How can schools nurture children as they start formal schooling during a pandemic

How can schools nurture children as they start formal schooling during a pandemic?

Starting formal schooling is a significant life event for children and families. In 2021 schools will be receiving young children who have had significant life events in their year prior to school and as a result are likely to be a cohort unlike…
Facebook reconciliation

Encouraging and courageous; the winners of the Anti-Bias Award

Early Childhood Australia recently had a first row seat to the online 2020 Anti-Bias Awards. The award, now in its fourth year, was created in partnership with MultiVerse, Social Justice In Early Childhood, and Early Childhood Australia.  Congratulations…
Sadie_RPEC_2020

Pre-service teacher placement in the time of COVID-19

Pre-service teacher placement in the time of COVID-19: The Remote Placement in Early Childhood at Victoria University (RPEC@VU) model DR CAROLINE SCOTT is an early childhood lecturer at Victoria University (VU) and shares how the development…
What does National Skills Week mean to you?

What does National Skills Week mean to you?

At a time of significant staff shortage and challenges in the early childhood sector, it is worth pausing to recognise the substantial contribution of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. Every day, across Australia, hundreds…
The silent scourge within the pandemic

The silent scourge within the pandemic

‘We cannot control the dynamics of children’s home lives, but we are in a position of great influence.’ MEL ANGEL explores the impact of COVID-19 on domestic violence and shares resources to support educators when critically reflecting…
Free child care

Where is the child in the debate over free childcare?

This blog brings a practitioner view from the frontline. MEL ANGEL, an Adelaide-based teacher, learner and researcher working in the field of early childhood education writes about what she has seen and what she thinks since ‘free child care’…
Swings

A testing challenge for early childhood

Do cross-national assessments of young children confirm what we already know or is it worse: are they ‘robbing meaning from individual histories’? Peter Moss—international keynote at ECA’s 2019 national conference—and Mathias Urban explore…
WA-Chrisitine-Legg-blog

Early learning matters for babies, but what do they even do?

‘Early learning matters for babies because babies are learning All. The. Time.’ DR. ANDI SALAMON highlights the importance of early education for babies and the complexities behind it. I recently sat down in a room with seven babies…
We matter - AK blog

‘Early Learning Matters’ in the time of a pandemic

This blog was originally published in 2020 in the lead-up to Early Learning Matters Week, however, it is still a timely piece to think about what early learning means for children who are experiencing the hardships, disruptions and possible…
Black Lives Matter in Australia, in early education and everywhere

Black Lives Matter in Australia, in early education and everywhere

The power of Stan Grant as a storyteller and journalist was palpable in the Four Corners episode ‘I Can’t Breath’ that aired on ABC TV last night (13 July 2020). The program explores an Australian perspective on the Black Lives Matter…
Early Childhood Music Education Does delivery matter

Early Childhood Music Education: Does delivery matter?

Research shows us the benefits of music for language and literacy as well as self-regulation and mental health. But does how we teach music matter?Musician and early childhood teacher, AMY ROTHE explores different methods of teaching music…
Ethics blog

Deconstructing early childhood practices

In this one blog, we bring you three perspectives on translating research into practice. Dr Andi Salamon, Leanne Gibbs and Mandy Cooke share their insights about using the ‘theory of practice architectures’ in three very different early…