An Introduction to Two Pedagogical Narratives
Barbara Henderson, Lisa Goddard, and Megina Baker, Voices Executive Editors

Toddler teachers make consequential pedagogical decisions within moments that some adults may barely notice and others may misunderstand entirely. One teacher pauses beside a preverbal child holding a pinwheel in the wind. Another stands back as children race around a classroom, pushing chairs with scarves tucked under the legs. Guided play invites these moments of decision making, as teachers decide how to respond, what to protect, what to encourage, when to intervene, and what possibilities might emerge if the moment continues.

These two pedagogical narratives by Amie A. Perry and by Liz Braddock first appeared in the 2025 Voices of Practitioners collection. Our invitation to teacher researchers was to explore empathy and belonging in early childhood settings. In selecting these two narratives, we were drawn to making visible the complex pedagogical decisions of toddler teachers during ordinary moments of classroom life.