child using camera

Documentation and the image of the child through a Reggio lens

When the term documentation is discussed amongst early childhood educators there is often a feeling of fear…a pause in time where professionals stop and hold their breath, the angst of the topic written clearly all over their face. What feeds this feeling in professionals and can we find some grounding through exploring the Reggio way of documentation? Looking abroad The...

/ February 14, 2019

Discussions with Dr Edward Melhuish

We are extremely fortunate at Storypark to have the support and guidance of some of the worlds leading experts on child development and early childhood education. One of our advisors is Dr Edward Melhuish. Professor of Human Development at the University of Oxford, Dr Melhuish has been involved in studies that have contributed to the formulation of social policy in the...

/ February 13, 2019

The assumptions, theories and practicalities of room leadership in ECE

Many early learning services operate with various leadership structures that are purposefully designed to help meet certain expectations and benchmarks set forth in quality area seven of the national quality standard. Whilst the process of a leadership structure supports educators to participate as members of a professional team, the realistic practices that are involved in the role of being a...

/ January 29, 2019

A call for action: Improving the mental health outcomes of our educators

A call for action: Improving the mental health outcomes of our educators Being an early childhood educator comes with a responsibility to inspire, cherish, provoke and entice deep learning processes in the children we care for and educate. This sees us working as a member of a team, an influential unit coming with individual perspectives and beliefs on how children...

/ January 16, 2019
child laying in blanket

Self soothing

When you have a child who doesn’t sleep – the words “self-soothe” can make you break into a cold sweat. As the months went on and on and on and my youngest child continued to not sleep, and not sleep – and I went quite mad – I felt like all I ever heard was those two irritating words. He...

/ January 15, 2019

You can hear him in his dancing

I remember the first time someone said: “what’s wrong with your son”. I think my face, turning white, then splotchy red with anger, told him that what he’d said was not the right thing to say. “I just mean…” he said, ignoring my body language, shoulders already carrying me away from him. “Why does he make that noise? How old...

/ December 6, 2018

End of year transitions

It’s beginning to look a lot like… well, that time of the year when you seem to have even less time in the day than you do the rest of the year.  Things always seem to be that much more hectic as the “silly” season looms closer. As we head towards the end of the year, there is a mountain...

/ November 20, 2018

Kindergarten, our heart-shaped community

The big deep hole and the tears The first death seemed easier. Otis, the little black and white dog, that didn’t really like him much, was on mum’s knee. Otis never went in the car so something was happening. And mum was crying and dad had a look on his face that was maybe the saddest look we’d all ever...

/ November 9, 2018

Can toddlers and under fives really change the world?

We often talk about children in terms of potential. We consider that one day they might do something important, something world-changing, or just be more than they currently are. You see and hear it all the time “he has so much potential” or “One day she will be a community leader”. These are lovely sentiments, and the thought behind them...

/ November 7, 2018

It’s Just a Phase: Oh No!

Somewhere around age two, many toddlers discover the awesome power behind one very short word: “No!” And oh boy, do they love to use it! “Let’s get your coat on; it’s cold.” “No!” “Let’s wash your hands.” “No. No wash!” “I need you to sit down.” “No, no, no!” If you’re hearing a lot of “no” these days, you may...

/ October 26, 2018