Across Australia, hundreds of thousands of children are attending their final year of early childhood education and care, before starting primary school. This is an important year for four-year-olds, where they continue to develop skills that will assist them in transitioning to school. These skills include playing with other children, regulating emotions and participating in […]
By Deborah Hoger Cultural appropriation is when a dominant culture takes something from another culture that is experiencing oppression. In Australia, it usually refers to when a non-Indigenous person/organisation/group/business takes an element of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture and uses it without permission, cultural respect or any form of reciprocity or payment. In the […]
Prepared for CELA by education writer Bec Lloyd An assessment notice is a little like a winter electricity bill – we all know it’s coming but it’s still a shock when it arrives. Unlike your power bill, your assessment and rating (A&R) visit is an opportunity to shake off that dread and show how your […]
While life is slowly returning to normal in many Australian states, there is still a high level of uncertainty. Early childhood professionals have navigated a pandemic, employment changes, extra duties and major funding changes. Educators may continue to feel stressed during this time. Mental wellbeing is even more important now than ever. Amanda Abel, a […]
Early childhood educators understand the importance of outdoor play: fresh air, vitamin D, gross motor development and connecting with nature. Health precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic have made outdoor play even more desirable, but getting outside in the winter months can be challenging. Children benefit from being outdoors in all but the most extreme weather […]
The Front Project’s latest survey of over 1000 parents and carers highlights how COVID-19 has reinforced the value of early childhood education and care in families’ minds. The latest survey results show that 80% of respondents say early childhood education and care is very important to their family. Parents commented on the challenges of juggling […]
The Bright Tomorrows app, which is free to download, has been designed to help parents and carers to support children’s brain development. Developed by Telethon Kids Institute and Minderoo Foundation through their CoLab partnership, the app translates groundbreaking early years research into tailored tips for parents and carers of children under five. According to CoLab […]
What was your childhood comfort item? For ECE Operations Manager Liz Pennings’ son Logan, it was his single bed-sized blanket. “Logan carried his single bed-sized blanket into the sandpit, around the classroom and even into the bathroom in his early learning setting. In his own time, he began leaving it behind. This was once he […]
Back in 2017, Amplify shared an interview with Bambini of Lilyfield centre director Anmol Lohia, whose powerful belief in creative arts education had led to many positive outcomes for the children at the centre, and the local community. This included a fundraising event where artworks created by the children helped to raise thousands of dollars […]
NAIDOC week (originally scheduled for 5-12 July) may have been postponed for now, but celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is something early education services should be doing every day. Finding ways to celebrate in culturally respectful ways can sometimes be a difficult space to navigate. Educators may […]
