Constructing ideas and theories about quality : the accounts of young children in two early childhood classrooms in Singapore

Early childhood research and policy are focusing increasingly on issues of 'quality' in early childhood education. Much of the focus, however, has been on adult-generated notions of quality, with little attention being devoted to children's own views of their experience in early childhood settings. Conducted in the context of early childhood education in Singapore, this research breaks new ground by contributing children's own insights into their experience in two early childhood classrooms in Singapore. Informed by the sociology of childhood conceptualisation of child competence (James & James, 2004), the research methodology drew on the mosaic approach to researching with children used by Clark and Moss (2001), whereby children's photography, mapping and conversations were used by them to consider their early childhood settings. The findings of this study were generated, beginning with the understanding that young children have the competence to articulate their ideas using a range of symbolic literacies. They formed views and constructed theories about their preschool experiences, in particular about the teachers, the curriculum, the physical environment and friends, and gave a clear indication of what constitutes good quality in those domains. When offered a platform to discuss the issue of quality in early childhood settings, the children articulated ideas about their own best interests. This study calls for those engaged with children, to act upon the contributions offered by this group of children to our understanding of quality.