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...
How Storypark benefits our practice and operations
Written by Kim Hiscott, Executive Director, Andrew Fleck Children’s Services We’ve always been committed to engaging with families to share their child’s early learning experience; we do this through daily interactions but also through purposeful documentation. Our “traditional” approach included...
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...
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...
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...
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!”...
Fun Political Activities for Young Children
Politics is much broader than just which party to vote for. We can include political ideas of free speech, due process, fairness, equality, voting and participation in all sorts of ways in an early childhood education setting. Here are some...
How young is too young to learn about politics?
Yesterday my six-year-old and I went on a trip to Parliament, with his five-year-old friend and her dad. We had a picnic on the big lawn, and they climbed the magnificent trees, and had running races, but only after...
Storypark as a teaching and learning tool
Storypark as a teaching and learning tool in a curriculum and pedagogy unit in the Department of Educational Studies, Macquarie University. Dr Rebecca Andrews and Ms Paula Haalebos. The staff and second year early childhood students in the Department of...
Making teaching visible
We talk a lot about how documentation makes children’s learning visible and the importance of this, but have you ever stopped to consider what else is made visible? It makes teaching visible too! As teachers, it seems to be a...