The Inspired EC Blog
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How can we involve children in our QIP Process?
Our QIPs should be living, breathing, meaningful documents. This means that they aren't always pretty - but they are a collection of voices and insights and ideas and reflections that document our goals and direction and achievements and growth. Of course children should be a part of that! -
It's raining, it's pouring... but we're going outside anyway!
"I hate rainy days when we get stuck inside and the children go wild."
I have lost count of the number of times over my two decades in early childhood, that I have heard some version of this sentiment. For the first couple of years, I said it myself - many times.
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You don't have "a biter"
You know those challenges that come up again and again and again? Biting would almost be at the top of that list right? We often read posts online or hear educators say things like "I'm in the toddler room and we have a biter, how can we get them to stop - we've tried everything." -
4 Ways to stay true to your philosophy during the festive season
What bothers me though is that in our attempts to fully embrace the festive spirit, some services and educators appear to lose sight of their philosophies and subsequently, children’s rights -
How do you know if early childhood education is the right place for you?
We all have bad days. We all have days where the idea of getting up and going to work is enough to put us in a bad mood. But these days should be the exception to the rule. -
Who is the performance for?
Every year, in around October, the requests for suggestions start: "what songs can we perform at our end of year graduation/concert?" or something along those lines. And every year I wonder - who is the performance for? -
The Art of Really Seeing
Together we really looked at the flower. We spent time examining the incredible symmetry, the fuzziness of the centre.
And then she began pulling the petals out... really slowly. As she did, we noticed how they slid out of the flower.
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5 Things to Say Instead of "They had a Great Day!"
"They had a great day!" When they arrive in the afternoon to collect their child from their early education and care service, unfortunately this a phrase that families hear all too often. And do you know what? I have been guilty of saying it. -
Is it ethical or sustainable to use food in play, and where do we draw the line?
If, like me, you are a child of the 80's, there's a very strong chance that you engaged in the fine art of potato printing and pasta necklace creation during your preschool years. Upon asking the question, though, of whether it is ethical or sustainable to use food in play, it seems that the answer isn't exactly black or white. -
3 Strategies for Mindful Meetings
When I first became a nominated supervisor at twenty-one, I had absolutely no idea how to lead a team meeting. How could I? I’d been thrown in the deep end quite suddenly and could really only draw from the experience I’d had on the other side of the meeting. -
Creating Space for "Big Body" Play
As educators, we sometimes have a tendency to squash big body play. We worry that someone might get hurt. We worry that the play is not safe. We think that the play is frivolous or not purposeful.
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A Reimagining of "Home Corner"
There's nothing inherently wrong with "home corner" or with creating any type of dramatic play space. But what if there was a different way to do it? What if there was a way to spark dramatic play without being prescriptive?
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