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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

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Teacher Member Posts

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FamilyBoost childcare tax rebate helping families with ECE costs
Teaching and Putting Theory into Practice

Ko Tau Rourou Ko Taku Rourou ā Kua Mārama Shared Understandings and Reflection on Wairua

Reflections on Wairua. By Ngaroma Williams and Michelle Anderson with peer-review by Dr Mere Skerrett.

We came to write this article through asking questions, seeking clarification, providing each other examples of our own experiences, and then highlighting what these experiences look like using teaching and learning narrative approaches

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boys play friends achievement
Gender in Play and Learning

Providing for Boys’ Interests

Enter any early childhood setting and there is a good chance you will see some gendered play and behaviour.

Our profession is female dominated and early childhood settings can be feminised environments.

Equitable play and learning opportunities for girls is important. It is also important to be aware of and not miss the mark when it comes to boys’ particular needs.

This article discusses ways to achieve a balance of recognition and extension of boys’ gender identity, while ensuring that boys are exposed to a wide range of curriculum areas and skills to provide them with a strong foundation for their future education.

Ideas for activities and learning extensions are provided in this article for teachers who are working with boys aged 3- 5 years.

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coming back to NZ from overseas and seeking a teaching position
Learning Activities - Outside the Box Ideas

Plane Spotting and Tracking

Plane Spotting at the ECE Service.

Going plane spotting is easy. You can do this now without leaving home or your early childhood service.

There are thousands of learning possibilities…

Technology – tracking planes, use of real timeGeography – different countriesMaths – comparing land masses, number of planes, altitude, speed, di

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Multi-cultural awareness and providing a curriculum that supports the culture of families at early childhood centres and services.
Job Guidance

Teaching Overseas or Coming to NZ? Don’t be Disadvantaged

Returning to Teaching in NZ or Going Overseas to Teach.

This article covers key things to be aware of, plan for, do, and get evidence of, to reduce the possibility of disadvantage upon your return to NZ. 

Working in an early childhood overseas can be an enriching experience and a good way for teachers to continue their

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Service Provider Member Posts

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sandpit toys and health and safety
Health and Safety Management

Sandpit – Safety, Hygiene and Health

Sandpit safety and hygiene.

There are many potential safety problems and hazards in regard to sandpits.

Sandpit Safety.

Ensure that active supervision of children in the sandpit is provided at all times.

When the wind makes playing in the sandpit uncomfortable and poses a risk to children’s eyes withdraw children to other acti

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children's wooden block tower
Advertising and Marketing / Promotion

The Risks of Implicitly Endorsing Third Party Schemes to Parents

Endorsing Third Party Schemes and Products.

What happens when parents see flyers / pamphlets and posters displayed in the entrance way of ECE services or when advertising material is sent home in children’s bags?  

These might be from the Ministry of Education to promote the choices that it wants parents to make, or a new government scheme

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The OECE is celebrating high quality NZ early childhood education services.
Advertising and Marketing / Promotion

Ways to Be the Best – Paths to Quality

Five Paths to Quality Improvement.

Do you want to grow and develop a service that is unique?

Would you like to see parents shouting from the rooftops about how great your service is?

Would you like to future-proof your service to help it continue to be one of the best in your local community, or even in the whole of NZ?

Aim for

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early childhood education meetings committee boards
Governance and Committees

How To Have Better Committee Meetings

Better Committee Meetings.

“Not another time-waster meeting!” – have you heard a comment like this? 

I have observed and participated in some great committee and board meetings at early childhood services and no meeting has to be a time-waster or boring.  

It can be done. 

You can bring energy, heart, managem

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Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

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NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education journal
2019 NZIRECE Journal No. 2

Nurturing the Learning and Development of Children who are Refugees

Phillipa Harris.

Full reference:Harris, P. (2019). Nurturing the learning and development of children who are refugees. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special issue presenting position papers, 22(2), pp. 26 – 34.

Page 26

Original Position Paper

Abstract

This position paper provides a plea for

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bus trip outing
2002 NZRECE Journal Articles

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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NZIRECE Journal early childhood education research
2003 NZRECE Journal Articles

Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2003, Vol 6

The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 6, 2003 are shown below.

To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.

The Growth of an Early Childhood Research Culture: Implications for Future Directions in Early Childhood Research

Joy Cu

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What We Do

The Office of ECE drives high-quality care, learning and teaching for all infants and young children and high-quality working environments for teachers and service providers.
Teacher supervising infant and young child playing in playground at ECE centre.

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