As we head towards another 26 January, the request to ‘change the date’ is still being hotly debated. Many early education services now choose not to celebrate a day that is a source of pain to many in our Indigenous population. However, others wonder if there’s still a way to acknowledge or approach the day […]
Working in early education and care is an incredibly rewarding job, but the role can come with numerous challenges. This is especially true for educators in charge of children presenting with trauma, self-regulation and behavioural issues, or from challenging home environments. At times it can feel like you’ve tried everything you know of to try to […]
STEM Storytime is a new activity for early learners and carers, presented by Australia’s Women in STEM Ambassador Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith and supported by Questacon. We share how the project is helping to challenge gender stereotypes and how you can get involved. By Lauren Sullivan, Project Officer, Women in STEM Ambassador About STEM Storytime STEM […]
Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs) are completed so that services can self-assess their performance in order to provide children with quality education and care, and to plan for future improvement. Therefore, it makes sense to ask the children themselves about the changes they would like to see at their centre. The United Nations Convention on the […]
2020 marks the twentieth anniversary of the reconciliation walks of 2000, when people came together to walk on bridges and roads across the nation and show their support for a more reconciled Australia. Embedding reconciliation in early childhood education, by promoting a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being, is […]
Inclusive play environments are essential for children with physical disabilities and sensory processing issues, but they are important for all children. Every child is unique and has the right to play, learn and feel a sense of belonging. We speak with Lisa Fruhstuck, speech pathologist and founder of inclusive play centre The Shine Shed, to […]
Auslan is short for Australian sign language. It’s a visual form of communication that uses hand, arm and body movements to convey meaning. While it was originally created for the hearing impaired, its incorporation in an early learning environment creates many exciting opportunities for engagement, inclusion and a richer shared culture. Christine Tsang, Director of […]
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 […]
‘In this together’, the theme for National Reconciliation Week 2020 (27 May – 3 June), encourages all Australians to reflect on the part they play on our journey towards reconciliation. Fostering an understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander cultures can have a profound and positive effect on children’s future attitudes towards cultural […]
Have you or a colleague experienced workplace bullying? Do you know how to identify it and what to do if it happens? How would you react if you came across a situation where a young child in your care was being bullied? Unfortunately, the ‘caring’ nature of our industry does not mean that it’s immune […]
