy by educators themselves. Educators with critical dispositions are not mere implementers of policy but active agents who can challenge systemic inequities within urban early childhood education settings. By raising awareness and pushing for inclusive, culturally appropriate policies, educators embody dispositions that extend beyond classroom practices into broader social transformation efforts.
In conclusion, this rigorous scoping review by Freeborn, Mardhani-Bayne, and Soetaert calls for a reimagining of quality in urban early learning and child care contexts centered on Indigenous families. It challenges educators, institutions, and policymakers to reconsider existing frameworks, placing educator dispositions as the heart of culturally responsive and equitable education. Addressing these dispositions involves nuanced, ongoing reflection and transformation at multiple levels—from personal educator attitudes to systemic educational policies—ultimately fostering urban learning environments that affirm Indigenous identities, support family engagement, and nurture thriving children.
Subject of Research: Quality and educator dispositions in urban early learning and child care settings for Indigenous families.
Article Title: Quality and educator dispositions for indigenous families in the urban early learning and child care context: a scoping review.
Article References:
Freeborn, C., Mardhani-Bayne, A. & Soetaert, C. Quality and educator dispositions for indigenous families in the urban early learning and child care context: a scoping review. ICEP 17, 6 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-023-00108-5
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