The importance of a transdisciplinary approach in the pursuit of Excellence

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Freya Lucas

Sep 26, 2024

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Immanuel Early Learning Centre (IELC) on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, was given the Excellent rating by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) in June this year, in part because of its ‘transdisciplinary’ approach to pedagogy and practice.

The IELC team worked with the creator of neuro-play program Mind Bubbles, serving as a pilot centre for the program, which supports children’s development of regulation, and fosters a common language around emotional wellbeing which can be used by whole staff teams.

“We were drawn to Mind Bubbles because it offered something transformative—a way to support our children's emotional and mental wellbeing with depth and intention,” Tracey Ellaway, Service Leader from IELC said.

“It wasn't just another program; it was a shared language, a fun, holistic approach that upskilled our educators without overwhelming them, empowering them to respond to challenging behaviours, and helping all of our children thrive."

For Desaliegh Harvie, Mind Bubbles CEO & Founder, the team at IELC were the ideal choice to partner with the program because of their unwavering commitment to innovation and holistic child development.

“Their openness to integrating new, evidence-based approaches, coupled with a deeply caring and reflective team, made them the ideal environment to bring our neuro-play program to life in an educational setting,” Ms Harvie said.

“Together, we were able to create a powerful, transdisciplinary approach that truly nurtures the emotional and mental wellbeing of every child and educator, weaving strategies seamlessly throughout their days."

Working together, both Mind Bubbles and the IELC team were able to collaborate on introducing and embedding therapeutic strategies from various allied health fields into daily routines and curriculum.

This approach ensured support both for individual children and for the entire class through play, offering proactive solutions for overwhelming emotions, challenging behaviours, increasing capacity for engagement, and supporting transitions.

Importantly, the Mind Bubbles program ensured that professional development and support were accessible to all educators, regardless of location or budget, meeting Ms Harvie’s goal of ensuring that every child can benefit from these innovative tools, no matter their circumstances.

One of the core elements of these discussions was the process of collaborative critical reflection, which not only allowed the pilot team members to share ideas, provide alternative points of view, and assist one another with ‘on the ground’ experience, but which also yielded some interesting insights through the process of collaborative critical reflection, which allowed the pilot team to share ideas and experiences openly.

Providing a safe environment where educators could actively participate in critical reflection was essential for fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Together, Ms Harvie and the IELC team shared insights, challenged assumptions, and collectively explored the therapeutic approaches, leading to enhanced professional development.

“This reflective process not only strengthens the team collectively, but also directly impacts student outcomes by creating a more responsive and supportive environment,” Ms Harvie said.

“This reflective process fostered a deeper understanding among the team and led to valuable insights on how simply, with some consistency, the entire team could introduce and embed transferable skills - new therapeutic concepts such as the Cuddle Ball and how it can support tricky drop-offs; incorporating Bears into transitions to increase regulation and engagement during circle time; using bubbles to expand current practices for greater impact; and how to easily explore emotional literacy as the foundation of their self-regulation journey,” she added.

“For our team, they were left with a deep sense of connection, purpose, and hope,” Ms Ellaway added.

“We saw firsthand how this approach not only transformed the way we support our children, but also how it united us as an educational team and strengthened our bond with families. It reinforced the belief that when we nurture emotional wellbeing and have the therapeutic tools to respond (rather than react) to challenges, we create an environment where both children and staff can thrive.”

Integrating therapeutic strategies into an educational setting, Ms Harvie continued, revealed the impact that a unified, transdisciplinary approach can have – not just on children, but educators and families as well.

“Seeing these strategies empower teachers and transform classroom dynamics was a significant reminder of how deeply interconnected emotional wellbeing and learning truly are,” she said.

As the program rolled out, the IELC team observed improvements in children’s emotional regulation, decision-making, and engagement. Following professional development and mentoring, the initiative expanded across different age groups within the centre.

MindBubbles will host a FREE Service Leader Webinar on Friday, 4 October, at 11AM (AEST), where the IELC and Mind Bubbles teams will share their insights and practical strategies from the private program.

For more information or to register for the webinar, please see here.

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