‘Mindfulness’ as a concept and a practice has rapidly entered the zeitgeist, helping to define the spirit and ideas of our times, including in education. Not much more than a decade ago a Google search for mindfulness and education would show the Garrison Institute Initiative for Contemplative Teaching and Learning at the top of the […]
An internationally recognised stereotype of modern Australia is that of athletes, weekend sports and physically active citizens enjoying the sun outdoors. However, when we begin to delve deep into the research and studies in relation to physical literacy, we realise that Australia is a nation in crisis within all stages of childhood. For example, Australia’s […]
Starting formal schooling is a significant life event for children and families. In 2021 schools will be receiving young children who have had significant life events in their year prior to school and as a result are likely to be a cohort unlike any other that teachers or schools have encountered before. Schools will need […]
‘Just by becoming aware of what is occurring within and around us, we can begin to untangle ourselves from mental preoccupations and difficult emotions’ (Siegel, Germer & Olendzki, 2009). The practice of being ‘mindful’ is a 2500-year-old Buddhist tradition that calls for one to be aware and present in the way that one experiences and […]
This article first appeared on KidsMatter Early Childhood’s Shared Thinking blog on 30 June 2014. It was first shared on The Spoke in 2018 and was updated in July 2020. What self-regulation is … and isn’t Self-regulation is not simply self-control. It is the ability to manage our energy states, emotions, behaviour and attention: the […]
Originally posted in 2018, this post was updated in December 2020. Karen Hope is a presenter at the 2021 ECA National Conference. The early childhood care and education sector has a workforce that often places the welfare and needs of others above their own. Because of this, in the face of ever competing demands and […]
Educators at Goodstart Red Hill had long admired forest kindergartens from afar, never really considering how that might look in an Australian setting. Then they realised they had an amazing and diverse environment right on their doorstep. Skye Devereaux, Early Childhood Teacher and Educational Leader, writes how Goodstart Red Hill developed their Nature Space program. […]
There’s a picture of 4 year old me, in a high chair, thunder written all over my face, while my mother stands behind me cutting my hair. To the right of me in the picture swings a pillowcase from a rope, stuffed with rags. I remember that day with clarity – I was as furious […]
Originally posted in 2015, this post was updated in August 2020. Being an early childhood educator can be both rewarding and challenging. Above are just a few of the responsibilities early childhood educators have. Your wellbeing matters because, as an educator, it influences your interactions and relationships with children and young people. It also affects […]
