Parent-Partnership-Blog

Parent partnerships—does compliance influence your practice?

Not all families are seeking advice, support or education from early childhood educators. What happens to partnership with families when we view early childhood relationships through different lenses? As early childhood students graduate and…
What does engagement with reconciliation look like in practice?

What does engagement with reconciliation look like in practice?

This section showcases snapshot examples of the reconciliation journey undertaken by a number of services across Australia. They are all unique, but share common embedded practice strategies that have enabled the children,…
Children’s literature as a gateway to reading

Children’s literature as a gateway to reading

Children’s lives are enriched by literature. Picture books support children’s understanding of the thoughts, feelings and motivations of other people, and teach them new facts about their world, which plays an important role in their linguistic,…
Communicating family diversity and celebrations

Communicating family diversity and celebrations

There are strong messages in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) that point to the significance of developing trusting partnerships with families and respecting family diversity. These are listed under ‘Principles’. Trust and respect…
Children’s right to play

Children’s right to play

‘No-one is born a good citizen’ said Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General. But children are born with rights. This blog explores children’s rights and how they are identified in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children’s…
Who is the child?

Who is the child?

On an international study tour to Reggio Emilia 20 years ago, a question boldly crossed the screen in the first lecture. KAREN SZYDLIK, the Professional Learning Coordinator with Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE), reflects…
What every child needs for learning self-regulation

What every child needs for learning self-regulation

This article first appeared on KidsMatter Early Childhood’s Shared Thinking blog on 30 June 2014. It was first shared on The Spoke in 2018 and was updated in July 2020.  What self-regulation is … and isn’t Self-regulation is not…
Reflective Practice: Making a commitment to ongoing learning

Reflective Practice: Making a commitment to ongoing learning

Whether reflective practice takes place ‘in the moment’ or ‘later’, with a colleague or alone, in this all-time favourite blog, Dr Anne Kennedy draws attention to the crucial role of ongoing learning, providing examples, strategies…
The Self-Reg View of: Overcoming Barriers

The Self-Reg View of: Overcoming Barriers

When children build forts and stock them with toys, pillows and blankets what role does this play in their lives? DR STUART SHANKER—self-regulation expert, psychology and philosophy lecturer—applies the ‘self-reg’ lens to overcoming…
What is reconciliation?

What is reconciliation?

National Reconciliation Week (27 May–3 June) is a time for all Australians to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, share that knowledge and help us grow as a nation. This year’s theme—‘Don’t…
What’s love got to do with it?

What’s love got to do with it?

‘Half way down the stairs is a stair where I sit There isn’t any other stair quite like it. I’m not at the bottom; I’m not at the top So this is the stair where I always stop’ (Milne, 1932, p147). There are approximately 194…
Play-based learning can set your child up for success at school and beyond

Play-based learning can set your child up for success at school and beyond

As the new school year begins, many families are deciding where to enrol their child in preschool or school. Preschools and schools offer various approaches to early education, all promoting the benefits of their particular programs. One…