Table of contents for DECEMBER/JANUARY ISSUE 7 2019/20 HARD CONVERSATIONS in Pedagogy+

Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of the German Empire 1871 – 1890, famously described politics as ‘the art of the possible’. He was talking about compromise and the ‘next best’ solution which is often necessary to find in political action. To me, the joy of teaching is in the art of the possible, but not in the real politik way – rather in the inspiring, infinite way that anything is possible when you co-construct knowledge with young children. It is a daily pleasure of mine to work alongside some of the youngest members of our community and hypothesise, experiment, plan and inquire. I love creating, exploring and generating with young children and it’s a privilege that I get to do this often. Our classroom has become very interested in reading Rod…

One of the gifts of the early years' sector is the broad base of ideas, theories and views which we draw from to enable a diversity of practices across a range of early years' settings. This is an evident strength and should be capitalised on. But do all views hold equal weight when we take into account the impact such views have on individuals? A topic of regular debate and one which brings diverse opinions to the surface is discussing queer and sexually diverse families, children and educators and their representation within early childhood pedagogy and practice. For some, the immediate response is the perceived 'inappropriateness' of such topics to the lives of children and the sector, as if to suggest that queer and sexually diverse individuals do not exist,…

Summer is a great time to relax – soaking up the sun at the beach, drowsing pleasantly at the edge of a swimming pool or dozing and catching up on one’s reading outdoors… it is also a time of high ultraviolet radiation and when outdoors we need to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide. Five critical steps to protecting our skin, especially in summer. As with most timeless issues there is some mixed messaging out there, the facts and myths of healthy sun exposure, the use of sunscreens and absorbing vitamin D. To avoid potential confusion, we thought it seasonally appropriate to refresh our thinking and practice by bringing you the well-researched advice of the Cancer Council of Australia. UltravioletUVradiation from the sun has both beneficial and harmful effects…

Inspired by the founder’s 300-year family farming heritage and the discovery of a book called The art of distillation, published in 1651, detailing distilled non-alcoholic herbal remedies, Seedlip launched to great acclaim in November 2015 and was an immediate sell-out in London’s Selfridges. Today, Seedlip is served in the some of the best cocktail bars and Michelin restaurants across the world, and Australian retailers include David Jones and Dan Murphy’s. Available in three expressions, Seedlip Garden 108 captures the essence of the English countryside with sophisticated top notes of the hand-picked peas and hay from the founder’s family farm with a complex herbal base character of spearmint, rosemary and thyme. Seedlip Spice 94 is aromatic with strong spice (all spice berries and cardamom) and citrus (lemon and grapefruit peel) top…

THIS IS A TIME FOR EMPATHY THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE JUDGEMENTAL New mum Amanda brings baby Emma to our centre four days a week. Amanda rushes in, rushes out, goodbyes are quick with very little communication with the staff. Baby Emma seems to cope with the hurried drop-off. During the day Emma appears not interested in what is going on and doesn’t respond to demonstrations of affection. Sometimes Emma’s clothes remain in her baby bag for days. Amanda arrives mid-afternoon often tearful and again non-communicative, the educators in the nursery work hard to engage her, we are all feeling there is something not quite right with this mum/baby relationship. What do we do? It’s hard to imagine anyone more vulnerable than a new born baby, however, a…

Long before Donna, Stephanie and Maggie, Margaret Fulton was our ‘go to’ woman in the kitchen. Every Australian home was the proud owner of a Margaret Fulton Cookbook, especially the Christmas one! Her contribution to the cultural cuisine of Australia was innovative and foundational; and the precursor to the modern day illustrated cookbooks and celebrity chef. The Women’s Weekly Cookbooks featured a Margaret Fulton edition for every occasion – her collection of Christmas recipes is gloriously abundant. Join us as we celebrate Christmas Lunch a la Marg… It’s a hot December, 32 degrees in the shade – the dining table is set for our invited guests. Nibbles are attractively displayed in the lounge room for those just dropping in to spread some festive cheer. The wine and coldies are in…

As Australians we watch, wonder and WISH… New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a leader that shines at home and on the world stage – she speaks with conviction, unwavering integrity, conveying her deep sense of humanity and connection with people. Lauded as the leader the world needs, comments include, ‘Grace. Dignity. Courage…’ When elected in October 2017, Jacinda became the youngest ever female head of government. While not the first politician to carry her baby into parliament, she is the first female head of government to attend a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly with baby in tow. (September 2019). With the tragic event of the Christchurch mosque shootings (15 March, 2019) Jacinda united her country with her compassion and extraordinary leadership. And more recently (7 November,…

Engaging in mental health conversations in the early years is critical to recognising the significance of wellbeing and the impact this has on teaching, learning and relationship building. Even with the best intentions we might find ourselves avoiding engaging with children, families or teams in this type of conversation because we just simply don’t know how to start. Sometimes we find ourselves dipping our toes into mental health conversations yet at the same time it can seem at a surface level because we are uncertain of the direction, depth or dialogue needed to authentically engage. Creating spaces where we foster a strong sense of wellbeing, that is a place where children, families and teaching teams feel comfortable, healthy and genuinely cheerful is critical to how a workplace ‘tune’s in’ to…

The Stonewall was not my favorite bar. But in the summer of 1969 I often began evenings there. The provocatively clad go-go boys grinding their way across the top of the bar were a prelude to the more serious cruising to follow. They offered the occasion for less naturally gregarious patrons like myself to test the waters via first tentative conversations with others. As the evening wore on, relaxing into the night, I would make my way west to the dimmer, more subdued leather and western bars where I was more temperamentally attuned to the newly emerging clone culture of mustachioed gay men in plaid shirts, Levi’s and gym-sculpted bodies. That same summer, just a few steps from my night-time haunts, I was studying early childhood education at Bank Street…

At Mia Mia we have kept chickens for a long time. Star and Bock (our current chickens) have been well loved members of our community for the past 7 years, and before them there have been many others. Keeping animals (or pets) not only brings great joy but also the opportunity to learn about caring for other living things. Along with this comes the important (but less pleasant) opportunity to learn about natural cycles of life and death. When we noticed recently that Bock was unwell we talked to the children about how important it was to take her to the vet to see what could be done to help her. Unfortunately the vet had bad news. There was nothing that could be done for Bock (given her age) and…

‘Play is all very well in Kindergarten but not at school…’ ‘It’s no wonder Max is like he is! Have you seen his family…?’ ‘Children need to line up. They need to know who’s in control…’ Have you heard statements like this, or maybe others, that put you instantly into a place of discomfort? Or perhaps don’t align to what you believe or value about children, pedagogy or practice? Over my 25 years as an early childhood teacher I know I have heard similar comments. One of my ‘favourites’ is the all-too-frequent declaration, usually with accompanying folded arms, ‘Well, we’ve always done it this way!’. Those who have known me for a while might tell you that a statement such as this could occasionally be like waving a red flag…

Managing the expectations of others and the subsequent fall out when expectations are not met is time and energy consuming, stressful for all parties and often leads to those conversations that we would rather not have. The good news is that the impact on time, energy and stress levels can be minimised if not completely prevented by forethought, clear communication and well-documented handbooks. One handbook with particular information for families, and one for staff to support them in all aspects of their work with the organisation, each other, children and families and visitors. Our focus here is managing parental expectations within the context of an early childhood setting. The experts tell us that the best way to manage the expectations of others [including those accessing our early education programs], is…

SCONE RECIPE 3 parts self-raising floor (3 cups)1 part cream (1 cup)1 part milk (1 cup) Spoon sugar Egg wash - 1 egg and milk20 minutes170-180 degrees in a fan forced oven Sieve flour into a bowl Add sugar, cream and milk Mix to a smooth dough Knead gently - handle as little as possible Cover dough with a tea towel and rest for 10 minutes Pat dough out onto floured surface - until dough is approximately 2cm thick Use a floured cutter, cut scones out Place scones close together (edge touching edge) on a greased and floured baking tray Glaze top of scones with egg wash Pop in to the oven for 20 minutes Test for cooking: The scones should have browned slightly. Tap the scones. If baked, they…

I scream… you scream… We all scream for ice cream! The team at Semann & Slattery found this fabulous article about one of our favourite joys. We can think of nothing more delightful, delicious and decadent than a large tub of Messina ice cream on a hot summer’s day. We would dearly love to subscribe to the s-creaming sentiments below – our advice must be, proceed with caution, as with all guilty pleasures…everything is good for you in moderation. Going overboard can lead to side effects like obesity, high blood sugar, and brain fogginess… You can eat ice cream daily and lose weight! If you’re wondering if you read that right, you did. According to an ABC News article, women who had one scoop of low-fat ice cream a day…

To deny we live in a cyber online era would be foolish. The online world comes with great benefits. I can broadcast to family and friends with ease the news of a new baby; I can feel part of a broader community by simply signing up to an interest group; and I can be part of and share the joys of a loved one’s international travels as they post holiday pictures that tell the story of their journey. Such benefits were not available to many of us in our younger years but we have learnt to be part of and participate in online communities. I shudder each week when my iPhone sends me the hours I have spent on my phone and I swiftly move into two positions of justification.…

No one likes to have those hard conversations. Some of these are personal, and some are professional. Needless to say, both those receiving the message as well as those delivering the message can experience a level of emotional pain. As hard as they are, these conversations are necessary to assist in the enhancement of a staff member’s performance. At the heart of the complexities associated with these conversations, is the desire not to do harm emotionally to another person, and this is a good intent. However hard some conversations are necessary ones to have, and they can't be swept under the carpet. Sadly, it is only with experience that we become better equipped to have these conversations, so the saying, 'practice makes perfect' makes sense. Furthermore, the reality is that…

Did you know that computer slang and acronym lol (laugh out loud) is 30 years old? It hit the airways in 1989 and is now the most commonly used term in social media communication. Perhaps the most ubiquitous of acronyms, lol has withstood the challenge of the smiling emoticons and is smirks and grins in front of haha and hehe. According to anthropologist Munro S. Edmonson (1987), the way we laugh is a ‘signal of individuality.’ You only have to listen to the chortles and chuckles of family and friends to be able to pick them out in a crowded room. Our distant ancestors were laughing before they had language, their laughter communicated that things were okay, Today, we still to use laughter to convey our feelings. Jürgen Trouvain tells…

NIBBLES Mixed nuts Rich Christmas Cake* Angels on Horseback** Cheddar cubes with pineapple pieces on cocktail sticks Cheddar cubes with cocktail onions (pickled) Maraschino che ries Aperatif: Lindeman’s Chestnut Teal Medium Sherry ENTREE Tropical Prawn Cocktails* Accompanying wine: Lindeman’s Ben Ean Moselle MAIN COURSE Baked Guinness Ham* Roast urkey with Orange, Herb and Nut Stuffing* Roast Loin of Pork with Rosemary and Garlic* Best Ever Roast Potatoes* Glazed carrets* Minted Peas** Baked (Roast) Pumpkin' ** Served with: Turkey Gravy and Cranberry Sauce Accompanying wine: Blue Nun Riesling DESSERT Christmas Trifle* Rich Christmas Cake' Rich Christmas Pudding* Served with: Whipped Fresh Cream and Brandy Sauce** Accompanying sparkly: Barossa Pearl *Recipes can be found in The 12 Days of Christmas by Margaret Fulton ** Recipes can be found in Margaret Fulton’s Encyclopedia…

1. TYPO WIRELESS SHOWER SPEAKER Australian label Typo offers a fun collection of gifts and homeware. Treat yourself or someone you know to this wireless shower speaker. It sticks to the shower wall via a suction stuck to the back. It’s waterproof design enables you to listen to your favourite music or podcasts whilst in the shower or bath. Wireless syncronisation connects via Bluetooth to your device and also comes with a built-in microphone, allowing you to answer and make calls too! Available from cottonon.com/AU/typo/ or asos.com.au in a variety of designs for $29.99 2. THUMBS UP MINI RETRO GAMES CONSOLE Anything but ordinary, innovative brand Thumbs Up is your go-to for all things gifting. This mini size games console is great company for travel and comes with various game…

My children’s faces after I haven’t seen them all day… Joy is found nestled in relationships with those I love and care deeply for, my family, my friends and my partner. I feel most at joy when I find peace primarily in myself. This means an acceptance of who I am as a person and a belief that ‘I am enough’. Beyond that holidays by the water fill my heart (Europe is always a good idea), drowning in a sea of white flowers always makes me happy, and exploring contemporary art and architecture is so good for the eye and soul. And lets never forget the joy of staying in bed on a Sunday with a cup of tea in hand with chill music in the background - Oh bliss.…