Posts

Why Is It Important to Make Children’s Thinking Visible?

Why Is It Important to Make Children’s Thinking Visible?

If we see learning as a consequence of thinking, then it is paramount that children have the opportunity and are supported to explore their ideas and thinking during the learning experience.  This allows children to then understand their own…
Intentional teaching leads to purposeful play-based learning

Intentional teaching leads to purposeful play-based learning

Evidence-based intentional teaching, write Anna Razak and Dr Jen Jackson from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO), can help educators and teachers progress and support children’s learning. It is also important for educators…
What’s the ‘big ideas’?

What’s the ‘big ideas’?

How quality STEM education can be integrated into family day care through children’s everyday activities. Research shows that young children— including infants—are capable of learning mathematics and science concepts (Baroody, 2003).…
Fostering girls’ interest in STEM

Fostering girls’ interest in STEM

Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past decades, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring…
Living life lagom

Living life ‘lagom’

KOREN NAYLOR, Director of Ballarat Grammar’s Centre for Early Education (CEEd), details an encounter with internationally renowned education Professor Gunilla Dahlberg that was ‘just right‘. Book your spot at the 2022 ECA National Conference. After…
Disengagement from learning

Disengagement from learning

Why are so many young children disengaged from learning? How do we know if children are, or are not, engaged in learning? GILLIAN KIRK and MARIANNE KNAUS explore this through research and share findings from a case study examining classroom…
Photography with purpose

Photography with purpose

Meaningful photos in early childhood documentation As early childhood educators seek strategies for managing and creating meaningful documentation, KEETA WILLIAMS questions how photographs can be improved. Karen Hope recently discussed…
Home » What’s in a box? Maths!TEXT SIZE A A A What’s in a box? Maths!

What’s in a box? Maths!

Who has given a gift to a young child only to see the child play and enjoy the box the gift came in more than the gift? DR AUDREY COOKE and ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JENNY JAY observe young children playing with a cardboard box and notice the…
Use Floorbooks for child-led planning

How to effectively reflect, record and engage children

By listening to children and identifying their interests, you can create a unique learning opportunity that excites and interests them. DR CLAIRE WARDEN shares part one of a three-part blog series on how you can make the most of Floorbooks…
BETLS-be-you-blog

Observing children deepens our understanding of their behaviour (BETLS tool)

Observing children is a great way of getting to know them. It’s also how we can gather information about their mental health and wellbeing, including noticing their strengths and behaviours that may cause concern or present possible signs…