Alison’s update
Chief Operating Officer
Welcome to our October newsletter for 2022. Children’s Week, held nationally across the 4th week of October, recognises children’s rights, achievements and citizenship. The Children’s Week theme, “For every child a standard of living that supports health and wellbeing,” was based on the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCR) Article 27. The theme focuses on improving the standard of living for all children. It reminds us that our children and families are not immune to the effects of the pandemic, social issues such as the housing crisis or natural disasters.
At Petit Early Learning Journey, we view this week’s theme as addressing all children’s basic needs through quality education and care in a safe and healthy environment. One of the ways we provide this is through the meaningful relationships we develop with children and their families to support their health and wellbeing. Petit ELJ focuses on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing through our regular curriculum and programs, by listening and interacting with children through conversations and encouraging children to move and develop physical literacy. Our services also provide extracurricular experiences such as yoga and sports in partnership with parents and their children’s interests.
October was also National Safe Work Month. It is a timely reminder as we enter warmer months to practise fire drills with children and to keep up-to-date on policies and procedures, including those involving the drop-off and pick-up of our children.
You can learn more about our policies and procedures at your local service. To access our policies and learn more about how we support children’s health and wellbeing talk to your Centre Director. We are always here to help.
Exceptional team member for October
Olivia Moloney from Petit Early Learning Journey Kew and Petit Early Learning Journey Richmond
Congratulations to our exceptional team member for October, Olivia Moloney. Olivia is Educational Leader for Petit ELJ Kew and Petit ELJ Richmond. While taking on this rare dual role, Olivia has also provided outstanding support to Petit ELJ Clifton Hill in preparation for their Assessment and Rating (A&R) and continued her studies towards an early childhood degree.
Olivia’s most notable attributes are her dedication and enthusiasm. When something needs doing, Olivia does not hesitate. She jumps straight into the action and encourages her peers with clear and positive communication skills. Olivia leads by nurturing a warm and welcoming environment for children and families while inspiring others and demonstrating a strong work ethic.
What do you like most about being the Educational Leader at Petit ELJ Kew & Petit ELJ Richmond?
Being the educational leader at two centres has enabled me to learn so much. I love connecting with educators across the two services and working with their unique qualities and strengths. Sharing my experience and knowledge with others is a great way to collaborate and constantly learn new perspectives and practices from our diverse teams. I have enjoyed the opportunities presented to me while facilitating the educational leader role, including assisting with Assessment and Rating (A&R) processes at Petit ELJ Clifton Hill and Petit ELJ Richmond, attending the Early Childhood Australia Conference in Canberra and providing inspiration for all educators.
Why did you decide to work in early childhood education and care?
I have always had a passion for the wellbeing of children and enhancing their learning and development. I started working with children when I left high school as a trainee. There, I studied for my Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care in a centre in a small country town. After working across all age groups in rural and urban settings, I wanted to expand my knowledge of how I can learn with and alongside children. So, I began studying for my Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. I was keen to gain new skills and insights in early childhood education and open up new possibilities for my career in early childhood. I am excited by the future opportunities the early childhood education sector offers.
What do you consider as the most important aspect of children’s health & wellbeing?
I believe children need to feel confident and safe to learn and thrive. Providing children with a welcoming and engaging environment where they feel valued and visible ensures they can learn in a supportive setting where they feel comfortable being themselves. In addition, providing them with the resources and opportunities to develop their dispositions for learning ensures they are supported and understood as individual learners.
What was your most memorable experience with Petit ELJ this year?
This year I attended the Early Childhood Australia National Conference in Canberra. During this experience, I connected with educators from Petit ELJ centres and early childhood professionals across Australia and engaged in professional learning. It was great to see where our sector is heading in the future and to learn more about contemporary practices and approaches to early childhood education.
Featured educational program
Petit Early Learning Journey Caloundra reflects on their centre goal
Report from Shae Lea, Educational Leader, Petit ELJ Caloundra
This month in each studio at Petit Early Learning Journey Caloundra, our reflections have focused on discovering an inspiring question to support the children in their environment. A well-designed environment supports all children’s development and learning.
Our centre curriculum goal for the year – the environment as the third teacher – investigates how we set up spaces in our rooms and outside to engage the children in meaningful play.
In “The Environment as the Third Teacher”, John C Darragh (2006) describes the environment as having the potential to create agency and influence how children play and learn through:
- Knowledge: refers to facts, concepts, ideas, vocabulary and stories. An environment influences the senses, supports children’s unique needs and preferences, encourages content-rich play-based experiences and provides feedback.
- Skills: such as developing fine motor skills when drawing and cutting, literacy, counting, communicating, entering play, having a good relationship with others and engaging in physical literacy using gross motor skills.
- Dispositions: Defined as habits of the mind that include curiosity, creativity, cooperation and friendliness.
- Feelings: How the environment supports children’s competency, belonging and security and how they feel about the environment and themselves.
By observing and reflecting on the environment and how it currently supports the children, we can review how it can be adapted to meet children’s learning skills and what we need to add or change to make this happen.
Our observations have uncovered a need for more loose parts to add to our environment. Loose parts are materials that children can move, carry, combine, pull apart and rearrange to make all sorts of creative things. In addition, loose parts play encourages imagination, invention and abstract thinking.
Loose parts include:
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If you have odds and ends that you would like to rehome, check with your service’s Centre Director about loose part donations.
Notice to families: Changes to CCS
Proposed changes to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to come into effect subject to the passage of legislation from July 2023. These proposed changes highlighted in The Federal Government’s October Budget under the Plan for Cheaper Childcare, includes:
- Lifting the maximum CCS rate to 90% for families earning $80,000 or less.
- Increasing CCS rates for around 96% of families with a child in care earning under $530,000.
- Keeping higher CCS rates for families with two or more children aged 5 years or under in care.
- Changes to the activity test for First Nations children in care with more hours in subsidised child care per fortnight.
Petit Early Learning Journey will keep families informed of the proposed changes as legislation is passed and closer to July 2023.
Community connections
Community excursions develop childrens’ confidence at Petit Early Learning Journey Barton
Report from Shruthi Tikare, Centre Director and Saifagaloa Sio, Early Childhood Teacher
At Petit ELJ Barton, our community connection project explores the links and relationships within our immediate local community through excursions. The excursions encourage all children to develop their social skills and confidence with people around the centre.
In particular, our Treasure Cove studio children are building these skills in preparation for their new school journey next year.
It all began with the café being visible to children and Educators from our studios. The children have been observing people visiting the shop for a cup of coffee and conversations. Of course, the children were keen to visit it and have a hot drink too.
We began planning the excursion by reaching out to the café manager and requesting if the children could have a babyccino. The manager was very excited and agreed to have the children over, reserving a lovely table for our visit.
The children were thrilled to be part of this excursion and loved their babyccinos! They sat and engaged with the manager and a few other waitresses who served them.
With the children’s active participation, we could sense their feeling of belonging and connection. They confidently conversed with the café members and gave high fives when leaving.
Community excursions develop a child’s confidence as they explore, interact, and begin to understand the world around them. Being out and about in their community helps them to learn about their immediate environment.
In addition to promoting investigation and curiosity, excursions give children a chance to relate with their community and strengthen friendships. A child’s confidence is vital to their development because it shows they have developed the necessary skills to move into primary school.
We will continue to engage in other connections surrounding our community, introduce it to children, and invite families to participate in our community excursions and incursions.
Gardening with preschoolers: From garden to table
Gardening with preschoolers is a healthy, enriching experience. It presents children of all ages with a world of curiosity and excitement. Add to this the enormous benefits of growing your own food in the garden and seeing it on your plate…
Latest parent review
Petit Early Learning Journey Wooloowin
“All of the ladies are absolutely lovely and a special thank you and shout out to Jess and Olivia for helping Bub have a smooth transition to Queensland life.”
– Kaitlyn Coutts
Our culture: Becoming an educator – Not just a job but a calling
Why choose to become an educator? There are many reasons for joining the early childhood sector. Some educators are intrigued by early childhood development, while for others, working with children carries a sense of fulfilment.
Experiences from around our services
Sail away with Petit Early Learning Journey Hamilton
With so much rain about in October the children at Petit ELJ Hamilton have been making the most of it by splashing about with origami-made boats. This creative waterplay experience using repurposed paper promotes fine motor skills, curiosity, imagination and sustainability.
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