Shows
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep8: Fergus Finlay - Former CEO of Barnardos IrelandWe chat with Fergus Finlay, former CEO of Barnardos Ireland and columnist with the Irish Examiner about a vast array of topics including diversity, equity and inclusion, the importance of early intervention and investing in quality early childhood education. Fergus gives us insight into his homemade brown bread and we also ask him if he might consider running in the upcoming Presidential election later in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-04-041h 08
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep7: Roderic O'Gorman on Early Childhood EducationCurrent Leader of the Green Party and former Minister for the DCEDIY, Roderic O'Gorman TD joins us on the podcast! We have a great discussion with Roderic about his time as the Minister of the Department with responsibility for the ECEC sector and his early childhood experiences which shaped him as a future member and leader of the Green Party. We also ask Roderic some important questions about recent issues impacting the ECEC sector such as professionalisation and terminology, funding, plans for a public system and the change of the sector name from ECEC to ELC. This was such an...2025-03-1339 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep6: Inspection - The EY Education Focused InspectionIn this episode we discuss the call that makes all educators nervous - the notification of the inspection calling. We discuss the education focused inspection carried out by the Department of Education and we go through the EYEI inspection guideline document. We finish up with some practical tips and key takeaways which feedback from recent inspections have highlighted as important for you to consider in your practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-02-2853 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep5: Quality School Aged-Childcare and the Importance of PlayWe chat with Shelly McGee who is the Quality Support Specialist for School-Aged-Childcare and Play with National Childhood Network (NCN). We discuss what school-aged childcare and afterschool care is, how to support quality and play for children in SAC and how to ensure that children in SAC are supported, valued and their voice is heard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-01-3139 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep4: New Aistear! - An Analysis of the new ECEC FrameworkOn 5th of December 2024 the eagerly awaited updated version of Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework in Ireland, was published online by the NCCA. In this episode, we discuss the main changes to the new framework and whether or not the updates are a 'big tick' for us or not. Have a listen and find out what we think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-12-1043 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep3: Bridging the Gap Between Research and ECEC Practice in GermanyWe chat with Sarah Girlich about ECEC in Germany and the LaKoS project where researchers and ECEC educators in Saxony collaborate in the area of early literacy to develop resources, training and other supports for evidence based ECEC practice in an effort to bridge the gap between academic research and early childhood practice.The LakoS is a project of the Association for the Promotion of Language and Communication in Education, Prevention and Rehabilitation, funded by the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in cooperation with Prof. Glück, University of Leipzig and the Institute fo...2024-11-0149 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep2: Identifying and Communicating Developmental ConcernsAn insightful and interesting chat with Jenny Nechvatal, a parent of adult children with additional needs and an experienced early childhood educator, about practical strategies for supporting early intervention, sharing developmental concerns with parents/caregivers and the need for further educator training and policy support for this sensitive area of early childhood practice. Jenny is based in New South Wales, Australia and has written and published a book on this topic which takes the dual perspective of educator and parent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-10-0841 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS5Ep1: Purposeful PlayIn this first episode of season 5 we chat with Shannan Mulrooney, founder of Maia Purposeful Play, on the importance of facilitating intentional opportunities for open ended playful learning opportunities for young children. We focus on the importance of process over product, children's right to choose, parents attitudes to messy play and educator confidence to support open ended play and know when to stand back and observe the learning as an important part of their role. You can find out more about Shannan's workshops and classes on www.maiapurposefulplay.ie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-09-1042 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS4Ep5: The Graduation Ceremony - Who is it for?We discuss the end of year preschool graduation ceremony. Should we do it, how should we do it? Is it adult led or child led? Whose needs are we meeting and how can we find a balance to meet the needs of all stakeholders, children, parents/caregivers and educators? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-05-1036 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS4Ep4: STEAM in the Early Childhood EnvironmentIn this episode we talk about STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths) in early childhood education. How and why would should we incorporate more STEAM into our ECEC practice, thinking of technology as more than screens, recognising the STEAM we already 'do' and intentionally extending children's STEAM learning using language and affordable resources we already have in most ECEC environments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-03-2839 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS4Ep3: Risky Play and Guns in Early Childhood EducationWe have a really interesting chat with Leah Russell, early childhood lecturer, about what risky play is, how to provide for risky play and whether or not toy guns and gun play should be incorporated into the early childhood education setting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-03-0145 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS4Ep2: What is the Appropriate Age to Start Primary School?With our guest. primary school teacher Dee O'Toole, we discuss the appropriate age for children to transition from early childhood education to primary school education. Why do children in Ireland start at 5 when most other OECD countries children start at 6 or 7. We wonder why some children don't avail of their second free ECCE preschool year and what impact this can have on them when they transition into primary school and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-02-1328 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS4Ep1: Quality ECEC - Síolta in PracticeWe discuss implementing and maintaining quality standards in early childhood education and how Paula's new book "Síolta in Practice" can help educators make sense of the Síolta standards and how they are already implementing many of them in their daily ECEC practice. Paula's insightful and practical book has lots of great suggestions highlighting how all areas of our knowledge, best practice guidelines, legislation and policy feed into the implementation of the quality standards and how each standard is interlinked both with other Síolta standards and areas of ECEC practice. You can buy Paula's book from www.borupress.ie...2024-01-1728 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS3Ep3: Establishing a New ECEC Service in IrelandEver thought about opening up your own preschool ECEC setting and/or afterschool SAC setting in Ireland? Then this is the episode for you! From finding the right location and building to getting planning permission and Tusla certification - we chat about the important practical steps involved in opening up a new setting and making the transition from educator to owner/business person. Celine has opened up 3 settings of her own and Paula has managed an ECEC setting so between us (but particularly Celine!) we have a lot of knowledge and experience to share on this topic. Hosted on...2023-11-2339 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS3Ep2: Updating Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum FrameworkIn this episode we have an engaging and critical discussion as we review the proposed draft for updating the Aistear curriculum framework. We talk about the positives and provide our opinion on the changes including suggestions which we feel we would like to see incorporated into the forthcoming update. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-10-2738 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS3Ep1: Implementing a Publicly Funded Childcare Model in IrelandIn this episode we discuss the recent calls within the media for a publicly funded childcare (ECEC) model in Ireland. We discuss what it might look like and how it might be implemented and compare Ireland with Norway who already have a publicly funded model in place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-09-1838 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS2Ep5: Is there a Role for Artificial Intelligence in Early Childhood Education?In this episode we discuss the possibilities and pitfalls for using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool in early childhood education and care. We think about how AI could potentially save us precious time on planning and documentation, the possibility of using facial recognition for parent or child access to the building or calculating our attendance and fees as well as utilising AI for developing our knowledge to facilitate emergent interests. We also acknowledge the risks and issues that AI could bring and why it is really important for us as educators to be knowledgeable and prepared as a gatekeeper...2023-06-3030 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS2 Ep4: Fostering Professional Confidence with Lewis FogartyOur guest, Lewis Fogarty, joins us for a really interesting conversation about what professional confidence is and why it is an important skill for ECE educators to have. Lewis runs two early years settings in the UK so we chat with him about his journey as a man into a female dominated sector and how he fosters professional confidence and leadership among his team. Lewis is a lecturer at Brunel University, a PhD candidate on the topic of leadership and is also on the board of TACTYC - a UK based Association for Professional Development in Early Years. Hosted...2023-06-0927 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS2 Ep3: Mindfulness Practice in ECECIn this episode we discuss the emerging area of mindfulness based practice in ECEC with our guest Leesa Flanagan who is undertaking PhD research on this topic. Leesa tells us all about what mindfulness it, her journey to a mindful approach both in her life at home and in her ECEC practice and how we can use simple strategies to begin to introduce mindfulness in our own lives and with children in our ECEC settings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-03-2331 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS2Ep2: Community InvolvementIn this episode we discuss how ECEC children can become involved in their communities, active citizenship and bringing the community in to the ECEC setting. We consider the barriers to Community Involvement and how to overcome them and we also hear about how Celine and her ECEC children get out and about and involved in her locality! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-02-2337 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS2Ep1: ECEC or ELC? Does the terminology matter?In this episode Paula and Celine discuss how the name for the early childhood education and care sector (ECEC) in Ireland was changed to early learning and care (ELC) by the Government department with responsibility for the sector back in 2019. The internationally accepted term is ECEC, so why are we different? We take a look at the various issues associated with the removal of the term "education" from the formal name for the sector and what this might mean for the professional status of ECEC going forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-01-2533 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep11a Men in Early Years - chat with Mick KennyIn our last episode for 2022 we chat with Mick Kenny from the Men in Childcare network and the Association of Childhood Professionals on two topics: men working in early years and children who are experiencing disadvantage. Come back for season 2 in 2023! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-11-2930 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1 Ep11 Men in Early Childhood EducationIn this episode we chat with Mick Kenny from the Men in Childcare group and the Association of Childhood Professionals about male educators working in early years and issues facing children experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-11-2930 min
The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep10 The Key Person Approach - A Critical AnalysisIn this episode we take a critical look at the key person approach and ask if it is still the best approach to underpin interactions and relationships in ECEC and if it perhaps meets the needs of the adult more than the children? Although they key person approach was initially intended to support educators to meet the needs of the child we wonder if, in light of changes to the ECEC profession, there are perhaps other ways to better meet the child's individual needs and create supportive relationships in current ECEC quality practice? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...2022-11-1341 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep9 Pedagogical Leadership in PracticeIn this episode we talk to the wonderful Meredith Rose from Nottingham Trent University about pedagogical leadership. We explore what it actually looks like in daily ECEC practice and consider the factors which both impede and help promote pedagogical practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-10-2031 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep8 - Who Needs a Degree in ECE?Paula and Celine engage in a lively discussion on the topic of a degree led ECE workforce. We wonder what is the driving force behind the decision to pursue a degree? Is it because practitioners want to do it or feel they have to do it? Do we need a 50% degree qualified practitioner workforce across the entire sector? What about the knowledge and experience possessed by those who do not have a degree and choose not to go back to college? How can the we stop the haemorrhage of degree qualified practitioners exiting the sector? Hosted on Acast. See a...2022-09-2233 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep7 Thriving in Nature with Gillian PowellIn this episode Paula and Celine interview Gillian Powell, author of the Thrive series of books on outdoor play and nature and ECE lecturer. We discuss why access to nature and the outdoors is vital to children's mental health and wellbeing and is a fundamental part of quality ECE. Gillian gives her insights into what a quality outdoor area in ECE looks like and we consider what the barriers to outdoor play might be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-09-0823 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep6 The Canadian Early Childhood Sector.mp3We chat with Canadian Childcare Federation CEO Don Giesbrecht about Government funding of ECEC, the $10 a day childcare plan and professionalisation. So interesting and lots of parallels with the Irish sector as Canada are on a similar trajectory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-08-1746 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep5 If I was the Minister for Education .mp3What are the similarities and differences between ECEC and Primary Education. How Aistear was rolled out and implemented differently in both sectors. Should children stay in ECEC until 6? In conversation with Simon Lewis on his podcast called "If I was the Minister for Education". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-07-301h 03The ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep4 Researching Education for Sustainability in Early Years Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-07-1839 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep3 The Child is the Only True CurriculumWe discuss whether, by aligning an early childhood setting with a specific curriculum model such as Montessori, Steiner or Reggio, we can truly provide an emergent child led curriculum. Instead we consider a "patchwork curriculum" approach where various elements of many curricula are blended together to create a unique curriculum for each individual child. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-06-2427 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep2 ECEC Past, Present & Future Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-06-0131 minThe ECE Quality Ireland PodcastS1Ep1 A Community of Practice 05-17-22 20:57:51 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2022-05-1817 min