In a national first, more than 2500 early childhood educators and early childhood teachers collaborated in Community of Practice sessions held nationally over three nights in March 2023, as 黑料专区 Head of Education and Pedagogy Dr Lesley Jones and our Education team launched our Lifelong Learning Curriculum.
鈥淥ur Lifelong Learning Curriculum is Australia鈥檚 most advanced approach to delivering the Early Years Learning Framework for children aged birth to five years,鈥� Dr Jones said.
鈥淚n more than 30 years of working in early education I have never seen this level of engagement in a single week across a national community of educators and teachers, it truly is history in the making for us and for the future of early education in Australia.鈥�
Commenting on the challenges that many educators and teachers had expressed, Dr Jones said a key consideration in the Lifelong Learning Curriculum was the careful combination of play-based and intentional teaching practices including Play Schemas and the principal of the environment as the third teacher.
"Our Lifelong Learning Curriculum has emerged from a philosophy established by Affinity in 2015 and is based on聽what聽children learn,聽where聽children learn and聽how聽children learn. The feedback from our educators is that this really supports them as they undertake their observations of children and respond with thoughtful programming to deliver the Early Years Learning Framework,鈥� explained Dr Jones.
鈥淥ur Curriculum is distilled into three key age groups which enable early childhood educators to meet children鈥檚 needs.鈥�
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Healthy Beginnings (Birth to 1 year)聽Our Lifelong Learning: Healthy Beginnings Curriculum emphasises the establishment of secure attachments and positive relationships between babies and educators through the use of Primary Caregiver (Key Educator) approaches, the Circle of Security and learning zones focused on play schemas.
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Early Experiences (1-3 years)聽Our Lifelong Learning: Early Experiences Curriculum emphasises guiding toddlers鈥� language and social development using the Abecedarian approach within our intentional learning zones focused on play schemas.
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School Readiness (3-5 years)聽Our Lifelong Learning: School Readiness Curriculum emphasises enquiry-based projects and foundation learning skills to support children鈥檚 development of聽key 21st century school-readiness skills. Our Education Team supports our Bachelor Qualified Early Childhood Teachers with outstanding programs which enrich their state-based preschool or kindergarten curriculums.
Educators at聽 shared their enthusiasm for our Lifelong Learning Curriculum through in-depth critical analysis and participation in breakout sessions.
Sarah Lillie from聽, ACT, said her team believed the Lifelong Learning Curriculum was 鈥榙evelopmentally appropriate鈥�. 鈥淲e received inspiration about how we can re-think and re-fresh our environments at our beautiful centre, and were so proud of our team for representing their professionalism,鈥� she said.
Centre Manager Belinda Dwyer said a highlight of the Community of Practice events was the opportunity to collaborate and connect with their sister centres. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all very excited about what we鈥檙e learning, and by the passion and knowledge that Affinity鈥檚 Education Team share with us so readily,鈥� Belinda said.
聽shared photos of their event on their centre Facebook page. 鈥淭he opportunity to collaborate and discuss their practices and methods of teaching in depth was a truly rewarding professional development opportunity,鈥� explained Centre Manager聽Amy Owen.
Affinity鈥檚 launch events will be complemented by their 2023 Professional Development series for educators and teachers, and by free eLearning programs designed to deliver in-depth expert knowledge in programs including Play Schemas, Circle of Security, Abecedarian language and Primary Caregiver approaches.