{"id":2553,"date":"2025-05-07T14:14:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T04:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/?page_id=2553"},"modified":"2025-05-07T14:21:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T04:21:14","slug":"our-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/?page_id=2553","title":{"rendered":"Our history"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About Our Approved Provider – Matthew Stapleton<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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At Dubbo Early Learning Centre<\/strong>, we are proud to have Matthew Stapleton<\/strong> as our Approved Provider and Director. With over two decades of experience in education, Matthew brings a unique combination of expertise in education, design, and psychology<\/strong>. His career has focused on enhancing the quality of early childhood education and developing practical, research-driven approaches to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image: Matthew Stapleton, aged 4, Forbes Preschool NSW.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Passion for Early Childhood Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Matthew\u2019s dedication to improving educational practices led him to establish Dubbo Early Learning Centre as a space where quality education and care are accessible for all families<\/strong>. He believes in building strong community connections and creating an environment where children thrive through hands-on, experiential learning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew\u2019s leadership is characterised by a commitment to research-driven practices<\/strong>, ensuring that our centre stays at the forefront of early childhood education. His focus on building a sense of belonging<\/strong> and supporting children’s natural curiosity and group interaction<\/strong> underpins our approach to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author and Thought Leader<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Matthew\u2019s commitment to innovative early childhood education is showcased in his published works. His latest book, “Babies in Groups,”<\/strong> co-authored with respected academics, challenges traditional views on infant development. The book explores infants’ innate capacity for group interaction<\/strong>, drawing from groundbreaking research involving all-baby trios and quartets<\/strong>. It highlights how even the youngest children form social connections within groups, suggesting a more collaborative and social view of early development<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published Works and Research at Dubbo ELC<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Matthew\u2019s leadership at Dubbo Early Learning Centre is further strengthened by his contributions to academic literature and presentations at international conferences. These works guide our practices and inspire our curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Books:<\/strong>\n
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    • Babies in Groups: Expanding Imaginations<\/strong>\n
        \n
      • Bradley, B., Selby, J., Stapleton, M.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • 2024, Oxford University Press<\/strong>
        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Published Research and Conference Papers:<\/strong>\n
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        • Exploring toddlers\u2019 rituals of \u2018belonging\u2019 through risky play in the outdoor environment<\/strong>\n
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          • Little, H., & Stapleton, M.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Journal Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood<\/em>, Published Jan 2021<\/strong>
            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • \u2018Belonging\u2019 in Australian early childhood education and care curriculum and quality assurance: opportunities and risks<\/strong>\n
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            • Journal Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood<\/em>, Vol 19 Issue 4<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Published 1 Dec 2018<\/strong>
              <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Spatial perspectives on babies\u2019 ways of belonging in infant early childhood education and care<\/strong>\n
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              • Journal of Pedagogy<\/em>, Vol 9 Issue 1<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Published 2018<\/strong>
                <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Is infant belonging observable? A path through the maze<\/strong>\n
                  \n
                • Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood<\/em>, Vol. 19<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Published 2018<\/strong>
                  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Behind the mirrors and in the mud patch: The affordance of belonging in outdoor learning environments for infants and toddlers<\/strong>\n
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                  • Presented at European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA)<\/em>, Dublin, Ireland<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • 1st September 2016<\/strong>
                    <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Mapping babies’ connections and disconnections over the childcare day: Using go-pro cameras in research<\/strong>\n
                      \n
                    • Presented at EECERA<\/em>, Dublin, Ireland<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • 1st September 2016<\/strong>
                      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Building Challenging and Risky Learning Spaces with Four-Year-Olds: Unexpected Learning \u2018Beyond the Fence\u2019<\/strong>\n
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                      • Presented at Early Start Conference<\/em>, University of Wollongong NSW<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • September 2017<\/strong>
                        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Conquering the tyre tower: Toddlers engaging with challenging, risky play<\/strong>\n
                          \n
                        • Presented at International Play Association Conference<\/em>, Alberta, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • September 2017<\/strong>
                          <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • Writing evidence-based children\u2019s literature \u2013 how research can inform the process of writing books for babies: A case study from Aboriginal toddler education and care<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                          Our Commitment to Quality Care<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                          At Dubbo Early Learning Centre, Matthew\u2019s dedication to early childhood education and his research-driven approach influence every aspect of our program. We are committed to providing a nurturing, engaging, and community-focused environment<\/strong> where children feel a strong sense of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Our curriculum is inspired by Matthew\u2019s research, emphasising group interactions, social development, and experiential learning<\/strong>. We strive to create an inclusive, dynamic space where children can explore, create, and learn together<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                          About Our Approved Provider – Matthew Stapleton At Dubbo Early Learning Centre, we are proud to have Matthew Stapleton as our Approved Provider and Director. With over two decades of experience in education, Matthew brings a unique combination of expertise in education, design, and psychology. His career has focused on enhancing the quality of early […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2553","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2553"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2563,"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2553\/revisions\/2563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubboelc.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}