Strong Smart Beginnings for Lifelong Learning in the Early Years

1. Strong Smart Beginnings for Lifelong Learning in the Early Years 2013 NATSIEC Presentation by Isabelle Adams

2. Contact Details Isabelle’s contact details: Isabelle Adams Postal Address: PO Box 1229 Morley WA 6943 Email: visnetwork@bigpond.com Mobile: 041 998 4838 Please email her if you want to have a copy of other papers/resources Isabelle has written/developed on early childhood education.

3. Isabelle Adams • Qualified early childhood teacher – completed studies in WA. • Aboriginal with traditional family links to NT and North Queensland groups and Torres Strait Islanders. • Raised in working class and multicultural environment. • Comprehensive experience in Aboriginal and mainstream early childhood education and services over 4 decades in NT and WA including classroom teacher, curriculum officer, superintendent, university and TAFE lecturer, researcher, accredited trainer and independent consultant. • 20 years on Australian Council of Educational Research and researcher for ACER Longitudinal research on Literacy and Numeracy for Aboriginal/TSI students in early years of schooling. • Author and developer of mainstream and Aboriginal ECE resources

4. Strong Smart Beginnings in the Early Years Key Components: • Education for sustainable development • Quality education • Life skills education • Strong smart early childhood educators.

5. Education for Sustainable Development ESD: • Considers the local environmental, economic, and societal conditions. • Implements programmes that are locally relevant and culturally appropriate. • Promotes life-long learning. • Engages formal, non-formal, and informal education. • Uses a variety of pedagogical techniques that promote participatory learning and higher-order thinking skills.

6. Quality Education For young children quality education: • Includes and seeks to reduce barriers to attending school. • Acknowledges the child’s knowledge and experience. • Makes learning content relevant. • Uses many instructional and learning processes. • Enhances the learning environment • Measures learning outcomes.

7. Life Skills Education Assists young children to: • Learn to know, to do, to be and to build relationships and live with others. • Develop cognitive, reflective, self-management, and social skills. • Bridge what they currently know and do and what they can know and do in the future. • Become aware of, develop, use, and practice a wide variety of skills within the safety of the learning environment.

8. Strong Smart Early Childhood Educators

9. Strong Smart Early Childhood Educators • Understand the different theories that relate to and impact on early childhood education and how they can be used to design, plan and implement an effective early childhood program for the development and learning of children. • Assist children to develop their dimensions of intelligence to be smart in different ways. • Use strategies to awaken the children’s natural genius. • Carry out their role and responsibilities with commitment and intention and an innovative approach to make a real difference. • Provide a learning environment where children are encouraged and supported to maximize their potential. • Provide stable, responsive, nurturing relationships with children. • Build appropriate and positive relationships with young children’s families and caregivers. • Establish and maintain productive partnerships with other professionals.

10. Strong Smart Beginnings for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children Aspects are: • Appropriate early learning contexts and processes. • Relevant education curriculum for early life skills learning, successful outcomes and readiness for school. These aspects are planned and provided by early childhood educators.

11. Appropriate Early Learning Contexts and Processes

12. Relevant Education Curriculum Integrated Curriculum E Child &Environment Child & Community Child and People Focus F Child & Family Group C Child as Group Member Child as Individual Person Themes Based Life Concepts and Skills