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Listen to young people: The impact of our voices

Listen to young people: The impact of our voices

Dean Parkin is from the Quandamooka peoples of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) in Queensland. Dean was closely involved in the process that resulted in the historic Uluru Statement from the Heart and continues to advocate for constitutional…
Introducing culture and diversity in a monocultural classroom

Introducing culture and diversity in a monocultural classroom

This year for Harmony week, we thought we would share with you some insights from Meni Tsambouniaris at Diversity Kids.  Here they share with us the importance of incorporating inclusion into everyday practice, these examples provide discussion…
Promoting cultural competence in early childhood

Promoting cultural competence in early childhood

There is growing awareness and effort in Australian classrooms to understand, respect and support cultural differences, but are we starting early enough? If we want to create a society that values diversity, we must start instilling an appreciation…
Walking together

Walking together

ECA recently had a conversation with two members of the ECA Reconciliation Action Group, Jo Goodwin and Adam Duncan, to talk about Australia Day and the ongoing work undertaken to help children and early childhood educators understand the many…
Can we belong everywhere?

Can we belong everywhere?

‘We welcome everyone and respect every person’s right to belong’. Early childhood professionals say this all the time. It’s one of our sector’s dearly held mantras. Every day, through our words and actions, we endorse this sentiment.…
Indigenous food nourishes connections

Indigenous food nourishes connections

When we take authentic steps to embed Indigenous perspectives into our teaching practices, we invite children to construct their own relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges. For educators, this opens a world of opportunities…
Reconciliation storytelling

Reconciliation storytelling

Storytelling exists as a vital aspect of every culture and has existed in every corner of the world which people call home. Stories exist to inform, explore and hypothesise as well as to entertain and amuse. Aboriginal and Torres Strait…
Celebrations: Easter

Celebrations: Easter

Celebrations. To do, or not to do? Is it even that simple? Early childhood educators are often faced with ongoing internal discussions, rules, policies or expectations about how national celebrations such as Christmas and Easter are marked.…
Australia Day, Invasion Day, Survival Day

Australia Day, Invasion Day, Survival Day

Every year on the 26th of January we celebrate what it means to be Australian. It’s a day when we welcome new Australians into the fold through citizenship ceremonies and we get together for barbecues, that most inexplicably Australian of…
In 20 years of award-winning picture books, non-white people made up just 12% of main characters

In 20 years of award-winning picture books, non-white people made up just 12% of main characters

Have you considered the diversity of books in your early childhood service and explored the messages the books present? Work by Associate Professor Helen Caple and Dr Ping Tian highlight this (in the blog below). Their analysis of award-winning…
Black Lives Matter in Australia, in early education and everywhere

Black Lives Matter in Australia, in early education and everywhere

The power of Stan Grant as a storyteller and journalist was palpable in the Four Corners episode ‘I Can’t Breath’ that aired on ABC TV last night (13 July 2020). The program explores an Australian perspective on the Black Lives Matter…
Racism blog

Tackling difficult conversations

As Black Lives Matter protests have swept across the world, many of us are motivated to learn more about racism, and talk to our students and children in ways that can facilitate change. Education is a powerful tool for creating change. So,…