Over the 16th and 17th of September, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) Conference was held in Napier at the War Memorial Centre. This was the first national event that the ECC has been able to host since 2020. Centre Tours Thursday welcomed delegates to Napier with a special Centre Tours event – riding in the iconic art deco buses. Delegates were taken around six different centres across the Hawke’s Bay. It was an experience enjoyed by all, and allowed centre managers to reconnect and share ideas. Keynote Speakers CEO Simon Laube began the conference with his keynote speech showcasing his vision for the future of ECC and the early childhood sector. His key message being that centres need to have a stronger voice within Government, and the ECC wants to help make this happen. Minister of Education Hon Chris Hipkins joined the conference via Zoom after a flight cancellation and took time to answer a variety of questions from the audience. Philanthropist Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i took to the floor to show how embracing diversity and recognising contributions can uplift your centre’s staff, children and community. After lunch, the Teacher Supply Panel saw a range of early childhood stakeholders (such as the Ministry of Education, NZQA, and centre managers) discuss the factors affecting teacher supply in New Zealand and how we can encourage early childhood education to be more valued and attract more qualified people. Childspace founders Toni and Robin Christie shared how ECE centres must go beyond a transactional approach and focus on how children learn and how to develop your centre to support this. Neuroscience expert Kathryn Berkett spoke about the red brain/green brain concept and how we can use this theory to better understand and support children. Growing Together 2022 ECC Conference Highlights December 2022 { 10 }
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