Early Education and Development

ISSN: 1040-9289 (Print) 1556-6935 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/heed20

In-Service Infant Teachers Re-Envision Their

Practice Through a Professional Development
Program

Eleni Loizou & Susan L. Recchia

To cite this article: Eleni Loizou & Susan L. Recchia (2017): In-Service Infant Teachers Re-
Envision Their Practice Through a Professional Development Program, Early Education and
Development, DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2017.1343561

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2017.1343561

Published online: 19 Jul 2017.

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 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2017.1343561

In-Service Infant Teachers Re-Envision Their Practice Through a

Professional Development Program
Eleni Loizoua and Susan L. Recchiab
a
Department of Education, University of Cyprus; bCurriculum and Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University

ABSTRACT
Research Findings: Most infant teachers have been prepared to be early child-
hood educators with minimal theoretical or practical exposure to infancy. This
study highlights the outcomes of a professional development program (PDP)
designed to support a group of infant teachers who lacked specific infancy
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preparation to re-envision their roles. Data sources included videotapes, focus

groups, conversational interviews, reflective journaling, and artifacts. A PDP,
tailored to the needs of the teachers, was developed in process in response to
the outcomes of each step of the study. Findings highlight how teachers’
existing beliefs inform current practice, teachers gain insight through new
PDP strategies, and teachers’ reflections on routines contribute to effective
practice. Practice or Policy: Our PDP provided opportunities for reflection and
pedagogical challenges as a means of creating space for educators to build a
more grounded infant teacher identity. Implications of these findings are
discussed in relation to infant teacher preparation and in-service training.

As parents, early childhood teachers, educators, and researchers we are dedicated to babies and strive for
quality in their early experiences as we acknowledge the impact these experiences have on their school and
life success. Various reports, policy statements, and academic papers describe and analyze the different
factors that predict and/or enable quality care. One of the most important of these is teacher education and
the specialized professional learning required for infant pedagogy (Dalli, White, Rockel, & Duhn, 2011;
Whitebook, 2003).
This project was part of the ongoing professional development that is planned for the teachers of this
university school every year. For the fall of 2016 the professional development for the infant teachers was
based on our classroom observations (the first author as the academic advisor of the school, and the
principal of the school) of the type of educare our team was providing during the previous year. For
example, even though teachers talked about how important it was to be flexible, child centered, and
considerate of infants’ interests, during their daily practice they were guided by their preplanned activities
and did not allow infants the space and time to explore in their own ways. We began to develop a
professional development program (PDP) that would provide the space for us and our teachers to reflect on
infant pedagogy and practice and that would help to professionalize their infant caregiver role.

Background
Characteristics of Effective Infant Professionals and Limited Research
Necessary characteristics of an effective infant professional have been agreed on by professionals and
scholars, and these include a grounding knowledge of child development, the ability to be emotionally

CONTACT Eleni Loizou eloizou@ucy.ac.cy Department of Education, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678,
Cyprus.
Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/HEED
© 2017 Taylor & Francis
 2 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

engaged and create intimate connections, the skills to work as part of a team, critical reflection skills,
observation skills, the ability to facilitate learning through play, and an awareness of diversity (Dalli et al.,
2011; Honig, 2010; Recchia, 2016). Although it is clear that teacher education for infant professionals is
crucial to their effectiveness and to the quality experiences they offer to young children (Bogard, Traylor, &
Takanishi, 2008), there is not as rich a range of studies focusing on infant teachers as is available for
educators working with older students. Thus, the goal of this study was to enrich teacher education
knowledge by exploring (a) infant teacher practices, (b) how infant teachers can be supported to enhance
their professional learning (in-service programs), and (c) how Early Childhood (EC) teachers who work in
child care are supported to transition to the field of infancy.
The limited work that investigates issues of teacher education and professional training has been
undertaken in child care settings with infant professionals who are largely from other fields and who
are experiencing infancy pedagogy for the first time. In light of the lack of professional preparation
available for a specialization in infant teaching, Norris (2010) discussed the importance of raising
educational requirements for infant teachers and made reference to implications for higher educa-
tion. She proposed that more courses with specific content in subjects such as relational pedagogy,
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the importance of routines, and meaningful and quality child–caregiver interactions should be
included in higher education EC programs along with specialized field experiences.
Research studies provide empirical evidence to support Norris’s proposed ideas, as they show the
processes and necessary variables to consider when educating potential infant professionals. In a previous
study (Recchia & Loizou, 2002), we explored the personal and professional growth of three graduate
students, two in EC education and one in clinical psychology, over the period of one academic year while
participating in an Infant Development and Practice graduate course that included a student practicum (8
hr a week) and a weekly seminar. Through reflective journals and interviews their thoughts and feelings
came to light. The theme of relationships was universal across participants, with a particular emphasis on
the importance of getting to know children and their families as fundamental in providing appropriate care.
The participants commented on the need to deeply observe children’s nonverbal cues as a means of
communicating with them. The accomplishment of understanding children’s needs and offering indivi-
dualized care made them feel competent and allowed them to begin to develop a sense of themselves as
infant teachers. They all needed to make a transition toward the professionalization of caregiver, and data
suggest that time and space were vital in developing these skills and forming a caregiver identity, a challenge
that has been cited in other studies as well (Beck, 2013; Manning-Morton, 2006).
A study carried out in the same context (Recchia, Lee, & Shin, 2015) explored the preparation of
infant professionals for relationship-based work. The authors focused on how relationships between
infants and new student teachers developed over time and found that the relationship-forming
process itself supported new teachers’ professional identity as infant caregivers Data showed how it
took time to establish synchronous relationships and for both partners to become responsive and
learn each other’s ways of communicating. Thus, the researchers suggested that teacher education
should emphasize relationships as the basis of teacher preparation and provide the time and space
for teachers to critically reflect during focused field experiences with infants.

PDPs for Infant Teachers

Research on infant teacher education highlights important components such as “collaboration,” “shared
inquiry,” “deepened understanding and improvement of practice,” and “complex and unique needs of the
learner,” which are often used in defining professional development (Broad & Evans, 2006, p. 3). “It is
anticipated that professional development will advance the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practices of
early childhood providers in their efforts to educate children and support families” (Sheridan, Edwards,
Marvin, & Knoche, 2009, p. 379). The professional development literature provides multiple strategies that
can be used to support in-service teachers. These include training, observation/assessment, study groups,
inquiry/action research, and mentoring. Moreover, professional development practices need to take into
consideration the knowledge and skills teacher participants bring to this process and support teachers to
 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 3

make links between previous and new knowledge to construct their revised identities (Cochran-Smith &
Lytle, 2001). Elfer and Page (2015) suggested that research on infant care and education should provide the
space for infant educators to reflect on the pedagogical principles that guide their work with infants. An
example of this described by Elfer and Dearnley (2007) involved a program of professional development that
allowed infant educators opportunities to express and reflect on their feelings, highlighting “the emotional
complexity of their work” and suggesting that “provision for reflective space needs to be built in as an
institutional requirement” (p. 278).
The current study was designed to gain insight into the process and impact of a PDP for in-
service infant educarers who were trained as EC educators to bring to light the possibility of re-
envisioning their caregiving role. The research question that guided this study is as follows: How do
various professional development activities support EC educators who transitioned into the field of
infancy to reflect on and redefine their caregiver role?

Method
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School Context
This study took place in Cyprus within a university-based school that includes a child care center, a
preschool, and a kindergarten and has been serving children from 4 months to 6 years of age since
2011. The school has a child-centered philosophy with an emphasis on children’s right to participa-
tion and play. All activities are enacted through the framework of a learning community and
empower children to be active participants (Loizou & Charalambous, 2017).
For the purpose of this study, we focused on the child care center, which is composed of three
classrooms: two infant classrooms and one toddler classroom. There are two teachers in each
classroom. Infant classrooms serve six children between 4 months and 2 years of age, and the
toddler classroom serves 16 toddlers who are 2 to 3 years old. The daily activities of the infant and
toddler classrooms are described in Table 1. It is important to note that the activities mentioned in
the table can be altered according to children’s needs. Teachers are expected to prepare a monthly
planning document in which they set specific development goals for each child separately and the
whole group in general. They then plan for playful activities and explorations based on children’s
interests in order to accomplish those goals. Nevertheless, if children are not interested in participat-
ing in any structured or group activities organized by the teachers they can choose to play freely. The
principal and the school’s academic advisor observe the teachers each month and explore potential
issues with practice. The day begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., unless parents choose to leave
their children for the afternoon session, which lasts from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Participants
The participants in this study were five in-service infant teachers (IS-ITs) who were responsible for
the infant and toddler classrooms. All participants were given a pseudonym in accordance with

Table 1. Infant/toddler daily program.

Approximate Times Infants (4 Months to 2 Years Old) Toddlers (2–3 Years Old)
7:00–9:30 Free play (e.g., exploration with materials and Free and/or structured play (e.g., dramatic play, art,
toys) music, puzzles, blocks)
9:30–10:00 Breakfast Breakfast
10:00–11:00 Outdoor free play Outdoor free play
11:00–11:30 Fruit snack time Fruit snack time
11:30–12:30 Free play (e.g., small-group interaction, such as Structured whole-group activity (e.g., storytelling,
singing, story reading, art activities) dance, art, cooking), outdoor free play
12:30–1:30 Lunch Lunch
1:30–3:30 Sleep/quiet free play Sleep/quiet free play
 4 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

research ethics. They are all Greek-Cypriot women between the ages of 25 and 29 years. They all had
a bachelor’s degree in EC Education and a master’s degree in an education-related field.
Nevertheless, during their studies they had not had any courses that had included the theory and/
or practice of infant educare. Their theoretical and practical knowledge concerned children from 3 to
6 years of age. They had between 2 and 5 years of experience and had all been part of the child care
center for at least 1 year. During their first year before school began, they participated in professional
training that highlighted the philosophy of the school and the principles of the child care center. The
specific rules and regulations (e.g., “We take off our shoes in the infant room”) were explained and
specific preparation of planning documents was elaborated, focusing on the 0-to-3 age group. In
addition, during the year and at the end of each year the teachers engaged in professional develop-
ment activities according to the needs that arose during the year.

PDP
The PDP under study lasted for 6 months and involved three phases that unfolded in process based
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on the goals of the program, the needs of the teachers, and the outcomes of each activity. The
activities of each phase and the process followed are presented in Figure 1.

Data Collection
Data were collected in multiple ways, as described below. The data collection process evolved along
with the activities of the PDP that best responded to the goal of the study.

PDP Activities, Data Collection Methods and Analysis Process

Emerging themes
PHASE 1

Reflective journal on pedagogical beliefs Appropriate discourse and infancy terms

and definition of caregiver role

Video record themselves during any context
they choose to show their caregiving role
Focus group meeting on video 1
Context choice: Structured activity
Existing beliefs, knowledge and
Teaching identity portrayal- activity planning
and materials
practices

PHASE 2

Readings on “Quiet time observation” Challenge: not to be verbally active

Video record during “Quiet time observation”
Focus group meeting on video 2- with
specific guidelines for the written comments in
Reflective journal
Video record themselves during any daily
routine
Focus group meeting on video 3
Use of artifacts : comparison of caregiving role
during play, structured activity and routines
Observation skills
Recognition of children creating the curriculum
Routines: part of the curriculum, fixed steps to follow,
clear expectations from themselves and children
Violation of existing practice
schemata
Teacher’s levels of guidance is differentiated based
on learning context

PHASE 3

Practice with no planning documents- emergent curriculum

Reflective Journal on how learning and developmental goals
arise through emergent curriculum
Video record during any context they choose to show their
caregiving role
Conversational Interview on practice with emergent
curriculum, last video and the process of PDP
Space for children to lead and develop the curriculum
Learning and development is highly child initiated
Observation
Revised practices and pedagogical
beliefs
Context choice varied
Emphasis on planning and learning goals

Presentation: Present own learning story through the PDP Best experience: (a) quiet time observation
(include artifacts) and (b) reflection

Figure 1. PDP activities, data collection methods, and analysis process.

 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 5

Reflective Journal (Initial Reflective Journal, Video Reflective Journal, and Reflective Journal)
The five IS-ITs kept a reflective journal during the process of the PDP. They followed specific
guidelines at different points of the program and reflected on particular questions posed to them in
line with the aims of each phase (e.g., state personal pedagogical beliefs, describe a positive
interaction with one or more children, express feelings and challenges during quiet time observation
and the emergent curriculum). Table 2 shows the guidelines provided to the teachers in supporting
them to analyze and reflect on their second video.

Video Recordings
The participants were asked to videotape themselves on four different occasions during the PDP
while interacting with children. Each video recording lasted from 10 to 20 min and had a specific
aim, as described in the PDP (e.g., a video during a daily routine or during free play).

Focus Group Meetings

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At three different time points, all of the participants met with the first author and the principal of the
school to discuss their videos and their practice as it evolved during the PDP. The first author
prepared questions and activities to elicit discussion and invited the teachers to reflect on their
practice and specifically consider their caregiving role. Table 3 shows the questions prepared for
Focus Group 1. The focus group meeting discussions were audiotaped each time.

Conversational Interviews
Toward the end of the PDP one conversational interview was conducted with each participant. A set
of questions was prepared, and the goal of the meeting was to reflect on the participant’s final video
and the overall experience of the PDP (e.g., “Which part of the PDP program helped you
most? How?”).

Artifacts
During the second focus group meeting the teachers were asked to highlight their caregiving role
while interacting with children during Videos 1 and 2. They were provided with paper and crayons,
and each one expressed her experience artistically. Then her artifacts were photographed.

Presentation
Each participant was guided (e.g., “What challenged you most? How has your professional identity
developed?”) to develop her own learning story and present it in any way she liked (e.g., PowerPoint,
story, poem, through art) to the other teachers of the school.

Table 2. Sample reflective journal guidelines (Video 2).

How did you feel during the video? And how did you feel while watching it afterwards? Why?
What did you learn about the child/children?
What did you learn about yourself?
In what ways are the two videos similar and/or different? Explain.

Table 3. Sample Focus Group 1 discussion points.

How is your definition of your caregiving role portrayed in your practice?
What do you think about the fact that all of you chose a structured activity as a representative piece of your work (caregiving
role)? Why do you think you made this choice?
Are there other daily contexts during which your interaction with the children is different?
Which one and how is it different? Why didn’t you choose one of those as a way to portray your role?
How does your caregiving role relate to your principles of an infant pedagogy?
 6 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

Data Analysis
Our data analysis process evolved along with the three phases of building up the PDP. Specifically, during
every phase of the PDP the first author and the principal of the school met to reflect on the activities
planned and conduct a preliminary examination of the data, which they then used as insight for the next
phase of the PDP. The preliminary analysis involved a discussion of emerging themes that were directly
related to the goals of each phase; these were derived from the different data sources (e.g., Phase 1:
appropriate infancy discourse; Phase 2: observation skills, new knowledge). At the end of the PDP the
first author read and reread all of the transcripts from all of the data sources and collected representative
teacher comments or descriptive anecdotes guided by the emerging themes noted during each phase.
Then based on the representative data from each source the specific themes were grouped in potential
patterns (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Three overarching themes were identified: (a) existing beliefs,
knowledge, and practices (e.g., initial reflective journal on infant pedagogy); (b) violation of existing
teaching practice methods (e.g., using an emergent curriculum rather than their preplanned activities);
and (c) revised practices and pedagogical beliefs (e.g., considering quiet time observation; see Figure 1).
For confirmability issues the second author, an experienced researcher and infancy expert,
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reviewed part of the data from each of the different sources and considered the agreed-on themes.
Then she met with the first author and discussed possible rephrasing of the themes to best highlight
the process and outcomes of the study. After mutual agreement was reached the revised themes were
(a) how existing beliefs and knowledge inform current practice (e.g., initial reflective journal on
infant pedagogy), (b) new insights through observation (e.g., teacher role, teaching, and learning)
and implementation of new practices (e.g., routines or working with no planning documents), and
(c) reflection on routines as effective current practice.

Results
This study explored the experiences of five IS-ITs as they participated in a PDP that evolved based on
their responses and the outcomes of every activity. The specific PDP provided teachers with opportu-
nities to reflect, re-envision, and construct epistemological beliefs in reference to their caregiving role and
practice. Findings are presented based on the major themes that emerged in the study, articulated below.

Existing Beliefs and Knowledge Inform Current Practice

The five IS-ITs who participated in the PDP were asked to disclose their pedagogical beliefs in terms
of infant pedagogy and elaborate on the role of the caregiver. Specifically, they were provided with
questions to respond to in writing that included (a) “How do you define your role as an infant
teacher?” (b) “How is it different than that of a preschool teacher?” and (c) “What is the philosophy
of an infant pedagogy?” In their written reports, it was clear that the IS-ITs were quite capable of
using the appropriate discourse to reveal their epistemological beliefs in reference to infant pedagogy
and their caregiving role. All of them offered an extended narrative about their role as teachers and
included concepts such as caring, education, learning, development, play, and environment. They
clearly stated that their role involved multiple aspects and that they had a leading role in the process
of caregiving. The following quotes are characteristic of their discourse:
My caregiving role is multidimensional: I observe infants during their play, I let them free to experiment,
explore the environment and the materials I prepare for them, but I also support their play whenever I judge
important or whenever they ask me . . . (Initial reflective journal)

An infant teacher has multiple roles: firstly, she has to know the developmental characteristics of her children,
their interests so that she can understand their needs and take care of them. Also, she needs to organize a safe
environment in which children will act freely developing their independence and personality. She needs to
provide learning opportunities through play, which she will promote through her interaction . . . (Initial
reflective journal)
 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 7

Even though teachers’ written texts were within the expected pedagogical framework, our aim was to
have them make connections between their theoretical stance and their practice through different
activities. So the next activity of the PDP involved asking them to videotape themselves at any time
during the day while interacting with their infants to best illustrate their infant teacher role. This
activity aimed to provide the IS-ITs the opportunity to choose a representative piece of their practice,
the one they valued most, to highlight their teaching. It is interesting that all of the teachers
videotaped themselves with the children during structured play or a structured activity.
For example, one of the IS-ITs chose to videotape herself while introducing the children to a two-
dimensional ship made of cardboard (that she had prepared beforehand at her house) that had holes
of different sizes on it. She provided some time for the children to explore this big ship and then
guided them to put different-size balls through the specific holes, thus participating in a matching
activity. Another IS-IT chose to have the infants sit in a circle while she held a basket with precut
figures (e.g., animals); each child was expected to choose one of those figures. Then the IS-IT would
ask the infant to name the chosen figure, and if none of the children responded she would provide
the name. Then she would begin to sing a song that was directly related to the chosen figure, one the
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children had sung or heard before, and they all sang, danced, or acted out the different moves of the
chosen figure (video recording observation).
During our first focus group, we discussed the teachers’ videos; specifically, we asked them to
reflect on their activity choices, their actions, and their reasoning. Findings demonstrate that all of
the IS-ITs admitted that they chose to videotape themselves during structured activities because they
wanted to show how they work with infants while following their planning documents. Therefore,
they focused on presenting a structured activity that, as they stated, enhances development and
learning skills. Also, they made reference to their professional obligation to create materials and thus
substantiate their teaching identity. Below is a representative statement:
The fact that I plan for activities and think of the necessary materials makes me feel creative and that I give to
the children, that I am a professional and I help them develop. The role of the infant teacher is not just care but
education as well, basically educare. I have the need to know that the children have learned something that they
have developed. (Focus Group 1 notes)

Another participant said, “I have the need to have set times for . . . and structured activities. It
makes me feel secure because structured activities are focused on what children need to learn”
(Focus Group 1 notes). These quotations suggest that the specific group of IS-ITs had a teaching
identity that was focused on planning, goal setting, material preparation, and child guidance.
These ways of conceptualizing their role as infant teachers did not fully reflect their theoretical
stance as described in their initial journals, which suggests an inconsistency between their beliefs
and their practice.

New Insights Through Observation and Implementation of New Practice

Quiet Time Observation
An important goal of the PDP was to have the IS-ITs deconstruct their infant teacher role(s). With
that in mind, we believed that it was imperative to have them reflect more on their classroom
practice as a means of further elucidating their role(s). It was evident from our observations and
their first video that the IS-ITs described themselves as professionals mainly when they planned a
structured activity for the children. They believed that children’s learning and development was
ensured through these structured activities. Therefore, in order to have them contemplate another
way of being with infants, one in which they could see children developing skills without them being
so directly involved in the process, we decided to have the IS-ITs consider a contrasting practice:
quiet time observation.
After discussing the importance of giving space and time to children to act and initiate, and after
providing the IS-ITs with readings that explained the framework and details of quiet time
 8 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

observation (Hammond, 2009; Tortora, 2011), we invited them to act in this distinct new way. All of
the IS-ITs were expected to videotape themselves in their daily classroom schedule with the children
while enacting quiet time observation. They were specifically advised to allow children to guide them
and use mainly their nonlinguistic communicative skills unless there was a safety issue in which they
would have no option but to use language.
The outcomes of the specific activity were very illuminating for the whole team, because all of the
IS-ITs had the opportunity to view their caregiving role from a novel lens. In enacting this specific
role, the IS-ITs commented that it was hard for them not to participate in children’s play, not to talk
to the children, and to just stay back and observe. They had to restrain themselves and felt
uncomfortable, but after watching their videos and reflecting on their actions, they acknowledged
different important aspects of this practice.
The teachers specifically said that they could observe children and see how they could resolve their
own issues, unravel specific skills, and develop games by communicating with one another. The quiet
time observation activity was fundamental in having IS-ITs clarify their role as observers. From the
beginning of the PDP they reported observing as an important skill, but it was only when they actually
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enacted quiet time observation that they genuinely understood its vitality in their practice. In addition,
enacting quiet time observation helped them reflect on their epistemological beliefs of how children learn
and develop. They actually saw children constructing their own experiences, initiating play, learning, and
having a more active role than themselves. The following statements provide evidence of the aforemen-
tioned constructs in reference to the impact of quiet time observation on the IS-ITs’ professional identity.
What I learned as a caregiver was that I don’t always have to intervene in children’s play using language . . . It’s
good to allow them to choose a game or an activity on their own rather than continuously ask them what they
want to play with. (Video reflective journal)

Many times, we [infant teachers] have the need to plan activities that infants do not really need. We need to
spend time daily to listen to infants and observe their needs . . . we need to differentiate between our needs as
educators and the true needs of infants. (Conversational interview)

During Focus Group 2 one of the IS-ITs created an artistic comparison of her first and second videos
(see Figure 2). In her drawing she highlighted how during quiet time observation she became part of
the team and allowed herself to be led by the children, whereas at the beginning she was the “star”
leading (directing) the children.
Moreover, during the last activity of the PDP, which involved presentations by the IS-ITs of their
PDP experiences to the rest of the staff at the school, all of the teachers referred to the experience of
quiet time observation and commented on how it was one of the focal highlights of their experience.
Time and space I learned to give,
for every child to explore, experiment, practice and develop.
I have learned something new,
Quiet time observation, it’s called
I reflected, I felt challenged and I changed . . . (Part of final presentation)

(Focus Group 2 artifact)

Figure 2. Artistically comparing Videos 1 and 2.

 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 9

Emergent Curriculum
In one of the focus group meetings, and in an attempt to have the teachers consider their role during
the different daily contexts (routines, play, and structured activities), the teachers revealed that they
felt restricted because of their planning documents. They mentioned how they felt they had to
implement the activities they had planned and prepared for the children in their monthly/weekly
planning document. Responding to this issue, we decided to ask the teachers as part of their PDP to
ignore their written documents, learning goals, and activities and to allow themselves to be free to
observe children, intervening only when they judged it important to do so to support children in
developing a skill or learning a concept. The aim was to have them consider a different type of
curriculum, one that was more emergent, guided by the children’s interests and needs in the
moment, rather than limited by the preplanned teacher goals.
Data suggested that even though the teachers worried at first about abandoning their plans, they
saw the importance of being with children with no preset goals or fixed activities in mind. They
referenced being able to do an in-depth observation of the children, provide time and space for them
to explore the environment, and allow them to create learning opportunities and construct knowl-
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edge with peers.

At the beginning, I was stressed; what would I do if I did not have any plan, how would I help children learn
and develop? How would I know the way the day would evolve? But then the children created games, I put out
toys and they naturally went to play with them and I observed them. (Video reflective journal)

Another participant said, “The week that I did not follow our planning documents I gave more time and space
to the children” (conversational interview). Yet another teacher said that children created a new learning center:

“. . . Elly moves her chair in front of the mirror. She sits and sees herself in the mirror. She then gets a pencil and
pretends to comb her hair. Steve moves close to her and observes her. Elly sees him and invites him to sit so
that she can do his hair. He gladly sits and allows Elly to comb his hair . . .” (Reflective journal)

This activity helped the teachers reflect on their professional teaching identity and make the
connection between planning, learning, and their role as mediators. It helped them reflect on
learning processes and the diverse and appropriate ways in which they could support children to
learn and develop. By the end of the PDP all of the teachers mentioned that they would prefer to
implement a combined curriculum: one part that would allow them to plan, set specific goals, and
prepare appropriately for their age group activities and another part that would be more emergent
and would give more space to children to lead their learning opportunities. Figure 3 shows the
puzzle that one of the IS-ITs created to explain her whole experience during the PDP; it includes all
of the elements elaborated on above: caregiver knowledge and skills, focus (light), giving time
(hourglass), observing (eyeglasses), working in the zone of proximal development (a funnel of
actions, people, and things), and professionalism (an independent woman).

Reflection on Routines as Effective Current Practice

In defining their infant pedagogy and in highlighting the differences between the roles of an infant
teacher and a preschool teacher, the infant teachers commented on the vital importance of care and
the use of routines as pedagogical activities. This topic was one of the main aspects of their first
training when they began at the university-based school. They are trained to use routines as
pedagogical activities, taking advantage of caring opportunities to support children to develop skills
and to allow learning concepts to unfold. Using routines as part of taking care of children and as
pedagogical activities was a practice easily accommodated by the IS-ITs from the beginning of their
experience with infants. This may have been due to the fact that this practice was a match with their
existing teaching identity and the role they needed to have. They were comfortable guiding children
toward development and supporting their learning, especially when this involved them being the
leader and controlling the situation.
 10 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

(Presentation artifact)

Figure 3. Unfolding the professional development program experience in a puzzle.

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To push the teachers to further reflect on their role as infant teachers and their professional identity,
we considered it important to have them reflect and deconstruct their role during routines, thus
explaining their expectations and actions during these specific times. So the next activity involved the
teachers videotaping themselves during any routine of their choice and considering their actions. During
our discussions in Focus Group 3, during our conversational interactions, and in the IS-ITs’ reflection
journals, it was evident that all of the IS-ITs felt very comfortable with routines and were confident about
their role during this specific context, especially because it was something they did daily, repeating the
same actions. Also, during Focus Group 3 the IS-ITs were asked to compare their role between free play,
structured activities, and routines. They stated that their role during routines was relatively fixed, with a
clear set of actions to be taken (e.g., inform the children, prepare the food, have children take their seat,
involve them in the process, and talk to them).
I felt more comfortable because I know exactly what to do. It is not the same with play or a structured activity.
It is something that happens a lot of times during the day and the children learn the rules and the routines.
(Conversational interview)

Another participant said, “With the routines, it is different. We are more stable, they do not change.
We take care of the children and we support them to learn on their own (e.g., their bin, diaper, and
lotion)” (Focus Group 3 notes). The process of reflecting on their role during routines reinforced the
teachers in clarifying their teaching goals and their potential actions during the specific learning
context. The routines were highly valued by the two IS-ITs who cared for the toddler group. They
were very aware of the transition children made from a group of six (4 months to 2 years) with
individual care to a group of 16 (2–3 years) with group educare. The following data suggested that
the teachers had clear aims in supporting the children to develop self-help skills (e.g., eating,
toileting), follow the classroom rules, and act in the spirit of a team (e.g., eating in a group):
My main goals during routines are (1) Enhance social and personal awareness (e.g., remind younger children
about the routine); (2) Self-care, taking care of their needs (e.g., peeling their banana); (3) Learning goals (e.g.,
recognize and name fruits); and (4) Enhance social skills (e.g., eating together as a group). (Conversational
interview)

The fact that we see children’s progressive involvement in the routines makes us really happy, and we can see
the impact on their development. Our goal, for example, is not for the child to sit on his chair but to socialize
with the people around him, to eat and talk with the other children. (Focus Group 3 notes)

For the toddler group, as suggested above, routines are considered crucial and the expectations are
usually fixed after a few months. Thus, teachers’ role during these times is also specific: They guide
and direct children according to the aforementioned aims.
 EARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT 11

Discussion
Our findings suggest that this specific PDP uncovered the inconsistency between teachers’ narratives
on their role and their actual actions and highlighted the importance of providing opportunities to
view their existing practice from another stance. Thus, the PDP created a violation of existing
teaching practice methods and allowed for the use of old and new knowledge in supporting
transformational practice. The professional development literature suggests that a PDP should
focus on changing teachers’ attitudes and beliefs, classroom practices, and learning outcomes.
Guskey (2002) suggested that in order for teachers to be dedicated to such programs, they need to
be supported in making successful implementations in their classrooms because “change is an
experientially based learning process for teachers” (p. 384). Following a similar framework, this
program progressed based on the outcomes of each activity, seeking to support teachers to view how
their own practice (mainly the infant teacher’s role) had an impact on children’s development and
then reconstruct their beliefs and attitudes.
Because of their EC preparation, the infant teachers in this study, like many others, considered
preparing materials and planning activities as their main roles, which is in line with what they had
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been taught about working with an older EC population. It is important for EC teacher educators to
consider revising their programs of study to include courses (content information) and practica
(classroom experiences) that will provide a basic pedagogical framework for working with infants
and toddlers. At the University of Cyprus, we have included a compulsory course on infancy that
explores infant teaching pedagogy and includes a short experience in the field in order to begin to
respond to the needs of future EC teachers who might become infant teachers. Horm, Hyson, and
Winton (2013), in reviewing the different domains in EC Education and describing their character-
istics, noted research gaps and provided recommendations for teacher education. Specifically, they
argued that “knowledge of infant and toddler learning and development is important for all ECTE
(EC Teacher Education) graduates, not just those assuming roles directly working with this age
group” (p. 100). They provided a well-documented rational (i.e., more children are in child care,
increased policy interest) that highlights the importance of an infant/toddler experience for EC
teacher education and professional development. Also, Norris (2010) discussed the importance of
increasing educational requirements for teachers working with infants and toddlers and listed what
policymakers, institutions, teacher education programs, and faculty need to do to accomplish that
goal.
In addition to changing preparation programs for preservice teachers, we believe that it is also
important to consider EC teachers who currently work with infants and toddlers and to begin to find
better ways to capitalize on their EC teaching identity, starting with their functional roles and
teaching competencies (Walkington, 2005) as a foundational strength on which to build a new infant
teacher identity. Our findings inspire further thinking for research and practice regarding support
for in-service EC teachers as they transition to infant teaching and a new sense of themselves as
teachers. Acknowledging studies that support professional identity as a hybrid construct (Beijaard,
Meijer, & Verloop, 2004) and drawing from our own PDP, we propose that professional develop-
ment administrators and EC teachers should consider the ways in which current teaching beliefs,
attitudes, and practices intersect to support teachers in conceptualizing a meaningful infant/toddler
pedagogy.
More specifically, and as a particular outcome of our experience, we have the following to note.
Teacher presence and emergent responsive teaching, which have been affirmed in the literature
(Elicker, Ruprecht, & Anderson, 2014; Rodgers & Raider-Roth, 2006) as fundamental ways to work
with infants and toddlers, require giving up control in a sense, and this is difficult for EC teachers to
do. Most EC teachers have been prepared to plan and follow a lesson plan, of course with a certain
amount of flexibility. However, having to create the plan while interacting with children is some-
thing they have difficulty with and have not been adequately prepared to do. We believe that the
infant teacher identity is “embodied and enacted in practice” (Schultz & Ravitch, 2013, p. 37).
 12 E. LOIZOU AND S. L. RECCHIA

Routines used as pedagogical activities (Gonzalez-Mena & Widmeyer Eyer, 2012; Hammond, 2009)
during the process of teaching and learning give teachers a sense of control. This part of interacting
with young children was one of the most appropriate and comfortable for the teachers in this study
to enact. They easily accommodated this practice because it fit their existing teaching identity. Thus,
we suggest that in a PDP or in teaching about infant/toddler curricula, routines should be high-
lighted as pedagogical activities as a transitioning type of practice for EC teachers. Using this as a
starting point, teachers can go from implementing a lesson plan to creating a learning experience
through a routine and thus begin to see how planning and learning can evolve and be responsive to
specific children’s needs.

Conclusion
In reflecting back on our professional development content, we acknowledge that once our teachers
arrive at our school, we give a lot of attention to having them consider routines as part of the
curriculum, but in reference to floor time (free play) we assumed that they were capable of
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interacting and playing with children in more spontaneous ways. This study showed us that when
teachers have no exposure to infant teaching pedagogy, which is the case for most EC teachers, they
do not know how to allow space for the infant to emerge within a free play context; it is hard for
them to be in the moment with the child and not plan ahead for him or her. Infant scholars
(Degotardi & Davis, 2008; Gonzalez-Mena & Widmeyer Eyer, 2012) support a framework of respect
and relationship-based care and emphasize quality time. They suggest that there should be time in
the curriculum when the adult is expected to be available for the child and ready to respond but does
not have any set goals in mind. At these times, an infant teacher is truly allowing space for the child
to initiate and is ready to build on the child’s needs and interests. We propose that another practice
piece to any PDP or teacher preparation program is the experience of and reflection on quiet time
observation, to support EC teachers to begin to develop a different schema of teaching and
curriculum for infants, one that highlights relationship-based, responsive care and education.
Video feedback training programs (e.g., Video Interaction for Positive Parenting, Tuning In,
Video Interaction Training) developed to support infant teachers to deconstruct their relationships
and interactions with children (Elicker et al., 2014) could also be explored in combination with our
suggestions. We propose that a PDP or a teacher training program that provides opportunities for
reflection and pedagogical discord creates the space for educators to begin to build a more grounded
infant teacher identity.

Acknowledgments
We would like to express our appreciation to the principal of the university-based school who assisted in the planning
of the meetings of the PDP and reflection on the professional development activities. We would also like to
acknowledge the five EC education teachers who participated in the program for their dedication to the process
and insightful reflections.

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