A New Lens on Respect: University of Auckland Researchers Unpack ECE Curricula
The latest research from the University of Auckland sheds light on a vital yet often overlooked aspect of early childhood education: the concept of respect. Titled Respect through different lenses: a cross-cultural curriculum study of China and Aotearoa New Zealand, this paper by Jiangnan Wang and Phoebe Zhen Tong compares how respect is embedded in China's Early Learning and Development Guidelines (ELDG) for ages 3-6 and New Zealand's iconic bicultural curriculum, Te Whāriki. Published online on February 24, 2026, in the journal Early Years, the study uses a social constructionist approach to reveal how cultural contexts shape this fundamental value.
Drawing from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), ratified by both nations, the authors emphasize respect as key to children's agency, inclusion, and holistic development. In an era of increasing global migration and cultural exchange between China and New Zealand, this cross-cultural curriculum analysis offers timely insights for educators training future teachers.
Understanding China's Early Learning and Development Guidelines (ELDG)
China's ELDG, issued by the Ministry of Education in 2012, guides early childhood education (ECE) for children aged 3-6 across five domains: health, language, social, science, and art. It balances traditional Confucian values with modern child-centered principles, promoting holistic growth through play-based learning. The guidelines reconcile collectivism—emphasizing harmony and social roles—with individuality, reflecting China's rapid societal shifts.
Enrollment statistics underscore its reach: in 2022, 92% of Chinese children aged 3-5 were in ECE, exceeding the OECD average of 84.7%. This high participation supports national goals for quality preschooling, with recent laws aiming to elevate standards by 2025.
Te Whāriki: New Zealand's Bicultural ECE Framework
Te Whāriki, meaning 'woven mat' in Māori, is New Zealand's national ECE curriculum, revised in 2017 by the Ministry of Education. Unique globally, it weaves together Māori and Western knowledge systems, grounded in the Treaty of Waitangi. Spanning birth to school entry, it organizes learning around five strands—Belonging, Well-being, Contribution, Communication, and Exploration—and four principles, including Relationships and Family and Community.
Respect permeates Te Whāriki through concepts like manaakitanga (hospitality and care that enhances dignity) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment). It supports superdiversity, including Pasifika perspectives, fostering reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things. New Zealand boasts near-universal ECE access, with over 95% of 3-5-year-olds enrolled, emphasizing quality teacher-child interactions.Explore ECE opportunities in New Zealand universities.
Framing Respect in China's ELDG: Moral Virtue Meets Individuality
In the ELDG, 'respect' (zūnzhòng) appears 23 times, predominantly in the social domain. It manifests in three ways: adults modeling respect for children by valuing their voices and interests; children learning to respect elders, parents, and diverse lifestyles; and an ethical stance promoting equality and cultural diversity.
- Adults 'respect and accept children’s ways of speaking' (language domain).
- Children develop 'an attitude of respect and care' toward parents and elders.
- By age 5-6, grasp 'cultural diversity... people are equal, and should respect one another'.
This blend honors Confucian relational hierarchies while advancing UNCRC rights, aiding China's transition from rote learning to child agency.
Respect in Te Whāriki: Relational and Reciprocal Dynamics
Te Whāriki mentions 'respect' 46 times, most in Belonging and Contribution strands. It is deeply relational: reciprocal exchanges enhancing mana (prestige/dignity), with strong Māori emphases like 'respect for Māori views of the world... connection to whenua, atua Māori and tīpuna' and Pasifika reciprocity.
- Respect for Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) and kaitiakitanga.
- Mutual respect among peers, families, and educators.
- From infancy: 'respecting their rights as children… enable their agency'.
Influenced by socio-cultural theories (Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner) and Kaupapa Māori, it prioritizes equity and decolonization.
Photo by Spencer Gu on Unsplash
Key Similarities: Shared Commitments to Children's Rights
Despite differences, both curricula align on core tenets: respecting children's individuality, autonomy, and voices; linking respect to empathy, inclusion, and diversity; and supporting UNCRC Article 12 (child's right to be heard). Both treat respect as both an end (value) and means for development.
This convergence reflects global ECE shifts toward rights-based, play-oriented pedagogies, offering hybrid potential for practitioners in diverse settings like New Zealand's growing Chinese migrant communities.
Cultural Differences: Confucian Harmony vs. Bicultural Relationality
ELDG frames respect as a moral virtue cultivated through modeling and conduct, rooted in Confucian harmony (zūnshī zhòngjiào: respect teachers; zūnlǎo àiyǒu: honor elders). Te Whāriki views it relationally and reciprocally, embedded in cultural protocols and environmental stewardship.
| Aspect | ELDG (China) | Te Whāriki (NZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Framing | Moral virtue, hierarchical | Reciprocal relationships |
| Cultural Roots | Confucianism, collectivism | Māori manaakitanga, Pasifika |
| Mentions | 23 (social-focused) | 46 (strands/principles) |
| Focus | Adults model; children enact | Mutual with people/places |
These distinctions highlight context-specific constructions, urging culturally responsive teaching.
Implications for ECE Teachers and Teacher Education in New Zealand
For New Zealand's ECE sector, the study prompts reflection on enacting Te Whāriki amid superdiversity. University programs, like those at the University of Auckland, can integrate such analyses to prepare teachers for multicultural classrooms. Chinese migrant families (China is NZ's top source of international students, with 17% enrollment growth in 2024) benefit from bridged understandings.Aspiring ECE lecturers can leverage this research in applications.
Read the full paper here. Also, download Te Whāriki.
Broader Context: China-NZ Educational Ties and Research Momentum
This paper builds on prior comparisons, like Xu's 2020 analysis of child citizenship discourses. NZ universities foster such international research, with UoA leading in ECE studies. Amid double-digit growth in Chinese students (17% in 2024), it informs transnational education.
Stats: NZ ECE teachers require a degree, with ongoing professional development emphasizing bicultural competence. Check higher ed jobs for ECE faculty roles.
Future Outlook: Hybrid Approaches and Policy Recommendations
The authors advocate hybrid pedagogies blending moral cultivation with relational respect, enhancing children's rights realization. Future research could examine classroom enactment. For NZ policymakers, it reinforces Te Whāriki's strengths while highlighting ECE quality amid funding pressures.
- Train teachers in cross-cultural respect frameworks.
- Support Chinese-NZ exchanges in teacher education.
- Monitor ECE outcomes via longitudinal studies.
Interested in ECE careers? Visit university jobs or rate your professors.
Photo by Rubina Ajdary on Unsplash
Why This Matters for New Zealand's Higher Education Landscape
As NZ universities like Auckland produce globally relevant research, this study positions them as leaders in comparative education. It aids in attracting international talent and informs career advice for educators navigating cultural nuances. With China's ECE influencing migrant families here, practical applications abound.
