Glen Education Carnegie
Embedding a Culturally Responsive Approach
By Kerry, Kavita and Sandy, Early Childhood Teachers
At Glen Education Carnegie, we have an inclusive approach in our philosophy that’s embedded in our program curriculum and practices. Through embedding a culturally responsive approach within our curriculum, we honour a greater sense of diversity by valuing different cultures, attitudes, and relationships with our team members, children, and their families.
Opportunities for Learning and Connection
There is always an opportunity for teaching children to develop their sense of self-awareness and learn about differences and similarities. For example, children learn about our connections to Country and Australia’s heritage and First Nations Peoples by sharing an Acknowledgement to Country.
We also read stories written by Indigenous authors and engage children in experiences rich in culture. As a service, we invite families and our communities to join us in local council yarning circles in recognition of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This is naturally embedded in our program curriculum.
Family Collaboration and Cultural Celebrations
We equally collaborate with families to learn the richness of culturally and linguistically diverse aspects of their cultural values and traditions.
During our orientation period, families are provided with a ‘Getting to Know You’ form, which gives us insights into their child’s interests, expectations, family values, and cultural celebrations. This supports us to assess, plan, and include various cultural celebrations in our program, such as Holi, Diwali, Chinese celebrations, and more.
During Harmony Week, we bring people together through shared experiences, where children are invited to share home traditions, languages spoken at home, and explore differences and similarities among each other at kindergarten.
Encouraging Cultural Competence in Children
By adopting a culturally responsive approach in our teachings, we encourage cultural competence in children. This is crucial to ensuring they have a strong sense of cultural identity and belonging.
A recent example of this occurred when an educator noticed Chesvika and Eira having a deep conversation about their family and home. Chesvika got some fabric and draped it around Eira saying, “My mummy wears her saree like this.” Eira was very happy and waited patiently for Chesvika to fix the pleats and tuck her up.
We extended this conversation by discussing different topics like food, celebrations, and the different countries people come from. Helping children understand difference encourages them to feel good about who they are, where they fit in the world, and appreciate diversity in others.
It helps to build strong, inclusive communities where everyone enjoys a sense of being valued and belonging. Our goal is to teach all children to be inclusive and to foster cultural awareness, build social skills, and promote positive relationships among children.
Creating a Welcoming Environment
As a team, we look at everyday practicalities that create a welcoming and culturally supportive environment throughout our program curriculum. This includes:
- Displaying family photographs in our room
- Incorporating books that illustrate cultural aspects or topics of interest
- Providing a wide range of resources and constructional toys that allow each child to share their interests or provoke conversations about their families or cultural traditions