The industrial worth of early childhood educators

The industrial worth of early childhood educators

Industry … it is a word I have heard spoken in and about early childhood education and care (ECEC) since I first began working in ECEC centres 20 years ago. I have never liked it (to the point of visibly cringing mid-way through a conversation…
Summing up a professional life #contributiontoecec

Summing up a professional life #contributiontoecec

Catharine Hydon speaks to Jean Eden who is retiring after 44 years in the early childhood sector. A chance conversation got me thinking. How does an early childhood professional sum up their career as they prepare to step into retirement? How…
Avoiding burnout together

Avoiding burnout together

Through Australia’s bushfires, COVID-19 and a number of other highly stressful events in the past few years, educators, learning communities, families and children have shown resilience and supported each other’s mental health and wellbeing.…
Five reasons your service should support a trainee early childhood educator

Five reasons your service should support a trainee early childhood educator

As Australia’s early learning sector continues to grow, its benefit to young children as well as to future prospects of the Australian economy are increasingly being recognised, both by the government and the general community. Despite…
Five tips for leading professional learning

Five tips for leading professional learning

There’s no doubt that professional learning is essential for educators. It provides opportunities to share, network, set and achieve goals within the early education space, and it is inherently linked to quality outcomes for children. But…
Remote Karen-Hope

Silver linings and unexpected outcomes—early childhood professional placements in the time of COVID-19

Less doing means more listening  More listening means deeper understanding  Deeper understanding means authentic connections  Authentic connections mean stronger relationships   Stronger relationships mean deeper respect  Deeper…
Honouring educators

Honouring educators

Each year hundreds of Australians receive Australia Day Honours for the outstanding service and contributions they make to everyday life in Australia. This year, three notable Australians, The Honourable Jay Weatherill, Megan Mitchell and Professor…
Peter Moss at Early Childhood Australia’s National Conference in 2019 in Hobart.

Seizing the moment: Telling a new story for early childhood

We have heard so many times in the last year that we are experiencing unprecedented times, and indeed we are. This quote from Monbiot (2017, p. 1), highlighted in the concluding chapter of Claire Cameron and Peter Moss’s new book, aptly outlines…
Early childhood educators are leaving in droves. Here are 3 ways to ensure Australia has enough

Early childhood educators are leaving in droves. Here are 3 ways to ensure Australia has enough

Childcare centres across Australia are suffering staff shortages, which have been exacerbated by the COVID crisis. Many childcare workers across Australia left when parents started pulling their children out of childcare due to the pandemic,…
The time to welcome students back to early childhood services is now!

The time to welcome students back to early childhood services is now!

Catharine Hydon and Kerrie O’Neill share nine compelling reasons why now is the time for students studying early childhood education and care to be in services doing placement. It’s been bubbling for months but do you realise the…
What’s love got to do with it? (Part 2)

What’s love got to do with it? (Part 2)

‘The word ‘love’ is a tricky one when applied to the early childhood education and care space.’ Karen Hope shares part two to her 2018 blog, ‘What’s love got to do with it?‘, keep reading to hear her perspective. The Spoke has…
Can you hear me? Creativity in the time of COVID-19

Can you hear me? Creativity in the time of COVID-19

KAREN HOPE shares what she has learnt about being ‘creative’ during the pandemic and engaging with children over Zoom, as well as the resources she has found useful—specifically from Nick Cave and the Reggio Emilia Educational Project. Early…