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Transforming Early Learning project helps raise educator voices
Freya Lucas
Jan 18, 2024
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A new collaborative project is helping to raise the voices of Australia’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce and to “redefine who gets a say” in early learning education by gathering insights from children, families, and early learning professionals to establish a high-quality system for Australia’s youngest learners.
The Transforming Early Learning (TEL) project, a collaborative initiative between the Front Project and the Apiary, seeks to redefine who gets a say in early learning education, gathering insights from children, families, and early learning professionals to establish a high-quality system for the nation's young learners.Early learning professionals from the Bridge Road Early Learning Centre came together to film a discussion on the continuously shifting landscape of early childhood education.
While many topics were covered in the conversation with Sarah Ahn, Nicoletta Tsevelekidis, Karen Turner, Grishma Manandhar, and Teresa Beehre, the impact of COVID-19 was at the forefront, with the educators sharing their experience of adapting to the challenges brought about by COVID-19.
Much like the rest of the sector, they saw shifts in their roles as they made adjustments so they could continue providing high quality education in a rapidly changing, demanding environment.
“It's really interesting to have children back in space,” Nicolletta said. “Families have come back with being a little bit more anxious, which is understandable post COVID. Our focus as well as being more well -being for the children because they have been out of the space.”
Another core topic of discussion was the importance of balancing indoor and outdoor play in early learning programs. The group underlined the pivotal role these activities play in preparing children for their educational journey, emphasising the seamless transition from play-based experiences to school readiness, and highlighting its significance in fostering holistic development.
“I think play-based teaching is such a wonderful opportunity for children and adults to really come together and have this really nice nurturing environment and really capture their childhood,” Nicolleta said.
As a collective, the group displays an unwavering commitment to preserving intentional play-based education as the foundation of early learning. They firmly believe that promoting play-based approaches during the formative years not only establishes a strong foundation for academic achievement but also nurtures crucial life skills. They also emphasised the importance of involving parents in this journey, encouraging them to appreciate the significance of play-based learning and integrate it into their child's home life.
View the Transforming Early Learning – Conversations with Early Learning Professionals video here.
Learn more about The Front Project here.
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