Early Childhood Education Update
Welcome to this issue of the early childhood education update
NZ maths resource for early childhood education
NZ Maths has created an online resource for early childhood education teachers. The intent of the resource is to provide information to foster children’s mathematical thinking.
The NZ Maths resource provides practical ‘interaction ideas’ to maximise mathematical learning opportunities that occur in everyday situations. It uses the term ‘learning progressions’ to describe the sequential development of key mathematical understandings.
This is an invaluable set of tools to help shape children’s thinking about mathematics at a fundamental level. For more information go to the NZ Maths’ website www.nzmaths.co.nz
ICT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERVICES
Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a learning tool is a journey many early childhood services are embarking on. There is now information available to make this journey easier for services by providing some guidance on accessing ICT by purchasing or leasing equipment.
This information will help services to consider how they want to use ICT and can assist in the decision making process regarding hardware, software and cybersafety.
Changes to the discretionary grant scheme
The Early Childhood Discretionary Grant Scheme (DGS) provided grants to eligible community based groups. DGS supported early childhood education participation by providing funding to increase or retain places in early childhood education centres, particularly in areas experiencing high growth or where participation was low. The Ministry of Education is looking at more effective options for increasing participation in high quality early childhood education. This includes looking at how DGS can be used more effectively to increase participation in early childhood education.
The Ministry is specifically considering ways of doing this that are less bureaucratic and place less time, resource and compliance burden on groups who wish to access the funding. Until this process is complete the Ministry will not be accepting new DGS applications.
The government is committed to boosting participation in the early childhood education sector and to meeting the needs of our local communities; DGS funding will continue to be used to support participation in high need areas. Groups that are planning new facilities should continue to liaise with the Network Co-ordinator at their local Ministry office - this information will be useful in any revised scheme. Existing planning grants will be considered for funding within a new programme for raising participation in early 2010.
Announcement
DGS funding for 2009/2010 was announced on 31 July 2009. The following groups were awarded a total of $10,038,238 (GST incl):
- Malae Fesilafa’i Aoga Amata, Fountain of Knowledge, Barnardos Early Learning Centre – Sir Edmund Hillary, St Georges Pre-School and KINZ Mission Heights from Manukau City
- Feiloai’l Ma uso Aoga Amata Trust Childcare Centre from Waitakere City
- Te Ara Ki Tua Early Childhood Centre from the Whakatane District
- Barnardos Early Learning Centre – Te Totara from Hamilton City
- Te Taura Hiri I Te Ao Te KÅhanga Reo from the South Taranaki District
- Arrowtown Community Preschool from Queenstown Lakes
STUDY GRANTS
Study grants support students who hold particular qualifications to gain their first early childhood teaching qualification that leads to registration as an early childhood teacher. Study Grants are a one-off payment of $3000 and contribute towards the costs that students face while studying. Study Grants are available to:
- qualified primary teachers who are enrolled in specific New Zealand Teachers Council-approved programmes of early childhood teacher education
- primary student teachers who change their programme of study from primary to New Zealand Teachers Council-approved programmes of early childhood teacher education
- degree-holders who are enrolled in a Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) at the University of Auckland Faculty of Education, Victoria University of Wellington College of Education, University of Waikato School of Education, University of Otago College of Education or the University of Canterbury College of Education.
The Early Intervention teaching study award
Early Intervention Teaching Study Awards support early intervention teachers or early childhood education teachers to gain an early intervention tertiary qualification. Advantages of this qualification include increased skills and knowledge, improved practice and competitive remuneration.
Early Intervention Teaching Study Awards provide support by paying tuition fees and covering some transportation costs. The Award also provides a $100 accommodation allowance per night away from home for each teaching block and paid study leave for at least 75 days per year (proportional to FTE).
To be eligible to apply for the Early Intervention Teaching Study award you must:
- hold a Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or equivalent
- have worked for a minimum of two years as a qualified early childhood education teacher
- have approval and support from your employer
- be employed in a permanent position by a registered early childhood education service, Special Education (Ministry of Education) or as a teacher at an accredited provider of early intervention services
- enrol in either the Graduate Diploma in Special Education: Early Intervention at the University of Auckland or the Post Graduate Diploma in Health Sciences: Early Intervention at the University of Canterbury.
The closing date for applications is 18 September 2009. Early Intervention Teaching Study Award information and Application Forms are available at www.minedu.govt.nz/SEstudyawards
Health Update
The following information provides information for early childhood education services about Influenza A (H1N1), measles and whooping cough.
INFLUENZA A (H1N1) SWINE FLU:
Changed Message from the Ministry of Health to Early Childhood Education Services
While most cases of Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu remain mild, there is an increase in those requiring hospital treatment. Schools and early childhood education services are generally the first places where changes to patterns in community infection appear, which makes data from the education sector vital.
Originally, it was requested that early childhood education services inform the Ministry of Health if absences were above 30 per cent. The Ministry of Health now asks that you contact your local District Health Board (DHB) if:
- absences because of illness are significantly above what you would normally expect from seasonal flu at this time of year (early childhood education services expect an absenteeism rate of around 15 per cent at this time of year)
- you think there is something unusual about the rate or nature of illness.
For general information on Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu go to the Ministry of Health’s website at www.moh.govt.nz or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.
WHOOPING COUGH AND MEASLES:
Health officials are concerned that New Zealand could be facing a whooping cough (pertussis) and measles epidemic this year. Both whooping cough and measles are highly contagious, making early childhood education services high-risk environments. Although whooping cough can be debilitating for adults, infants can become very ill and may not be able to feed or breathe properly. Many need to be hospitalised.
About 84 per cent of babies are protected from whooping cough once they have had three doses of vaccine at six weeks, three and five months and again at four and eleven years. Immunisation against whooping cough is also recommended, but not free, for early childhood education teachers. There have been 90 notified measles cases so far this year. This is more than seven times higher than the total number of cases for all of last year.
Although the measles outbreak has predominantly been in Otago and Canterbury, there is concern that immunisation rates are not high enough to stop measles spreading.
The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is very effective if children get it on time at 15 months and four years of age. Once fully immunised, 90 to 95 percent of children are protected from measles.
Early childhood education services can help stop the spread of whooping cough and measles by:
- ensuring that sick children and adults stay at home as outlined in regulations 28 and 29 of the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998, or regulations 46 and 57 of the Education (Early Childhood Services Regulations) 2008
- checking immunisation certificates or immunisation records in Well Child books for all children enrolled. If there is an outbreak of measles, unimmunised children may need to be kept at home to protect them from infection
- following basic hygiene practices, including good hand washing.
If you have questions about whooping cough or measles call Healthline 0800 611 116 or the Immunisation Advisory Centre 0800IMMUNE (0800 466 863) or go to the Ministry of Health’s website - www.moh.govt.nz/immunisation
Other outcomes of the 2008 regulations and licensing criteria review
The last Update told you about the Government’s decisions on changes to the regulations and licensing criteria.
The Ministry of Education will also be undertaking further work in a number of areas as a result of the consultation feedback and Sector Working Group report.
This work is scheduled to be completed in late 2009 and includes:
- policy advice on: group size/maximum centre size; options for issuing multiple licences; ways to reduce compliance burdens associated with the funding system and teacher registration targets
- feedback on licensing processes as part of the implementation of the new regulatory system to ensure a fair and consistent approach across all regions
- identifying and resolving any further ambiguous criteria, including where there are potentially conflicting requirements with other agencies’ regulations
- investigating compliance assurance mechanisms and working with the Education Review Office to clarify and strengthen roles.
A fact sheet outlining the changes announced on 1 July 2009, the Frequently Asked Questions, the report of the consultation feedback and the sector working group’s report are available on the Ministry of Education’s website www.lead.ece.govt.nz
THINGS TO NOTE
NEXT ISSUE OF UPDATE
The next early childhood education Update will appear in Volume 88 Issue 17, which is available from Monday 21 September 2009.
PAST ISSUES OF UPDATE
NATIONAL CONFERENCES
ORDERING RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
To order early childhood education resources and publications contact Wickliffe.Wickliffe provides customer services for the Ministry of Education publications. If you need to order anything phone 0800 660 662, fax 0800 660 663 or email orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz
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