http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.ecc.org.nz en-us Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:41:58 +1300 Rocketspark http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/171077/pay-parity-scheme-moratorium-change-request--declined-by-minster/ Those of you who follow our ECC Facebook Page will have seen our recent video discussing the contents of a letter we sent to David Seymour regarding the pay parity moratorium.ECC asked for changes to the pay parity scheme. We don't want to see the current moratorium get extended next year. This is not about the new funding system; it is an immediate pressing problem that will get even worse if there is another insufficient Cost Adjustment for ECE in next year's budget. We considered th... Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:41:10 +1300 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post171077 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/171024/how-sector-input-can-strengthen-initial-teacher-education/ What should a newly qualified early childhood teacher be passionate about, know, understand and be able to do when they walk into an ECE centre?For Cavalli College, answering that question began with the early childhood education sector itself.In recent years, Cavalli College Founding Director Selena Fox and fellow Director Glennie Oborn QSM heard a consistent message from centre owners, leaders and teachers: the sector wanted greater choice in initial teacher education, with programmes that ref... Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post171024 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/170918/the-hidden-skills-children-learn-through-play/ Have you ever seen a child spend twenty minutes building a tower, only to knock it down with a single swipe of their hand? Or dig the same hole in the sandpit for three days in a row?From an adult’s perspective, these activities can seem completely pointless. After all, the tower ends up on the floor, and the hole leads nowhere.However, all this seemingly meaningless play is actually how children make sense of the world around them.We must remember that these little humans do not have a lot of... Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post170918 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/170925/rethinking-professional-learning-for-busy-educators/ The pace and scale of change facing educators today is making continued professional learning more important – and more challenging – than ever.Across early childhood education, educators are responding to increasingly diverse learner needs, rapid developments in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, changing expectations of leadership, and new understandings of literacy, inclusion, and wellbeing. At the same time, they are doing this in a profession where time is already at a pr... Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post170925 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169567/the-best-of-both-worlds-how-mixed-aged-family-care-works-at-totara-kids-elc/ Tōtara Kids in Stoke, Nelson, is a centre licensed for 29 children aged six months to six years. Our space is an old bungalow, decorated with vintage furniture and family dining tables, lowered so children can access them, where days and memories are shared.With an open-plan design, no positional rosters for kaiako, outside doors that never shut for “bad” weather and no separation by age, we often describe Tōtara Kids as “Mum’s house on Christmas morning”: a family atmosphere where e... Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:51:51 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169567 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169550/living-the-story-what-happens-when-storytelling-becomes-the-heart-of-pedagogy/ By Del Costello Director of Coactive Education... Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:22:33 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169550 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/169006/its-you-both-vs-emotions-5-mistakes-adults-make-during-toddler-tantrums/ Toddlers are known for their tantrums. Parents often talk about the challenges of the "terrible twos," "frightful fours," and "sassy sixes." This topic is widely discussed, yet most parents are still not sure what they are supposed to do when their child drops to the ground in a grocery store, demanding to meet Batman.Toddlers don't come with instruction manuals, and there certainly isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for tantrums. However, a few general guidelines can help reduce stress and tear... Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:11:02 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post169006 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/168477/dance-culture-and-spirituality-creating-meaningful-movement-in-ece/ Teachers need to create a space that is inclusive of children’s ways of participating in dance, based on their cultural and spiritual context. Different cultures and spiritual influences have different approaches. For some, dance, drama and song are interwoven.For authenticity, when using songs to dance to, it is important to know the song’s origin and the purpose it was intended for, so it can be used appropriately and respectfully.... Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:29:46 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post168477 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/167874/indoor-air-quality-in-ece-the-hidden-factor-affecting-health-learning-and-wellbeing/ When Early Childhood Education (ECE) providers think about creating healthy learning environments, attention often focuses on nutrition, hygiene, outdoor play and infection prevention. However, one equally important factor often remains largely invisible: indoor air quality (IAQ).Children in New Zealand spend many hours each day indoors, making the quality of the air they breathe an important consideration for both their health and their ability to learn. Young children are particularly vulnerab... Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:11:16 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post167874 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/post/167861/why-mud-might-be-your-most-valuable-outdoor-learning-resource/ There is a well-known phrase in early childhood education: children learn through play. But there is one type of play that still makes some adults hesitate: muddy play.Most kaiako instinctively know it is good for tamariki. The harder part is sometimes articulating why, especially to parents who were not expecting to collect a child covered in mud at pick-up time.Here is some of the research worth having in your back pocket.... Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:02:49 +1200 http://www.ecc.org.nz/blog/#post167861