Five board books to broaden children’s horizons
Aren’t board books wonderful? It’s handy to be able to buy all sorts of classics, from The Very Hungry Caterpillar to We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, in hard-wearing editions for those of us who are still getting the hang...
You can’t dream what you can’t see
If you asked all the children in your learning centre, or family, what job they think they might do when they grow up, what do you think they would say? Firefighter, astronaut, footballer, doctor, builder… Maybe something else if...
Expanding Children’s Horizons
A new study has confirmed that children form fixed ideas, very early on, about the kinds of jobs they will aspire to do in the future. How do young children decide on a job? It’s not from signing up...
Dear Teacher
Dear teacher, I know sometimes you may wonder why I do the things I do for my child so I just wanted to explain a little. I understand that at your centre you encourage independence, and you rejoice and celebrate...
3 phrases for a sexism free childhood
‘Use your walking feet, please!’ ‘Gentle hands, remember?’ ‘Use your words.’ If you live or work with small children, you will have plenty of these repeatable phrases up your sleeve. It’s good to have brief and catchy things to...
The new Te Whāriki in a nutshell part 2
There were five practices the Ministry of Education wants to develop further through the revamp of Te Whāriki. A rich curriculum for every child, a focus on learning that matters here, affirming of identity, language, and culture, parents, and whānau...
The New Te Whāriki in a nutshell.
Te Whāriki has been out for a while now, and the revised version since May 2017. So it’s time that we take a look back on the initial conversation at the launch and re-familiarise ourselves with the intent of the...
RIE – Respectful care with infants
“The application of Emmi Pikler’s respectful and affectionate image of the baby has helped babies to develop well, and adults to change their internal representations of the baby’s capacities and their role as care providers.” (Introducing the Piklerian Developmental...
Setting professional goals
Teaching goals, slightly different from the usual ‘drink more water/walk more’ type of goals. Nowadays, there is heaps of advice about goal setting, the Dec/Jan magazines are covered in how to get the new-you in 2018. Teaching goals are a...
Tips for Tramping with Toddlers
Have you heard of vitamin N? According to author, Richard Louv, the N is for nature. He’s written several books about the value of nature for healthy development and quality of life, such as Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to...