Category: Inspiration
Inspiration, tips and fun stuff
Rethinking practice and caring in new ways – supporting ECE services through Covid-19
This is an unprecedented time in the ECE profession. Individuals, managers and owners/operators are faced with conflicting pressures: Ethically what’s my/our responsibility to flatten the curve and help care for our society? What will the government mandate around closures and self isolation mean for our families? How will this affect our team, families, occupancy and operations? What are parents going...
Coronavirus – Resources for Families in Isolation
Coronavirus – Resources for Families in Isolation With the spread of coronavirus having an impact on people worldwide, we have been discussing the implications this has for young children’s education. There will no doubt be temporary closures of early learning services. There will also be families (and educators) who due to exposure to the virus, or other risk factors need...
Activities to do at home with children
One of the difficult things many parents will face right now during the Coronavirus pandemic is coming up with ideas to keep children busy and engaged in learning while they are home during isolation periods. But try not to worry about children being bored – in fact, it’s a good thing! Storypark’s free Video library of activities to do at...
Reggio Emilia is a place
Reggio Emilia is a place. Given that the words ‘Reggio Emilia’ often focus our attention on an approach to early childhood education, it is worth remembering that this approach to early learning that has generated so much worldwide attention, is located within a city – and that city can explain if you look for it, the essence of the Reggio...
Changing Perspectives: Viewing Documentation from a Different Lens
Changing Perspectives: Viewing Documentation from a Different Lens Dr. Diane Kashin, RECE, shares with us a personal story about changing perspectives and viewing documentation from a different lens now that she delights in her gorgeous grandson, Griffen. I originally learned about Storypark, an online platform to support storytelling and documentation when I was teaching a course on children and technology...
Leadership is an action
Leadership is an action Working in an early learning setting can be emotionally, physically and intellectually exhausting. Educators say that they are undervalued and that their very complex work does not always attract the level of professional status that it should. This combined with low salary, a profession that often does not meet staff expectations and an onerous amount of...
The Importance of Belonging
Let’s talk about the importance of belonging for those working in early childhood education. A strong predictor of high-quality childcare is that childcare providers belong to a supportive network, whether formal or informal. This sense of belonging translates into higher levels of satisfaction with their work, more sensitivity to children’s needs and the provision of more stimulating environments for the...
The Power of the Question
The theme for the 2019 KU Annual Conference ‘The Power of the Question’ invites participants to consider the art of questioning to stimulate thinking and inquiry. This years conference keynote speaker is Alise Shafer Ivey. Alise spent a few minutes telling us how the theme of this year’s conference ties in with her work, and what we can expect to hear...
What does it mean to be a Reggio Emilia inspired early learning service?
What does it mean to be a Reggio Emilia inspired early learning service? You do not need to look hard to find early learning services aligning their programs and practices with the Reggio Emilia educational project. Early learning services often describe themselves as ‘Reggio inspired’ while others may recruit for educators that demonstrate an understanding of the ‘Reggio approach.’ It...
Ministories – A way of making visible context, strategy and assessment
The rapid expansion of technology in everyday life has meant that the tools available to early childhood educators to use in pedagogical documentation are many. The early childhood sector has responded enthusiastically to their arrival and a lot of documentation in children’s programs reflects some use of technology. This makes sense. Photographs and visual artefacts can be gathered over a...