Exploring British Columbia early childhood educators’ perspectives on place-conscious pedagogy and artful practices

This qualitative study explores how early childhood educators in British Columbia engage with place-conscious pedagogy through art. Drawing from David Gruenewald’s (2003) theory of place-conscious pedagogy, the purpose of the research is to examine educators’ perspectives on place through personal narrative and critical reflection and to explore how art may support place-conscious thinking in early childhood education. Grounded in qualitative research informed by Paulo Freire’s (1970) critical theory, data are generated through focus groups and semi-structured interviews with six early childhood educators working with children aged 3-5. The findings suggest that art invites educators to think about place beyond surface-level representations and to consider the social, political, and relational dimensions of place. The findings show that educators experience place-conscious pedagogy through artful practices as a reflective and ongoing thinking process rather than as a fixed practice. This study addresses a gap in the early childhood education literature by positioning place-conscious pedagogy and artful practices as interconnected and meaningful frameworks for rethinking place, learning, and professional practice. Building on this, it develops Place-Relational Art Pedagogy (PRAP) to articulate these connections. The implications suggest possibilities for reflective professional growth, classroom practice, and teacher education that foreground place, artful practices, and critical awareness.