For this week’s blog assignment, I reviewed http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
Concerns in the field of early childhood education in
Australia don’t differ all that much from concerns in the United States.
Professional development, how to better meet the needs of the families they
serve, physical and mental health support and services, nutrition, and ethical
practices are just a few topics covered on this website.
While I was not surprised to see these similarities
between the two countries, there was another similarity that did take me by
surprise: the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity. I was not aware that
Australia had cultural tensions similar to those experiences in the U.S. There
is a great importance placed on inclusive practices, valuing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The
movement to bring the cultures together is called Reconciliation.
It is interesting to see what other countries consider
to be important, and where they are headed in the field of early childhood
education, and how their concerns compare to those in the United States.
Hi Kathleen! I noticed the framework was similar also. I think that their is an outline for success but the execution is what matters most. I think Australia does a great job in meeting the needs of its people. The work to support their nation to grow. They address their problems with well thought out and executed solutions. Their Aboriginal are a lot like our Native Americans. Our country has done a lot to reconcile with our Native people. Their school system is great. Not as good as Finland (whom is in the top 3 best educational systems in the world) but what's great is that there are so many resources some that might be similar to Finland's and in English. I loved the store on the website. I could spend hours looking at everything they offer. There are so many resources for parents. It was a little overwhelming and exciting at the same time.
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