FULL REFERENCE: Kinkead-Clark, Z. (2021). Early Childhood teacher education during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Perspectives of Caribbean pre-service teachers. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 23(1), 59 – 68.
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ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the Caribbean’s education systems. Though much has been examined relative to its effect on primary and secondary education, it was also noted that other levels of education have also struggled. This qualitative study examined how five early childhood pre-service teachers from Belize and Jamaica navigated their final year Teaching Practicum in light of the numerous changes faced by early childhood institutions. Three themes were reported: invaluable experience, inadequate preparation, and working with families. The findings of this study have implications for how lessons learned from education in the COVID-19 era are harnessed and can be used to inform approaches to teacher education. It is recommended that these approaches be aligned with the goal to provide Caribbean early childhood teachers with the skills to support children to be 21st century ready.
Key words: Teaching practicum, Covid-19, pre-service teachers, initial teacher education.
