Matariki in Early Childhood Education: Ways to Celebrate and Learn Together

Matariki is coming – and with it comes a powerful moment for cultural learning in ECE.

Matariki became an official public holiday in 2022. It is the first national public holiday in Aotearoa specifically dedicated to celebrating mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge).

This article offers presents teaching and learning activities for marking this event in your early childhood service or at home with young children.

Matariki travels the night skies during the year until the cold months when it disappears from the night sky for about 28 days.

When it reappears, it is a signal that the Māori New Year has begun.

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preschool table with threading activity to promote child hand-eye co-ordination

Diseases Requiring Children and Adults Not to Be at ECE

Diseases and Conditions Requiring Exclusion of Children and Adults from Coming In Contact with Any Other Person at the ECE Service.

Below is a list of the diseases and conditions likely to be passed on to children and to have a detrimental effect on them. When a child or adult has one of these diseases or conditions the early childhood s

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Casual, Fixed‑Term, or Permanent? What Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know

It’s becoming common for early childhood services to place teaching staff on casual or fixed‑term contracts – when the role is ongoing and really should be permanent.

Since the government changed pay‑parity rules to exclude all non‑permanent teaching staff, we’re hearing from teachers that some employers are now using casual and fixed‑term contracts to avoid paying qualified and certificated teachers the pay‑parity rates they receive funding for. This can mean lost income, fewer rights, and less job protection for teachers who should legally be permanent.

It’s more important than ever to understand your rights and know what type of employment you actually have – not just what your contract says.

Log in with your member details to read the full guidance. If your membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.

If this is happening to you or to a colleague, it matters. You need to know your rights and be certain about the type of employment you actually have.

Halloween and Different Ways of Celebrating – Oct 31st, 2026

TITLE: Halloween and Different Ways of Celebrating in Early Childhood Services.

Children will talk about it and ask questions and as educators we can’t pretend Halloween isn’t happening.

However, it’s important to remember, as with all celebrations, that different ethnic and religious groups will have very different perspectives on their children celebrating this occasion.

It’s therefore a good idea to consult with the whānau community at your service to find out what parents think of Halloween and how they celebrate it at home (if in fact they do).

The age and development of the children in your care is another consideration.

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Cashflow Management

Cashflow Management.

How do we cope with huge cash inflows from the MoE three times a year then famine in between?

The simplest way is to put into a separate bank account all the advances received each four months and then transfer it into the normal bank account monthly. You will also need some capital of your own in the bank to cover the c

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NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education journal

Supporting Participation of Indigenous Families in Early Childhood Education

Supporting Participation of Indigenous Families in Early Childhood Education.

Elizabeth Corridore. Australia.

Full Reference: Corridore, E. (2014). Supporting participation of indigenous families in early childhood education. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood Policy,17, 147-160.

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Delineating and Reconciling Perspectives on Quality in NZ Early Childhood Services

Research on differences in perspectives on quality and evaluation held by managers, teachers and parents at early childhood centres. 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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Matariki in Early Childhood Education: Ways to Celebrate and Learn Together

Already a Teacher Member?

Five Reasons to Join Us

1. Professional recognition

2. Extra benefits

3. Professional growth and no-judgement help

4. Representation

5. Value for Money

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