ABSTRACT

This paper explores how new materialist ideas informed a non-linear experimental approach to ‘continuous’ professional development (CPD). Experiences of professional development in the early years are diverse but remain at the heart of continuous improvement practices. In the UK, the roll-out of the ‘disadvantaged two-year-old’ offer increased demand for professional development, at a time when austerity impacted on training budgets. Where opportunities for professional development exist, the focus is typically on ‘best practice’ solutions, which often cling to developmental psychology. This paper focuses on the process of ‘continuous’ professional development inspired by new materialist thinking. It recognises that integral to quality early years’ provision are understandings of how children learn, but that this knowledge is embodied, always in movement and yet deeply situated. Focussing on the first CPD session, the glass jar, this paper assembles happenstance encounters from within and beyond the CPD session to explore how combinations of relational becomings are continuously changing as encounters and experiences spark new thinking and doing in diffusive and irrational ways. This paper emerges only as a resting place; writing becoming part of the movement needed in new materialist practices, vitally informing the transformative potential of CPD that continues to move.

摘要

本文探讨了新的唯物主义思想如何为“连续”职业发展（CPD）提供了一种非线性的实验方法。早期的专业发展经验是多种多样的，但仍是持续改进实践的核心。在英国，“紧缩的两岁儿童”的推出对专业发展提出了更高的要求，而当时紧缩政策影响了培训预算。在存在专业发展机会的地方，通常将重点放在“最佳实践”解决方案上，这些解决方案通常会紧贴发展心理学。本文着重于受新唯物主义思想启发的“持续”职业发展过程。它认识到，提供优质的早期服务必不可少的是对儿童学习方式的理解，但是这种知识是可以体现的，始终处于运动状态，但处在深处。本文以第一个CPD会议（玻璃罐）为重点，从CPD会议的内部和外部汇聚了偶然的相遇，探讨了随着接触和经历激发出新的思维和方式，以扩散和非理性的方式不断改变关系的组合。本文只不过是一个休憩之所而已。写作成为新唯物主义实践所需要的运动的一部分，从根本上告知了持续发展的CPD的变革潜力。本文从CPD会议的内部和外部汇总偶然事件，以探讨随着接触和经历激发出新思维和以扩散性和非理性方式进行时，关系性行为的组合如何不断变化。本文只不过是一个休憩之所而已。写作成为新唯物主义实践所需要的运动的一部分，从根本上告知了持续发展的CPD的变革潜力。本文从CPD会议的内部和外部汇总偶然事件，以探讨随着接触和经历激发出新思维和以扩散性和非理性方式进行时，关系性行为的组合如何不断变化。本文只不过是一个休憩之所而已。写作成为新唯物主义实践所需要的运动的一部分，从根本上告知了持续发展的CPD的变革潜力。