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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
View the Code of Conduct for ECE Services
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Education Bulletin and Sector Notices
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Teacher Member Posts
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!”
Making Books and Reading Fun
Books and Reading Fun. By Barb Morris.
We learn best when we are playing and having fun especially if we are rewarded with smiles, positive comments and cuddles. Children are no exception! So how do they learn? When it comes to reading it is mainly by copying and you, as educators are the most powerful role models that children copy.
Under-5s Rugby
Teaching Rugby to Children in Early Childhood Education. This fosters a sense of belonging, pride, and achievement.
Rugby is part of NZ’s culture and central to our cultural identity. (See another article on following and celebrating the Rugby World Cup with children
It is a great sport to introduce to children from about 2 years of a
Winter and Rainy Day Activities
Winter and Rainy Day Children’s Activities.
When the children are getting restless and the noise levels are going up and up and you are thinking about how to get through the day, it’s time to bring in some new ideas and fresh activities.
Here’s help. Below are lots of teacher ideas of experiences you can give to children and activities t
Service Provider Member Posts
Head Injury Suffered by Toddler on Concrete Ground in Mid-Winter
For an outline of key facts read our article: Nelson’s fall: Parents still don’t know how their toddler hit his head on concrete and had a brain injury at childcare
We’ve reviewed the centre manager’s report of the incident, Ministry of Education communications, Worksafe report, and lawyer correspondence. The learning we’ve taken is:
Don’t take children outside until the outdoor playground safety check is completed and ticked/signed.
Getting Relievers and Managing Relief Staff
An early childhood reliever is a much welcome part to any ECE service. Teachers and home-based coordinators will require annual or sick leave, or you may need someone to fill in, while you look for a new staff member. Whatever the reason for your need for using a reliever, there are many questions and concerns that may arise for employers and manag
Leadership and Delegating
Delegating as a leader.
A key reason why the workload of a manager or leader can become unreasonable is that they can take on too much!
When a teacher takes on a management role a common mistake is to assume that the job consists of ensuring that they comply with regulatory and licensing requirements, health and safety and financial systems
Female Centre Educator Uses Mobile Phone to Share Indecent Images of Children
Teacher Sexually Abusing Children.
Indecent pictures of children, including bathroom pics, were taken by teacher “K” at her early childhood centre, using her mobile phone and shared online. Vetting before she was appointed to her job revealed no criminal record.
Parents at the UK early childhood centre she worked at descr
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Breach of Trust – Getting it Right for Children in Early Childhood Care and Education in Ireland
Breach of Trust – Getting it Right for Children in Early Childhood Care and Education in Ireland.
Mary Moloney. Mary Immaculate College, Ireland.
Full Reference: Moloney, M. (2014). Breach of trust – Getting it right for children in early childhood care and education in Ireland. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special
Through the Eyes of the Puppet: Using Puppetry to Foster Children’s Sense of Wellbeing and Belonging
Research on the use of puppets and outcomes for children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging in early childhood education settings. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Where are the Men in Jamaica’s Early Childhood Classrooms? The Experiences of those who Choose to Teach Young Children
Research on factors that male teachers believe deter other men from joining them in the early childhood profession. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Research as a Journey: The New Researcher as a First-Time Traveller
Research as a Learning Journey. By Michael Gaffney. Published in NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 2002, Vol. 5, pp. 1-11
Beginning the Journey
This paper uses journey as a metaphor, and to a lesser extent problem solving, to provide a framework for understanding the activity that more early childhood practitioners are
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