Sustainability and the NQS: program priority or area of focus – Part Two
This is part two of a series on sustainability in an early learning setting and how to improve on this in relation to the Australian NQS. Read part one here! Some ways I’ve explored and improved upon sustainability in services are by… Actively involving the team, families, community and children throughout all steps of unpacking the subject matter and highlighting...
Sustainability and the NQS: program priority or area of focus
Growing gardens, nurturing worm farms, recycling and saving water are all a great start… but let’s ask ourselves, how they are impacting the bigger picture, the outcomes for children and overall community? Sustainability: Program Priority or Area of Focus The real question is what are we hoping to achieve holistically? Growing gardens, nurturing worm farms, recycling and saving water are...
This early learning centre now achieves better outcomes than ever before
Tania Gaffey shared her experiences with using Storypark and how Te Puna Reo o Ngā Kākano (an urban-based, kaupapa Māori, Bronze Enviroschool in Thorndon, Wellington) have used the platform to achieve better outcomes than ever before for their tamariki, kaiako and whānau. Storypark has largely revolutionised our relationship/s with our mātua/parents, in the sense that they are able to perceive...
Planning for and extending children’s learning with Storypark
Whether you plan on paper, a whiteboard, face-to-face, or a combination of different ways, we hear the same hurdles over and over… “it’s hard to involve my whole team in planning” . . . “I wish we could better engage parents” . . . “How do I track our planning and assessments over time” . . . “I’d love an...
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...
What is the impact of Storypark for children, families and educators?
What we see: We surveyed our Storypark families to ensure we’re making an impact. We have been delighted with the responses: 97% of parents felt that Storypark has enabled them to be more involved in their child’s learning. 94% of parents felt that Storypark has enabled their wider family to be more involved in their child’s learning. 96% of parents...
Storypark is a values based company
Our Values Stronger together We include, respect and generously support each other through the good and the bad. It takes a village. We believe it takes a village to raise a child and support stronger, engaged families through our work We have a shared sense of responsibility – to ourselves, to each other and to our customers Collectively we offer...
Digital portfolios and the Reggio Emilia approach
It is important for me to admit that for years, prior to Storypark, the documentation panels, children’s work and group discussions that I completed and posted in my classroom was easily overlooked. If time allowed I would walk parents around the room, directly point out the progress and work of their child. I hosted bi-annual curriculum nights/ exhibits, carefully displaying...