What is early learning? Parents are childrens first and most - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Best Practices in Early Learning with special reference to Indigenous children Paul Hanley Consulting March 2019

What is early learning? Parents are children’s first and most important teachers, but young children benefit from additional learning opportunities to develop skills, sense of self, and a foundation for learning throughout life. The terms early learning or early education describe programs that provide education for children outside their own home before kindergarten. “The early years of human development establish the basic architecture and function of the brain. Each subsequent stage of human development depends on the preceding stage and builds the foundation for the years to come.” - Dr. Fraser Mustard

Why Early Learning? Preschools can help ensure that all children get a strong start in life, especially those from low-income or disadvantaged households. Three strands of research support the importance of early learning: Ø From neuro-scientific research, we understand the criticality of early brain development; Ø From social science research, we know that high quality programs improve children’s readiness for school and life; Ø From econometric research, we know that high quality programs save society significant amounts of money over time.

Why Early Learning? Broader reasons to invest in preschool: Ø Help overcome child poverty/educational disadvantage . Ø Help facilitate greater female participation in the workforce . Ø Help overcome generational cycles of low achievement . Ø Increased government investment can result in annual returns ranging from 8%-17%, which largely accrue to wider society from: • reduced need for later remedial education and spending • lower crime and less welfare reliance in later life • increased productivity and Increased tax revenues

Comparing early learning around the world

What works? Leading countries have the following elements in place for preschool systems: Ø A comprehensive early childhood development and promotion strategy , backed up with a legal right to such education . Ø Universal enrolment in at least a year of preschool at ages five or six, with nearly universal enrolment between three and five. Ø A well-defined preschool curriculum Ø Clear health and safety standards. Ø P arental involvement and outreach . A broad socioeconomic environment that ensures that children are healthy and well-nourished when they enter preschool.

What works? Other factors that contribute to a high quality system: Ø Preschools are distinguished from simple childcare . Ø Ensuring a high standard of teacher training and education. Ø Higher pay scale for teachers and other staff. Ø Reducing student-teacher ratios in classes. Ø Creating clear links between pre- and primary school . Ø Cherish and promote unique cultures . Ø Putting robust data collection mechanisms in place. Ø Good infrastructure .

Case study: Lessons from Finland What makes them the best in the world

Child-teacher ratio: average of 11 pupils per teacher

Métis Nation Early Learning and Child Care Framework • The Métis Nation ELCC Framework will create new culturally relevant and supportive ELCC spaces for Métis Nation children and their families supported by predictable, flexible, long-term and sustainable funding approaches. • This will be achieved by establishing and staffing Métis Nation ELCC facilities with specific mandates to deliver Métis culture-based ELCC programming for Métis Nation children and families. • Up to $450 million will support a Métis Nation ELCC Framework and will be managed in partnership with the Métis Nation.

Where do Métis children learn? Ø Many Métis children are involved in learning experiences outside of the home. Ø About 14% of young Métis children attend child and parent programs Ø Eight out of ten 4- and 5- year-old Métis are in school. Ø About half of 2- to 5- year old Métis children attend child care. Ø For children attending child care, the most common type of child care arrangement is a daycare centre.

Traditional Learning One out of three Métis children participate in traditional or seasonal activities; two out of three go hunting, fishing, camping

Factors affecting participation in early learning activities Ø Parents' education Métis children of high school graduates are more likely than children of non-graduates to participate in language and play activities on a daily basis. Ø Income Young Métis children living in low income families are less likely to engage in language and play activities or to go hunting, fishing or camping. They are, however, more likely to engage in traditional activities like singing, dancing and drumming than Métis children from higher income families. Ø Lone parent No differences in participation in language and play activities for Métis children living with a lone parent compared to children living with two parents. Ø Métis children living with a lone parent are more likely to have participated in traditional activities like singing or dancing, but less likely to have gone hunting, fishing, or camping compared to children living with two parents.

Métis Early learning statistics Métis children under six years old were more likely to have four or more people involved in raising them if they had parents who were high school graduates or lived in higher income families

Lower levels of educational attainment for Metis

Case Study: New Zealand’s Curriculum

Case Study: New Zealand’s Curriculum Ø Transforming early childhood services began 30+ years ago. Ø Childcare and preschool education integrated under one Ministry. Ø All ECE services receive funding subsidy up to 30 hours a week per child from birth to age five. All 3-4 year-old children 20 hours free. Ø Training early childhood professionals in universities. Centres receive additional funding related to number of qualified teachers. Ø Developed a national curriculum for early childhood education. The Te Whãriki curriculum—Maori for “A woven mat for all to stand on”—allows may ‘patterns’ for enacting the fundamental principle of “empowering children to learn and grow”. Ø Strong emphasis on relationships and the family/community context . Ø An inclusive curriculum that honours the cultures of Indigenous people as well as the many migrant settlers.

Pioneering early language and cultural training The Māori of New Zealand started Kōhanga Reo, “language nest” centers, where elders interact all day with babies and preschoolers using Māori language.

In 2018 there were 450 Kōhanga Reo in Aotearoa (New Zealand), attended by approximately 17% of Māori children enrolled in early childhood education services. Te Kohanga Reo was the largest employer of Māori women in the early learning sector, employing approximately 2250 women and training 750 women each year. These women were enrolled in one of the four training programmes approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The learning journey for many began with completing an NZQA Level 2 Te Kōhanga Reo course, and rose to the movement’s Level 7, three-year kaiako programme. Some of these kaiako later undertook university or wānanga Masters’ degrees and doctorates.

Now New Zealand’s government, which says it wants more than 20 percent of the country’s population to speak basic Maori by 2040, has pledged to provide Maori lessons in all New Zealand schools by 2025, despite a dearth of teachers who can speak the language.

Hawaiian preschools reviving Indigenous language and culture

• 1896 Hawaiian language banned • 1984 less than 50 children speak Hawaiian • ‘Aha Pūnana Leo preschools started in 1985. • Inspired by the Māori Kōhanga Reo movement. • Total immersion with Hawaiian elders. • Today, a complete preschool through doctoral-level system of education in the state of Hawai‘i is taught entirely through Hawaiian.

Hawaiian language and culture preschools

Case study: Australia’s preschool turnaround Ø Despite being a wealthy country, Australia is ranked 28 th in EL index. Major reforms underway, all governments committed to a system of universal access to preschool education Ø Established single set of regulations/new National Quality Standard. Ø All four-year-old children have access to 15 hours/week of preschool, for 40 weeks/year before they attend school. Ø Goal is for each preschool program to be delivered by a teacher with four years university training, phased in. Ø Some services will be delivered in integrated child and family program providing access to multiple services, so more accessible to disadvantaged families. Ø Commitment to increasing access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; target of ensuring all four-year-old Indigenous children in remote communities have access to preschools.

Children’s ground Aboriginal founded and led development approach

“Identity is the most important thing for our kids. It is connected to everything: the language, the land the trees, the birds, the fruit and all the bush tucker.”