Supporting children's learning in early learning centres to embed aboriginal culture into their curriculum. Aboriginal children : the healing power of cultural identity Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives through The childrens interest in the joey, led the educators to incorporate further activities about Australias indigenous animals into their education program, as well as the teaching resources relating to habitats and sustainability. PDF Early Years Indigenous Cultural Safety Resource Guide - Gov What is ever present for these children and adults is the subtle, subjugated nature and insidious side of social out casting or marginalisation. The children loved the stories and would be highly engaged for the short duration of each episode. In a recent interview for podcast Mamamia, Aunty Phyllis Marsh, a First Nations Cultural Educator at West Moreton Anglican College in Queensland, discussed how cultivating understanding should start from the earliest age and begins by taking children outside to explore the natural world around them. Educators recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. There are a many simple, practical and research-backed3 ways in which teachers can incorporate multiculturalism in early childhood classrooms. have no essentials, {{ firstName }} Early childhood education and care settings can promote perspectives that support Aboriginal community's own distinct culture such as understandings of their connection to place. They are learning South Slavey, the language originally spoken on the reserve. My mission is to share Aboriginal Culture in a positive and respectful way to kindergartens, early childhood centres and primary schools. Early Childhood Education and Care: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Thats why its so important to start talking to your children at an early age about indigenous culture, teachings, and other important topics. You know whats best for your children, so do any combination of activities and lessons thats right for you. How is this learning supported and what resources do you provide to celebrate and connect with Indigenous culture? Curriculum resources | AIATSIS Priscilla Reid-Loynes, a proud a Gamilaroi Yularoi woman and Indigenous Education Consultant for Little J & Big Cuz, says the resources being rich in Indigenous worldviews, knowledges, pedagogies and curriculumcan enrich any child, family or communitys understandings of Aboriginal communities and Country, and are thus important for all children and educators. Early Childhood - SNAICC ECA advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children aged birth to eight years. H\0Fy Explore our Celebrating Culture category on the ECA Shop that features childrens books, ECA publications, Learning Hub modules and research-based resources. Importantly, as research by Leon Straker et al points out, the inclusion of digital technology in ECEC settings is framed within an expectation that it will be used in collaboration with adults for intentional teaching. The NSW Department of Education recognise the traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live. For the episode Right under your nose, the children could easily relate to the links between home and school culture and to the concept of show and tell, which is a part of their regular program for sharing news. To be ethical means being compassionate and caring, being respectful and reflexive, and being willing to listen and learn from others. The article shares findings from research and reflects on strategies to support children and families from refugee/migrant backgrounds. This provides rich opportunities to build a culture of understanding and respect for the environment for all children. Kay Ivey on Friday announced she replaced her director of early childhood education over the use of a teacher training book, written by a nationally recognized education group, that . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, contextualising the curriculum through culture is essential if we want to see them thrive in school and early education settings. There is a growing body of research on childrens awareness and understandings about race, culture and discrimination and their sense of identity and justice for others. The older children who came into the Yera Childrens Service after school were content to sit with the younger children (a bit like the characters, Little J and Big Cuz) to watch the episodes. Australian early childhood educators have a responsibility to value and promote greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being. The Aboriginal pedagogy framework is expressed as eight interconnected pedagogies. Your email address will not be published. For educators to support agency they must be aware of the capabilities and interests of the children they work with. Selective high schools and opportunity classes, Attendance matters resources for schools, Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives through program and practice, Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication Settings, Forward thinking by service leadership key to engaging and extending children, Using self-assessment to enhance your assessment & rating experience, Minimising childrens risk for allergies and anaphylaxis. Preserving Indigenous languages - The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia The Koori Curriculum has general principles that we utilise when supporting educators to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their program which are: These principles are general and overarching and educators should also seek local consultation to ensure they are aware of any additional protocols which they will also need to take into account when programming and planning. Alabama governor forces resignation of head Dept of Early Childhood Sign up for our email list for updates, promotions, and more. endstream endobj 185 0 obj <>>> endobj 186 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/Properties<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 595.276 841.89]/Type/Page>> endobj 187 0 obj <>stream Children are competent, capable learners when they are fully engaged and supported to participate in meaningful learning experiences that follow their interests. Listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Radio Stations and reading our National fortnightly newspaper called the Koori Mail. Aboriginal Culture, Practices and Activities in Early Childhood - Pinterest This could be a starting point for students to investigate the Indigenous history of their local river. The multiplicity and variation of these encounters not only enrich our lived experiences, they also provide us with alternatives or options to consider when complex issues arise. The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for Early Childhood Education (the framework) aims to: support uplift within the ECEC sector by providing clear expectations, standards and guidance to support services to develop, maintain and improve cultural safety. Early childhood the key to improving Indigenous health. You need education to get somewhere in life, Shandell said. He was told it was pointless to speak his language, since his friends couldnt understand him. Using Little J & Big Cuz in ECEC settings. Additionally, during this special period there are many local community events taking place around the Country. Little J & Big Cuz has been used at Morphett Vale East Kindergarten as a transition activity between a meal break and the scheduled program of learning. 241 0 obj <>stream If required, educators should seek professional training to ensure they have a solid understanding of culture and how to communicate this knowledge. early learning centres. Respect trumps harmony5 leadership lessons from the worlds toughest workplace, How to effectively reflect, record and engage children. 0 The philosophy that underpins any Aboriginal kinship system is that everything in the world is interconnected through a network of relationships. I interviewed four early years teachers and only one said she felt confident to teach and incorporate cultural diversity. Findings suggest the principles from two cultural models of education - Reggio Emilia and a pedagogical framework called the Nunga Way . Lamb, C. (2019). These experiences can be planned or spontaneous. Additionally, my why is also linked to my understanding of how education is key in Closing the Gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians. PART 1 - Basic Aboriginal Teachings 3 1 choose a path that will help her maintain harmony and balance. The educators commented that the learning resources included questions that helped them guide the discussion with the children as well as lots of ways to incorporate activities to support the viewing of each episode. ^$OJ-,g7GG+UG]Q|jsR&ttKzxf?Nd;XuUe?[.V;E;O{p4 dM%qOpm9t!bg6E^d'X*MFt|Q?DP K!?|r]S?9u ; ,Iu7;@]2& c] You can also help your children learn about Indigenous culture by taking them out to experience museums, historical sites, pictographs, and other educational places. Tune into podcasts such as Educator Yarns. The National Quality Framework (NQF) provides the foundation for culturally competent practice in education and care. Information for parents and carers including learning and wellbeing resources, advice, study skills, a quick guide glossary, homework help, tools for learning remotely, support for additional needs and more. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110701433964, http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/quality-professional-learning-look-like-early-childhood-teachers/. sE!A@Al[L`uAuL5@Fer TNJB1qc[M@.}aL_xXfm*sHH`]iI0* /!krx8f8<>@[ 3H`kwHX]f>["(Bt,w Manjula Waniganayake, Professor of Early Childhood Education, at the School of Education, Macquarie University is a researcher and teacher educator, contributing to the preparation of numerous cohorts of ECEC teachers. The 2019 theme was We Play, We Learn, We Belong. However, eventually we want educators to begin thinking more holistically and embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives within the curriculum instead of having it tacked on and separate. The educators also found that the teaching resources enabled them to consider deeper learning opportunities and to tie in big picture thinking with the cultural aspects of the episode. The purposes of these actions, and the role of the . Including a balance of contemporary, traditional, urban, regional and local cultural perspectives. This will result in a richer learning experience for educators, children and families as well as avoiding potential cultural tokenism. She ponders on recent research on refugee/asylum seeker children and her findings from nearly thirty years ago, to reflect on how research-based evidence can foster improvements in embedding cultural diversity in early childhood education. Aunty Phyllis described how she connects children with ancient wisdom through nature, encouraging them to be eco-explorers as she guides them in their discovery of native plants growing on country, and sharing knowledge of how they were used. Try finding activities online that you think would best suit your children and their interests. (2020). Evidence suggests that access to high quality early education holds the greatest potential for improved outcomes for our children. As ECEC practitioners, you are the cornerstone of how successful we can be in fostering alternative ways of ensuring everyone achieves a strong sense of belonging, being and becoming as Australian citizens. Every child matters. Lessons in cultural competence: 5 ways to embrace cultural diversity in your service. Often, we like to try to shelter our kids from big issues until theyre older. If youre a teacher, incorporating indigenous culture into the classroom is one of the best ways we can start teaching children about these topics at a young age. Unlike migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are forced to flee their country of origin under dire circumstances arising through armed conflict, earthquakes, floods, fire or famine, with no guarantee of return. This was despite the fact that the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)[1] highly recommends providing learning environments that respect diversity by honouring the histories, language, tradition, child rearing practices and lifestyle choices of families. However, surprisingly many educators have no idea what NAIDOC stands for or the significance of the week which begs the question; how well can we possibly be doing it if we dont know what the celebration is about? In this piece, weshare the importance of Indigenous culture and language in the early years through case studies and the series Little J & Big Cuz. Cultural Safety Framework - policies.education.nsw.gov.au Additionally, teachings like the medicine wheel help us understand the cycle of life, nature, and the human experience. lN$j|Ad*HQc`3E>! The online games were played after some episodes. Keiryn discovered informally that children up to the age of 10 enjoyed watching the episodes. This study captures the perspectives of parents and practitioners from 5 countries: England, France, Germany, Italy and USA. Aboriginal Culture - Aboriginal Culture in Early Years No matter what you choose, try to incorporate indigenous culture and teachings into your childrens everyday lives. The article is very interesting and I agree that sometimes educators are not so confident to implement/teach cultural diversity. Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) is Australia's leading publisher of Australian Indigenous studies. The television series was integrated into the transition from play to lunchtime. This represents almost 35 per [] Shandell also works as an educator at the Learning Pathways Kindergarten in Toowoomba. Judith explained that developing culturally safe environments does not require educators to be experts in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being. Nguyen (2011) argues that Aboriginal early childhood education needs to provide children with a "sense of who they are and where the come from, which will impact community self-government and self-determination" (p.231). Children need to hear First Nations knowledge through their voices. One of the guiding principles is that Australias Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are valued. `h0GV[5Utk;8jP:BBPp/TT~-KThtB6RIE*K`EzNI{z.= z,y!` z'Oqz'gu JFp@+vCH Honouring cultural diversity involves collaboration between children, families, and teachers as well as those beyond EC services. You can incorporate it in small ways like practicing daily gratitude, reading a new book every week, or creating art. Describing her approach, she said Little kids love to learn, you need to fill their heads with wonder and play.. For the majority of non-Indigenous early childhood educators, the key to authentically engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures is cultural competence, according to the Educators Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Culture in early childhood Each episode is paired with online resources for preschoolers including games, an ebook and suggestions for play-based learning. hXmo6+E@qqAD-24~wG8v}b|G(`Jz&3h^A}RiJ2Yo)7,l-:qL*` aa=`J7fiC[fq1Y`d1cNH#~\ SB]9y((a>dp=\ It is a point of entry into this way of knowing. This will help them see, experience, and reinforce the concepts they have learned through the ideas and activities you have used to teach them. Are children who walk and talk early geniuses in the making? Sprinkling culture across multiple play spaces instead of creating cultural corners. How to Teach Children About an Aboriginal Culture - Synonym When Tobin and associates began the Children Crossing Borders study in 2003, these children were described as the true transnationalists and ECEC services as key sites for social inclusion reflecting the mutual benefits of cultural diversity (p.11-12). If we have the opportunity to teach them culture then they will grow up with it and hopefully hold it strong and carry it on into the future.. You are simply framing them for your children in a way that also includes indigenous culture. We consistently need to support our early childhood educators both during their studies and at work places. Tobin states the persistence of difficulties is linked with the lack of attention to cultural diversity in contemporary child development knowledge and best practice guiding ECEC. Likewise, a Mexican parent in the USA asked would it kill them to teach my child to write her name before she starts kindergarten? (p.15). Aboriginal children : the healing power of cultural identity Every day, 10 to 20 toddlers and preschool children gather at the Katl'odeeche First Nation Children's Centre on the Hay River Dene Reserve, Northwest Territories. This learning sequence draws on Aboriginal Pedagogies (ways of learning, thinking, knowing and doing) to explore playbuilding in Stage 5 drama. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Dr Tony Buti said the funding increase, included in the 2023-24 State Budget, would support implementation of a new system and ensure the sustainability of . Shandell sings the Lets yarn about kindy campaign song in first languages with her daughter, Annabell. In this way, we can be a powerful force for good in building a socially just inclusive Australia. The importance of absolute genuine, Indigenous-led embedding of culture is vital for the future of our children and culture. Is it just important when you have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children attending the service or is it equally as important for non-Indigenous children as well? Ideas to create learning opportunities could include: Education NSW: Embedding Indigenous perspectives in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, CELA: Avoiding the trap of cultural tokenism, The Spoke: Exploring Indigenous ways of knowing and being. We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education. In 1990, the Australian parliament ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. ACECQA spoke with Judith McKay-Tempest, a proud Wiradjuri woman and an Associate Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Macquarie University. . Whilst working in early childhood, Jessica naturally found herself supporting educators to become more culturally aware and confident in embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their program. It is hard enough to get refugee families to bring their children into ECEC services. More spaces could be added for cultural expression; for example: dramatic play spaces; areas for self-portrait exploration through drawing, painting and crafts; or a designate space for cultural artefacts that celebrate diversity. Information about working in or operating early childhood education services including outside school hours care. Eight Australian picture books that celebrate family diversity. It includes developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences and gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world views. Exploring Indigenous ways of knowing and being - The Spoke - Early Watch how Indigenous early childhood educators extend on children's experiences through cultural knowledges and ways of learning. Its good to connect with the children, to be part of their life and their journey, especially in the first 5 years, Shandell said. Therefore, the primary focus of ceremony-related artwork is not on the artwork itself, but on the processes and practices used during the creation of the artwork. developing collaborative partnerships and learning about places of cultural significance. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Subscribe to The Spoke and other ECA newsletters here. In Year 2, his teacher asked him not to speak his home language when he was explaining to his friends, in his language, what we speak at home. Copyright Early Childhood Australia Inc. 2023, Exploring Indigenous ways of knowing and being. What do educators know or not know on the topic? We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education. The protocols seek to protect the integrity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural expressions in a way in which all Australians can engage respectfully and feel connected to this identity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture and Education - Education document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Subscribe to The Spoke and other ECA newsletters here. Implementing sustainable cultural practices involves educators building positive relationships and providing culturally safe environments that foster genuine attitudes of inclusion and equity. Spreading indigenous culture and fostering awareness starts with our youth. Yera Childrens Service educator Keiryn Christodoulou incorporated all episodes of Little J & Big Cuz into her early childhood groups social and emotional development program. To break the cycle of trauma and violence and create hope and optimism, Lamb says we need to establish culturally credible services which are safe, secure and caring spaces for children and families. Jessica Staines is a Wiradjuri Woman, early childhood teacher and Director of the Koori Curriculum. This can even be the case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators as knowing about their culture and knowing how to translate it into an early learning context can be two separate things. Read the terminology guide from Narragunnawali on using respectful and inclusive language and terminology. So, once youve taken the first few steps of engaging in some activities with your children and finding the right resources, you can start to build on what you have learned with them. The children loved the witty entertaining stories with moral values. Joining supportive online learning communities such as the Koori Curriculum Educator Community on Facebook. Required fields are marked *. Cherie Lambs research mirrored findings in my PhD based on immigrant children from Scottish, Indian and Finnish heritages completed nearly thirty years ago. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 77% of all public-school teachers are women, highlighting the significant disparity. They created functional art, like didgeridoos, to make music, narrative art, paintings and to tell stories. You can also give your children the opportunity to choose how they would like to participate. The blue fish in the episode reminded the children and educators of the Bony Bream in a local Ngarrindjeri story. Start teaching your children about indigenous culture with toys and activities they are already enjoying. i look forward to reading more of your real and relevant topics. She works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are starting their careers in early childhood. Feedback from the educators included that the teacher resources provided a good starting point for the incorporation of Indigenous perspectives in the preschool curriculum. The series is an initiative of the Australian Council for Educational Research and was developed in partnership with Ned Lander Media, NITV, Screen Australia, Film Victoria, Screen Tasmania and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation. How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives included in your practice? We want to show all of our children the pathway and guide them in culture and bring culture back because we lost it and we really need to get that back.. Keiryn said the educator resources were authentic and resonated with the childrens own experiences. Additionally, it's about celebrating culture, education, historical acceptance, race relations and reconciliation. First, the impact of interaction between the child and others is seen transactionally, not additively. These experiences will enrich your childrens lives in meaningful ways and teach them about a beautiful and special culture. Bringing Indigenous Dance into the Primary Classroom. In contrast, resettled in Germany, Turkish families struggled with the play-based approaches in that country. endstream endobj startxref Ensuring culture is play based and not themed based teaching this means Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not the topic, theme or interest. Embedding Indigenous culture in everyday learning and activities I am passionate about sharing my Culture with children and teachers and love bringing interactive and engaging learning to you. Child protection in early childhood: online learning So, the critical years from birth to the age of eight are ideal for introducing the concepts of cultural diversity. {{ lastName }}, Selective high schools and opportunity classes, Attendance matters resources for schools, For All Children: Embedding cultural diversity in early childhood education, Office 365 Multi-Factor Authentication Settings. Exposure to diverse cultural groups and experiencesthrough professional development opportunities[2], for examplecan improve teachers confidence in encouraging multicultural creative expression and practices in their classroom. This is enshrined in both Australias Education and Care Services National Law and the National Quality Framework. Its a good idea to pre-plan and organise the release of educators to attend NAIDOC community events where they can listen, learn, reflect and connect. The children, aged between two and four years, comprised nearly equal numbers of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. We have an eye for identifying compelling and award-winning narratives that capture the unique heritage and diverse lives of Australia's first peoples. The effects of these losses of land, culture, Strekalova-Hughes, E. & Wang, E.C. Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives every day and not only on significant dates or during cultural celebration periods. Please enable scripts and reload this page. The food my son has taken to school has been judged by his teacher, which has impacted his perceptions of whats normal and acceptable. Teaching them how these values relate to indigenous culture is simply about explaining their origins, their history, and their significance so that they can have an even greater understanding of these concepts. Teachers can also benefit from having time to reflect critically on problems, such as cultural marginalisation, caused by lack of diversity. 33(1), 6-21. In subtle and explicit ways Little J & Big Cuz modelled some of the behaviours Keiryn was deliberately trying to develop in the children, especially respectful and empathetic relationships with each other and adults.