Nohl, Arnd-Michael

Scholars of early childhood education and care (ECEC) often perceive the two defining terms—education and care—as opposites. In contrast, this article argues that the respective practices are complementary. Drawing on theoretical definitions of these terms and, more importantly, on videography-base empirical studies conducted in ECEC centers, numerous examples of interaction between ECEC professionals and children are analyzed. The findings reveal that ECEC professionals carefully evaluate when children require care and when they should be guided toward self-reliance. Additionally, children are taught to request assistance when needed and to assess their own needs truthfully. The empirical analyses demonstrate that education supports care, which, in turn, is the basis for educational processes but also can be an obstacle to education. Thus, while education and care are functionally interdependent, their complementarity is enacted through temporal sequencing.