Recently I was asked to speak at a career expo for pre-service early childhood teachers preparing to transition to the field. I guess the universe heard me loud and clear when I said I was ready to say ‘yes’ to new challenges and things that terrify me (like public speaking and playing team sports) in […]
There is growing awareness and effort in Australian classrooms to understand, respect and support cultural differences, but are we starting early enough? If we want to create a society that values diversity, we must start instilling an appreciation for multiculturalism in young children as early as possible. Learning and development happens rapidly during early childhood, […]
Music plays an essential part of infant sensory development. Julia Rennick shares various forms of music that might be used with babies and toddlers as a way of fostering relationships. This piece may be helpful for educators when considering the connection between infant and toddler learning, their programs and how music can be used to […]
The Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009, p. 45) defines agency as being able to make choices and decisions, to influence events and to have an impact on one’s world. Children’s agency is supported through intentional teaching, involvement in decision making and reciprocal, attuned responsive interactions. (ACECQA, 2018) all of which constitute the environments that […]
Inspired by the comments on my previous post, I wanted to write about the practical ways in which educators can facilitate teaching of music in early learning settings. There is growing evidence about the numerous benefits of teaching children music. In early learning settings, music can be used as a learning tool to facilitate growth […]
Governments across Australia have engaged Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology and Edith Cowan University to lead the 2021 National Quality Framework Approved Learning Frameworks Update project. The aim is to ensure the ongoing currency and relevance of the two Approved Learning Frameworks (ALFs): Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia […]
‘Mesmerised. Excited. Engaged. Amazed.’ These were the words early childhood educator Kristy Edwards used to describe the childrens’ reaction at her early learning centre when they took part in their first Conceptual PlayWorld. It was based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and after reading it, the children ventured out into their imaginary world. There they […]
‘Children leave the caregiver; the caregiver does not leave the child.’ Who would have thought that a global pandemic would lead to a world where social normality and early childhood practice was completely transformed? In early childhood, the ‘gate drop off’ quickly became one of the most significant socially normal practices emerging during COVID-19. The practice […]
Since 2013 children across Australia have been attending kindergarten for 15 hours each week. For eight years they have been the beneficiaries of a funding partnership between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. These children are now teenagers in their first year of secondary school! It’s a partnership that has enabled more children to engage […]
Educators are in positions of enormous privilege in the relationships they share with young children and their families. Such relationships are built on trust and respect, even when early childhood education and care may also be a necessity for the family concerned.—Jackie Brien For many families of young children with disabilities, their experience of the […]
