2010_bedrock_november

BED ROCK Vol 15 #3, November 2010

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The Independent Education Union early childhood education magazine PRINT POST No. PP255 003/02 117 ISSN 1326-7566

BEDrock

executive editors

Vol 15 #3 November, 2010 publication mailing address

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Advertising is carried in BEDROCK in order to minimise the costs to members. Members are advised that advertising is paid at commercial rates and does not in any way reflect endorsement or otherwise of the advertised products and/or services.

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bedrock is a joint publication of the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union (NSW/ACT IEU) and the Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU).

BEDROCK is published three times per year by the NSW/ACT and QLD Independent Education Unions and has a circulation of 4,000. Intending subscribers and advertisers are invited to direct enquiries to Tina Delandre at the IEU on (02) 9779 3200 or email: ieu@ieu.asn.au

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Equal pay - a lesson still to be learned This ECS Conference special edition features some highlights from the varied presentations and workshops on the day.

The Conference had added significance as it marked the launch of our campaign A Teacher is a Teacher – Fund Equal Pay for Early Dick Shearman Childhood Teachers.

The campaign aims for pay parity for NSW teachers with their counterparts in primary schools.

While the focus will be NSW, with pressure brought to bear on the State Government in the lead up to the election, the IEUA will be raising the issue federally.

In QLD, IEUA – QNT early childhood education members are lobbying state government MPs to maintain the viability of their sector.

The Buzz

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Message in a ballot

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Teachers make the difference

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Latest news in childcare

Equal pay for Early Childhood Teachers Stick up for your rights

Let the storytelling begin

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Smell the roses...

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Belonging, being and becoming

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Embarking on the journey

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Feeling at home

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Wendy Lee outlines the principles behind Te Whariki Joy Lubawy looks on the bright side of life Unpackingthe jargon

EYLF the best start in life for all children Ellizabeth Warren explores attachment theory

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Giveaways

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Deadlier with a degree

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Indigenous teachers for Indigenous children

Greenover

NSW centres tap into water

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Smell the roses

Deadlier with a degree

Keeping kids calm

Tricia Riordan’s tools for calmer kids

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A teacher is a teacher

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Feeling at home

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contents

Contents

Funding changes for community kindergartens in Queensland, coupled with additional financial pressures due to the 15 hours per week universal access requirements, will push centres to the limit.

In our feature story Conference keynote speaker, New Zealand early Terry Burke childhood educator, academic and researcher Wendy Lee outlines the principles behind Te Whariki - her country’s early childhood curriculum document that has won international acclaim.

In addition to conference-based stories, we look at some tips for calming anxious students, a university course specifically designed for Indigenous students, and of course there are our regulars, Giveaways and Greenover.

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the

“A majority of respondents (58%) said they were either very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their service.”

buzz One stop shop

Preschools NSW - Education for Life website has been launched to promote the ‘value of early childhood education’ and provide a portal for parents or carers trying to locate a service in their area. Preschools funded by the Department of Community Services can have a free web presence on the site. It’s a chance for services to promote their philosophy and the work they do as well as to communicate practical information such as location, cost and hours. For more information, visit www.preschoolsnsw.org.au.

No surprises here

No surprises for guessing that low wages, heavy workload, long hours, low social status, feminisation and lack of career pathways or professional development - were identified by Deborah Roseveare from the OECD Network on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as barriers to high achievers entering the early childhood profession. Ways discussed to overcome these barriers include: equal pay for those in the early childhood profession with primary and secondary teachers; the same conditions across all sectors and greater opportunity for career advancement and quality professional development during working hours. www.oecd.org/edu/earlychildhood.

Help with your business plan

If you find you need to do a business plan for your service but don’t know where to start then the Community Childcare Cooperative’s detailed proforma may be just the thing to help. Visit http://bit.ly/bT4lpr

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and scroll down to Service Management Resources to find the proforma business plan. There’s also a wealth of other links, including OHS and curriculum support and the Early Years Learning Framework.

Evidence mounts

Disadvantaged children experiencing high quality child care have fewer behavioural issues in mid-childhood, a recent study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Loyola University and Northwestern University has found. High quality care was found to be particularly important for boys and African American children. Childcare and the Behaviour Problems of Economically Disadvantaged Children in Middle Childhood. (Child Development. no: 81).

Staff come first

The online Family Survey report October 2009-March 2010 conducted by the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) details what families are looking for when they are choosing childcare. A majority of respondents (58%) said they were either very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their service. A service’s staff was the most important criteria in choosing a service, followed by the child’s needs and whether the service was accredited. Location, programs, availability and affordability were also important considerations. Good programming and a clear philosophy, investment in PD, and staff longevity were also mentioned. View the report at: http://www.ncac.gov.au/reports_statistics/ reports_stats_index.asp

Ask Lisa Dear Lisa, Officially my contract says I work 16 hours per week but I have worked four days a week for the last two years (this is an informal arrangement). The centre is going to be sold and I am not sure if I will be offered a job by the new owner. Do I get paid out on two or four days a week if I am retrenched?

Christina

Dear Christina, If you are being paid your normal rate of pay and are accruing annual leave and sick leave on the 32 hours you are working each week, your retrenchment should be calculated based on employment of 32 hours per week.

Alternately, if you are paid as a casual on the extra two days then retrenchment would be calculated on 16 hours of employment per week. However, you should not have been employed casually for two days per week for the last two years.

Your Award or Agreement will indicate the length of time a casual can be employed.

I suggest you provide your employer with a written request for a new contract reflecting the 32 hours per week you are currently working, prior to the sale of your centre. The IEU would be happy to write to your employer on your behalf if this situation is not resolved to your satisfaction.

Kind regards, Lisa James.

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IEU Industrial officer Verena HERON explains the Union’s six-step method to a fair go for early childhood teachers.

The IEU has launched an ambitious campaign to achieve pay parity for teachers working in early education services with their counterparts in primary schools.

value the work of infant and primary school teachers.

The ‘Teachers are teachers’ campaign is trying to secure the commitment of both major parties to fund equal pay for early childhood teachers in the lead-up to the NSW state election.

But, no more. Each and every early childhood teacher knows how valuable our work is. We know how much smaller children’s brains absorb on a daily basis and we know how important our work is, not just for children while they are in our services, but in establishing in each child the basis for lifelong learning.

“We will not put up with the ECS sector being regarded as inferior in any way,” IEU General Secretary Dick Shearman said launching the campaign.

We know all this but our politicians don’t. This is what we have to convince them of before the NSW State election in March next year.

He called for “government funding tied to wage parity with primary and secondary teachers”.

The IEU has pledged to fight this campaign as vigorously as we can but we need each and every member to work with us. If you have never been to a rally, a union meeting or participated in a political campaign, then this is the time to start. This is the time to stand up and pitch in like never before.

Early childhood teachers have accepted for too long the anomaly that a teacher of a four-year-old in a communitybased preschool or long day care service will earn substantially less than counterparts who would teach the same child in “big school” a year later.

The sector has accepted the loss of a stream of new graduates to the school system where they know they will enjoy higher wages, not just on entry but throughout their working lives. It has accepted that society and the NSW State Government do not value its work as much as they

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The IEU also needs the support of our many activists who already speak out about the need for increased wages for our sector. It is only if we all work together on this one that we will be able to force the Government and the NSW Liberal/National opposition to commit to funding services so they can provide equal pay for early childhood services.

What can you do? We are asking each and every NSW member to commit to six actions: 1. Answer our survey. We will shortly ask each member to answer a short survey about existing wages. We need each member to complete the survey.

“In NSW, the Government gets early childhood education on the cheap.”

2. Get postcards signed. We need you to get your friends, family and the families of children you teach to sign a postcard to Premier Kristina Keneally and Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell asking them to commit to funding equal pay for early childhood teachers. The Union will send you a bundle of postcards next month.

3. Send an email to politicians. We will give you a draft of what to say or you can write your own – we just need every member to tell the party leaders why you deserve equal pay with your primary school counterparts.

4. Visit your local MP and candidate. We want every politician and would-be politician to hear from an IEU member firsthand about the injustice to people who teach our youngest children and earn less than other teachers. We want them to hear the message that teachers are teachers!

5. Come to a campaign rally. We are having two rallies – one in Newcastle and one in Sydney on the evening of Wednesday 10 November and we want as many early childhood teachers as possible to come along and rally for higher wages. We will send out flyers about the rallies soon.

6. Participate in blue day. The Union has decided to hold a “blue day for underpaid early childhood teachers” in the first term next year.

On this day we want to encourage the children we teach, their parents, our counterparts in schools and each other, to wear blue clothing and to participate in a specific day of action aimed at getting both parties to commit to funding equal pay for early childhood teachers.

Can you commit to the six actions on this page? If we each agree to do them, we think we have a real chance of winning this campaign. Six small actions over the next six months that may mean the difference between receiving poor wages for the rest of your working life or equal pay with other teachers.

Teachers are great at giving to others but isn’t it time you stood up for yourself? It’s time we all stood up and said ‘Teachers are teachers: fund equal pay for early childhood teachers’.

Action number one is answering our survey. Look out for it in your email inbox soon.

Dick Shearman said: “in NSW the Government gets early childhood education on the cheap. It is about quality, it is about respect and it is about recognition for the work you do.”

Let’s campaign together to get that respect and recognition!

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teachers make the difference

Addressing the Union’s ECS Conference, IEU ECS Vice president Gabrielle CONNELL urged early childhood teachers to value their contribution and stick up for their rights.

When I started writing my opening address it was going in a completely different direction – it was about quality – what does quality look like, and how do we as teachers make a difference to quality?

Be strong when you articulate this to your management groups – both large and small – and encourage your colleagues who are not members of the IEU to join and be supported through this process.

But two things happened - firstly I began to get more phone calls from colleagues in my region who were having a difficult time negotiating agreements with their committees of management - the modern award was featuring in most of these conversations.

Back to quality

Secondly I attended an IEU meeting and heard even more stories along the same lines.

Management groups both large and small were basically trying to offer teachers the least they could get away with.

Quality is everywhere we look at the moment - we have quality frameworks, we are to demonstrate quality and provide quality care and education.

What does quality look like? How do teachers improve quality?

As we move into 2011 and 2012, we will all be preparing for the National Quality Framework. For many of us it will be the first time we have been involved in a system of accreditation.

I started to think - how can teachers make the difference when there will be no teachers in ECE if we cannot achieve Those of us who have been involved before will be moving equitable pay and good conditions? How will we continue into a new system which will hopefully be more straight to maintain quality if this happens? forward and allow us to get on with the real job of working with children and families.

Believe in ourselves As we continue negotiating our agreements we must The new combined accreditation and regulatory system believe in ourselves and the value we add, and insist upon should see this happen. salaries and conditions which reflect the immense jobs we do, and the role we play in the education and care of young “We must believe in ourselves and children.

The first teacher funding under the Teacher Costs Contribution Scheme is due to be paid in July 2011.

This is money to attract and retain qualified teachers – not money for management committees to use to reduce fees or for operational costs.

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the value we add, and insist upon salaries and conditions which reflect the immense jobs we do.”

Can you judge a book by it’s cover — what goes on behind the doors of this church building, or any other centre, where children come to learn?

How do we define quality? What makes a quality service?

What makes a quality program?

Do we determine quality by the product the child walks out with at the end of the day?

A recent review of the evidence on drivers of quality in early childhood education and care gave support to the three key quality variables of:

We know there is so much more.

It’s about families, communities, staff, interactions and environments.

n Staff qualifications

n Staff-child ratios

Quality interactions – time to talk, time to listen, time to play, time to teach, time to be.

n Group size

Quality environments – making much from little.

This review concluded: “Evidence on the impact and effectiveness of early childhood education and care shows there is a compelling knowledge base which demonstrates that enriched learning environments are fostered by better qualified practitioners, and that better quality environments and pedagogies facilitate better learning outcomes . . .

“Quality outcomes for children are most likely when competent, qualified staff interact with small groups of children in enriched environments.”

It is hard to say what quality looks like – exactly. It comes in so many shapes and forms depending on the community and the characteristics of the environment.

Respect

Resourcefulness and flexibility – we can all relate to that.

At the end of the day, when you are wrestling with regulations, standards, rating systems, indicators, profiles and daily diaries, think about the difference you make, the difference teachers make, and as you negotiate your new agreements, ask yourself, what are you really worth?

References Elliott, 2006, p. 31, http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/ OfficeOfEarlyChildhood/agenda/Documents/EAP_ report.pdf

Can we see quality by looking at the building?

Can you say a service provides quality education and care by the fees they charge?

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Let the

storytelling begin

Keynote conference speaker Wendy LEE is a New Zealand early childhood educator, academic and researcher. She outlines the principles behind, Te Whariki, her country’s early childhood curriculum document that has won international acclaim.

Today there is an increasing understanding of the complex nature of all education work, and of the importance of teachers’ engagement in deep and sustained community leadership.

Te Whariki has four key professional learning ideas: • Holistic education - participants’ passions are nurtured in a holistic setting • Relationships - pedagogical relationships promote close collaboration and reflection in a safe environment • Empowerment - each participant is encouraged to take an active and positive role in their learning and research, to own issues and create solutions • Community - value is placed on the participation of everyone in the wider community. The issues of social justice and democracy are integral.

Passion

Nurturing teachers’ passions in a secure environment is vital for building community leadership. Most of us spend more time with the adults and children we work with than with those we love most – our partners, children and best friends.

A strong and positive organisational culture and building strong, authentic and effective relationships are at the heart of this process.

People may forget what you say to them, but they never forget how you make them feel.

One strategy to achieve this is through Fish! Philosophy. John Yokoyama developed this as an organisational culture in his workplace, a fish market. It led to greatly increased employee morale and an energised work environment.

The philosophy has a strong resonance with Te Whariki. People are drawn to the enthusiasm, passion and energy of others. Kent Peterson and Terrence Deal illustrate this aspect of organisational culture when they describe staff who “have a shared sense of purpose – where they pour their hearts into the children and their teaching… where the informal network of storytellers, heroes and heroines provides a social web of positive information support and history”.

Passion is at the heart of teaching at its best.

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Life stories ... teachers use personal photos to open communications with families

Pedagogy

The pedagogy of relationships involves promoting close collaboration and reflection in a safe environment. Building strong and reciprocal relationships with parents is critical.

Roskill South Kindergarten in Auckland has developed a successful strategy to nurture such relationships.

Teachers write personal stories of introduction to children and their families, illustrated with photos from their lives. The story is placed in the portfolio that regularly goes home with the child. Below is an example: “I grew up in Waiuku, a small country town south of Auckland. This is where I spent my childhood. My mum and dad still live there … After graduating in 1991 I taught for two years in Auckland, my first kindergarten was Kotiri Kindergarten in Mangere East.

I always dreamed of travelling and in May 1994 I left on my O.E. (Overseas Experience). The next two years were filled with fun, adventure, and endless experiences as I lived in London, teaching and flatting with many other Kiwis and Australians. I travelled through many countries, the UK, Europe, Greek Islands, Egypt and Turkey.

When I returned I began teaching in Otara before moving to Roskill South Kindergarten in July 1997. At first I was a relieving teacher and then applied for the Head Teacher position, which I began in October ’97. I now live in Mangere Bridge, I am always talking about finishing my gardens, but never quite get around to it!

My favourite thing to do is spend time with friends and family enjoying good food and wine. I love cooking, playing netball (I love it when New Zealand beats Australia), reading, travelling and walking. I started playing netball when I was nine! This photo is my grandma and me, I won a cup for playing netball when I was 14 years old.

I look forward to meeting you and your family and hearing your stories.

This is my story. Stories are great – they help us make connections and form relationships. Let the story telling begin!” (abbrev) Communities of learners and leaders have to be built as strong, resourceful, provocative, challenging – and caring – environments; not only for children but for adults as well.

There is a lot of trust and confidence needed before teachers will question their thinking or risk failure to make significant changes.

Positivity

Positivity encourages each teacher to take an active role in their learning and research, and to own issues and create solutions.

One of the critical aspects of successful community leadership is a credit rather than a deficit approach, this is as important in our assessment of children as it is in teacher appraisal.

In order to create a community of learners and leaders that is positive, eloquent, strong and willing to debate and contribute to the community of practice everyone needs to find their voice and know their contributions are valued.

Taking a credit approach means seeing a leader in everyone.

If there are community members who believe they cannot be leaders then an exploration of Carol Dweck’s work will be helpful. It has the potential to transform every person by recognising that our future growth is in our own hands.

Politics

Being able to advocate for children and families, and to articulate viewpoints and theoretical ideas about teaching and learning are features of strong pedagogical practice.

Many enter teaching because of strong altruistic goals, a real sense of purpose.

A strong focus on ethics and morality is even more important today than it has been in days past. Early Childhood Education is about more than profit. It has a crucial role in providing opportunities for children and families to transform their lives.

In any early childhood setting there will be many leaders.

Leadership is distributed and shared in many ways. Each and every teacher and educator can make a difference.

No one says this more eloquently than American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

References: M Carr, W Lee and W Jones, 2009 Assessment for learning: Early Childhood Exemplars C Crother, 2004 Catch: A Fishmonger’s Guide to Greatness C S Dweck, 2006 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

M Fullan, 2006 Turnaround Leadership S C Lundin, 2000 Fish Omnibus: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results New Zealand Ministry of Education 1996 Te Whariki: He Whariki Mātauranga Mo Nga Mokopuna O Aotearoa K D Peterson, and T E Deal, 1998 Educational Leadership, 56 (10) Yokoyama and J Michelli, 2004 When Fish Fly: Lessons for creating a vital and energised workplace

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Smell the roses and lick the concrete

Author and early childhood consultant Joy Lubawy says teachers must always look on the bright side of life.

We can bring awe, wonder and delight to children because we make the difference.

There is a delightful song written by Eric Idle [of the Monty Pythons] that many of us may be familiar with. It begins: Just remember that you’re standing on a planet that’s evolving And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour, That’s orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it’s reckoned, A sun that is the source of all our power.

Now the sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see Are moving at a million miles a day In an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour, In a galaxy we call the ‘Milky Way’.

The world we live in is a simply wonderful place. A young child, a natural scientist will be discovering about the world every day; that grass is wet on a cold morning; that leaves fall from trees; that the sky is sometimes blue and sometimes pink; that steam rises from the wet washing on a cold day; that the wind blows our hair.

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These are simple, everyday events, but they are full of wonder for a child.

So easily we adults dismiss this ability to wonder, we become jaded and forget to see the simple things. We are often reminded to take time to smell the roses, let us remember to stop and smell everything, see everything, touch everything, taste what we safely can, and listen, really listen.

The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, (EYLF) Outcome 4, (2009) tells us that we will know that children have achieved this outcome when they use their senses to explore natural and built environments. Use their senses, not that we plan a ‘theme on the senses’.

This ability to imagine, be enthusiastic and appreciate the everyday is, for me, one of the key elements for us to be a successful early childhood educator. Dr Ian Broinowski from Hobart wrote a PhD that shows the causal connection between the enchantment, imagination and creativity of educators and children.

I saw a little Japanese boy with his father crawling across the green grass beside The Esplanade in Cairns. The father was attuned to his son, crawling beside him and engaged.

They both stopped at the kerbside. The little boy lowered his face and licked the concrete edging and his father copied him. They looked at each other and after an initial gasp of astonishment at the taste, they both laughed.

For me, it was a small window into the child as a scientist and reminded me how important it is for us to be available, and engaged with a young child.

Listen to the children. They are filled with awe, wonder and enthusiasm, let them nourish you. Make perfume, a stew, or something wonderful with leaves, especially the ones that smell. Encourage them to engage their senses.

Take time to notice a beautiful butterfly. A butterfly is much more than some paint blots on a page or illustrations in a favourite picture book. There is much to be in awe of with a butterfly. Take time to examine the bark of a tree. See the shadows, watch for changes. Have a close encounter with an animal. Look for rainbows.

Really watch the sky. Does it sometimes have stripes? Does it change colour towards evening? What shapes and how big are the clouds? How do we know it might rain or that there is going to be snow on the peaks?

Instead of calling in the pest exterminators, find and appreciate the ‘safe’ spider webs covered in frost or dew; and in autumn try to find the spiders that make the biggest web imaginable to catch food for the babies that are still to hatch from the big yellow egg sac. These spiders are diurnal. What does diurnal mean?

Teach children to appreciate natural habitats and classify spiders. Collect pictures and examples of spirals in nature; shells, Port Jackson shark egg cases, our DNA, the galaxy or the peel from an orange or apple?

Look at pictures of bridges, take photographs through a kaleidoscope, collect and examine wheels, see the possibilities for awe and wonder in the sandpit, a small hill for rolling or riding down, or a pendulum made from a plastic bag and partly filled with some runny paint. What shapes will the paint make on the huge piece of paper when you snip the corner?

Remember that every day is a journey full of possibilities.

Sometimes the journey takes us in unexpected directions, but sometimes it feels like it is the same old, same old and we not

only become bored but we also become boring.

Instead, open your eyes, open your hearts and try to see through a child’s eye. Remember how wonderful it is just being alive.

Remember how special you are. Of all the people who ever lived, generation after generation, your ancestors were survivors.

So remember, when you’re feeling very small and insecure, How amazingly unlikely is your birth. (Love song to the Universe, Eric Idle) You must be here for a very special purpose. My belief is that we are here to engage, excite, inform and guide young children.

This is how we encourage children to: “develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity, developing a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.” (EYLF Outcome 4).

And, always look on the bright side of life.

Always look on the light side of life.

(The Life of Brian)

References Broinowski, I, 2002, Toward Creativity in Early Childhood Education: A study of enchanment, imagination and creativity of an early childhood educator. Hobart: self-published PhD thesis.

Council of Australian Governments, 2009, The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Belonging, Being and Becoming. Canberra: Australian Government.

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Belonging, being and becoming – what do they really mean?

Hamilton Child Care Centre Director Lyn CONNORS examines how staff can reflect the Early Years Learning Framework in daily practice.

When the document first arrived on my desk I noticed the language was different – terms such as pedagogy, intentional teaching and shared sustained thinking are not generally used in early childhood curriculum.

I quickly realised I needed to start at the beginning to understand what belonging, being and becoming means to us, as staff, but also to our children and families.

These three ‘B’s’ underpin the document as the frame for all children’s learning, so we needed to articulate what they meant to us.

We discussed how we make families and children ‘belong’ to the centre – through our orientation policy, information nights, grandparents’ afternoon tea and Christmas discos.

We reflected on how we demonstrate inclusion and equity in our daily practice and how we use information from parents to make our portfolios richer and more meaningful to children.

Then we looked at ‘being’ – the right of every child to be three, four or five without spending that last year ‘preparing for school’ by completing worksheets and ‘schoolies stencils’ because that’s what parents want.

No right answers

We want our children to build up their resilience, their sense of themselves, problem-solving, questioning, and theory-making skills and reciprocity without the pressure of a right answer or a teacher-led program.

‘Becoming’ – what is it we want for our children in the future? We want them to be citizens of the world – to have rights and responsibilities and be active community members.

“When we adults think of children there is a simple truth which we ignore: childhood is not preparation for life; childhood is life. A child isn’t getting ready to live: a child is living (An Unhurried Journey, John A Taylor, 1991).

We considered the Framework’s principles and how our centre’s philosophy reflects these understandings.

We use an emergent curriculum approach in our programming and aspects of the Reggio Emilia educational projects are the theoretical background to our understandings about how children learn in a social context.

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“Have you noticed that the best teachers are confident in their own skills and open to change? Being open to change will enable you to learn, grow and develop while you work with children to support them to grow, learn and develop.”

(O’Connor and Diggins 2002) When we got to the learning outcomes in the EYLF, we realised there are no surprises – this is what we do every day in our interactions with children - but I don’t think we are good at documenting them.

It doesn’t have to be the big grand documentation with the scrapbooking embellishments – it should reflect the work in progress, it makes the learning visible to the children, their parents and to other staff.

It goes up on the wall, or in a digital representation on a daily basis so it can be used to consider possible pathways for future work, not decoration, but real work.

Later it can be published in a folder or photocopied for a portfolio, framed or made into a poster.

Embarking on the

journey

Dr Linda HARRISON, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Charles Sturt University, explains why the Early Years Learning Framework is a cause for celebration.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), and the National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care represent the pointy end of the Labor Government’s 2020 vision for Australia and spearhead the changes needed to achieve that vision — to ensure: n The best start in life for all children

The EYLF provides educators with a set of guiding principles and practices for educators that, rather than being prescriptive or unidirectional, ‘map’ the territory so that each service can determine its own unique journey.

The EYLF encourages educators to collaborate, to share their experiences and professional knowledge, and to work together with families and communities in order to make informed decisions about the curriculum they provide in schools/services.

“The EYLF encourages educators to collaborate, to share their experiences and professional knowledge.”

The hope is that the EYLF will “inspire conversations, improve communication, and provide a common language about young children’s learning” (COAG, 2009b, p. 8).

n World-class early childhood development services n The provision of international best practice in early childhood and family support services

EYLF Resources/References Arthur, L 2010, The Early Years Learning Framework: Building confident learners. ECA Research in Practice Series, 17 (1).

n Universal understandings of quality across sectors

COAG 2009a, July, Investing in the Yearly Years. A National Early Childhood Development Strategy.

n A systematic approach to quality assurance which is efficient, transparent and supports continuous quality improvement.

COAG 2009b, July, Belonging, being and becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.

Margaret Young writes that the changing attitudes and actions by government are a “cause for celebration” for the early childhood community.

At the same time, however, they require a deep commitment to these changes from teachers, centres, management and staff.

COAG’s early childhood reform agenda has removed old distinctions between childcare centres, services and preschools/schools by requiring all programs for children under five to implement the EYLF. This in itself is a cause for celebration. It recognises that regardless of the type of service or the source of funding, all early childhood programs need to “focus on improving child outcomes and foster the health and wellbeing and productivity of our next generation” (COAG, 2009a, p. 4). This is ‘a big ask’ for the early childhood field, but the challenge is achievable and exciting.

COAG 2009, December, National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care.

Goodfellow, J. 2009, The Early Years Learning Framework: Getting started. ECA Research in Practice Series, 16 (4).

Gowrie Australia 2010, Assessment in the early years. A resource drawing on the EYLF. Author.

Sumsion, J., Barnes, S., Cheeseman, S., Harrison, L., Stonehouse, A., & Kennedy, A. 2009, Insider perspectives of developing Belonging, Being and Becoming: The EYLF. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 34, 4-13.

Sumsion, J. & Harrison, LJ 2010, Investigating the possibilities of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.

Reflections, 38, 7-8.

Young, M. 2010, Celebrating COAG. Reflections, 38, 4.

BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine 15

ECS Conference 2010

Feature

making them feel at home

Director of St Phillip Baxter Childcare Centre Elizabeth WARREN explores how we can use attachment theory to achieve the outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).

The EYLF is a framework for feeling and doing.

It is a framework for professional reflection and program refinement for early childhood educators.

It can give us structure and a common language to communicate authoritatively with parents, academics and the community.

In using the framework to deliver play-based learning we help children become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens.

Attachment theory describes how relationships, particularly those between young children and their carers, influence behaviour and learning in years to come.

Understanding attachment Early childhood professionals use this theory to understand the attachment needs of children, how this impacts on learning, and how different attachment patterns influence relationships and outcomes for children, families and staff.

Attachment theory reminds us that we all need secure attachments throughout life.

Babies need to feel safe, loved and understood. We match our behaviour to the responses we get from our primary caregivers to give us the best feeling of safety possible. With responsive caregiving we learn secure attachment patterns.

Unless we know we are safe we do not venture into the world. We do not explore and learn.

16 BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine

Feeling safe Our attachment figure, our safe base, makes us feel safe and is there beside us as we explore, question and make sense of all the new experiences we have in our world.

How we act and react to the needs of children and families will depend on our security, observation and training.

As we learn to see the attachment bids and needs of children we will become more available, more attuned and better able to promote security and learning.

Attachment theory is being applied to early childhood teaching. It is being used in current research into the role of teachers in Early Childhood Services in Australia.

Staff are supported to observe attachment needs, develop strategies to meet these needs, and make changes to their programs to help children learn secure attachment patterns and positive learning.

Supporting staff Staff in early learning centres need to feel safe. Their working environment must be safe and they need to feel emotionally supported.

This support can be provided by management, program leadership, additional resources and resource people and professional networks.

“Unless we know we are safe we do not venture into the world.”

Building relationships Children need time to build secure relationships. Sometimes our previous training can make us feel uncomfortable when the needs of one child compete with previous training and experience when we try to be fair to all children.

A new child or an insecure child may need one person to be available for quite a long time.

This may not feel fair or easy to manage, but until a child learns to feel attached – to carers and other children, he will seek to feel secure in disruptive ways.

Being available To feel safe the child needs to know the adult is available. At key times of the day the child needs to be able to see the adult and know that adult is available to keep him safe.

Instead of being busy it is more important to sit down and be still. The environment needs to be predictable.

One program has developed a system of ‘play spaces’ where staff can stay comfortably in predictable play areas.

Invest in pick-up and drop-off times. At these transition times we can build bridges with families and work together with parents to support positive transitions.

Research indicates that the first 10 seconds of the day gives a child the clues he needs to feel safe: ‘Is my teacher there for me’?

The first evidence example of outcome one of EYLF says “Children feel safe, secure, and supported when children build attachments with one and then more familiar educators.”

Under all outcomes there are another 40 examples of learning supported by attachment theory.

In play-based learning environments educators play a crucial role in encouraging children to discover deeper meanings and to make connections among ideas and between concepts.

As early childhood educators we want to do more than provide childcare. We want to make a positive difference in the development and wellbeing of children and families.

We can use the EYLF framework to guide our thinking and because it is such a good fit with current practice it will feel right.

If we use the framework together with evidence-based research and theories we will become more efficient, targeted, strategic and authoritative.

References Circle of Security: Circle of Security Parenting: Cooper, Hofman & Powell – 2009.

Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia 2009.

BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine 17

Keeping your kids

calm

Stress is familiar to adults in today’s hustle and bustle, modern society, but even very young children feel stress to some degree. Tricia RIORDAN from Queensland-based Calm for Kids explains how to introduce relaxation into the classroom.

The sources of stress for children come from a multitude of areas.

Pressures often come from outside sources (such as family, friends or school), but they can also come from within. The top sources of stress for children are: n Parent having problems n Fight with a friend or a sibling n Taking a test n Wondering if someone thinks you’re attractive (teens especially) n Not having enough privacy n Birth of a brother or sister n Moving to a new school n Remarriage of a parent n Not having enough money n A teacher who doesn’t like you.

Add to that separation from parents (toddlers especially), the need to meet parent expectations, world news, illness, death of a loved one, peer competition and bullying, and you can see how all children can experience some stress in their lives.

18 BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine

“It is in quiet time that children value learning to just ‘be’ and to experience stillness, reflection and calmness.”

Teaching relaxation techniques early in life sets children up on a lifelong path to health, happiness and balance.

Simple relaxation tools can be used for managing overall health and wellbeing in daily life.

Children need to learn these invaluable skills that set the groundwork for meeting challenges and growing strong physically, mentally and emotionally - cultivating self-esteem for a lifetime of successful achievement.

Introducing relaxation into the classroom is as easy as setting aside intervals of one to five minutes during the day. You can fit any of the following relaxation techniques into any time of the day, though they are particularly useful at the beginning of the day, after outside play/breaks and before rest times.

You don’t need much room as children can listen to visualisations or participate in breathing exercises sitting at a desk or crossed legged on the floor.

There are many different techniques for relaxation and stress reduction that can be used by children. Depending on the child, certain techniques may work better then others.

Here are five tips for introducing relaxation into your classroom: Breathing

Deep breathing is the most effective way of slowing down the body’s natural response to stress. It slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and gives the feeling of being in control. Studies have shown that focusing on your breath for one minute every hour can reduce anxiety levels by up to 44%. Encourage deep breathing down to the abdomen - in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth. With the children lying down, you can use a rubber duck, soft toy or paper boat (the boat can be made together as an art activity) to rest on their belly to help children recognise their breath as it enters and exits the body.

Massage

Studies show touch can increase attentiveness in children, relax their minds and bodies, and boost immune systems, among other benefits. Incorporating peer massage into the classroom is an easy, accessible and effective tool for improving children’s quality of life in school by introducing them to an inclusive, fun and relaxing activity. Ask the children to perform ‘massage stories’ on each other, concentrating on the child’s back, shoulders, arms and head.

Exercise

Walking, running, dancing and playing are all forms of exercise that children love. Do not overlook exercising as a way of reducing stress in the classroom. Also incorporate stretching exercises such as yoga. Stretching relaxes built up tension in the muscles. Yoga exercises that focus on improving balance can help physical poise and psychological stability which improves concentration and confidence in a child.

Affirming

Teach children to use positive affirmations such as ‘I am calm’, ‘I am happy’, ‘I am confident’, ‘I am still’. Just by repeating and thinking these words, the children will find themselves getting into a more restful space. Use positive affirmation cards to remind the children how special and unique they are. The more they become aware of their unique and special qualities, the more confident and self aware they will become.

Relaxation

Relaxation and visualisation provide wonderful opportunities for children to release tension caused by stress. Visualisation uses your imagination to calm and relax your mind. Children should imagine their favourite calm, peaceful place or focus on beautiful places. Visualisation slows down the chatter of the mind and helps release negative thoughts and worries. Often this technique follows progressive muscle relaxation, which first relaxes the muscles and then calms the mind. Play classical/relaxation music in the background, or, CDs designed especially for children that contain simple relaxation techniques.

It is in quiet time that children value learning to just ‘be’ and to experience stillness, reflection and calmness. Investing in a ‘relaxation time’ each day, as a teacher or childcare worker, will reap its benefits in enhanced communication, respect and positive enjoyment of sharing ‘soul’ time together.

Like any other experience undertaken with children you need to plan carefully and proceed slowly, according to the children’s needs and ages. Once a relaxation routine has been established be sure to include it each day, and an enjoyable and peaceful rhythm will develop over time and wide-reaching benefits will emerge not only for the children, but for yourself.

BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine 19

giveaways To win one of these books, put your name, membership number and address on the back of an envelope addressed to Bedrock Giveaway 1, 2, or 3, NSW/ACT Independent Education Union, GPO Box 116, Sydney NSW 2001. Entries close Friday 03 December, 2010. Please note: Envelopes that have not been clearly marked with which giveaway they are entering will be disqualified.

Giveaway 1

The Number One Aussie Alphabet Book Author: Heath McKenzie Publisher: Black Dog Books ISBN: 978-1-74203-147-7 Three copies to giveaway This rhyming, colourful book puts Australian creatures centre stage.

Each letter has an accompanying animal - what a wonderful way to teach children about Jabirus, Humpback whales and numbats.

Giveaway 2

I’ve got a feeling!

Author/Illustrator: Stephanie Owen Publisher: National Library of Australia ISBN: 978 -0 -64227-697-1 Three copies to giveaway How are you feeling today? Cheeky? Shy? Grumpy? This playful book celebrates not only feelings but language by inviting children to explore both. What makes this book different from other ‘feelings’ type childrens books on the market is how it invites children and the reader to join in the face making and its clear delight in language and fun.

Giveaway 3

Mirror Author: Jeannie Baker Publisher: Walker Books ISBN: 978-1-4063-0914-0 Three copies to giveaway This word free book features the lives of two families separated by culture and geography - an Australian family and a Moroccan family, who share the same qualities of caring and loving. It is beautifully illustrated (of course!) and has an unusual form - both stories await discovery in an entirely new way. The book comes after Jeannie Baker spent time living in Morocco with an indigenous Berber family, immersing herself in the culture and enjoying the story telling. The illustrations form part of an exhibition due at Ipswich Art Gallery 25 June 2011 and Newcastle Regional Art Gallery 4 November 2011 and Blacktown Arts November 2012.

20 BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine

deadlier with a degree “This course is about putting Indigenous leaders in front of Indigenous children.”

“I want to be a role model” . . . student Michelle Towns with coordinator Natalie Burns

Natalie Burns trained as an early childhood teacher because she wanted to be a role model and make a difference.

Now she coordinates the Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Services) offered through Warawara, Macquarie University’s Department of Indigenous Studies, and helps supports other Indigenous students, many of whom also want to make a change for themselves and their communities.

The BTeach is offered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from all over Australia including urban, rural and remote areas of Queensland, New South Wales and now South Australia.

The course is offered over four sessions each year, lasting from seven to ten days, where students study from nine in the morning until 10 at night, including Saturdays.

While this allows students to stay in their communities, the four sessions can be very demanding, however good the support.

“Coming from home into an unfamiliar system and one where the priorities are set by others can be challenging for anyone” Natalie says. “And while we talk to the students about the amount of reading and writing required as part of the course, well … if you do not come from this background it can be hard.

“In my life I’ve seen many long term effects through the separation of families and traditions. And, as a result I wanted to show children that there are many ways of living and responding to each other, that there are options in life.

“At the end of the course the students are glad they remained committed to their study and for the knowledge and understanding they can take back and share with their communities.

“One of the important things for young Indigenous children is to see Indigenous leaders and to see that this is possible for them. So, this course is about putting Indigenous leaders in front of children.”

Drawcard

Michelle Towns of Tamworth is due to graduate from the course in 2012.

“The drawcard of the course is that it is Indigenous. The support networks that the students provide for each other are very important and something they take home with them.”

She loves the flexibility it provides, allowing her to stay home with her three young children.

Natalie says the lecturers on the program are very supportive and understand complexities that may exist within communities and attempt to support students’ life and community responsibilities while maintaining high academic expectations.

Natalie graduated from the course in 2006 and taught at childcare centres in La Perouse, Alexandria and Dubbo before taking the University job.

“It’s a great idea to provide an Indigenous course. You have people around that you can talk to about everyday things,” Michelle says.

“I want to be a role model to my kids.”

The course accepts a new cohort every two years, averaging 35-50 students with the next intake due in 2011.

To find out more about the course free call 1800 066 465 or visit http://www.warawara.mq.edu.au/academic/bteach.php.

BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine 21

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1300 360 507 www.qiec.com.au This information is of a general nature and does not take account of your individual financial situation, objectives or needs. Before acting on this advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. You should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and consider the PDS before making any decision. If you require specific advice, you should contact a licensed financial adviser. QIEC Super Pty Ltd (ABN 81 010 897 480), the Trustee of QIEC Super (ABN 15 549 636 673), is Corporate Authorised Representative No. 268804 under Australian Financial Services Licence No. 238507 and is authorised to provide general financial product advice in relation to superannuation.

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Speakers The Amnesty International NSW Speakers Network is a small team of volunteer speakers who are available to give presentations on variety of issues. Speakers are able to talk about the history of Amnesty International, a general history of human rights through the Amnesty lens and/or the current campaigns of Amnesty International Australia. Speakers are available to speak for any length of time.

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22 BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine

greenover How are Early Childhood Services changing their water use when dam levels drop and drought claims large part of the nation?

Bedrock Journalist Suzanne KOWALSKI-ROTH gets the lowdown on one innovative program.

The Wyong and Gosford region in NSW has been hit particularly hard by water scarcity, with the below average rainfall and recent drought creating the lowest water supply for the area since records began in 1885.

In response Wyong and Gosford Councils have joined forces in a water authority and created a long-term water use vision - Water Plan 2050 which boasts an innovative water education strategy.

The three separate water education programs for early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools have had a dramatic impact on the way water is perceived in the local government area, says Wyong Council’s Environmental Officer (Education) Danielle Hargreaves.

The multifaceted preschool program has a long waiting list, it has included more than 90 centres in the six years it has been running and is being used as a model by other councils.

So, what’s made it so successful?

The practical nature of the program has been a big hit, Danielle says.

“One of the first things we do in a centre is to sit down with the Director and look at their water bills. Then we do an audit looking at where they use water, how much water they use and where we can help them save water,” Danielle says.

One really easy way to save water is looking at the taps in a service, she says. Just changing washers can be a really simple way to save lots of water.

“After the audit we work out a management plan with the staff to look at ways they can help save water quite easily and then we look at some longer term goals - they might want to get a water tank or they might want to retrofit their toilets.

“We then spend some time with the children and do some activities using songs and music,” Danielle says.

What impact has the water saving had on using water for play?

“The majority of our centres don’t even do water play any more unless they’ve got an external tank.

“The majority of our centres don’t even do water play any more unless they’ve got an external tank.”

thrifty waterways “They’re very mindful of conserving water so they look at alternative ways to use it.

“They might do water play but then water their garden with it rather than just tipping it down the sink,” Danielle says.

At this stage the program is limited to this local government area but if your council isn’t offering a program to conserve water and you want to go it alone — here are some excellent sites and resources to help you.

Education http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/environment/preschool_ environmental_edu.htm http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Education/ (find: a virtual tour of a waste water treatment plant; a template audit for schools; treatment plants for tours) http://www.rouswater.nsw.gov.au http://www.sustainableschools.nsw.edu.au/Default. aspx?tabid=76 www.enviroplumber.com.au (sustainable plumbing solutions) http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/ index.php http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/water/ Funding and grants http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Education/rainwatertank. cfm (rebates for installing a rainwater tank) http://www.environment.gov.au/water/programs/index. html http://www.nrm.gov.au/cag/cag-faq.html http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/ http://landcareonline.com.au/ http://www.philanthropy.org.au/

BEDROCK the IEU early childhood education magazine 23

Are you a member? if not....

joinyourunion While you are looking after children and their families, who is looking after ?

you

Contact the Independent Education Union in your state.

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