In this Update

1. Help with Big Words and ECE Jargon
2. Using the Rugby World Cup as a Learning Opportunity for Children
3. Employment Law: Keeping your Job and Enjoying the Rugby
4. Providing Childcare for Employees
5. An Early Childhood Teacher is Someone Who?
6. Breakthrough Business Tips
7. Getting More Men into Early Childhood Teaching

1. Help with Big Words and ECE Jargon

Anyone can find it difficult to discuss early childhood education with a professional or answer an assignment question well because ECE has developed a vocabulary of its own along with different interpretations of terms.  

Learn to think and talk ECE speak.   Refer to our glossary of jargon and common terms.  And also let us know of any other words or terms that confuse you or that would be helpful to add to the glossary. 

*READ MORE:  Early Childhood Jargon and Terminology

2. Using the Rugby World Cup as a Learning Opportunity for Children

Love it, hate it, or couldn't care less - Rugby World Cup is upon us as a nation.   Nearly every family has a television at home and nearly every young child is going to meet someone who is going to mention something about the rugby.  Children pick up on the excitement.

• are you taking kids to a game?
• have you got a rugby ball out to show, talk about, and kick around with the children?
• what about making flags and talking about the different countries that are represented?

Share your ideas and any teaching tips and be in the draw to win a brand new Zip & Mac numeracy DVD !!!  (an ideal resource for your preschool or for a birthday or Christmas present for a child 2 - 6 years)

* READ MORE and Add Your Ideas:   Capturing the Rugby Fever to Benefit Children's Learning 

3. Keeping your Job and Enjoying the Rugby

Wanting to take some time off work?

Asking upfront and being honest as to why you want leave (unpaid) is one option.  And your employer will likely appreciate your honesty. However employers need to make sure there are enough staff (or adults for the number of children at your early childhood service) or relieving staff need to be available (and relievers may be scarce during rugby world cup time and as its still winter when there are still coughs and nasty bugs around). 

Another option is to take sick leave.  But know that an employer can ask for proof of illness before you are off work for three consecutive days.  The employer needs to ask for this within these three days and reimburse the cost of the doctor's visit. 

You may ask to take annual leave. But again your employer will need to weigh up whether its possible to allow you to take annual leave right at this moment, and factors such as whether there are staff available to replace you and how busy your ECE service is at the moment will come into the decision.

If your work hours vary from day to day or week to week you might be able to ask not to be scheduled to work on the day/s you want off.

Are you late to work?

If you are paid by the hour your employer doesn't have to pay you for time not worked.  If you are late more than once or a few times for reasons that your employer does not accept this may be recorded and could result in a formal warning.  

Should you be on a salary rather than an hourly wage, your employment agreement needs to state what deductions if any will be made in the case of lateness.  Check what your employment agreement says.   

4. Providing Childcare for Employees

Employer supported childcare has been well documented as a key way to attract and keep skilled staff. It takes away the hurdle of finding close and affordable childcare when returning to work after parental leave.

Benefits of on-site childcare for children include ability to see their parents during the day, to share more easily and personally what they are learning and doing, and continuation of breastfeeding if breastfed prior to starting childcare.

And as Christchurch's February earthquake has shown it can be stressful for parents and children who are separated and can not easily and quickly reach each other in times of emergency.

However most childcare in New Zealand is not subsidised by employers or provided in services operating from the workplace.

* READ MORE: No Excuse for ECE Services Not Providing Childcare For Employees

5. An Early Childhood Teacher is Someone Who?  

Do you agree with this definition of an early childhood teacher as being someone who: 

"Trains and organises activities for children in a preprimary educational environment to promote their physical, mental and social development".

This is the official defintion of an early childhood teacher in The NZ Standard Classification of Occupations Manual used by Statistics NZ and other government departments and researchers.  It also states that the role of the teacher is to: 

• Plan, organise and conduct activities to increase children's understanding of their physical and social environment; stimulate and develop their interests and aptitudes; develop self-confidence; encourage self-expression; foster social behaviour and promote physical development.
• Train children in aspects of social behaviour.
• Evaluate and discuss children's progress with parents.

* READ MORE and add your thoughts about this by going to the full article: What do You See to be the Role and Characteristics of the Early Childhood Teacher Professional?

6. Breakthrough Business Tips

Paying too much income tax?  FREE phone check for ChildForum members to see if you're paying too much income tax!   Just have your latest annual Balance sheet (Statement of Financial Position) in front of you then phone Bevin Fitzsimons on 09 522 2338 or Skype bevinandhazel.   He can tell you instantly.  If you have a problem he can tell you quickly how to change your accounting to fix it.

FBT on employer-paid childcare?   Bevin says: Thanks for the question. Inland Revenue says this week:

"An employer asked about the Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) implications of either paying childcare agencies directly for the childcare of employee's children, or of reimbursing employees for the cost of the childcare.

Section 336N(1) of the Income Tax Act defines "fringe benefit" to include "any benefit of any other kind whatever, received or enjoyed by the employee." Where an employer pays or has a liability to pay for the childcare provided to an employee's children, the employer must pay FBT on that benefit. Where the cost of the childcare is paid to the employee by way of reimbursement, the amount of the reimbursement will be taxable in the hands of the employee, so the employer must deduct PAYE from the reimbursement.*

Where childcare facilities are provided by an employer on the employer's premises, the value of that childcare is not taxable to the employee, neither is FBT payable by the employer. The provision of the facility by the employer does not come within the definition of "monetary remuneration" so it is not taxable to the employee. Section 336N(1)(n) specifically exempts from fringe benefit tax any benefit supplied to the employee on the employer's premises."

* A simple way to do this correctly is to add the full reimbursement to the gross pay and tax that total. Then the employee gets the reimbursement less the right amount of tax.

More questions?  ChildForum members are welcome to Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 09 522 23238

7. Getting More Men into Early Childhood Teaching

See this just published article by Julia Button which reviews the evidence and provides an update on what is happening in regard to the participation of male teachers in early childhood education in New Zealand, the challenges they can face, and what needs to change in society and the early childhood sector.

* READ MORE:  A 2011 Review of Knowledge and Evidence about the Participation of Men in Early Childhood Teaching

The information provided by ChildForum in this newsletter is general information only.
No responsibility is taken for any errors. If you spot an error please inform us so that it can be corrected. 

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ChildForum Early Childcare and Education Networks, PO Box 58-078, Whitby, Porirua 5245, NEW ZEALAND