Standout students share key lessons from ECC 2024 Conference
Chelsea Bracefield, Natasha Donoghue,
Coe Blair and Joy McLelland
Two standout Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) students from New Zealand Tertiary College were awarded entry passes to the Early Childhood Council 2024 Conference, held recently in Christchurch.
The passes allowed Coe Blair and Natasha Donoghue the opportunity to learn about a variety of teaching practices from sector experts, and network with other early childhood professionals over two days.
Both students were selected for the gifted passes, part of the partnership between NZTC and ECC, for their passion and commitment to teaching and learning.
“Reading Chelsea’s email was such a proud moment for me,” says Blair, who is finishing her final year of study. “It reminded me of how far I’ve come and that I’m doing things well enough to stand out and be recognised. It’s given me that encouragement to push through.”
Blair considered the program carefully to identify keynote speakers and workshops she wanted to attend, but affirms they were all “amazing”.
“There is no denying that Matt Brown’s session was a highlight. There was so much emotion in the room as he spoke about the role of community in collective healing – it was powerful. The line that has stuck with me from this session was that a dysregulated adult cannot regulate a dysregulated child,” she says.
The ‘Neurodiversity, Hauora and Ako’ workshop in particular stuck with Blair, who says she was reminded to celebrate the achievements of all learners, including the neurodiverse.
“Both the neurodiversity workshop and the ‘Literacy in the Early Years’ workshop reinforced much of what I’ve already learnt through the relevant and corresponding courses with NZTC. It felt good knowing that we’re being provided with the most up-to-date knowledge to prepare us for our teaching careers.”
While second-year student Donoghue enjoyed the same sessions, she also found key takeaways in Dr Lucy Hone’s session on resilience that resonated with her.
“There were many highlights from the two days, and what stood out most was the passionate voices of those who shared their knowledge. Messages came across with feelings of aroha along with much laughter and some tears too – especially Dr Lucy Hone.
“She showed she really understood her audience when she came on stage stating, ‘I love working with early childhood teachers – it’s all heart’. Her practical tips for wellbeing were easy to follow, and she reminded us to have a kind inner voice when we make mistakes and to keep amplifying the good things.”
Another highlight included Anton Mathews and his session on normalising te reo Māori.
“He was awesome – kai pai e hoa! He told us to ‘get on the waka’ and that you don’t have to own something to love it. Give the language a go!”
Both students agree that Anita Croft’s workshop ‘Enrich Tamariki Wellbeing through Gardening’ was a valuable lesson, and made sense that gardening “should be in our centres.”
“Anita Croft talked about the healing place a garden can be and had so much knowledge to share on restorative practice for brain development,” says Donoghue.
“We need to bring back the balance of using our left and right brain hemispheres and teach our children that soil is not dirt, but a way to put the whole curriculum into practice just by growing our food. She said it all with her whakatauki: maanaki whenua, maanaki tangata, haere whakamua. Care for the land, care for the people, go forward.”
For the two students, the conference was a beneficial experience and provided encouragement for their future careers in early childhood education.
“This scholarship to attend the Wellbeing for Success conference made me feel incredibly valued and certainly uplifted my own wellbeing,” says Donoghue.
“It was amazing to be around so many like-minded people who share my passion for wanting to help tamariki reach their potential,” agrees Blair.
“Everyone I interacted with was so friendly, and it was good to hear about the experiences of those who have been in the sector longer than myself.”