the Y
the Y
The recent Early Childhood Australia National Conference was a highlight for two of our kindergarten teachers, who each had their own special reason for attending.
Meg Egberts from Ashwood Memorial Kindergarten in the City of Monash, and Gayle Collett from Nangiloc and District Kindergarten, near Mildura, travelled to Brisbane to participate.
Gayle was keen to grow her knowledge and skills in early Education and take this remarkable opportunity to hear from so many reputable keynote speakers as well as to connect with others in the sector.
Awarded a Scholarship to attend under the remote and rural area criteria, Gayle had been eagerly anticipating the conference and counting down the days ever since she received notification of her successful application.
Building on learning from the Early Childhood Australia Reconciliation Symposium which she attended in May, Gayle gained further insights into promoting a culture of diversity and equality in education from an early age.
“Inclusion happens when all children are seen as capable learners and valued contributors,” shared Gayle. “Inclusion is not about changing a child so that they fit into the care environment. It is about changing what we do so that all children can participate.”
Meg Egberts, Educational Leader and Nominated Supervisor at Ashwood Memorial Kindergarten was thrilled, and also a tiny bit daunted, when she was invited to present her work as part of Catharine Hydon’s and Dr Sandra Cheeseman’s “Talking Pedagogy” session.
As part of her Y Kinders’ Educational Leader professional development, Meg had undertaken a research project in the kinder setting. Her Inquiry Project, which commenced in 2022, was “Working with and towards an Anti-Bias Approach”, focusing on embracing diversity, with equity as the core of social justice.
Meg said the experience had been one of the most empowering in her 11 years of teaching, from preparing the presentation to delivering it to around 300 people. “It was a personal and professional highlight – stepping outside my comfort zone to present to such a large audience.”
“It was such a privilege to attend the Early Childhood Australia Conference and listen to the voices of many internationally recognised academics, Professors and Doctors in the Early Childhood Sector,” she added.
While presenting her research findings was a professional milestone, the entire Inquiry Project and the collaboration facilitated by Y Kinders’ Educational Leader Coaching has proved highly insightful and inspiring for Meg.
“Meeting and researching alongside four other extraordinary teachers from different parts of Australia and learning about the amazing work they are doing in their settings was truly inspirational,” shared Meg.
“I will be forever grateful to Catharine Hydon and Dr Sandra Cheeseman for extending this opportunity to me and recognising my passion and dedication in ensuring all stakeholders in my setting feel seen and valued as we work towards the same vison and imagine a world free from bias, where belonging was a shared experience.”
Meg explained her commitment to the anti-bias approach: “We are challenging ourselves to look though an anti-bias lens in all that we do. Anti-bias asks us to look inwards and ask, ‘What kind of human do I want to be?’. Anti-bias is the way to inclusion and ensuring that the experiences and program we deliver sees all people represented regardless of race, religion, cultural background, sexuality, gender, age or abilities.”
And what next for Meg? Looking ahead, Meg sees her next big challenge as bringing others on the journey. She plans to draw on the courage and confidence which her research and recent experiences have brought to the fore. She is adamant in her resolve to further her advocacy and implement kindergarten experiences and culturally safe spaces which see all children and families feeling welcome and represented.
