Teacher Planning and Curriculum Frameworks: A Case Study of ECEC Practice in Australia

Research indicates an uneasy fit between curriculum frameworks and practice. In this paper, we explore the more subtle practices of context, providing insights into why teachers plan the way they do. Specifically, we examine the Australian early childhood education and care curriculum framework and local practices by analysing teacher planning templates and interviews. Using Bourdieusian tools of field and habitus, we investigate how early childhood teachers plan their programs by selectively adapting curriculum frameworks. Our case study approach uncovers a range of influences on teacher planning and how local practices reflect broader national agendas for young children.