Supporting the Language of Aotearoa.
Let’s review current teaching practices and see where we go from here. Despite substantial work involving kaupapa Māori over the last two decades our early childhood sector has not been as active as it could have been in reinforcing the speaking of te reo Māori and bicultural practices.
Ngā Wero – The
Are you teaching and caring for children or studying for an ECE qualification?
If you are, that’s great! Join us now, and become a teacher member.
It is prestigious to belong to the OECE – you can skite about it!
Ask us for an OECE Member Certificate, to include in your professional portfolio as proof you are engaged in reading and professional learning that advances your understanding of the relationship between practice and outcomes for children.
No need to pay a subscription fee for access to NZ’s specialist ECE Newsroom – your member login will let you view everything in the ECE Newsroom.
No need to pay to access the best NZ and international research – your member login gives you free access to the Research Library and support.
Teaching resources and advice on probably everything you can think of, including what to wear as a teacher, how to ask for a pay raise, identifying child behaviour causes and responding to needs, new play activity ideas, etc., etc. all of this is at your finger-tips 24/7 whenever you need help or advice – login to view.
Did you know that the OECE meets personally and regularly with the Ministry of Education national team, and the regulations committee and other forums?
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.
We are committed to keeping membership prices affordable and providing value for money.
Teacher membership is just $89 for a full year, or save by joining for 2 years.
Has this been useful? Give us your feedback.
You are welcome to add a link to this page on your website. Copyright belongs to the OECE so please do not copy any content without our written permission.
Information provided is of a general nature. It is provided ‘as is’, and we accept no liability for its accuracy or completeness. See our Terms and Conditions.
A critical look at the New Zealand Education Review Office’s draft guidelines for reviewing early childhood services is provided in this paper. ERO’s guidelines provide a range of “evaluation indicators” to inform centres as to what is considered to be effective practice. The indicators that ERO provides in relation to the assessment of chi
FULL REFERENCE: Solvason, C., Hodgkins, A. & Watson N. (2021). Preparing students for the ‘emotion work’ of early years practice. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 23(1), pp. 14 – 23.
Log-in to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
ABSTRACT: This article explores the emotional demands made upon the early years practitioner. It is primarily a discussion paper, but it also draws upon empirical evidence from previous, small-scale research carried out by the authors with early years student practitioners. Our discussion explores the wide-ranging inter-personal and emotional demands placed upon the early years professional within a context of low status and limited acknowledgement of the complexities inherent in the role. We focus upon the demands of advanced empathy and the emotional aspect of working with children, parents and families. In this article we ask just how well-equipped early years students are for the emotional requirements of their future role and what we, as tutors, might do to better prepare them.
Key words: Role, emotion, emotional demands, professional practice, wellbeing.
Is your centre among those that opted-in to pay teachers at least up to the Step 5 salary amount in 2022? In the last funding
Giving young children choices and empowering them to make their own decisions will help prepare them for life.
The early years are the best time for children to begin to learn about making choices and consequences.
The ability to choose is the essence of being human.
Consider how many choices you make each year, month, week, da
FULL REFERENCE: Grey, A. (2015). “It is a risk, but it is a risk worth taking”: Early childhood teachers’ reflections on review of practice using an approach of practical philosophy. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 18, 52 – 66.
Log-in to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
ABSTRACT: This article discusses an approach to self-review where an early childhood teaching team reviewed the values that underpin teaching practice, rather than the behaviour demonstrated in teaching practice. This approach takes the form of practical philosophy or inquiry with others in order to critically examine teaching practice (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence, 2007). A small qualitative study was undertaken by one teaching team to reflect on their personal philosophy of teaching, and to negotiate, as a team, the values they wanted to underpin their teaching.
The teachers valued participating in reflection and personal dialogue, but experienced some challenges. It was found that this approach can be a valuable method of self-review to heighten teachers’ individual self-awareness, to promote professional dialogue and greater understanding amongst the teaching team and to provoke teachers to reflect more critically on their teaching.
Key words: Self-review; practical philosophy; reflection; teaching inquiry.
Introduction
Self-review is a common expectation within the early childhood education sector. This expectation is outlined in the Registered Teacher Criteria 12 (New Zealand Teachers Council, 2010) that states: “teachers use critical inquiry to reflect on and refine values and practice, and respond to feedback from their colleagues”. Early childhood education documents have been published by the Ministry of Education that support the implementation of self-review, namely The quality journey: He Haerenga whai hua (Ministry of Education, 1999) and Nga Arohaehae whai hua: Self-review guidelines for early childhood education (Ministry of Education, 2006). This article takes the view that although these documents are useful as guidelines, alternative approaches to self-review and critical inquiry should also be instigated and trialled. It is argued that practical philosophy is one such approach to self-review and evaluation of teaching practice for early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand, and elsewhere.
This discussion board is for you and members of the early childhood education research community in Aotearoa, Australia and internationally.
Ask anything related to research, share thoughts and information, or just to reach out to talk about an experience and see if others have encountered similar and what advice they may have for you.
Below
Help spread this vital ECE information, join our free social and email groups and become a member of OECE.
Sign up to our free newsletters.
