Month: June 2016
Documenting your continuous professional learning
Being a teacher can also mean being a learner. You need to be able to make observations and capture reflections on what you learn as part of your teaching practice, as well as what the outcomes for children have been. Continuous professional learning is an important part of any vocation, especially so when nurturing the futures of so many young...
Quick and easy recipes for sensory play
Here are a bunch of resources for sensory play ideas that are so easy for you to make yourself! You don’t have to spend a lot of money and time creating exciting sensory and play materials for children to spend hours exploring with touch, language and imagination. For more early learning inspiration and professional development, subscribe to the Storypark YouTube channel...
Is it wrong to love the children you teach?
When studying to become an early childhood educator, I always remember a lecturer stressing the importance of maintaining a professional distance from becoming too close to the children you teach. It was unprofessional to develop strong feelings for children. I always struggled with this as I am a feelings person. I often asked myself “is it wrong to love the...
Using macrons on Storypark
Cultural sensitivity and understanding are big considerations these days, and rightly so. One way that you can include this in your teaching practice is to make sure that you spell words correctly including making use of the appropriate macrons. Macrons are used to signify the length of vowels in many different languages. It’s unlikely your computer is set up to type...
Learning in a puddle
One of my clearest childhood memories is of a friend and I walking to school and coming across a gigantic puddle. It was like a magnet that drew us closer and closer. I remember us looking at each other, no words were needed as we both knew what we had to do. We jumped in that puddle, splashing each other,...
Engaging parents with the PYP curriculum and improving quality outcomes through digital technology
Zoe Roles, Dean of Preschool at St Mark’s Church School in Wellington, New Zealand shares how new digital technology is improving practice and engaging parents in the PYP. “One of the most important aspects of reporting and recording assessment is treating it as a journey. We are always discussing, reflecting and reviewing what we do and this involves our parents...
Mentoring advice part three – your words
In our third and final article focusing on advice imparted on educators by their mentors, we have a wonderful collection of your own words and personal stories. We have no doubt that they will inspire you in different ways and we hope you find something that speaks to you. One mentor told me to look at my teaching and learning philosophy regularly as...