Week 3 (Day 6)

I concentrated on integrating respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures into our everyday activities on the sixth day of my work experience. Educators should "promote a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing" in accordance with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)(Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment [DESE], 2022, p. 15). I designed a Native storytelling-based activity to help with this goal, which supports EYLF Outcome 2: "Children are connected with and contribute to their world" (EYLF, 2022).

I gathered children in a circle after morning tea and told them an age-appropriate Dreaming story with pictures. I described the diverse storytelling tradition that has been handed down through the years among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. I urged the children to consider the narrative, pose enquiries, and express their own perspectives. In line with NQS Quality Area 6, which places a strong emphasis on cooperation and respect for variety, this activity promoted curiosity, cultural understanding, and respect for Indigenous customs (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority [ACECQA], 2020).

We sang Taba Naba, a traditional Torres Strait Islander children's song, after the story. I taught them the basic hand gestures that go along with this song, which gave our lessons a musical and sensory component. According to APST Standard 2.4, which encourages knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages, incorporating Taba Naba allowed children to engage with Torres Strait Islander culture in an age-appropriate manner (AITSL, 2022).

During lunch, we reflected on the song and story together. I demonstrated respectful language to discuss cultural traditions, in line with APST Standard 2.4, which encouraged understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages (AITSL, 2022). After lunch I asked them to put their plates away at the sink once they finished their meal. In the afternoon, I supervised free play in the outdoor area. The children were pretending to be different animals, some were pretending to be monkey and acted cheeky, and some were lion making "roar" sound and some were cat making "meow" sound. 

The event of today reaffirmed how crucial it is to vigorously advance respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. I was able to observe the influence of cultural storytelling on children's development and appreciation for variety by interacting with the EYLF and NQS guidelines. To foster a greater understanding of Indigenous cultures in early childhood education, I intend to incorporate similar activities on a regular basis going ahead.