UNE School of Education

Win a ticket to Learn Play Thrive's Early Education Conference - PEDAGOGY IN PRACTICE from 14-15 August

In this conference, participants will explore innovative, evidence-based ways to enrich learning and play for children aged birth to 6 years and Cultural Immersion day on Country.

It's designed to help bridge the gap between theory and real-world application for early childhood educators and sector leaders.

To enter the competition to win a free ticket (for UNE Education students) find the link in the comments.

Hurry, competition closes 9 August!

“At times I have been the frustrated teacher and at others the frustrated parent”.

Dr Genevieve Thraves is leaning into her lived experience – as an educator and a parent – hoping to help improve relationships between teachers and parents of the 15-20% of Australian students who are either intellectually advanced, twice exceptional (with high abilities and a disability) or neurodiverse.

“There is an expectation that teachers will develop effective relationships with parents, but that can be very challenging for the parents of children who are not developing in the way the school system expects,” she says.

Genevieve’s unique perspective is courtesy of her twice exceptional son, now 23.

“Some educators recognised my son’s strengths and created opportunities for growth. Others struggled to respond effectively to his needs. He taught me long ago to contest what constitutes ‘normal development’ and his schooling really shaped my identity as a parent.”

When she began being inundated at conferences by other parents who “felt misunderstood and unheard”, Genevieve decided something had to shift. Now she’s embarking on research that seeks to give these parents of advanced, twice exceptional or neurodiverse students – and others like them – a voice.

Read more at the link below.

The nexus between loving and learning Objectivity is a hallmark of science. Researchers use rigorous methods to gather data, analyse it and draw conclusions that are verified by their peers. They are the observers, not normally the observed.

If you're an Education student in Armidale, don't miss this opportunity to get together on campus!

🚨Calling secondary school teachers!🚨

Can you provide some insights from your classroom practices to help one of our PhD students?

Teachers across all Australian states and territories and across sectors are invited to participate.

Please complete the survey here: http://bit.ly/4f7kimy

Thank you!!

In good news for the early childhood sector Tuesday, the Australian Government announced another two years of funding to support continuing the 15% wage rise for educators in services that limit fee increases.

Building on reforms to strengthen the safety in early education and care, participating services must meet the National Quality Standard by July 2027, or they will either lose the funding package or have it suspended.

UNE early childhood education researcher Associate Professor Marg Rogers says this is a step in the right direction to better support for struggling sector, but there’s a case for more to be done.

Writing for the Women's Agenda, she notes a number of issues that still need to be addressed, such as the lack of educators in regional, rural and remote areas.

And, she says, there have been strong arguments put forward for nationalising early learning or for universal care, offering three days of free early childhood per week.

“Whatever happens, she writes, “we all need to keep advocating for reforms to improve the wellbeing, status, conditions and pay of our educators. Our children, families, communities and the economy need educators who want to work and stay in the sector.”

Read more at the link below.

Progress as educators guaranteed continued 15% wage rise but more support needed A win, yes. But we must keep advocating for reforms to improve the wellbeing, status, conditions and pay of early childhood educators, writes Associate Professor Marg Rogers

Our warmest congratulations to UNE alumnus Geoffrey Wellesley Walker, who turns 100 years old today.

We thought some UNE merch was in order to celebrate this impressive milestone – including his very own Booloominbah snow globe. Not too many snowflakes fall in the Northern Rivers of NSW!

Geoff was one of the first health and physical education advisors appointed by the NSW Department of Education and he and his colleagues introduced many of the school programs we now take for granted, like swimming lessons, s*x education and healthy eating.

His career spanned more than 40 years – and many kilometres travelling to bush schools – after leaving Armidale Teachers’ College, and Geoff added a UNE Bachelor of Arts to his qualifications in the 1960s.

“Some teachers saw teaching as a springboard. For me, it was a vocation,” he says.

Congratulations, Geoff, on your centenary and thank you for your important contributions to public education.

Read Geoff's full story via our link in comments.

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