National Quality Framework (NQF)
We now are about to enter what potentially is a very exciting stage in our growth, the National Quality Framework. For some of use it's been stressful as we enter the new field of Accreditation, for many it means changing from one type of accreditation to another. Who knows exactly what this will bring is a little unknown as yet, but will become familiar over time.
For me, my focus remains child-centred focus, using learning stories for almost all documentation, adding a National Quality Standards log book to the mix and calming down! The essential ingredients of quality remain the same, relationship, interaction, empowerment of ourselves and the children, reflecting on the pedagogy and finding ways to bring all the Principles and Practices in the EYLF into every part of what we do. We are called to grow.
My latest book was released in December 2011 called, Reflection, Empowerment and Practice in Early Childhood: Growing with the NQF, EYLF, NQS and QIP has been written to help people in this next stage of development, more than implementation or knowledge, but embeddness. Details are available in the section about books.
I am encouraging people to relax, and be available, attuned and responsive, to think about what we do all the time and to be intentional in the ways we bring more maths, science, literacy, art, music and drama into our centres. It's not about doing more, instead it's about being more mindful, slowing down, being in the moment, it's kind of Zen and the Art of Early Childhood Education!
Welcome!
Joy LubawyNow, several years from when I last was working on the floor as we say, my life has moved off into varying directions as Pete and I travel Australia and New Zealand, and I find my focus and passion is being refined.
Listening to the voices of children, their ideas, wonderings, fascinations, inventions and explorations is now even more important to me than ever. So often the voices of children are drowned out in the routines, administration and constant changes that influence what we do and how we are with children. A colleague tells me that there is a change every 13 minutes in Early Childhood, and it becomes confusing and wearing at times.
Play is also under siege across the country. Edward Zigler, the founder of Head Start in the USA tells us it’s under siege worldwide. Some recent very respectable research [Bodrova and Leong, 2003; Howes & Wishard, 2004; Brandon, 2002, Johnson, 1998, Murline, 2000; and Zigler & Bishop-Josef , 2004 and 2006] suggests that opportunities for social play has slipped from 41% of time to a mere 9% between 1982 and 2002. “Real’ conversations are being replaced by a series of directions Lilian Katz warns us.
The voices of children tell me they are capable, competent and creative and yet the push down from High school, to Primary school to Infant’s school to Early Childhood Programmes in preschools and long day care centres continues to happen.
Early childhood is a unique time in the human life cycle. Children under 7 are different to children over 7, and the same methods we might use effectively for older children do not work with the younger child.
Are we assessing and classifying or are we encouraging children to learn? How can we continue to move forward when we seem to be facing such opposition? Gunilla Dahlberg from Sweden leads the charge and urges us to bordercross the power of the norm, to stop assessing and classifying children and instead invite children to be co-constructors in the curriculum. My own 30 plus years involved with young children tells me she is right.
When we listen to the voices of children [and watch the gestures of those who can’t yet talk] we can’t help but be fascinated by what they already know and how they think on a deeper level about human rights, peace and the planet. Let’s hear the voices of children. Let what we write and what we display shout aloud ‘these children are amazing’.
Educating for the future. The future of our planet, our country, our community, the cure for cancer and AIDS, lies not in compliance, being able to colour in between the lines, or parrot back the ABC, it lies in being able to think outside the square. Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity has just been proven as being correct 90 years after he imagined the concept. I think he was right also when he said “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. Let’s defend creativity, imagination, and enchantment!
We each have a journey. My own journey of discovery that began as a student teacher, through my practice with young children in special education and preschools, to being a part-time academic for 15 years, and lately as a thinker and writer has been one of unfolding and discovering the child, a whole child, an adventurous, active, creative and aware child. From the first publication Building Walls of Wombats, through the efforts of Preschool Math, sharing ideas in From Observation to Reflection, and the companion publication Pancakes and Red Buckets, to the latest Visions of Creativity I have been listening to children, and listening to the people who work with them.
Peter Law, the business manager and my husband, has been working with me for the last seven years, we decided that we'd form a partnership that will combine my passion for children's learning and his interest in business and computers [he's an accountant]. Between us we have many skills, and they fit together well. We began taking a few books with us, but soon people began to ask for a larger variety, so we have added this to our partnership as well. We are now a traveling small bookshop with really useful, fantastic resources, [including CD music] as well as interesting workshops that tackle some of the difficult questions.
Peter LawPete is a management accountant with tax experience in both New South Wales and Western Australia. Having been associated with small business since the age of 5, at 22 Pete joined a national company and at 23 was promoted to management level.
He has TAFE Advanced Diploma and University Degree qualifications in the areas of accounting, taxation, economics and tourism. In addition, Pete has served in the military and has aviation piloting and ownership experience.
Joy and Pete can provide advice on all aspects of business including education, taxation, computing, employees, digital record keeping as well as day to day issues. This web page has many elements and I invite you to click on anything that interests you so you can explore the possibilities,
