Professional Development in Arts Education for Early Childhood Education: A Creative Exchange Model

This paper reports a model for professional development for early childhood arts education. The research delivered a co-mentoring programme between early years teachers and artists, which applied a process of ‘creative exchange’, in which across a period of 2 years, 12 educators and two teaching artists participated. Common principles underpinning early childhood education and arts education include recognition of the critical role of early experiences and relationships and quality learning opportunities as foundations for positive child development. Using these common principles, early childhood educators and artists worked together as equals to provide an enriched early learning environment with improved use of space and materials in an atmosphere of “unhurried time”. Themes in the evaluation of the professional outcomes for educators and artists included increased engagement with the arts; changes in pedagogy; building relationships between artists and educators; and the importance of making time for reflection and planning. The creative exchange process led to positive changes in practice and strengthened understandings, for both educators and artists, of the capabilities of young children.