Posts

Partnerships with families of young children with disabilities

Partnerships with families of young children with disabilities

Educators are in positions of enormous privilege in the relationships they share with young children and their families. Such relationships are built on trust and respect, even when early childhood education and care may also be a necessity…
Parenting during a pandemic

Parenting during a pandemic

Every parent and family around the country is newly appreciating the value of educators to the lives of young children. You may find this blog helpful to share with families in your early learning community or you might be at home yourself with…
The Play-Doh ‘cookie’

The Play-Doh ‘cookie’

In WebWatch we often report on new research relevant for our sector. Last week a post focussing on new research out of the USA generated a great deal of discussion. The research relayed in WebWatch issue 323 focussed on a USA study analysing…
School readiness

School readiness

The problem with ‘school readiness.’  ‘School readiness’—many find it controversial. MAREE ALDWINCKLE explores this concept and shares her experience as an early childhood teacher and academic. How can we use better terms and activities…
Do you want me to ‘be’ with your child or photograph your child?

Do you want me to ‘be’ with your child or photograph your child?

KAREN HOPE shares her perspective on another hot topic in the early childhood sector, delving into the pressure that educators face to photograph children in their care, to document learning. Do photos of children engaged with another child…
Kelly Sikkema

Tips for parents of young children using digital technology

The news this week has many people worried about children’s ‘screen time’. Are babies overexposed to smartphones, tablets and laptops? As DR KATE HIGHFIELD writes, Early Childhood Australia finds that ‘banning’ these technologies…
The image of the child re-imagined on Instagram

The image of the child re-imagined on Instagram

Many children around the world now have a digital footprint before they can even walk! Their pictures and videos are featured on their families’ social media channels or even their own dedicated pages managed by their families. But what are…
Transition to school: A primary perspective

Transition to school: a primary perspective

‘As an early childhood and primary teacher, I enjoy working with children of all ages. In this chapter of my career, I find myself gaining behind-the-scenes insight into the primary school environment that the preschoolers I used to teach…
Adrian-Piccoli-Blog

Why I didn’t feel guilty about sending my child to day care or preschool

Professor Adrian Piccoli shares his experience sending his children to early childhood education and care, this piece is an extract from his recently published book ‘12 ways your child can get the best out of school’. Professor Piccoli…
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…
Collaborating with families: Not a problem!

Collaborating with families: Not a problem!

Relationships with families have always been considered an important area of early childhood educators’ practice. However, in the past many educators’ interest in relationships with families has focused mainly on problems or challenges:…