Innehållsförteckning för MAY/JUNE ISSUE 17 2024 från Pedagogy+

Welcome to the latest issue of Pedagogy+. We are thrilled to present an edition that’s all about the lives of infants and toddlers. Building on the success of our recent National Infants and Toddlers Conference Tour, which brought together 1000 teachers and educators from across the country, we felt it was important to dedicate this entire issue of Pedagogy+ to the art of teaching alongside infants and toddlers. It’s not a surprise to many who work with this age group that most of the professional development courses, research papers, and publications are heavily focused on older children. This has left us wondering why. Why are the most critical years of a child’s learning trajectory given less attention than other years? With the ongoing focus on the importance of quality education…

‘Are you my friend?’Does it mean you’ll come to my party?Can I come to your party? Will you be by me if I’m sad? Friendship may be more straightforward in early toddlerhood than at any later time in a life’s trajectory, including some of the troublesome arrangements of three and four-year-olds. For the youngest children, there is the eager smile, clap of delight and comfort at being next to ‘the chosen one’. There is something beyond logic in those trusting, open-hearted connections – which may pass as lives move on or may perhaps survive into adulthood. Both of the (now adult) ‘children’ in our family are closely connected to friends they made in day care. Fortuitously, the respective parents had been on the same parent committee for one of the…

A LIFE WELL LIVED… WHAT IS SUCCESS? TO LAUGH OFTEN AND MUCH; TO WIN THE RESPECT OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE AND THE AFFECTION OF CHILDREN; TO EARN THE APPRECIATION OF HONEST CRITICS AND ENDURE THE BETRAYAL OF FALSE FRIENDS; TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY; TO FIND THE BEST IN OTHERS; TO LEAVE THE WORLD A BIT BETTER, WHETHER BY A HEALTHY CHILD, A GARDEN PATCH OR A REDEEMED SOCIAL CONDITION; TO KNOW EVEN ONE LIFE HAS BREATHED EASIER BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIVED. THIS IS TO HAVE SUCCEEDED!RALPH WALDO EMERSON For many years, Manjula was a dear friend and colleague of Semann & Slattery. Her generosity of spirit and interest in our work meant she was always available for a professional discussion, to bounce ideas around with, and to participate in our projects.…

ZAHRA HERRMANN OVER MANY YEARS OF WORKING IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SECTOR, IHAVE HEARD THE WORD RESPECT USED AS ADESIRABLE DYNAMIC IN EDUCATIVE RELAtionships between children and teachers, as it indicates tolerance and acceptance of diversity among members of the learning community. On the surface, it may seem that we have a shared understanding of the meaning and nature of the word respect. However, not only do we often not agree on the sense of the word (Roffey, 2005), but the way we convey respect can also be different for people from different cultures and in different contexts. For some years now, I have wondered how children in the early childhood age group understand respect and if there are similarities and differences in the way teachers and children understand and…

This collective writing takes its starting point from the newly coined term ‘infantologies’. The contributions are diverse in the ways in which they approach the term, yet across the various pieces of writing, common themes emerge and are returned to by various contributors. Sometimes, the authors are in agreement with each other, while at times, they present varying arguments informed by different perspectives and understandings. One can only imagine that if all of the authors were to come together in a room, a fascinating discussion would unfold. (Nina Hood, 2020) ABSTRACT Infantologies is a collective writing project designed to express and summarise important ideas, approaches and forms of advocacy in a short and condensed method, in order to present a network of diverse themes, arguments and evidence concerning infants. This…

Toni Christie is the director of the Child Space Early Childhood Institute, Wellington, NZ. Passionate about early childhood education, leadership, environments, infants, teamwork, communication, and advocacy for children, families, and educators. Toni holds a Master of Education with merit from Victoria University in Wellington. She enjoys her many roles in life as a wife, mother, author, keynote speaker, marriage celebrant, Justice of the Peace, editor, musician, artist, and mentor. She loves singing, dancing, and playing with her family, friends, and colleagues daily. PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION Infants and toddlers need to be cared for with deep respect by people who understand the unique development and learning occurring for each child at this age. Infants and toddlers have no choice about where they are cared for, who cares for them, and…

Suallyn Mitchelmore, Sheila Degotardi and Alma Fleet published the research in 2017. We asked researchers Suallyn Mitchelmore and Alma Fleet to comment on where the research sits in 2024. Invited to revisit this work after a small passage of time, Suallyn ruminated on the ongoing relevance of this way of thinking together in the quotidien – that is, in the rhythmic movement of the everyday. As you read her thoughts below, we invite you to think of these ideas in your own context and to share, perhaps the unexpected glimpses of wonder and joy in learning, with some of the younger children in our care. As I reflect on these pieces of pedagogical documentation, what is striking to me is the strength, care and consideration of the decisions that were…

CRESCENDO Authors: Paola Quintavalle Illustrator: Alessandro Sanna An ode to mothers everywhere, Crescendo is a book to share and to treasure. Crescendo is a visual and poetic celebration of the transition to motherhood, featuring gorgeous watercolour illustrations by Alessandro Sanna. In response to Sanna’s artwork, the poem by Paola Quintavalle delicately weaves the story of transition to motherhood. Sanna’s illustrations follow the transformation of a mother’s shape throughout her pregnancy, artfully and gracefully delineated not only by images of a mother’s profile, but by rich, sweeping scenes from nature: the curved wingspan of a seagull in flight, the arc of a whale’s tail as she swims with her calves, the peaks of verdant, moonlit hills, among others. At last, there is an image of a mother embracing her newborn child,…

THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN PEDAGOGY+ ISSUE 16, HOWEVER, WE THOUGHT IT APPRORIATE TO FEATURE IN THIS INFANTS AND TODDLERS ISSUE. Imagine you were in a horrific accident (and I hope this is ever only imagination for you), and you lost the ability to speak and the ability to control your movements. Stretch the picture in your mind now to your normal every day activities. How do you imagine you would feel when you have to be dressed by someone else? What would you feel like when your clothes were chosen by someone else – the style, the shape and feel of them, the colours? What would you feel like when someone fed you, and the food was not something you chose, perhaps even things you did not like…

The National Practice Series Infants and Toddlers Conference 2024 was a resounding success. The event, tightly scheduled and hosted in six capital cities across an eight-day timeframe, drew attendees from across Australia. The delegates who attended the conference had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the latest practices in infant and toddler education and care, enhancing their professional skills and knowledge. The conference served as a platform for meaningful discussions and networking, fostering a community of dedicated professionals in the field. The presenters, Kelly Goodsir, Toni Christie, Meg Scott, Louise Dorratt, Michelle Pratt, and MC Anthony Semann, were not just enthusiastic participants, but also accomplished professionals in their own right. They brought their wealth of experience and knowledge to the event, engaging with the audience and sparking insightful discussions.…

ENVIRONMENTS MUST BE CONSCIOUSLY AND LOVINGLY CREATED TO UPLIFT THE SPIRIT AND HONOUR CHILDREN’S HEIGHTENED SENSIBILITY. IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT THAT A SETTING BE ADEQUATE. IT MUST, INSTEAD, BE BEAUTIFUL. A BEAUTIFUL PLACE HELPS ALL THE INHABITANTS TOFEELCONNECTED YET FREE AND CLOSER TO PERSONAL SOURCES OF VITALITY AND WELL-BEING. FAR FROM BEING A LUXURY INFANTS AND TODDLERS HAVE A RIGHT TO THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF AESTHETICALLY PLEASING ENVIRONMENTS.ANITA RUI OLDS Inspiring places are places of beauty. Beauty promotes wonder. Wonder instils lifelong learning Dr Sandra Duncan Early childhood settings should be places where children feel safe, welcomed, valued, and loved, full of wonder and opportunity, that see outdoor and indoor spaces as full of beauty, potential and possibilities, Beauty is nothing more than the promise of happiness. Stendhal cited Botton…

We hope you enjoy Pedagogy+ the art of teaching. Each issue of the magazine looks at a theme relevant to early education; exploring and challenging practice and thinking. The pages of Pedagogy+ brim with inspiring articles, candid conversations, the latest trends and lifestyle treats - our brief being to foster critical thinking and stimulate conversations that can advance the theory and practice of pedagogy in early education settings, and to encourage you to think about you. Why subscribe? - it’s an opportunity to: ▪ Slow down, relax and enjoy a well-informed read ▪ Share in the insights of highly-respected and knowledgeable education experts ▪ Enjoy the experience of deciding - what might I like for me or that would make a great gift for someone else ▪ Critically reflect on…

Touch sits outside of us, yet it reaches deep within and profoundly influences us. It is integral to our development as social and connected beings. From our earliest moments in the womb, touch is the first sense we develop and our first language of communication. It is a complex and nuanced language that plays a crucial role in our physical health, wellbeing, relationships and fostering a positive sense of selfidentity. Interestingly, while the importance of touch is implicit in the study and related theories of child development, this work primarily focused on the importance of secure attachment—the attachment between a child and parents/caregivers and did not fully explore the role of touch in attachment development. It was not until the late 20th century that research into this sensory modality and…

WE ARE ALL NATURAL BORN YOGIS! Watch an infant sleeping peacefully - full balloon belly breaths as their diaphragm naturally expands on the inhale and falls on the exhale. Lying on their bellies, they seamlessly push up into cobra pose or, when on their back, they pull their toes to their mouths, mimicking happy baby pose. You might notice how your toddlers effortlessly rise from a squat to standing – no sore knees or rickety hips – just stress-free muscles, natural balance and innate co-ordination! Yoga is a wonderful activity to do with infants and toddlers to develop body awareness, learn the names of body parts and build self-esteem alongside strength, balance and coordination. They get to turn, twist, stretch, and strengthen their muscles in new ways. It helps them…