This professional's reflections indicate that she understands and uses her special- ized knowledge, interests and practices of teaching with political intent. She sees the process of teaching and learning as inseparable from how issues of social justice are addressed in the classroom. In her teaching she has created a new way of being a professional and another dimension of specialized knowledge for her profession by treating seriously the issues facing children. This raises an important question that every teacher must face when they begin the process of defining what it means to be a professional in early childhood: "What specialized knowledge is essential to quality teaching and learning?" "The challenge for us all is to explore the potential of alternative knowledges critically so that we might be able to create new versions of early childhood teaching and learning (Ryan and Oschner 1999: 19)
There are many ways from within a transformative approach to professionalism that you might begin the process of blurring the boundaries of what you know, believe and children and families in your community. Each requires serious a commitment to theory, practice and professionalism, and an 'ethic of care' that acknowledges the risks and dangers of change for each person.
•An early childhood professional is strategic and reflective because he or she uses specialized knowledges as the basis for actions, and questions the effects of specialized knowledges in action.
•An early childhood professional works with others in the learning context to build a critical community. This is a pl where each person's history, knowleges and social and cultural identities are valued, validated and included.