We welcomed our Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs) to their first meeting for 2024 with an incredible workshop on Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) perspectives, led by our company’s Inclusion Cultural Coordinator Joelene Walker.
This workshop included a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, culture and cultural perspectives, reconciliation,
guidance on respectful cultural protocols, and embedding ATSI perspectives into the curriculum. This reflective yarning drew on the professional knowledge of our ECTs, who along with Joelene made meaningful curriculum and practice connections to the Early Years Learning Framework Version 2 (EYLF V.2).
After a delicious morning tea of lemon myrtle scones with bush jam and cream prepared by Joelene, we continued our yarning as she taught us the practice of Ngarrindjeri Weaving, sharing the history and cultural meaning behind this practice, and ways we can explore this with children within the curriculum.
In small groups, we engaged in reflective discussions relating to the preschool reporting documentation. This resulted in recommendations for improving our mid-year reporting priorities to align holistically with the learning outcomes of the EYLF V.2. A regular feature at these meetings is sharing of professional knowledge and teaching practices. We were privileged to engage in two professional learning opportunities presented by our ECTs.
The first presentation related to how to incorporate ‘process art’ into the daily program and how it improves outcomes for children. The second presentation shared ‘Inquiry based learning in an Early Childhood Education setting’. The presentation supported ways for exploring this approach and for making this learning visible within educational program.
Stepping Stone (SA) supports our ECTs in their teacher’s registration progression through engaging an Early Childhood Teacher Pedagogical Mentor that provides guidance in gathering evidence and recommend them as competently meeting the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching. A number of our ECTs shared their evidence folders which prompted discussions at each table about this process.
Our ECTs then participated in a numeracy and literacy workshop, exploring examples of practice to reflect on their approaches for noticing, evidencing, analysing and planning for children’s numeracy and literacy learning using a play-based approach.