Anthony Semann

If you believe in everything, you believe in nothing. So, you can’t have it both ways. Having a strong sense of belief in something, such as inclusion or environmental justice, means you need to fight for what you believe in. Being a pacifist doesn’t work because there is always an opposing view challenging your beliefs. … Read more

Do you ever consider what the outside of your centre says to those who pass by? A lot of effort is made to ensure that the walls inside speak of what we believe in. The resources reflect our beliefs about young children and their capabilities, and our documentation celebrates the capable child. But what about … Read more

It is inevitable that from time to time you will face a clash of perspectives with your colleagues. Is this a good or bad things? Well ultimately it depends on how you handle the situation and if diplomacy not ego takes control of what awaits.  Parker Palmer once wrote that ‘we teach who we are’, and … Read more

When we consider what constitutes ‘quality’, my mind immediately goes to the question, ‘what difference do we make to the lives of children?’  We know education makes a difference, and it is through this intervention we know as ‘early childhood education’ that children encounter new ideas, theories and knowledge. However, not all teaching leads to … Read more

Academic Matt Alvesson and his colleagues coined the term functional stupidity to refer to the phenomenon where people in an organisation do precisely what is expected of them uncritically and follow the unspoken rules without pausing for thought. In observing such practices, they no longer challenge the rules or conventions because they believe what is … Read more

We all have moments at work where we either want to scream or stomp a little! When communicating with colleagues becomes difficult or near impossible we need a new strategy to overcome the ‘communication hurdle’. A brillant tool for achieving this goal is called Restorative Practice, or as I like to call them restorative conversations. … Read more

Words are just words, and in the world today there are consulting firms and marketing agencies employed to advise leaders about what to say and how to say things. However, in the end, all that matters is what you do, not what you say. The words we use, the values we espouse, and the impressive … Read more

Have you felt entrapped by the surge of frustration coursing through your body? It can pounce without notice! Sometimes it builds from small things turning into deep murmurings. If it is left to fester it drives varying size wedges between us. To avoid this potential disaster at work we have to be ready with a … Read more

Okay first things first, I am a voyeur when it comes to Facebook. I read more than I contribute, I squeal with joy, I shudder in despair, I am astonished, I am amazed, and sometimes I forget to breathe in despair with some things that I read online. Welcome to the world of Facebook. A place … Read more

MAKING CONNECTIONS A child is born with over 100 billion neurons or brain cells. That’s enough neurons to last a lifetime, since no more neurons will develop after birth. These neurons form connections, called synapses, which make up the wiring of the brain. (Don’t worry, these terms are defined later) EARLY EXPERIENCES At age eight … Read more