Bringing you the best of the web...
Welcome to another huge ECA WebWatch! In this issue:
- how to create effective outdoor environments
- implementing the federal government's preschool promise
- LHMU parent survey
- improving Indigenous children's outcomes
- get a free copy of the acclaimed Your child's first year at school: A book for parents
- new issue of ECA
Voice available online.
Also in this issue, brand new quality-assured books from Early Childhood Australia, quote of the month and latest news and events.
Effective outdoor environments
Outdoor play: Combating Sedentary Lifestyles (PDF)
A really helpful article analysing the benefits of outdoor play, containing lots of suggestions on how to create outdoor play areas and enhance existing ones.
Physical environment
This document was produced by the US National Association for the Education of Young Children but it provides guidelines for creating effective physical environments.
Quote of the month
'Mathematics is essentially the search for sense and meaning, patterns and relationships, order and predictability.'
—Juanita V. Copley, The young child and mathematics (PDF).
Implementing the federal government's preschool promise
Implementing the government's promises on early childhood
In the latest issue of Every Child magazine, Pam Cahir CEO of Early Childhood Australia, provides a timely overview of what ECA believes the government needs to do to most effectively implement its promises for early childhood.
The Australian childcare market
ABC Learning situation raises wider questions
In a media release issued last week, Early Childhood Australia indicated that the uncertainty surrounding ABC Learning's situation highlights other important questions about child care in Australia.
Early Childhood Australia's CEO Pam Cahir said:
'Early Childhood Australia is not taking a position on who should own or manage childcare services, because this takes us away from the fundamental question of how to ensure high levels of quality regardless of ownership.
'The only way to achieve high-quality care is to have regulations that reflect the evidence about what is necessary to provide quality services, and for the Government's accreditation system to also reflect this evidence and drive up childcare quality through a focus on continuous improvement.'
Child care: Not as easy as ABC
This is a helpful overview of child care in Australia, with well-considered recommendations about how the government can increase availability of high-quality care.
LHMU parent survey
Long Day Care Parent Survey
There is an insert about an online parent survey accompanying the latest issue of ECA Voice (PDF). It is being conducted by the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union, which represents childcare workers.
Please encourage as many parents as possible to complete the online survey. You could put the insert on your notice board, include the link (www.lhmu.org.au/parentsurvey) in your newsletter, or email it directly to parents.
The survey closes Friday 28 March 2008.
The apology to the Stolen Generations
National Apology welcomed by SNAICC
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care has applauded Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations, delivered last month. SNAICC also welcomed the establishing of a bi-partisan commission to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes, which will work to increase the education outcomes for Indigenous children:
'Quite rightly the Prime Minister began with a focus on little children – the children at the heart of SNAICC. We will pursue with all our resolve this national objective of over the next five years having every four-year-old Indigenous child in remote communities enrolled in, and attending, a proper early childhood education centre or program.'
Respecting children's rights
Children's rights everyday (Supporting Best Practice)
These seven links from Early Childhood Australia's Supporting Best Practice web directory provide practical support in identifying, protecting and respecting children's rights.
Closing the gap: Improving Indigenous outcomes
Essentials for Social Justice: Reform
On 20 February 2008, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma delivered the second of six speeches on the essentials for social justice, this time focusing on the effective delivery of services to Indigenous people and communities.
You can read about Tom Calma's first Essentials for Social Justice speech, in issue 45 of ECA WebWatch.
Free book valued at $39.99
Get a free copy of Your child's first year at school: A book for parents
Don't forget there's still time to get your free copy of Your child's first year at school: A book for parents – the bestselling publication produced by Early Childhood Australia and the Australian Primary Principals Association – by purchasing $100 or more of books from ECA's February/March catalogue (PDF).*
Make sure you order now – this offer ends 31 March 2008.
Your child's first year at school: A book for parents has previously only been available in bulk to Australian primary schools for $9.99 each, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Australian Scholarships Group.
Australian Scholarships Group
A proud supporter of Early Childhood Australia, the Australian Scholarships Group is an independent, not-for-profit Friendly Society helping families to provide for the future costs of their children's education. Over the past 33 years, Australian Scholarships Group has supported children, families and teachers through a range of support initiatives, including publishing activities, parenting support and resources, social-emotional curriculum programs and multimedia educational products.
* Free book only available with single orders of $100 or more worth of books from ECA's February/March catalogue (not including subscriptions or memberships). One book per service only.
New issue of ECA Voice available online
ECA Voice (PDF)
Early Childhood Australia has just released the new issue of Voice newsletter, which includes an important update on the Child Care Management System.
Boost your super
The latest issue of Voice also contains a guide to making the most of the Federal Government's co-contribution scheme, which all early childhood educators and carers will want to read.
HESTA provides useful guides to superannuation
Previous issues of Voice newsletter are available on ECA's website. Each issue contains helpful and entertaining articles on a range of issues relevant to the early childhood sector, including several useful guides to superannuation provided by HESTA.
Latest early childhood news
Read the latest on Early Childhood Australia's news page.
New quality-assured books from ECA
The outdoor playspace naturally: For children birth to five years is an inspiring, easy-to-use guide to creating natural, dynamic and engaging playspaces, and fostering ongoing collaboration between children, parents and staff.
Experiences in math for young children (5th edn) provides a comprehensive, organised sequence that supports young children's development of the concepts and skills essential to a basic understanding of mathematics.
Upcoming events
Early Childhood Australia National Conference
Children: A nation's capital – Investing in our children
3–6 October 2008
National Convention Centre, Canberra
Don't miss Early Childhood Australia's 70th birthday conference!
National Child Studies TAFE Teachers' Conference
Different spaces: Learning places
9–11 April 2008
Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, Adelaide
A conference promoting dialogue on innovation and best teaching practices that are current and relevant to the everyday work of a Child Studies/Children's Services TAFE/University teacher or lecturer.
SJIEC Annual Conference 2008
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater
12 April 2008
Commission for Children and Young People, Sydney
This conference will focus on state and federal issues relating to changes taking place this year, including alterations to accreditation and approaching a national curriculum.
Let us know what you think ...
We welcome any suggestions or comments you have: webwatch@earlychildhood.org.au.
Past issues of ECA WebWatch are available on the Early Childhood Australia website.
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ECA WebWatch - Issue 47, March 2008. © Early Childhood Australia.
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