Sometimes a question can stay with you: ‘Are we making the best use of children’s time?’ This was Chloe Kerr1’s question after an In Service day in Shetland last year about slow pedagogies. Chloe’s question is key to reconsidering the relationship with time in early childhood education and care (ECEC). This has been the focus […]
The words we use daily with children matter. How we communicate and the words we use with children has a great effect on the relationships we build with them. UNICEF (n.d.) explains that ‘Every interaction you have with your child is a form of communication. It’s not just about the words you say: The tone […]
ACECQA data show us that the most challenging quality area for ECEC services to meet is QA1: Educational Program and Practice. Within QA1, Element 1.3.1, Assessment and Planning Cycle is the most likely element to be awarded a ‘not met’ rating[1]. In Australia, educators and teachers are required to implement the principles of curriculum planning […]
Observing children is a great way of getting to know them. It’s also how we can gather information about their mental health and wellbeing, including noticing their strengths and behaviours that may cause concern or present possible signs of mental health issues. Read more about the behaviour, emotions, thoughts, learning and social relationships (BETLS) observation […]
The future of Australia rests on early education. Early Childhood Australia’s (ECA) National President, Christine Legg talks about children’s early development and why Australia needs to invest in and support a high-quality early childhood education system. If you imagine a child’s brain as a five-drawer filing cabinet, research indicates that the majority of those drawers […]
Child sleep in the early years is one of the leading reasons families reach out to health practitioners. Sleep is also a hot topic between families and early childhood educators. In this blog PROFESSOR HARRIET HISCOCK from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) writes about the two most commonly encountered problems: night waking and settling. Why […]
This article, written by Tawanda Makusha and Linda M. Richter, examines fatherhood under pressure and the essential role fathers can play in the first three years of a child’s life. While it explores the issues in a South African context, the messages are widely relevant. The article first appeared in The Conversation on 7 August […]
‘Children have taught me the most important lessons about advocacy’ says DR CINDY BLACKSTOCK. They are ‘experts in love and fairness’ yet ‘we often view children in ways that reduce their dignity and development’. Dr Blackstock, an international keynote speaker at the 2018 ECA National Conference in Sydney (19–22 September), spoke with ECA about moral courage and […]
It‘s natural for families to discuss with friends what their young children are doing and learning in early childhood education and care. But it can be unsettling too and it can prompt many questions for early childhood educators, directors and managers. In this blog, DR WENDY BOYD demystifies ‘real learning’ and developmental milestones. She examines ACECQA‘s […]
We consent to and ask permission about many things every day, writes DEANNE CARSON, yet consent remains controversial. In this blog Carson explores what an understanding of each other’s rights, and of consent, can bring to daily interactions with young children. Carson attracted worldwide attention earlier this year when interviewed about young children’s capacity to […]
