Nigerian Educators' Appropriation of Sesame Classroom Materials
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Global early childhood policies 17 Localizing Play-Based Pedagogy: Nigerian Educators’ Appropriation of Sesame Classroom Materials Naomi A. Moland School of International Service, American University Abstract This article examines how international organizations promote play-based pedagogical approaches in early childhood settings around the world, and how local educators respond. As a case study, I investigated Sesame Workshop’s efforts to introduce play-based approaches in Nigerian classrooms. In addition to producing a Nigerian version of Sesame Street (called Sesame Square), Sesame Workshop trains educators in play-based approaches and has distributed alphabet flashcards, puppet kits, and storytelling games to more than 2,700 early childhood classrooms across Nigeria. These materials were intended to support Sesame Square’s messages, and to foster interactive, child-centered learning experiences. However, teachers often used the materials in ways that reflected more rote-based, teacher- centered approaches. Data was gathered through observations and interviews in 27 educational sites across Nigeria that use Sesame materials. Findings reveal that teachers’ resistance to play-based approaches was sometimes for structural reasons (e.g., large class sizes), and sometimes related to their knowledge and training (e.g., they were accustomed to drilling the alphabet). I argue that ideals about constructivist, play-based learning are being disseminated by international organizations—alongside contrasting formalistic pedagogical approaches—and that all approaches will shift as they are localized. I question if approaches that are considered universally developmentally appropriate are relevant in all settings, and explore how early childhood educators adapt global pedagogical trends to make sense in their classrooms. I call for international organizations to explore context-appropriate play-based approaches that develop educators’ capacities to help all children thrive, while also incorporating local cultural beliefs about childhood and teaching. Keywords Play-based approaches, pedagogy, culturally relevant pedagogy, globalization, Nigeria, Sesame Workshop Introduction 4.2 (adopted September 2015) states, “By 2030, In recent years, international development ______________________________ organizations have increased their focus on Corresponding Author: developing and expanding early childhood Naomi A. Moland, School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, educational opportunities around the world. The DC 20016 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Email: [email protected] Global Education Review is a publication of The School of Education at Mercy College, New York. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License, permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Citation: Moland, Naomi A.(2017). Localizing play-based pedagogy: Nigerian educators’ appropriation of Sesame Classroom materials. Global Education Review, 4 (3), 17-36. 18 Global Education Review 4(3) ensure that all boys and girls have access to intended to support the messages on Nigeria’s quality early childhood development, care, and version of Sesame Street (called Sesame pre-primary education so that they are ready for Square), such as literacy and numeracy skills, primary education” (Sustainable Development healthy habits, and respect for diversity. Goal 4, 2017). As formalized early childhood In this article, I examine how Sesame education has expanded around the world, Workshop promotes play-based learning in debates continue (and take new forms) about the Nigeria, and how educators respond. My best ways to educate young children. While research questions are: many experts emphasize the importance of play- 1. How does Sesame Workshop promote based and interactive learning, more academic play-based approaches to early childhood and teacher-directed approaches are also educators in Nigeria? widespread (Davey & Lundy, 2011; Fuller, 2. How do Nigerian educators use 2007). Some raise concerns that increasingly Sesame’s play-based educational materials rigorous accountability measures are leading to in their classrooms? inappropriate academic pressure and testing even at very young ages, and that these practices To answer these questions, I conducted do not reflect what we know about ethnographic observations in two caregiver1 developmentally appropriate pedagogical training sessions and 27 educational sites in five strategies (Bodrova, 2008; Fuller, 2007). states across Nigeria. I also repeatedly International organizations play a role in interviewed Sesame teacher trainers and diffusing various early childhood education conversed with teachers. Findings reveal that approaches. Scholars critique a global education many educators struggled to implement play- reform movement (GERM) for exporting based learning approaches and sometimes used market-based accountability measures to the Sesame materials in teacher-directed ways education systems around the world (Sahlberg, that promoted rote memorization. These 2014). Such reforms are often associated with findings echo those of other scholars who have increased assessment and more rigid, teacher- observed educators’ discomfort in African led pedagogical approaches. However, countries with constructivist, learner-centered international organizations are also pedagogical approaches (Mtika & Gates, 2010; disseminating play-based approaches for early O'Sullivan, 2004; Vavrus, Bartlett, & Salema, childhood education. 2013). Studies have documented several possible This article examines one such reasons for why teachers resist constructivist organization, Sesame Workshop, which creates approaches, such as structural reasons (large television programs, trains educators, and class sizes, inadequate classroom space, and distributes interactive educational materials rigid school schedules) and knowledge and around the world (Cole, 2016). Sesame attitudinal reasons (including inadequate Workshop collaborates with local production training, previous experiences, and cultural companies to create more than 30 international beliefs about authority and knowledge versions of Sesame Street, which are viewed by acquisition) (Schweisfurth, 2011; Vavrus et al., more than 156 million children in 150 countries 2013). around the world (Cooney, 2016; Sesame My findings align with these scholars’ Workshop, 2017). Sesame Workshop also findings; I document how structural, knowledge, distributes educational materials to schools, and attitudinal factors contribute to teachers’ community centers, and orphanages (described discomfort with play-based methods. However, further below). In Nigeria, these materials were this study is different in that it highlights Global early childhood policies 19 specifically how educators repurpose materials Tikly, 2015). A key component of these that are designed to be constructivist, and use discussions are concerns about teaching quality, them in more didactic ways. Moreover, this and whether teachers engage in “teacher- study is unique because it examines these centered approaches” or “learner-centered dynamics in early childhood settings, rather pedagogy” (Schweisfurth, 2015; Vavrus, than in primary or secondary school settings. Thomas, & Bartlett, 2011). These two Many early childhood experts suggest that pedagogical approaches are linked respectively constructivist, exploratory, play-based to formalistic and constructivist educational pedagogical approaches are particularly philosophies (Fuller, 2007; Vavrus & Bartlett, important in early childhood settings (Bodrova, 2012). Teacher-centered approaches are often 2008; Lobman & Ryan, 2007). The fact that associated with formalistic pedagogical theories rote-based, teacher-centered approaches persist that emphasize rote learning, rationalized and in early childhood classrooms in Nigeria may standardized knowledge, and teachers lecturing have a negative impact on young children’s from the front of the room (I borrow the term development. "formalistic" from Vavrus, 2009). In contrast, On the other hand, this study questions learner-centered pedagogies are understood as whether play-based pedagogical approaches are constructivist classroom practices wherein logistically and culturally appropriate in all students interact with the teacher in more contexts. Early childhood experts who speak egalitarian ways, may work in cooperative about pedagogical approaches that are groups with other students, and construct developmentally appropriate suggest that all knowledge through interaction, questioning, and children go through similar biological stages that experimentation (Mtika & Gates, 2010; Vavrus require certain pedagogies. However, ideas et al., 2011). about child-rearing are culturally bound (Lancy, Scholars emphasize that these two 2015). While it may be impossible to determine pedagogical approaches are better understood as what pedagogical approaches are culturally a continuum than as absolutes (Schweisfurth, indigenous to Nigeria, educators may need to 2015) and that many teachers employ “hybrid draw from different approaches to find one that practices” and “mixed pedagogies” (Mtika & best suits their sociocultural context. I borrow Gates, 2010). That is to say, there are from Vavrus’s (2009) concept of contingent approaches that are more and less