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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
The OECE is a national organisation for the ECE sector and public adviser, championing high-quality education and care for every child
View our positions
- Provides membership support to ECE services, teachers, researchers, and community partners
- Actively contributes to sector analysis, research, and policy development
- Advances evidence-based best practices that prioritise children’s interests and wellbeing
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Teacher Member Posts

Face painting
Face painting – Kōrero mai
Throughout history and across many different societies, facepainting has been used for various purposes including camouflage, fashion, religious ceremonies and rituals or to tell stories about a person’s rank, to name a few.
Learning outcomes and benefits of face painting for tamariki in an ECE environment inclu
Female Teachers Annoyed at John’s Popularity as a Teacher
Male teacher popularity with children.
Why are kids always drawn to the male teacher? Our kids always go for John – it’s “Hi John” when they come in the door and they hang around him most of the day. We are feeling a bit peeved at his popularity I must say – and the fact that we are left with cleaning the tables etc. We often can

Survival Tips for Beginning Male Teachers
Tips for New Male Teachers.
“I am a beginning teacher. Any tips on how I can survive and not let the glances, laughs, the inquisitorial questions, and the sexist assumptions about my competency because of who I am as a male affect me?”
Early childhood teacher Stuart Miller says “you may get some or a lot of dung hurled your way!”

Terminating a Child’s Enrolment Because of Behaviour Issues
When Behaviour Issues Get to be Unmanageable.
A member has asked if her service can legally terminate the enrolment of a child whose behaviour has left other children crying, disrupts the programme, and requires constant individual supervision.
She’s worried what will happen if the parent goes to the local newspaper. She’s worried also about
Service Provider Member Posts

Home-based Service Start-Up Story and What’s Worked Well
Home-based Service Start-Up.
We profile a successful private Home-based Early Childhood Education Service based from Christchurch, and talk with the co-owner about the ins and outs of a home-based service start-up.
Veronica Kidd is the co-owner of a Home-based Early Childhood Education service.
She has a Diploma of Teaching (ECE) and i

Job Description for a Head Teacher, Room Leader, or Home-based Visiting Teacher
Job Description for a Head Teacher, Room Leader, or Home-based Visiting Teacher.
Here is a template to help guide you in preparing a job description that matches your service’s philosophy and reflects the position. This person will have additional responsibilities compared with other qualified and unqualified staff and educators.
If you wou

Staffing at the Beginning and End of the Day
The information provided here answers the following questions:
Does there need to be a minimum amount of staff at the centre? Our centre closes at 5.30 pm. We usually only have two children left at that time of the day. Is it legally OK to only have one staff member at this time or do the regulations require two staff members?
Is it okay fo

Building Members Enthusiasm and Commitment
Committee Member Commitment.
For their investment of time what do your board or committee members get back?
It’s rare that someone will keep contributing if he/she is not benefiting from participating.
And those with the most to offer are often those with the least amount of time available and the greatest number of other c
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

Cultural Components of Early Childhood Teacher Education in Aotearoa New Zealand
Research on the cultural components of early childhood teacher education. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.

Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Mentoring Relationships in Field-based Early Childhood Teacher Education
Abstract:
The focus of this paper is on the relationships and experiences of third-year field-based early childhood student teachers with their mentoring teachers in their usual centre of work and with their Associate Teachers whilst on practicum. It reports on data from the second phase of a larger multi-year study (which commenced in 2008),

“It Made Me Argue More Confidently and I Can Stand by My Words”: Beginning Teachers’ Perspectives
“It made me argue more confidently and I can stand by my words”: Beginning teachers’ perspectives about mentoring, goal setting, and leadership during teacher registration.
Caterina Murphy and Jenny Butcher. Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa / NZ Childcare Association.
Full referenceMurphy, Caterina, & Butcher, Jenny (2015). “It

Factors Influencing the Use of Digital Technology in Early Childhood Education
Research on the factors influencing the use of digital technology in early childcare education settings. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
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