Co-constructed Pedagogical Documentation in Early Learning Settings

Abstract

In this study, parents were asked for their thoughts on the documentation provided to them by early childhood educators (ECEs), which focused on their young children’s learning experiences in early learning settings. Forty-five parents completed questionnaires focusing on their understandings and experiences with documentation. Seven parents were interviewed at the beginning and the end of the six-month research period. All parents stated that pedagogical documentation contributed to their understanding of how their children learned through play, saying that, among other things, it provided insight into “the mystery that is my child’s day” (parent participant). This was true, as well, for the parents who had children with a diagnosed or suspected disability. Although parents saw pedagogical documentation as adding value to their experience as parents of children in an early learning setting, they noted several challenges in accessing this documentation. This article explores pedagogical documentation from a parents’ perspective, with an emphasis on how the process of accessing documentation has the potential to build relationships between parent and educator and parent and child. The implication that this has for the successful transition of children from early learning settings into school settings is explored.