Early Years Learning Hub

This episode is focused on analysing the evidence around effective assessment, what the real point of assessment is and how it should influence teaching practice.  If you are interested to learn more go to:

• Assessment and planning - Bundle - Early Years Learning Hub

This week’s ‘Practice sharing- Practical programming’ episode is focused on the mechanics of how to manage assessment and planning and program requirements in ways that reduce the administrative burden. It stes through an example of programming in ways that works smarter and harder! For more information go to:

• Information for families - Early Years Learning Hub
• Cycle of planning for individuals - Early Years Learning Hub
• Cycle of planning for groups - Early Years Learning Hub

This episode explores what makes an educational program meaningful, what should be includedhow adopting as well as some useful guidance on how to teach and what expereinces to offer. If you like what you hear then here are some related resources:

Quality area 1 Program and practice resources

Early childhood curriculum and pedagogy

This episode is about how children use drawing as a communication tool and how teachers and educators can use dialogic drawing to help better understand children’s learning and engagement. Today, I am joined by Dr Amelia Ruscoe, Early Childhood Studies Course Coordinator, School of Education, Edith Cowan University who shares her research and expereinces at using dialogic drawing as a tool to cature children's voices.

This episode is all about investing in people as a leader. Taking time, being kind and providing a positive role model for new educators. I am delighted to be joined by Jann MacKay who is both a long-time friend and an amazing Early Childhood Teacher and leader. Related resources:

Teacher, educator and leader resources

In this week’s ‘Professional learning tapas’ episode we discuss science and young children in honour of national Science Week next week. We look at the benefits of engaging children in scientific thinking, research and experimentation. We discuss the rich STEM learning that occurs and share ideas for investigating this year’s Science Week theme- Decoding the universe: Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.

• Understanding play-based learning in the early years - Early Years Learning Hub
• What to teach - Early Years Learning Hub
• What and how children learn through play - Early Years Learning Hub

This episode is about the principles of effective practice with infants and toddlers. Including the importance of specific relational infant–toddler pedagogies to facilitate rich and meaningful learning in early childhood settings. I am joined by Sheila Degotardi from Macquarie University Early Childhood Education Research Centre and Macquarie School of Education.

• Intentional Practice with Infants and Toddlers | Higher Education from Cambridge

This episode is about the joys and challenges of being a special education teachers. Today, I am joined by Kylie Brown who is teacher and Assistant Principal at Fernhill School for Specific Purpose which is a school that supports children with a range of disabilities. Kylie shares what drew her to this work and how she works closely with families to support children with disabilities learn life skills and curriculum content.

• Helping children to self-regulate - Early Years Learning Hub
• Supporting children with a disability and/ or additional needs - Early Years Learning Hub

In this episode I unpack how theories influence our work. I was inspired to write this episode from one of the units of my Masters in Educational leadership which examined how theory influences practices from how we view children or our image of the child as capable and competent to how children learn and develop.

• Understanding play-based learning in the early years - Early Years Learning Hub
• What and how children learn through play - Early Years Learning Hub
• How to teach - Early Years Learning Hub

This episode is about critical reflection and the evidence behind why it is so important and the impact it can have. I am delighted to be joined by Deb Williams, Early Childhood Teacher, Academic and Lead Teacher. Deb shares her research completed through her PhD studies as well as some really practical approaches to embed critical reflection into everyday practice.

If you would like to find out more about critical reflection purchase our course:

• Critical reflection - Early Years Learning Hub