Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer in the world of education. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Education accounts for the third-biggest portion of government spending, so it’s crucial parties have clear directives for this … Read more
Parents who have had it drilled into them that their under-10s will fall behind if they don’t homeschool all day are stressing out. There’s absolutely no need to, and teachers agree. Today marks a return to school for most primary school kids in New Zealand, except that they won’t be returning anywhere. It’s groundhog day … Read more
The low-down on the lockdown educational TV channels, which launch tomorrow. We’re still in lockdown, but term two begins this week. What’s the story with the new TV channels? This week sees the launch of two new television channels dedicated to broadcasting educational programmes for school students during the Covid-19 lockdown. The first is Home … Read more
The Ministry of Education must clarify its support for voluntary withdrawal of children from early education and care. And to ensure immediate financial support for staff, businesses and community organisations, writes Dr Mike Bedford, a specialist in health and wellbeing in early childhood education. The Covid-19 event really has no precedent. We’ve never had a … Read more
Gemma Bowker Wright pays tribute to the Wellington childcare centre that welcomed her son, and calls on the country to better support the people who care for our children. It’s often the things in life you can’t have you end up wanting most. These were, for me, at five, a unicorn; at 14, to be … Read more
Despite two unsuccessful appeals against his convictions for child sex abuse, doubts around the reliability of the evidence against Peter Ellis have hung heavy for almost three decades. Yesterday it was announced that the Supreme Court would give him an opportunity to clear his name. What’s all this then? Peter Ellis, a convicted child sex … Read more
Tomorrow, early childhood educators and support staff around New Zealand will be wearing black and white. Teacher Mel Burgess explains why. There are plenty of ways to mark International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March. You can take some time out to honour women who have blazed trails in the past or look to those … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Minister announces major new ECE plan, climate scientist sign open letter calling for more real climate action, and water rationing considered in Hawke’s Bay. A major new plan to overhaul early childhood education has been unveiled by the government. Radio NZ has a rundown of the key details … Read more
There’s been a lot of talk about the state of early childhood education in New Zealand over the last few days. Most of it has been shit. Here’s Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw doing what she does best – cutting through the crap so we can have a rational conversation. I imagine a world where childcare is … Read more
Spinoff Parents columnist Angela Cuming writes about what her children’s early childhood education centre means to her and her whānau. From the outside, there’s not much to give it away. An old two-storey villa, black asphalt driveway, a faded wooden fence just tall enough to peep over. But push open the heavy front door and … Read more
Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw, our resident science expert, wants us to change the way early childhood education is discussed. Words mean things. That sounds simple enough doesn’t it? But unfortunately it’s not a sentiment everyone seems to agree with. The words we choose to use as researchers, policy makers, and communicators are not neutral. Words convey … Read more
They’ve left wiggle room for some rainy day expenses, but the Labour-led government more than anything has sought to sell today’s funding announcements as an exercise in cleaning up National’s mess. Rebecca Stevenson reports from Wellington Grant Robertson hammered a few key messages in his budget address today: this is a budget that will lay … Read more
Mike Hosking argues that kindy teachers don’t deserve to be paid like high school teachers. But does he have any idea what an early childhood educator actually does? So, it seems a bit redundant to write a piece about Mike Hosking’s latest “Mike’s Minute” or whatever it is he actually does. It’s all just grist … Read more
Spoiler alert: it’s by not having any kids in Early Childhood Education centres. Jai Breitnauer looks at whether 20 hours free in New Zealand is really free. My youngest son went back to school today and, like many other parents, I breathed just a little sigh of relief. Not relief that my kids won’t be … Read more
Sarah Watkeys and her playcentre whānau are grieving the loss of their community hub. Over the weekend, a fire destroyed the Belfast Playcentre in Christchurch completely. Here she writes about the pain she and local families are going through. We’ve just lost our playcentre. Fire. It has been a fixture in our lives since my … Read more
Donna Eden is a teacher with 20 years’ experience and a mother of two, currently working at a kindergarten in Wellington. Here she shares with parents her personal guide to voting for education, a topic close to our hearts at The Spinoff Parents. We’re running three pieces on The Spinoff Parents this week about education. … Read more
Last week a kindergarten in Wellington wrote an open letter to the Minister for Education, pleading for their children with special needs to get the support they need. As part of a Spinoff Parents series on early childhood education in New Zealand, Michaela Harris went to the kindergarten to talk to teachers and parents. Newtown … Read more
Kath Cooper, an early childhood lecturer who parents four children with her wife, believes all parents need to actively support LGBTQI-friendly environments at their children’s schools. With input from the Rainbow Families NZ community, she’s sharing this article in the hope that it will spark conversations at your child’s early childhood education centre, primary school, … Read more
Education in New Zealand is obsessed with assessment and ticking the right boxes, and not doing the Wrong Thing. A new book argues in favour of positive disobedience as practised and taught by that apparent figure of authority: the teacher. It’s late at night. Outside you can hear the hum of commuters as they make their … Read more
Christian Religious Instruction is given in around 40 percent of New Zealand primary schools – not as an optional class, but one which parents must opt out of. Most of us believe in the separation of church and state, writes Tina Carlson, so why do we continue to give Christianity such prominence within our schools? … Read more
Sonya Nagels needed a community and she found one in Playcentre. Here she talks about why Playcentre was the perfect choice for her family. We had our son overseas. It was cold and I missed my mum. My boyfriend worked all of the hours. I wanted to come home. I had nostalgic memories of sun, … Read more
For many parents, the new school term marks the beginning of a new era in the life of their child. Mum and kindergarten teacher Donna Eden has some words of encouragement for parents whose children are starting school. Starting school is a big milestone in the life of our littlies and us as parents. Often … Read more
Making judgemental comments about other parents’ choices doesn’t do anything to help improve early childhood education, says Emily Writes. It just makes you an asshole. Oh look! There’s a new article about how parents are evil for putting their children in childcare. And the commenters aren’t happy. Every parent apparently has the same choices according … Read more
It gives The Spinoff much pleasure to welcome Dear Mamas to our suite of podcasts. Dear Mamas is a “no bullshit, no judgement” look at being a parent, hosted by Holly Walker and Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes. This is Dear Mamas, The Spinoff’s straight-talking parenting podcast with Holly Walker and Emily Writes, brought to … Read more