Director of Mary Bailey House and OOSH

Mary Bailey House

This week is Early Learning Matters Week. This annual event aims to raise the profile of early childhood education and care in children’s development and wellbeing in Australia.

As early childhood professionals we see it as an opportunity to inform our community about the benefits of high-quality early education and care.

The MBH educational program is informed by Being, Belonging and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) and reflects the Reggio Emilia (RE) Educational Project. The EYLF is designed to extend and enrich children’s learning from birth to five years and through the transition to school. The RE Project is an early childhood philosophy built upon the core principles of the image of the child as competent, the hundred languages of expression, and the environment as the third teacher. Developed by Loris Malaguzzi, it treats education as a collaborative journey rather than a fixed curriculum.

Recent examples include our preschoolers working with Karlo from our College Property Team to respond to road safety concerns about signage. They’d noticed that the yellow feet to remind people to walk on the pathway had faded. So, the children wrote a note to Karlo asking him if they could be repainted. Karlo responded by showing them how the yellow feet could be repainted on the surface.

Another example involved our Bilbies (2 to 3 years) learning about Country through their interest in insects and connection with nature. They observe, draw and help with maintaining our Veggie Patch worm farm and garden beds.

Grandparents Week

This week, grandparents were invited to visit on two afternoons. Our preschoolers were involved in the planning for the visit through the creation of the invitation, making Lemon Myrtle biscuits for afternoon tea and performing their favourite songs. Both were a wonderful opportunity for grandparents to connect and meaningfully spend time with their loved ones.

Ms Jackie Baxter
Director of Mary Bailey House and OOSH