Autumn 2015

IN THIS ISSUE
On reflection, there has been significant early childhood
education and care policy change that has introduced
new ways of thinking about early childhood education and
care. Firstly, ‘Belonging Being and Becoming’ in 2009 left
us grappling with how these concepts are enacted in our
day to day settings and specifically within curriculums or
programs. In the early childhood setting curriculum means
‘all the interactions, experiences, activities, routines and
events, planned and unplanned, that occur in an environment
designed to foster children’s learning and development’.
[adapted from Te Whariki] EYLF 2009:9
MY TIME, OUR PLACE. Framework for School Aged Care was
introduced in 2011, the term ‘program’ is used to describe
all the interactions, experiences, activities, routines and
events, planned and unplanned, that occur in an environment
designed to foster children’s wellbeing, development and
learning’. MY TIME, OUR PLACE 2011:6
Within the School Aged Care context, Kylie Brannerly outlines
many ways in ‘supporting effective transitions in OSHC’.
Underpinning these is guided reflection, a strategy which
can facilitate rich, exploratory dialogue around matters of
importance to the service. One important matter is supporting
the child’s individual needs within the service so they have a
strong sense of identity and wellbeing.
Stephen Gallen also describes a rich and multifaceted reality
through storytelling, a story about Belonging Being and
Becoming. ‘Belonging is central to being and becoming in
that it shapes who children are and who they can become’.
How do Educators observe and document the true story to
reflect the lived experiences of the child and identity within the
environment? Capturing these strengths from the story is also
an approach from Appreciative Inquiry. Stories shape, identify
and expand imagination. What is the story we are telling?
Appreciative Inquiry is a methodology that allows us to shift
from a traditional deficit-based thinking to a strengths based
paradigm that exposes new opportunities when faced with a
dilemma or problem. These workshops are highly interactive
and give participants a chance to apply this to their world.
Appreciative Inquiry asks us to be deliberate in how we
decide what we are going to focus on. Being deliberate
requires conversation and reflection with others, this being an
integral principle within the Learning Frameworks.
Engaging in shared problem solving is also a core adult
learning principle. In the article by Cathy Cahill from Family
Day Care Association Queensland, setting the foundation
for quality practice is highlighted as an effective recruitment
and induction process. This sets up a partnership between
coordinators and educators recognising strengths they both
bring to the relationship and new dimensions of learning.
This reflection on learning in the foundational phase of
recruitment fits well within the framework or learning plan
considered by Lynn Turner from Community Child Care
Association, Victoria. Working with staff to deliberately
identify and prioritise learning needs based on strengths
and challenges, can ascertain similarities and differences in
learning goals. It also aligns needs to quality professional
development providers.
This is one way of exploring difference through learning needs
and planning. Building strong teams and a sense of belonging
relies on a clear understanding of cultural difference;
acknowledging and supporting difference is integral to
inclusive practice. Consider ‘Feast on culture’ as Anaik Doyle
describes incorporating food as a strategy to raise cultural
awareness as one aspect of embedding inclusion. She
presents food to entice interactions with families and building
cultural knowledge within the team.
Another service that supports inclusive practice in your
service is Noahs Ark. It continues to operate the IPSP
Specialist Equipment and offers PERL’s of wisdom through the
Professional Educators Resource Library with an affordable
subscription.
There are additional development and support
opportunities available through the IPSP to inform
your practice.
Use your LDCPLP funds to pay for any of the professional
development charted on the website and ask one of our
knowledgeable consultants about adding mentoring to shorter
workshops to deepen your learning and critical reflection.
The IPSP Online Library can also enhance your knowledge in
different areas and scaffold on your learning. This collection
is intended for educators, educational leaders, students and
anyone working under the National Quality Framework in
Australia. Within this collection you will find resources such
as templates, forms, digitized booklets, vignettes, and other
sources of information and inspiration for those working for
and with, children and families. This collection has a focus on
working with children aged birth to twelve.
Tara Lee Franks
Health and Community Services Workforce Council
REFERENCES:
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations for the Council of Australian Government (DEEWR, 2009) Belonging, Being,
Becoming: The Early years Learning Framework. www.communities.qld.gov.au
WORKFORCE.ORG.AU 3