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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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Edible_gardens_2
Learning Activities - Outside the Box Ideas

Creating Edible Gardens with Children

Edible gardens in early childhood centres and homes provide a valuable resource for teaching many aspects of the early childhood curriculum while also creating and sustaining a regular growth and supply of fruits and vegetables.

One of the joys of encouraging children into gardening is the pleasure of seeing, tasting and sharing the results of the effort.  Dispositions such as perseverance and curiosity are nurtured through the experience of growing and tending to plants.

Gardening provides a real, as opposed to an artificial, context for the learning of natural science, maths, and language. 

On this page we present information and guidance on: purposes of an edible garden, what size and structure works well, produce use, and which plants are most suitable to grown in ECE for speed, fun, and for children to eat.

Motivations and reasons for an edible garden include

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Child's hand is pushing toy car with trailers on floor of early childhood centre.
Disability, Health & Learning Needs

Over-Stimulating Environments Unsuitable for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Dear Fellow Teachers,

I’ve recently been approached by the mother of a child with ASD and Sensory Integration Disorder.

He is 3 and a half and finds a standard ECE environment too overwhelming – noise in particular but also visual stimulation and movement affect him adversely.
We had a long discussion about the unspoken belief that all children thrive in a visual stimulating and noisy environment. 

The mother has investigated

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nappy cloth baby
Gender in Play and Learning

Men Should Change Nappies

Men Change Nappies – Men Who Change Nappies, Change the World. By Bryan G. Nelson.

Changing the nappies of other people’s children is something that few people, men or women, usually rush to do. And nappy changing is commonly viewed as a woman’s task anyway so we shouldn’t worry if men do it or not. Or should we? 

I remember wor

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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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small privately-owned centre
Establishing a New Service: Views and Experiences

A Small Privately-Owned Centre Set-Up

Small Privately-Owned Centre. By Marian Ayres Hill.

Setting up, managing and teaching in a small private preschool has many challenges, however it is very rewarding when you see the enormous benefits that a small owner-operated centre brings to children.  

This is my story.

I trained as a kindergarten teacher in the 70s and spent 2

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working over-time staying late post
Employer Guides and Staff Management

Overtime – Paying Staff for Work Outside Normal Hours

Employers’ obligations and rights on paying staff overtime and when they work outside of normal hours. This article covers what constitutes work outside of normal work hours that an employee must be paid for. NZ employment law that cannot be negotiated out of with an employee. Legal requirements for waged and salaried staff. It also tells you

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child with binoculars looking out
Financial Management and Record Keeping

Financial Sustainability

Early Childhood Service Financial Sustainability.

Unless as much or more money is coming in than is going out, your service could come to be at risk. Here are some strategies for financial sustainability and increasing your revenue stream when necessary. What strategies you agree with and disagree with will depend on your values and the reasons

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cleaning gloves and clothes hanging to dry
Employer Guides and Staff Management

Union Rights and ECE Service Provider Duties

Union rights.

Whether your early childhood service is party to a collective agreement or not – you need to know the ins and outs of the law on rights and duties in dealing with unions.

There are also obligations you must meet in respect of new staff appointments. Keep reading below to find out more.

You may also be interested in reading&

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Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

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early childhood research journal online
2013 NZRECE Journal Articles

Becoming Cognisant of Research Informed by Kaupapa Māori in Early Childhood Education: Issues and Contexts

Abstract:

This paper outlines tensions existing within student teacher self-study action research projects undertaken as a requirement of a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) at Te Whare Waananga o Wairaka Unitec Institute of Technology (Unitec).

Whilst student teachers in our programme are expected to engage in Kaupapa Māori

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Early childhood teacher engagement with place-based education: Professional learning
2024 NZIRECE Journal

Early childhood teacher engagement with place-based education

The study followed ECE teachers who were learning to use an outdoor centre – a nature-based education space. The experience, who their beliefs, values and understandings of the pedagogical approaches that underpin learning in nature and the importance of place-based learning for tamariki and kaiako alike were affirmed. Login to view the full article. Or you can order a pdf copy of the article, go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.

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early childhood research journal online
2015 NZRECE Journal Articles

“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

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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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