Posts

‘Stay and Play’ at the QUT Children’s Technology Centre during Live Wires

‘Stay and Play’ at the QUT Children’s Technology Centre during Live Wires

During the 2023 Live Wires Digital Technology Forum, we invite you to take part in one of our ‘Stay and Play’ sessions at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Children’s Technology Centre on the fourth floor of the Education Building…
Relationships matter

Relationships matter

I have worked in the early childhood profession for many years. First, as an educator in a variety of different settings and now as a university lecturer and researcher. I have always valued the importance of relationships with children and…
Play in the Home: Why it’s essential for early childhood development

Play in the Home: Why it’s essential for early childhood development

This article appeared in Every Child magazine Vol. 28, No.2, 2022  The home offers rich and authentic opportunities for play-based learning, Joanne Grimmond observes. Children’s formative experiences of play in the home lay the foundation…
Preparing children for 21st century success (part two)

Preparing children for 21st century success (part two)

In part two of this blog series, we ask Dr Laura Jana about preparing children for success in the 21st century and what her hopes are for her keynote address at the upcoming ECA National Conference in October. If you missed part one, you can…
Language and learning in early learning settings

Language and learning in early learning settings

English is not the first language of many families in Australia, with 21% of Australians speaking a language other than English at home (ABS, 2017). Today, Australia is one of the top 10 countries in the world where the most languages are spoken…
Introducing culture and diversity in a monocultural classroom

Introducing culture and diversity in a monocultural classroom

This year for Harmony week, we thought we would share with you some insights from Meni Tsambouniaris at Diversity Kids.  Here they share with us the importance of incorporating inclusion into everyday practice, these examples provide discussion…
Perinatal Mental Health Week

Perinatal Mental Health Week

Perinatal Mental Health Week: It’s more common than you think  Early childhood educators have an important role in the lives of children, families and communities. Supporting families with mental health issues is complex, and an educator’s…
No Jab, no p(l)ay

No Jab, no p(l)ay

No Jab, no p(l)ay: The ethics of vaccination for early childhood educators Catharine Hydon in Conversation with Trent Moy Over the past 18 months of this global pandemic, early childhood educators have navigated a myriad of ethical challenges.…
Making Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder visible

Making Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder visible

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, is often described as the invisible disability. With September being FASD Awareness month, it seems like a fitting time to discuss what FASD is, some of the ways it affects children and families, and…
A different view of digital documentation

A different view of digital documentation

Hello from the dark side! With all the talk of using digital platforms in documenting our early learning programs, I feel the need to fly the flag for those with another point of view; those who can’t quite cross over; those who wrestle…
Documentation: Do you document too much, too little or too late?

Documentation: Do you document too much, too little or too late?

ECA recently launched a new series of Learning Hub modules on Digital Documentation and Technology in collaboration with Storypark. We note here that there is no requirement to use digital documentation and if settings choose to engage in digital…
Empowering the child in 2020

Empowering the child in 2020

‘Children leave the caregiver; the caregiver does not leave the child.’ Who would have thought that a global pandemic would lead to a world where social normality and early childhood practice was completely transformed? In early childhood,…