Swings + Roundabouts Autumn 2021

EDITOR FROM THE I found this whakataukī in Dr Hinemoa Elder’s book, Aroha – Māori wisdom for a contented life lived in harmony with our planet (2020). This book offers an insight into 52 whakataukī – traditional Māori life lessons to discover how we call can find greater contentment and kindness for ourselves, each other and our world as Elder shares the power of aroha and explores how these whakataukī can help us all each day within a te ao Māori worldview. The above whakataukī explains Elder is to look after the planet before it is too late (and another reminder that this time of the year quite literally the wells are running dry throughout parts of Aotearoa). Elder goes onto to share insight and tips in how we can care for Papatūānuku/Mother Earth, and offers up some of her own actions and reflective questions to the reader. Aroha supports and deepens your own knowledge from a te ao Māori perspective with its words of encouragement in how to make a difference and offer care to both yourself, your whānau, your community and our environment. Also to find out more about our climate crisis and what you can do go to page 28. Within Swings & Roundabouts this issue you can expect several articles on what many consider a folly – the recent food safety changes. These articles written by Peter Reyonlds, can be found on page 8, the CEO’s Message and on page 12. I am super excited to share information about a new research project led by Maria Cooper of the University of Auckland, and supported by Pasifika Early Learning (AoKids), to seek to legitimise Pasifika ways of knowing to effect change for Pasifika children. The study builds on Cooper’s (2018) doctoral research about the E kore tātau e mōhio ki te waitohu nui o te wai kia mimiti rawa te puna. We never know the worth of water until the well runs dry. - Te Wharehuia Milroy leadership of teaching teams in which every day collective leadership was conceptualised as an intentional, sustained and goal-driven joint activity aimed at transforming teaching and learning. The study also aligns with the intention of the 10-year Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 (ELAP) (Ministry of Education, 2019b) to improve quality early childhood education and increased support for services in under-served communities, with a reassurance that children will “enjoy a good life, learn and thrive” Go to page 18 to find out more. We look forward to sharing further insight from this study and to ultimately support Pasifika children to succeed in our early learning environments and deepen all teachers/management understanding of Pasifika ways of knowing to support a self- determining education for all. Other articles of interest for centre management include SWOT & SOAR (p. 24) and Business resiliency and surviving the COVID-19 squeeze (p. 26), while articles that may interest teachers include The science of babbling (p. 30); Autumn in the Garden (p. 34); Ephemeral art (p. 36). And if you keen to win some books for your babies and toddlers make sure you head to Resource Reviews on page 38. Thank you to our autumn contributors, your support is always appreciated. If you’d like to contribute an article to Swings & Roundabouts , we’d love to hear from you. We like to share positive ECE teaching and management stories to inspire and inform our readers. All topics considered. Ngā mihi Trudi Sutcliffe Editor Your Expert Childcare centre construction Partner March 2021 { 7 }