Glen Education Fern Street 

Celebrating Diversity, Inclusion, and Connection to Country

At Glen Fern St Kindergarten, our educators understand the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion to ensure that all children and families feel welcomed and valued from the moment they arrive. As a team, we have been actively engaging in discussions about how to create a warm and inclusive environment. We’re excited to share some highlights from our Term 2 curriculum that reflect these efforts.

Saying Hello in Different Languages

Given that our children come from diverse cultural backgrounds, many families have shared that their children speak languages such as Spanish and Chinese at home. During our yarning circle time, we greeted one another in various languages to celebrate this diversity. We also incorporated visual prompts to support children who are still developing their communication skills.

Introducing Auslan

We began introducing Auslan, the Australian Sign Language, using visual prompts along with hand movements, facial expressions, and body language to help children communicate effectively. This learning experience included counting and greetings through songs and educational videos, making the process engaging and accessible for the children.

Introducing the Fern St Shop

In our play-based learning space, we introduced a menu featuring foods from a variety of cuisines. As the children engaged in this imaginative play, they had the opportunity to learn about different types of food and their cultural origins through our intentional teaching approach. This experience helped expose the children to the diversity of global cuisines and encouraged an appreciation for cultural differences.

National Reconciliation Week

To raise awareness and appreciation of First Nations culture, we have been gradually incorporating Indigenous instruments, such as clapping sticks, into our learning experiences over the past few weeks. We’ve also been singing traditional songs like Tapping on My Sticks, Inanay, Taba Naba Style, and Mamamia. Additionally, we introduced the song Highway Number 1 to help children explore Australian landmarks and native animals associated with different cities. These songs have become a regular part of our morning yarning circles and dance sessions, helping children become familiar with Indigenous culture as part of their daily routine.

Wand Creations

In the Art Corner, children created magic wands as a symbolic reminder to treat others with kindness and respect. This activity encouraged them to reflect on how positive words and actions can help build a sense of connection and community.

Exploring Aboriginal Symbols

Some of the children have been exploring Indigenous art symbols and incorporating them into their own artwork. These symbols are a traditional way for First Nations People to share stories and pass knowledge down through generations, offering a meaningful insight into their culture and history.

Gumnut Birds

The children created birds using gumnuts, feathers, and googly eyes as a way to celebrate and connect with the local flora and fauna of Glen Fern Street Kindergarten. This activity fostered a deeper connection to the land and the animals that inhabit it. All gumnuts were respectfully gathered from the ground around our kindergarten, reinforcing our respect for nature. This experience was beautifully complemented by our engagement with the story Wombat Stew, further enriching the children’s connection to Australian wildlife and culture.

Aboriginal-Inspired Natural Paintbrushes

The essence of Aboriginal art lies in how First Nations People have traditionally used natural materials to tell their stories and express their connection to Country through art. Inspired by this cultural practice and the children’s own ideas, we gathered natural materials from our yard to create handmade paintbrushes. Painting paper was displayed on the fence alongside examples of Aboriginal artwork, inviting the children to explore the colours, shapes, and storytelling elements of Indigenous art.

They engaged with these patterns by painting on sticks and leaves, deepening their appreciation for this artistic tradition. To extend the experience, we also introduced native Australian animals, encouraging the children to represent them through leaf art, further enriching their learning and cultural understanding.

Exploring Plants and Sustainability

Artwork offers a valuable opportunity to teach children about the Aboriginal connection to Country, especially in relation to plants. We collected leaves and wattle flowers from around our centre to incorporate into the children’s art projects. Exploring the sustainable use of native plants provides an accessible way to understand this connection, as our children learned how Aboriginal people have traditionally used—and continue to use—various plants across the country for many practical purposes.

Learning About Aboriginal Symbols

Front Room: Playdough was set up with Aboriginal symbols like waterholes, meeting places, and animal tracks, allowing the children to explore and recreate these symbols through hands-on play.

Back Room: Aboriginal art symbols were displayed on a large table alongside watercolours and chalks. This setup gave the children the opportunity to practice creating the symbols while teachers explained their meanings, deepening the children’s understanding of their cultural significance.

Fundraising for Children’s Ground

During National Reconciliation Week, we displayed the fundraising for Children’s Ground at our sign-in station at Glen Fern St Kindergarten. We were pleased to see many families actively contributing to this important cause.

Warm regards, The Glen Fern St Kindergarten Education Team