Early Childhood in Australia
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
This was an easy choice for me since I spend a year teaching early childhood in Queensland, Australia. I have taught with many Australian teachers in International schools and my own children have had Australian teachers. I am a big supporter of the Australian system and feel that it is very child orientated and developmentally appropriate. The education is child focused with a strong core and solid philosophy.
This website is non-government, national organization. The site has a lot of information and different links to other resources. There are also different books and journals published from this organization. There are many different topics that are addressed on this site, diversity in the classroom, emoitional issues and learning through play are a few. It is a good source for Australian based teachers as it addressed issues and standards within the National Quality Standards for Early Childhood in Australia. Australia has good policies in place for inclusive education and they clearly state that all children have equal rights.
The policies in Australia are constantly being reviewed and improved. When I worked in Early childhood care in 2003 the ratio of babies to adults was 5-1, now in 2016 it is 4-1. One of the differences in Australia to America is that education is looked at nationally and not per state or province. Accrediation is also compulsory and thus the quality can be monitored and ensured.
I think this site is a great resource for teachers and students. You can sign up with no charge and receive regular newsletters with the latest issues and trends in Early Childhood.
Hello Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThat’s great how you taught in Australia. I believe all organizations and programs should be child orientated and have developmentally appropriate practices. What made you decide to teach in Queensland, Australia? I know from reading your previous post that you have traveled international. Have you ever taught in the United States? I would love to visit Australia and see the culture.
Hello Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI have never taught outside the United States. I can only imagine the rewarding experience that must have been. I researched the Australia website and saw many resources available to educators and parents. I can appreciate the adult/baby ratio drop because the job entails such a great deal of work. I feel that every program should go through the Accreditation process to maintain high quality. Thank you for sharing.
Christine