ABC Kids Listen, a new digital radio station aimed at children in the first five years, has launched today.
Continue reading “ABC launches new radio station linked to the Early Years Learning Framework”
Editorial
Questions are vital in our work with children. The Early Years Framework (EYLF) and the Framework for School Age Care (FSAC) encourage us to view children’s learning holistically – not as a block of knowledge to be “transmitted” to each child, but as a complex creation of relationships, interests and meaning.
This has been tough to write, and has taken me many months of thinking to put down. I know that the words I write here will be misinterpreted, misunderstood, or even seen as some sort of grandstanding or attention-seeking.
I can’t help any of that, but I need to quickly say these things.
Over the last couple of years I have turned down opportunities to speak or write about challenges for men working in early childhood.
I want to explain why, and why I will continue to do so.
Continue reading “OPINION: It’s time for men in early childhood to advocate for women”
The long-running pay equity case before Fair Work Australia claiming early childhood educators are underpaid due to gender has been dismissed.
Last week I was speaking with the parent of a child who will be transitioning to a Preschool closer to home this year. This child has been attending the centre I work at, Treehouse in the Park, since she was a baby and it will be very sad to say goodbye to this family.
Continue reading “OPINION: “Teaching of sorts” – valuing teachers in the first five years”
Early childhood educator’s union United Voice have escalated their campaign for professional wages, announcing that educators around Australia will walk off the job on March 27.
Continue reading “Early childhood educators to walk off the job in March, highlight low wages”
It’s hard to tell which part of Simon Birmingham’s announcement that Federal Government funding for Australia-wide preschool causes the biggest eye-roll.
The two clear frontrunners are: 1) That the Education Minister is seriously using the word “commitment” to describe the fifth short-term shot of funding his Government has announced since they took office; and 2) That the Education Minister seriously expects us to believe the Government values the research and evidence on the importance of early education.
The Government has announced another short-term funding extension for 15 hours of preschool for Australian children, making this the fifth 12-month agreement since the Coalition Government came into power in 2013.
Continue reading “Federal Government funds preschool agreement, but only for a further 12 months”
An independent review, commissioned and endorsed by every State and Territory, has called on Australian Governments to embark on significant reform of Australia’s early childhood education system.
Continue reading “Significant reform needed to Australia’s early childhood system: New report”
New data released as part of the Report on Government Services has revealed that the sector is continuing to improve in quality ratings and educator qualifications, while Government spending on the sector has dramatically slowed.
Continue reading “New data points to sector improvement as Government support stalls”