Category: Educator Professional Development
Articles and resources to support educators professional growth and development
Reflective and Co-Constructed Practice: This is How Learning Happens!
This week’s guest post is written by Diane Kashin and Cindy Green, of Ontario Canada. In 2014, our province published How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. At the centre of learning are children, educators, and families. With the view of children, families and educators as capable, competent and rich in potential, the four conditions for learning are;...
The research behind family engagement in children’s learning
The impact parental involvement has on children’s learning is well documented. Researchers have evidence for the positive effects of parent involvement on children, families, and school when schools and parents continuously support and encourage the children’s learning and development. The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status but the extent to which...
Dear Zoo – extending children’s interests is different to extending learning
A child would come to my Kinder room on a Monday morning and be very excited to share their stories about their trip to the Zoo on the weekend. So as a graduate teacher 6 years ago, I was so proud of my efforts in setting up a table with beautiful fabric, a range of animals, and some construction materials...
Embracing a vision for children’s learning with the early years frameworks
When using the Early Years Learning Framework always remember… That it is just that – a framework. It’s not a syllabus, nor a program, not a curriculum, nor a model, neither is it an assessment tool. Above all, it is not a detailed description of everything children will learn. A framework is developed on sound Principles, Practices (Strands – Goals)...
Ask yourself why
“Is it that we become complacent, lack motivation, are unwilling to become vulnerable to the prospect that we could be wrong? Or all of those?” The Storypark blog shares diverse opinions from educators and parents all over the world. Today our guest blog is from the author of ‘Uplifting Early Childhood‘. What are your thoughts? Share them below in the...
Enhancing Risky Play – Our Little Secret!
A guest post by Shannon Keane, with the support of the team at YMCA Early Learning Centre Manurewa – Awhina Taiohi. In 2016 YMCA Early Learning Centre Manurewa embarked on a journey to engage parents & children in a consultation process around risky play. This is their story… Change was coming with health and safety policy changes in New Zealand. ...
Bring the magic
The Storypark blog shares diverse opinions from educators and parents all over the world. Today our guest blog is from the author of ‘Uplifting Early Childhood‘. What are your thoughts? Share them below in the comments, we’d love to hear from you! Why do some mat times fail and others succeed? Do you think that some teachers just have the...
The loud teacher quandary
The Storypark blog shares diverse opinions from educators and parents all over the world. Today our guest opinion piece is from the author of ‘Uplifting Early Childhood‘. What are your thoughts? Share them below in the comments, we’d love to hear from you! The loud teacher quandary… When I began my journey in early childhood education and care, I had...
Imagine a classroom without walls – video
3 and 4 year olds can climb mountains! I know this, because I went up a mountain recently with some very capable young children. They trekked for over 2 hours to get to the top of Mount Kau Kau, one of the great walks in Wellington, New Zealand. This excursion was part of the Nature Explore component of Daisies Early...
Filtering emails to avoid cluttering your inbox
I have an admission. Sometimes I avoid checking my email, even when there are important things in it for me to deal with – because the mere thought of the chaos that is my inbox is enough to make my head feel like polystyrene and my cortisol levels to rise. Luckily, many of the emails I receive are quite similar...