Student Teachers in Your Centre: A Practical Guide

If you’re ready to start supporting student teachers as an Associate Teacher, we’ve got some helpful information to make the experience rich and rewarding for everyone involved.

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Political leaders and journalists are able to use the OECE to gain deeper knowledge on a topic or issue, and we provide a sounding board for ideas and feedback.

The OECE promotes safe working environments for teachers. We also promote the absolute need for full pay parity with school teachers for all certificated teaching staff working in teacher-led centres and in home-based, and whether permanently or casually employed.

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child climbs tree with teacher at early childhood centre

Playground Risk Assessment

When the Health and Safety at Work Act was brought in concerns were expressed by the education sector. For example, does the Act mean children can’t climb trees in ECE anymore?

Then there’s NZS 5828: Playground Equipment and Surfacing to think about.

Well the good news is that it’s pretty much all good news.

In this article we’ll look at how risk assessment, the HSW Act and NZS 5828 can combine to develop safety approaches that recognise the goal of Te Whariki: To grow up as competent, confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit.

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Health and safety in ECE: What Worksafe and Ministry documents reveal about four serious harm incidents

ANALYSIS/OPINION – 5 September 2025

A child temporarily lost consciousness and was taken to hospital in an ambulance after choking while eating at an Auckland early childhood centre.

Details of the incident are being made public for th

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Rocket Making and Launching Rockets

The children were showing interest in aliens, rockets and space. Teacher, James had a water bottle rocket launcher at home, which he brought in. Sadly, this rocket only survived a few launches before the rubber seal broke and could not be replaced.

A week or two later James was reading about an air rocket made from a wine cork and car valve.

“You pump the bottle up until the pressure in the bottle was greater than the friction holding the cork in and in a reverse of a champagne cork the plastic bottle shoots off.”

James then thought about water being in-compressible, so if we fit a hose pipe to the wine cork, the water would flow in and compress the air inside the bottle until the friction failed and launched the bottle.

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Student Teachers in Your Centre: A Practical Guide

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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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