Menu Close
The Conversation

Articles on early childhood educators

Displaying all articles
Shutterstock

‘Greatest transformation of early education in a generation’? Well, that depends on qualified, supported and thriving staff

Karen Thorpe, The University of Queensland; Azhar Potia, The University of Queensland; Peter Rankin, The University of Queensland; Sally Staton, The University of Queensland, and Sandy Houen, The University of Queensland

Research confirms that a focus on restoring the well-being of educators is vital to deliver the gains promised by huge new investments in early childhood learning and care.
Kindergarten teachers were tasked with adapting a hands-on, play-based curricula in a virtual environment – a nearly impossible task even without parenting one’s own children at the same time. (Shutterstock)

Kindergarten educators with children at home struggled during the pandemic — mental health supports are needed

Natalie Spadafora, McMaster University and Magdalena Janus, McMaster University

Kindergarten educators who taught from home during COVID-19 and who were primarily responsible for their own children self-reported poorer mental health than those without these responsibilities.
Almost as many trained early childhood educators work outside licensed child care as in it. Many say they would return to the field if offered decent work. (Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages)

Children across Canada deserve a professional early childhood education workforce

Emis Akbari, University of Toronto and Kerry McCuaig, University of Toronto

Staff recruitment and retention challenges aren’t seen in public child-care centres, where educators are paid substantially more, are unionized and have professional development opportunities.
Shutterstock

Early childhood educators feel burnt out and undervalued. Here’s what we can do to help

Penny Levickis, The University of Melbourne; Amelia Church, The University of Melbourne; Jane Page, The University of Melbourne; Lisa Murray, The University of Melbourne, and Patricia Eadie, The University of Melbourne

The pandemic highlighted Australia’s reliance on early childhood educators, while adding to their existing stresses. A study of how educators fared identifies three key factors in their well-being.

Children learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs

Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, Southern Cross University; Alexandra Lasczik, Southern Cross University; Karen Malone, Swinburne University of Technology; Linda Knight, RMIT University; Mahi Paquette, Southern Cross University, and Maia Osborn, Southern Cross University

New research demonstrates the many aspects of nature play that make it a great way for young children to gain STEM knowledge.
Paternity leave can increase fathers’ involvement in families, with positive impacts on children, fathers and the co-parent. (Shutterstock)

Father’s Day: Involved dads are healthier and happier

Nikki Martyn, University of Guelph-Humber and Elena Merenda, University of Guelph-Humber

Our children can’t continue to grow up in a world where only women raise them, either at home or in early care and learning.

Related Topics

  1. Child care
  2. childcare educator pay
  3. childcare subsidy
  4. Early childhood
  5. Early childhood education
  6. Early childhood education and care
  7. Early childhood learning
  8. Early childhood services
  9. early childhood workforce
  10. Preschool

Top contributors

More