My Philosophy/ understanding of inclusive practices.

Through my philosophy, I believe that all children have a right to an education. This education should be of the highest quality and support all children regardless of where they live, their socioeconomic factors, their health challenges, their disabilities their environment, and access to high-quality teaching practices, in-person or distance learning through online services. (Early Childhood Australia, 2014) Children are central to my teaching practices, and I value their interests, strengths, and needs to ensure that I acknowledge and treat all children equally.

For me, inclusive practices involve being able to support, guide, and work collaboratively with others, including seeking external support that allows all children the best opportunity to engage in high-quality education.

As stated in the Early Years Learning Framework, I believe that we need to be committed to being inclusive of everyone. We must be flexible in our teaching practices that align with each child’s needs. “Children are capable and confident learners” and the higher the expectations that we have for them to learn will lead children to succeed in life. (Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE],2022)

As Australia is built on a very diverse multicultural society each child has a unique sense of belonging and way of being and this should be celebrated and embraced to enhance all learning opportunities. Families and communities are integral to children to foster a sense of identity and inclusion. We need to work collaboratively and respectfully with families and communities for children to be able to succeed now and into the future.

Through my philosophy, I believe that more should be done to support early childhood education that allows all children to access this. The first five years have been studied to show that is when children learn the most but is also that age group that does not receive the recognition or the support like primary and secondary schools do, (Fleer, 2002) One of the fundamental rights of the UNCRC is that every child has a right to an education that enables them to fulfill their potential and Article 28 of the UNCRC addresses this in more detail. Primary education should be compulsory and free. (UNICEF, 2023) I believe every child should have the right to access early childhood education from birth to five years comparable to how children may receive free education in primary and secondary school.

As an educator, I am aware of anti-bias attitudes within our society exist, I also need to be aware of my biases and cultural competency and engage in professional learning so that I can provide an inclusive learning environment. That celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion. And promote this throughout my teaching practices and curriculum.

To engage in inclusive practices, I need to make sure that the environment is designed that allow all children equal access and advocate for changes when I see that it does not. To make sure that I have access to external support that allows me to be inclusive of everyone, whether it is through outreach programs or professional training. (Early Childhood Australia, 2014)

a)   How can we work together to overcome barriers you may have in accessing educational services for your children?

I am asking this question as the readings “Barriers to Education”(2023) and “Early Childhood Education a Public Right and not a Privilege” (Fleer, 2002)  have highlighted the discrepancy between low-income earners and their children’s participation in an educational environment. The readings also emphasise other barriers that can impede families and children from accessing educational settings.

Understanding these barriers enables us to work collaboratively together and support families in addressing these challenges to benefit all stakeholders. By working together, we can increase children's access to educational services, and this will ultimately pave the way for children to succeed not only in school but in life.

b)   As your educational service, how can we support and celebrate the cultural background of all families?

I am asking this question because families offer us a unique opportunity to learn and celebrate all the different cultures they bring to our community.  Having a welcoming environment displaying multicultural resources when families and children enter shows our holistic approach to inclusion for all. When we celebrate different cultures then we are supporting an inclusive environment that makes all children, and families feel valued and respected. In the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. “children have the right to use their language and culture” (UNICEF, 2023) and it is our responsibility and privilege as educators to learn, teach, and embed all different cultures within our curriculum.

I am asking this question as children are capable and confident learners and can have a say in what makes them feel included and accepted. By understanding children’s perspectives, we can then use this information in developing and tailoring our curriculum to best support the children’s needs and developmental stages. When children see themselves and their values and identities reflected within the learning environment then they are more likely to have a say when they see others being exclusive of others. (Edwards, 2011) A valued and respected child supports them to value and respect others thus in turn making for an inclusive classroom.

b)   What does an inclusive and respectful environment look like to you?

I am asking this question as children have diverse perspectives on what constitutes an inclusive and respectful environment (Correia et al., 2021) If the environment does not provide children with a sense of fairness, safety, and support to freely express their views and opinions, they are less likely to succeed in their learning journey. I want to understand what children think or believe makes an environment inclusive and respectful, so that I have a better understanding of how I can cater to their needs within the learning environment. It could mean how I teach children about acceptance regardless of children’s abilities and differences.

I am asking this question as I have observed that we prioritise teaching children about inclusivity, self-awareness, empathy, and fostering respectful relationships at the beginning of the year.  However, as the year progresses our efforts also diminish as we change our focus to other areas of learning. When reflecting on this I can see that this needs to be an area of ongoing learning, as throughout the year life has its challenges and we need to continuously support and guide children, educators, and families in maintaining a culture of respect and inclusivity, thus being authentic and impactful the whole year. (Harwood et al., 2013)

b)   How could we work together to create an inclusive and equitable workplace?

I am asking this question as it is crucial to work collaboratively with our colleagues in creating an equitable and inclusive workplace. And I want to learn other perspectives on how we as a team can do this together safely and securely. Sharing our knowledge on policies and any ongoing training will enhance our teaching efforts which will then reflect in our teaching of children. (Harwood et al., 2013) Each educator brings a unique perspective, on how we can develop an inclusive environment. When we value and respect each other's views and opinions we empower each other to perform to our best.

This resource can help in teaching children about respect for cultural diversity and tackling racial prejudice in early childhood settings. The resource has lesson plans that can be used in the classroom, a song with actions that the children enjoyed in the past, and a poster that can be printed and shared with families to also support children in cultural competency. This resource is suitable for all stakeholders and can be shared universally. It has the potential to create a safe place for children in all educational settings. To me, I find this resource very child-friendly.

I chose this resource because it can be used to help educate very young children about inclusion and acceptance. The resource features child-friendly illustrations that capture children's attention and include a variety of different reflections showing differences that children may encounter within their community. By encouraging children to be accepting of these differences, we can create a better environment for everyone to engage in. I particularly appreciate the last page of the resource that reinforces the message that everyone is special and important simply because of who they are."

(2023).Aph.gov.au. https://www.aph.gov.au/-

/media/02_Parliamentary_Business/24_Committees/243_Reps_Committees/Education_and_Employment/Education_in_remote_and_complkex_environment/Remote_education_full_report.pdf?la=en&has=FC217ECE9459153DF1EE6D2DA1478C85E9B3E38

Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE]. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming:

       The early years learning framework for Australia (V2.0). In ACECQA. Australian Government

       Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.

       https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/defaults/filies/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Correia, N., Aguiar, C., & Amaro, F. (2021). Children’s

participation in early childhood education: A

       theoretical overview. Contemporary Issues in Early

Childhood, 24(3), 146394912098178.

       https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949120981789

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inclusion of every child in

       early childhood education and care (p.2).

       https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Statement-of Inclusion-2016.pdf

Edwards, C. (2011). The Hundred Languages of Children:

The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation.

Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Fleer, M. (2002). Early Childhood Education: A Public Right

and not a Privilege. Australasian Journal of

       Early Childhood, 27(2), 1-7.

https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910202700202

Harwood, D., Klopper, A., Osanyin, A., & Vanderlee, M.-L.

(2013). “It’s more than just care”: early

        childhood educators’ concepts of professionalism.

Early Years, 33(1(, 4-17.

       https://doi.org/10.10.80/09575146.2012.667394

UNICEF. (2023). United nations convention on the rights of

the child. UNICEF.

       https://www.unicef.org.au/united-nations-convention-

on-the-rights-of-the-child