There is a lot of discussion in the media currently about frustrated and disillusioned young people joining destructive movements because they want to belong, to make a difference. Commentators speculate that they are motivated by feelings of powerlessness, wanting to have an impact. Feeling that you have little control over your life can also lead […]
Many educators record assessments of children’s learning using the headings Identity, Contribution and connection, Wellbeing, Communication and Confidence as a learner. While it definitely makes sense to use the Early Years Learning Framework and Frameworks for School Aged Care Learning Outcomes as a focus, I’m not convinced that simply repeating what’s in the Frameworks is […]
Astoundingly, there is recent evidence that babies come into the world with ‘a primitive number sense’! Scientists in the USA (Nuwer, 2013; Duke Today, 2013) have found that babies as young as six months of age notice the difference between screens containing 20 dots and those showing 10 dots. Babies are more intrigued by the […]
This blog was originally posted in 2015 and updated in September 2020. By learning about and incorporating elements of home into children’s daily experiences educators assist the growth of a child’s sense of identity, belonging, and connectedness. Knowing about a child’s world beyond the early learning service has another benefit; educators can support children and […]
Car crashes are one of the leading causes of child death in Australia. Several thousand children aged birth to six years are hospitalised each year in Australia from injuries sustained in car crashes. And while studies by road safety researchers show that almost all young children in Australia (98 per cent) use child restraints when […]
Speech problems in early childhood are common. One in four parents of Australian children are concerned about their 4- to 5-year-old child’s speech but two-thirds of these parents don’t act on their concern. Why? What might stop them from seeking expert advice from a speech pathologist? Myth 1: Children grow out of speech problems (just […]
Several shops in my neighbourhood have blackboards on the footpath with daily messages, mostly advice. One caught my eye recently and made me wonder if the writer or selector was an early childhood educator who had decided that the hospitality industry was a better career option. The sign read ‘Just be, don’t become!’ Good advice […]
This blog was originally posted in 2015 and updated in August 2020. Anyone can experience trauma at any time in life Some effects of trauma can be immediate and obvious … others can take time to appear. Trauma describes the impact of an event, or a series of events, that leaves someone feeling helpless and pushed […]
It is not unexpected that in recent weeks, parts of the business sector are calling for the government to scrap the 1.5% levy that was earmarked to fund the Prime Minister’s proposed generous Paid Parental Leave scheme. When the Prime Minister announced changes to his proposed scheme, there were suggestions that the levy could instead […]
Element 1.2.2 Educators respond to children’s ideas and play and use intentional teaching to scaffold and extend each child’s learning. (National Quality Standard) This Element reminds educators to do more than simply notice children’s learning and congratulate them on it. When you think about extending children’s learning, what do you think about? My experience is […]
