Greatness is achieved in many ways but mostly it requires vision and drive. Mohammad Ali believed he was the greatest and the evidence he needed to prove he was the greatest was to win fights. Thankfully in early years we don’t have to do that. But we do need to understand and know what great looks like in an early learning service.

There are many perspectives to consider when you are understanding what it is to be a great service

ERO has a role to evaluate and report on the education and care of children in early childhood services. An ERO review looks at how an Early learning service reaches positive learning outcomes for all children. They are interested in what’s working well and where improvements can be made.

They produce useful publications to guide and support you to continuously improve.

You should be familiar with:

He Pou Tataki provides Evaluation Indicators for ERO reviews.National Evaluation Topics (NETS) and effective practice reportsQuality in Early Childhood Services 2010 factors that contribute to high quality ECEQuality education for infants and toddlers

The Ministry of Education has a key role in ensuring you meet compliance ‘minimum standards’ This process starts with the Education Act and ECE regulations and licensing criteria. It’s important that you keep up with any changes and policies that might impact on the Act, Regulations or licensing criteria. Make sure you subscribe to MoE Early Learning Bulletin as it provides essential updates from MoE and calendar of key ECE Ministry dates

Key tips:

Know and understand the ECE regulations, licensing criteria and the role of the Ministry.Know and understand ERO’s quality indicators and the role of ERO.Don’t be afraid to ‘talk’ quality and strive to be great.Develop an internal compliance process.Always be prepared for ERODevelop a vision for quality that guides self review

In high quality services, managers and educators share a commitment to improving learning outcomes for all children. They know what quality practice looks like and focus on continual improvement to achieve their vision.

The following excerpt from an ERO report shows what high quality means for children.

Children are active and enthusiastic learners. They make decisions and choices about their involvement and participation in activities and play scenarios. A high level of peer support and sustained collaborative play is evident. Children enjoy playing in groups and have well developed negotiation, and problem-solving skills. Teachers acknowledge children as capable learners who can direct their own play. They support and extend children’s learning with sensitive interventions and unobtrusive suggestions. Children have a strong sense of themselves as capable, independent learners.

PLUS 21 workshop options available

The inevitable fact is that the face of education is changing, regardless of how hard teachers and educators work to equip children with a range of skills needed for success in the 21st century. The question then, is how do leaders and teachers upskill to remain current and in touch with the unfolding changes in the sector?

Services and teachers need to collaborate and get involved in the goal-setting process in terms of professional learning and development. Making this a priority in the annual service planning cycle is a must-do. These goals should develop the leader / teacher, build the capability of the service and ensure positive outcomes for the children.. A dual onus on the service and the teacher is required to take ownership. For example formulating and identifying the needs of the individual, the service and the children. In simple terms this means establishing a common cause and shared mind-set.

As a learner it would be good to figure out your strengths and have an idea regarding your development needs in the broader setting of your career. It’s important that leaders and teachers show others that they take their development seriously. Sometimes what’s needed is to break out from your career comfort zone, look more broadly at your role within a service if you are having difficulties around the type of professional development to undertaken. Find out what’s important in your service and role, then fit the learning pieces around those parameters.

The benefits of professional learning and development include better performance with goals that are stretched. Building the capability of a team means investing in learning and education, with individuals who are eager to learn new skills and capabilities. On the evening of 3 November there is a great option in Auckland to work together and celebrate with your team.

Professional learning may be soft skills, mastery in a particular portfolio, technical knowledge or mandatory learning. Personal learning is also about fostering, sharing and understanding the key learnings as a collaborating teaching syndicate.

Whoever has enough time? So much to do, so little time. All services have finite resources; this means resources and time must be allocated with coverage arranged well in advance. Sounds simple, but general feedback received over the past two years has suggested that this doesn’t always happen and has proven a major setback to professional learning and development. Look out for some exciting options later this year.

Right now we have 21 workshops in October and November for you including events in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Wellington and Dunedin.

Auckland “Free Ministry of Education (16 events) – Professional Learning & Enquiry”

Auckland “Getting sorted for 2017” – Ellerslie 3 November 530pm

Christchurch “Strategic & Annual Planning” – 7 November 9am

Dunedin “Strategic & Annual Planning – 7 November 430pm

Wellington “Strategic & Annual Planning – 8 November 930am

Palmerston North “Strategic & Annual Planning – 8 November 330pm

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Joanna Purdie

Director – Astute Education

Leadership and management capability involves the skill of getting people to work together to achieve a common goal. Remember, that leadership and management are not the same thing. We know leaders can be seen at all levels of the organisation. Equally, leadership is the ability of an individual to influence those around them. Management on the other hand, reflects a position of authority, with specific roles and responsibilities. Management is about having processes and systems in place to make sure the work is done.

If you need to start building leadership capability, here some key steps to consider:

Know your staff, their strengths, how they communicate.Your ability to self-reflectOpen and honest decision making processes

In order to build the leadership capability of staff it is important to know them, understand their strengths, their areas for growth how they like to be communicated with and generally understand how they work. Leadership is not about you it is about them. I always like to try and take the stance that you are working for them as opposed to them working for you. Knowing the preferred communication style of each individual staff can help keep the communications channels open.

Another key to building leadership capability is the ability to be open and honest. Explain to staff why the decision is being made, they still may not be happy about the decision that has been made. However giving staff the opportunity to increase their knowledge about the business and how it is run is provides insight into the big picture and helps understanding the situation at hand.

I believe self reflection is a key to building capability in others. It is important to be able to:

Look at what you are doingRelate to the situationListening to staff

These three self-reflection prompts are invaluable, especially if you are dealing with a challenging situation, where you need to have challenging conversations.

Your self-reflection may include:

How did you dealt with the situation? Could you have done something differently? What have you learnt from the situation?

Although this is about you rather than those you are working with to build the capability, in order for you to help others grow you need to be prepared to grow yourself.

Leadership and management capability involves the skill of getting people to work together to achieve a common goal. Remember, that leadership and management are not the same thing. We know leaders can be seen at all levels of the organisation. Equally, leadership is the ability of an individual to influence those around them. Management on the other hand, reflects a position of authority, with specific roles and responsibilities. Management is about having processes and systems in place to make sure the work is done.

If you need to start building leadership capability, here are some key steps to consider:

Know your staff, their strengths, how they communicate.Your ability to self-reflectOpen and honest decision making processes.

In order to build the leadership capability of staff it is important to know them, understand their strengths, their areas for growth how they like to be communicated with and generally understand how they work. Leadership is not about you it is about them. I always like to try and take the stance that you are working for them as opposed to them working for you. Knowing the preferred communication style of each individual staff can help keep the communications channels open.

Another key to building leadership capability is the ability to be open and honest. Explain to staff why the decision is being made, they still may not be happy about the decision that has been made. However giving staff the opportunity to increase their knowledge about the business and how it is run is provides insight into the big picture and helps understanding the situation at hand.

I believe self reflection is a key to building capability in others. It is important to be able to:

Look at what you are doingRelate to the situationListening to staff

These three self-reflection prompts are invaluable, especially if you are dealing with a challenging situation, where you need to have challenging conversations. Your self-reflection may include: How did you dealt with the situation? Could you have done something differently? What have you learnt from the situation?

Although this is about you rather than those you are working with to build the capability, in order for you to help others grow you need to be prepared to grow yourself.

Join me and the rest of the Astute Education team on Thursday 3 November from 530pm at Ellerslie Event Centre. My mini workshop that evening will be “Appraisal & Registration Tips for success - A Manager’s perspective”

To register just click here or visit our website www.astuteeducation.com

Marie

Reflection is a powerful habit and tool that helps develop good perspectives into great actions. Our senior team have been reflecting on our organisation’s 7th anniversary working in the education sector.

When ECE Astute was initially founded in Auckland and Hamilton, it focused solely on early childhood education consulting and business services. Since that time, we have become a full-service consultancy that has come to offer a wide variety of other services across the education sector.

Within the last year ECE Astute has:

Continue to increase our range of solutions to make life easier for you and your service.Spent some more time with education services throughout the country, not just Auckland and the Waikato region.Provided more options, more expertise and good honest advice.Attracted a wide range of specialist and expert staff who have a reputation within the education sector you can rely on. Tested new ways of delivering our workshops and tools to more services - watch this space.

Whilst ECE Astute retains its initial early childhood education roots, our team has grown also, in terms of the depth, breadth of experience and capability to offer solutions across the education sector.

However, whilst our new brand is a tangible, visual sign of our renewed commitment to our clients, employees, stakeholders and the education sector - perhaps most rewarding to us, is recognising the value our people bring to the world of education during these changing times, and that is:

Same people, same results, same focus on providing high value practical solutions for owners, managers, trustees, teachers and educators.Always seeking out great solutions to make life just that little easier for those in the Education sector.Our principals – Fun, Practical, Value Add, Respected, Trusted, Brand bigger than the people, move toward online focus – no geographic boundaries

Making a clear distinction between the two sets of tasks – governance and management – is an efficient and effective way to administer an early childhood service.

Governance involves the ‘big picture’ – developing medium and long-term goals, centre policies and major decisions.

Management is about responsibility for day-to-day decisions that ensures the big-picture vision is realised.

So it is important that there is a clear line between governance and management, this means the right people are doing and looking at the right activities.

Effective Governance means ensuring the owner, trustees or board:

Understand the needs of the people and the community they will serve.Are well briefed and understand best practices for the ECE Sector.Receive relevant and timely information to make informed decisions in particular around legislative requirements of complying with - eg Health & Safety, Vulnerable Children and Employees.Engage with all stakeholders.Is well balanced and attracts good people with the best skills to serve.

Effective management means:-

Interpreting and sharing the vision and values so that staff can understand the direction and style of the service.Utilising sound management processes for planning, organising and controlling all aspects of the service.Service operations are all documented to help guide best practice.The team understands their roles and responsibilities and you invest in your people.

If you'd like the opportunity to speak with Anne about how she can assist either drop her an email Anne@eceastute.co.nz or call 022 326 2919.

Developing relationships and building networks are vital to our success. Not only do they help inform the way we develop our services, our teaching and learning direction, they also have a big impact on your reputation and therefore on your student numbers as well as many other business collaboration opportunities.We all have different ways that we make connections and interact with people.

Developing relationships and building networks is the art of creating alliances. A critical skill for all owners, managers and teachers. People can be intimidated by the word "networking" because they feel they don't have the personality type or the skills to hand out business cards or act like a social butterfly.

Here are a few networking tips

Networking Tip 1:

Rather than worrying about what to say when networking, focus on asking people about themselves and their work.

Networking Tip 2:

Think of the networking as getting to know others and letting others get to know you. So relax, be yourself!

Networking Tip 3

It takes times to become a natural networker, but like anything in life, if there’s a will there’s a way.

Networking Tip 4

Networks can help you solve a difficult problem, provide perspective, teach you new things, support your efforts, link you with new opportunities and ideas, celebrate your successes and give you valuable feedback.

Networking Tip 5

Remember networking is a two-way street, share what you know. Look for opportunities to make offers and contributions and keep in regular and informal contact with key members of your network including when you don’t need anything from them.

Do you find it hard to keep meetings, training sessions or lessons on track? Using a "parking lot" is a great way to “park” an item for later discussion or action. Here are some tips for making your parking lot process more effective.

Why use a “parking lot”?

The act of accumulating contributed items that aren't quite on topic during a given meeting, training session or lesson can help keep the meeting focused and moving forward.

When do I use “parking lot”?

When the meeting / training session or lesson gets off track with questions, ideas or issues worthy of discussion or action but are unrelated to the current topic under discussion.

How do I use a “parking lot”?

At the beginning of each meeting/training/lesson, place a chart labelled “parking lot” on the wall. The first time you use “parking lot” explain its purpose with the participants. Participants can use a post-it-note to place the idea, question, issue or new topic on the board. These notes can be added at any time during the session. The facilitator, teacher or chair can also direct participants to “park” their idea, question or issue. The note should include a short synopsis of the issue.

When do I refer back to “parking lot”?

As the facilitator or chair go back to the “parking lot” board before the end of the meeting. Ask the group to decide how each item will be addressed. Some ideas, questions or issues may be appropriate and should be added to the next meeting’s agenda. Others issues may be assigned to a group member for action (eg: who does what when), reporting findings in a future meeting. Some ideas, questions or issues will no longer seem important as they may have been covered or no longer need to remain open and can be eliminated or deleted.

Benefits of using a “parking lot”

Using a “parking lot” allows you shift an issue or idea to discuss it at the time most convenient or productive for the team.It also means good ideas don’t get forgotten.Every idea, question and issue is dealt by the group before the end of the meeting, training or lesson.Assigning a group member to an idea/question/issue, a level action undertaken rather than just having a random discussion with no action.Building in a feedback mechanism, have the key findings report back to the meeting via a future agenda.Use meeting or lesson time more effectively.

New Zealand like many other countries are utilsing monitoring systems which identify strengths and weaknesses in our ECE services. The result of this monitoring:

help parents to evaluate the level of early childhood service qualityensures continuous service improvementobserves the quality of interaction between the child and staffensures the smooth transition between early childhood education and primary schoolprovides transparency of the monitor is widely available to the general public and the above four points do not operate independently but are rather are integrated to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for our children.

New Zealand early childhood education is often described as forward thinking and world class. Over the summer break, some interesting reading led me to think - Are we world class? I ask this question after reading a case study and example of how children’s view can be used to inform policy making.

The review and introduction of new Finnish legislation and the application of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, lead the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to place an emphasis on hearing the child’s opinion. This work began in 2014 and the process included interviews with children to ensure the children’s voice were heard.

Done for the first time in a context to inform new laws regarding early childhood education. 48 children across the Finland were interviewed in their ECE settings. The interviews were conducted by either the children’s teachers or other staff. The interviews revealed how children experience their days and practices in ECE. Children expressed their opinions in a variety of methods. With the use of photographs and drawings, children were able to used them to discuss with staff what they appreciated in ECE, what they did not like and wanted to change.

In short, children were able to identify the following:

Children emphasised the importance of being able to participate in activities with their friends

Being allowed to play and move

Enjoyed games involving physical activities

Long sedentary periods were also seen as unpleasant

Children expect personalised care from adults and that they mediate when differences in group situations emerge

When children were asked about the ECE environment, children considered their bed and the sleeping room unpleasant (mainly due to rooms where activities and free movement are restricted).

The children in general, voiced that they enjoyed being in ECE. Children also asked for more time for play, movement and physical activities, as well as to be able to make use of modern technology. Interestingly activities regarded as important by staff and adults, such as long morning meetings in a circle, were not regarded by children as at all meaningful and important.

For the Finnish ministry, this activity represents valuable feedback from the users of the ECE services under their responsibility that can contribute to their evaluation. The findings also encouraged Finland to involve children more often in the development of practices.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or festive season, we here at ECE Astute would like to wish you a very happy holiday season.

The wonderful thing about the festive season is the opportunity to do as little or much as you wish. It's really that simple! Its an opportunity to close up shop, get away from the mobile, notifications and work. Taking time out to RELAX, REJUVENATE and REGROUP!

Some of my best thinking and planning kicks into action when I'm working in the garden or just enjoying the sunset at my favorite beach. At times, I am astounded at what comes to mind, when initially I may have laboured over a problem or issue for too long at work.

Having a break is really the most invigorating activity. Your mind, spirit and body will thank you for the respite. Summer is the best 'get of gaol' card nature can provide. Summer is all about sunshine, stress-reduce time outside, great fresh watermelon, strawberries and stone fruits, swimming and good times with friends and family around the barbeque. It all happens in the summer.

And it's a great time for children, too.

Enjoy your summer and we look forward to working with you all next year.

ECE Astute explains why you need to go beyond your service manager to build quality in your organisation and spread improvement skills. Building improvement and quality capacity, including sustaining quality requires the front lines to do the driving.

As a service, it is important to learn how to work smarter not harder to meet the changing needs of our children and their whānau. ECE services managers are being urged to innovate wherever they can, more often than not there is a need to also overcome pressures to provide more for less without compromising safety, quality or the learning experiences for children and their whānau.

Normally change comes from the top down. Generally a directive is given; to do it this way or do it that way. It amounts to being told. This methodology could be named 'this way is best'. Instead, could a bottom-up approach work? If we learn to ask anyone in a service these simple questions:

'Where do you think the problems are?’

Or

“Here’s where we are now, this is where we need to reach, how do you think we could get there?"

What could happen if we applied the bottom-up approach? What would the results be? Could basic tools such as the ability to test a hypothesis or collect data and apply thinking to a problem, or review change implemented by shop floor staff in any ECE service make significant changes to your service and quality? Is there time set aside to solve the service problems or work on potential issues faced by a service in your monthly schedule? Perhaps these two short questions might start an avalanche of change.

When working alongside enterprising ECE owners and managers - it’s difficult not to realise that those that succeed have a personal attitude that can only be described as ‘GSD’ ‘Get Stuff Done’ – and it’s hard to ignore!

Many owners and managers have a hard time managing time or getting stuff done as quickly as they would like. Some might even describe themselves as serial procrastinators. There are a million and one things which get in the way of completing the priority work and projects on our to-do list. Avoidance, completing irrelevant tasks or delaying the inevitable can be so easy to do. Slowly a cycle of procrastination fills work and leisure time with guilty and that overwhelmed feeling that results in a lack of productive.

Something has to change. For most of us if we don’t get stuff done, then quite simply elements of our business and lives may be overlooked or get out of shape or just become grossly unbalanced.

Here are some savvy ways to GET STUFF DONE!

USE A DIARY – you wouldn’t believe how organised you can become! Planning the small stuff makes room for the bigger tasks. CREATE A DAILY TO DO LIST - make it realistic! RECORD EVERY ¼ HOUR OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU’VE ACHIEVED/DONE – Everyone has the same 24 hours - hold yourself accountable.BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE DAY- NOTE EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO THE NEXT DAY – dump those random thoughts onto a page and start setting a priority of what next needs to be done.TRACK YOUR DAILY ACTIVITY (apps and web tools like TOGGL are very effective or note the time taken to complete tasks on your to-do list).JUST DO IT - GET YOUR STUFF DONE – one small achievement builds to greater momentum.REWARD YOURSELF WHEN STUFF DOES GET DONE – don’t ignore the progress you’ve made.

Go on ..... get your stuff done!

Professional Learning and Development is a major lever for raising positive learning outcomes for children. To be effective, it must be well targeted, reach the areas of greatest need. Professional development is the strategy services use to ensure that educators continue to strengthen their practice throughout their career. The most effective professional development engages teams of teachers to focus on the needs of their children.

During last month’s Early Learning Network workshops, participants were asked to identify professional learning and development requirements. 838 participants contributed ideas which were generated in a collaborative and discussion with other participants / colleagues.

These ideas were recorded on paper charts, collated, and then linked to the Nga Pou Here framework in order to provide greater insight into the needs of the Auckland ECE network of providers. We used the Pou as these are believed to be significant factors that affect the capacity of early childhood services to promote positive learning outcomes for all children.

The results identified learning needs to be:

Matauranga (31.3%)Pou Arahi (27.1%)Pou Whakahaere (18.9%)Tikanga Whakaako (22.8%)

Professional development needs did vary greatly in different networks however key points include consensus with:

Participants seek the opportunity to network, be inspired, visiting each other’s centres, learning from others in the ECE sector and from other organisations.Some groups like the Pacifica ECE groups and the Home-based services wanted delivery formats to be specific to their own language or delivery type.Participants wanted the professional development session to be highly practical, hands on and activity based workshop delivered by quality ECE experienced presenters.A high proportion of ideas, in fact over 656. Suggested mentioned topics for professional development include a range of diverse topics included (in order of popularity from the professional development brainstorming): self-review, goal setting, bi-cultural and cultural awareness / practice, research and evidence based, better learning outcomes for children, MOE requirements, strategic planning, centre philosophy, child development needs, reflection, business compliance, change, child protection, collaborative approach, culture of learning, curriculum ideas, HR and communication, learning disposition, participation, philosophy, policy review, sharing innovating practice, Te Whariki, teaching practice, under 2’s.

If owners, managers, leaders and teachers become more effective and apply what they learn so that children’s learning outcomes are enhanced, professional development is effective.

What are your centre’s professional learning and development needs?

Are your professional learning and development goals aligned to your children’s learning needs?

How will you know the professional learning and development has made a difference to outcomes for children?

With so much global discussion and debate going on about how to improve schools and education, we need to think of smarter and better proven ways to advance children's development that extend beyond counteractive steps. Every parent of infants and toddlers knows just how critical the formative years are. Early childhood education also helps bring to fruition the smarter investment in early years - birth to age 5, before children enter the transition into primary school. Children that are primed and ready to succeed the moment they set foot into a primary classroom are more likely to thrive in all other aspects of their lives.

High-quality early childhood education experiences are so critical for all New Zealand’s children. For us all at ECE Astute, we’ve been busy preparing for the early learning network series of workshops across Auckland to be held in May and June. We are leading out this piece of work for the Ministry of Education (Auckland Office). The focus of the early learning networks will be what early learning participation and quality looks like in your area. The work is exciting and ECE Astute is focused and committed on building expertise and the capability of local centre teams. Helping centres create high quality early childhood experiences through the development of an action plan for priority learners is beyond remedial. Improving early learning participation for priority learners can be the ‘big’ or ‘small’ difference your community needs. Keeping the improvement momentum going helps to expand and enhance the good work centres are doing through-out early childhood programs in Auckland.

Amongst all the busy planning, our reflections centred on the fact that managing an early childhood education centre can be challenging, difficult and yet rewarding. We have come to appreciate that making education work for little people, in whatever culture and context, can provide stimulating insights into familiar management concerns such as leadership, teamwork, creativity, mentorship and personal development. We would like to extend an invitation for you to join ECE Astute at any one of our practical and insightful programmes such as the ‘Self Review Programme’, our ‘Leadership Programme’ or the ‘8 weeks to Compliance’ course. Together we can examine the issues we face, in running centres or conducting people, and learn how to inspire brilliance in our children across the sector.

If you are interested in attending a workshop or want more information about ECE Astute services such as centre feasibilities or due diligence reports, please contact Gavin Hazelden at our Auckland Office: gavin@eceastute.co.nz.

Recently, our work on the early learning sector forums emphasised the magnitude of leadership abundant amongst the Auckland early childhood education sector. ECE Astute had the privilege of presenting to over 800 managers, teachers and coordinators from across the Auckland region.

For me, the take home message was the core of any early childhood service is its people.

People make the difference.

At times our priorities are solely focussed on meeting the day to day requirements of running an early childhood centre, whilst casting aside the overarching frameworks and long-term administrative and governance duties that can build up. Don't forget we may all be in the same boat all dealing with the same restrictions and constraints. The Early Learning Sector Forum workshops supported learning and the ability to create action plans that make sense, allowing the wider centre to contribute and in turn implement those actions.

Demystifying complex matters into frameworks anyone can understand, interpret and follow is a worthy exercise.

If you are interested in attending a workshop or want more information about ECE Astute services such as centre feasibilities, governance, administration or due diligence reports, please contact Gavin Hazelden at our Auckland Office: gavin@eceastute.co.nz.