THEME 2: COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN THAT RESPECTS, REFLECTS AND CELEBRATES CULTURE AND DIVERSITY, INCLUDING PLACE OF ORIGIN
Guliyali Preschool respects children’s rights and celebrates diversity. We acknowledge that each child is a unique and valued individual, bringing with them their own, histories, cultures, languages and lifestyle choices and abilities (Guliyali Preschool Philosophy, 2020). Our commitment to helping our children feel secure about the uniqueness of their family and assisting them to accept, respect and embrace people of all backgrounds is what makes Guliyali Preschool excellent in terms of culture and practice.
CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS
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RECONCILIATION
Guliyali Preschool educators seek to promote a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'ways of knowing and being' as part of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). We are committed to developing environments and relationships that foster a higher level of knowledge, connection and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions. Our commitment to Reconciliation is what makes Guliyali Preschool excellent.
At Guliyali Preschool we encourage children to engage with diversity and respect each day through an age-appropriate Acknowledgment of Country. Our unique Acknowledgement of Country song was developed in consultation with our community, families and children and is used throughout our school and regional learning community at assemblies, community events and conferences.
"Your Acknowledgement of Country is used by myself and my colleagues in head office when we are presenting to schools on curriculum K-2 or preschools. State office also use your video..." - NSW Department of Education (DoE) 'P-2 Initiatives Officer'
Our commitment to Reconciliation can be seen in our dedication to developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) that reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to an inclusive workplace which celebrates the rich, diverse and resilient First Cultures of our country. Guliyali Preschool’s RAP is being developed in consultation with school executives, teachers, school administration staff, students, families and Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal community members, ensuring valued input and participation from all parts of our community towards advancing the five dimensions of reconciliation: race relations; equality and equity; unity; institutional integrity; historical acceptance. We have committed to this by developing respectful relationships and creating meaningful opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and in its broader context, the wider Aboriginal community. Our Guliyali Preschool staff are committed to working with Narragunnawali Reconciliation Australia to further reflect on, add to and extend our RAP into the whole school community to ensure it remains a living, shared and dynamic working document.
OUTCOME:
- All children attending the Guliyali Preschool are provided with rich opportunities to build a culture of understanding and respect for Australia’s first people. They are provided with opportunities to learn from, and to interact with and build genuine reciprocal relationships with local Aboriginal people - in this case, the wonderful Aunties from the Mingaletta AECG. For the Aboriginal students attending the Guliyali Preschool the interactions they have with the aunties take on an extra layer of meaning since they are learning about their own traditional practices, heritage and ancestral knowledge directly from members of the local Aboriginal community. This facilitates a strengthening of identity for the children and their family members and the feeling of being part of the local Aboriginal community. This in turn enables the children to embrace the values and beliefs of their families and community, and families to enjoy closer connections to their culture and Country.
- Guliyali Preschool educators have established and maintained genuine respectful partnerships with members of the local Aboriginal community. This has enabled them to promote perspectives that support our Aboriginal community’s own distinct culture and an understanding of their Connection to Place, in ways that are both authentic and respectful.
- In short, the recognition, acknowledgement, understanding and celebration of Aboriginal culture at the Guliyali Preschool has bonded all members, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, of the community together.
BUSH TUCKER & DREAMING TRAIL
As a part of our long term commitment to reconciliation, Guliyali Preschool collaborated with local Aboriginal Elders to create a space in front of the preschool where children are able to participate in weekly cultural programs with Aboriginal Elders and develop knowledge and awareness of Australia's First People. Guliyali Preschool educators sourced and successfully applied for a grant through the NSW Environmental Trust to create 'yarning circles', open spaces to allow uninterrupted and spontaneous play, sensory areas and of course 'Bush Tucker' garden beds that are harvested and used in cooking and sensory experiences.
The signage used in this area incorporates Aboriginal language and knowledge regarding the use of local and other native plants and offers a point of reference for community members who share our space.
OUTCOMES:
- The Bush Tucker Garden and Dreaming Trail is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and a symbol of the value and respect accorded to our Aboriginal children and families. Children and families feel proud and confident of who they are, where they come from and the fact that their culture is represented in such a warm, welcoming, engaging space that is culturally appropriate and sensitive.
- Guliyali Preschool provides children with culturally welcoming spaces allowing them the opportunity to learn sustainable environment practices, to value and preserve culture, to learn from a collective group in an authentic space, and build respectful relationships with community, culture and the environment. It is a family friendly space.
- In recognition of the beautiful space and the learning opportunities created, our Guliyali Preschool Aboriginal Early Intervention Teacher (AEIT) was awarded a local AECG award for her commitment to Reconciliation and Indigenous Educational Programs in the wider community.
IMPACT :
At Guliyali Preschool we are dedicated to maintaining a culture that respects, reflects and celebrates diversity and Connection to Country. This dedication is borne out in the programs we deliver, the environment and the spaces we have created, and in the respectful stance adopted by our educators. Our service is recognised and commended both locally and in the wider preschool community for delivering innovative and culturally significant programs and for leading the way in Aboriginal Education. Evidence of this ongoing commitment to the respect and celebration of culture and diversity can be seen in the financial investment and in the high priority accorded to the position of AEIT on the part of our Nominated Supervisors - a role created for the express purpose of supporting Aboriginal students during the year in which they attend our preschool and in the years that follow as they transition into Kindergarten and beyond. Not only does our AEIT support students to engage with the play-based learning curriculum we offer from Kindergaten through to Year 2, but she is also tasked with the vitally important job of fostering and reinforcing a sense of cultural identity in students and ensuring that their learning is authentic and culturally appropriate. Further evidence can be seen in the establishment of a Celebrations Committee and a Reconciliation Committee, led by Guliyali Preschool educators, that incorporates members of the wider school community.
The positive effects of our commitment to respecting, reflecting and celebrating culture and diversity, including place of origin, can be seen in Guliyali Preschool children consistently being included in the Brisbane Water Learning Community Deadly Awards for Aboriginal children. The fact that our our Acknowledgement of Country continues to be used in the wider school community to commence formal ceremonies and at regional professional development events held by the NSW Department of Education, is evidence of the positive impact our approach is having outside of the confines of our own setting. Our influence also extends beyond our preschool into the wider professional community whenever we present about the programs we have developed and implemented Early Learning Conferences, and whenever we host site visits for other DoE preschools. As was previously mentioned, the commitment that Guliyali Preschool Educators demonstrate has been recognised by the AECG and the Mingaletta Aboriginal Corporation.