EXCERPTS
Early Learning Matters every week in all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services around the country, but this week educators are making their voice heard for Early Learning Matters Week, which includes Early Childhood Educators Day today, Wednesday 4 September.
During Early Learning Matters Week, all ECEC services are invited to take photos of early learning activities or provocations, that don’t identify children, and upload them to Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #EarlyLearningMatters.
“Last year we had more than 80 inspiring photos posted on Instagram and even more on Facebook,” said Campaign Coordinator Carolin Wenzel. “What shines through is how diverse, colourful and engaging the learning experiences are – we want everyone to see how much children gain from quality early learning and to celebrate the valuable work of early childhood educators.”
“This year we hope to see social media flooded with amazing images of early learning activities and provocations (without identifying any children) and each post to include a short description of the developmental benefit of the activity.”
Another aim of the week is to give politicians a direct experience of the benefits of quality early learning, by inviting them in to centres.
This year more than a hundred services around the country reached out to their local federal and state politicians to invite them to experience what quality early learning looks like, with more than 40 visits going ahead between Monday 2 and Friday 6 September.
“It’s been a major effort by dozens of early childhood organisations, and for many of the smaller centres and family day care educators it’s the first time they will have a politician come to see what they do,” said Ms Wenzel.
Early Learning Matters Week is an initiative of the Early Learning Everyone Benefits campaign, a national partnership of 27 organisations including early childhood peaks, research institutions, early childhood service providers and community organisations.