Parents and guardians play a huge role in childhood education. Even if you take full advantage of a great early childhood education centre, the most precious member (or members) of your family still spends more time with you than anyone else.
The more you understand the impact you have during these crucial formative years, the more you can create the positive environment and surroundings that provide the building blocks of future success.
Early childhood education begins both at home and in an early learning environment
The more you’re involved in your child’s early education, the better. Nothing is more rewarding than sitting down and reading a book with your little one – and such activities are the cornerstones on which their future academic success relies.
Academic qualities aren’t the only area where parents and caregivers have an impact. Creating a positive home environment where the child is encouraged to explore their natural curiosity and learn plays a massive role in developing life skills as well.
The following looks at ways that you, as a parent, caregiver or guardian can work in tandem with your child’s early learning centre.
- Understanding what happens at the early learning centre: Spend some time observing what goes on at the school. If you can, watch a lesson or two so you can see the kind of activities that your child gets involved in. Read the curriculum, understand concepts – such as the Reggio Emilia approach – and try to incorporate such values into daily home life.
- Communicate with your child’s early childhood educator: There’s no better way to understand how your little one is progressing than through regular communication. Email, face-to-face, open days, class presentations, plays… Every childcare centre is unique and will offer plenty of ways for you to be involved.
- Reinforce what they learn in the classroom: What did your child learn today? Was it a new nursery rhyme, colouring or model building? Ask them about their day and spend some time replicating this at home. Not only does it further improve what they’ve learned, but it makes learning fun and strengthens the parent-child bond.
- Plan educational days out: These don’t need to be boring – far from it. A visit to the zoo, a playground, wildlife walk… The choices are endless and you can use them to build on what they’ve recently learned at Kindy or early childhood learning. For example, if they’ve listened to a story about fish, then head somewhere that they can view some aquatic life. This is an excellent way of helping translate what they’ve learned in the classroom into the real-world environment.
The more activities and the home environment encourage positive and fun learning, the better you’ll be supporting the more formal education they receive at your chosen centre. Many early childhood learning facilities have children completing a daily log or journal to share with their parents.
And if they don’t? Well, why not suggest it? Every good early education school welcomes feedback from parents. You could even offer to get more hands-on by reading a story to the children or, if you have the capacity, volunteer to help out on a regular basis.
The more involvement you have in your child’s early education, the more your child will benefit. Bedtime stories, those fun/educational days out, asking your child about their day and encouraging them to share what they’ve learned… Plus that all-important communication with early childhood educators to understand what your child is good at and where they need more support… These are all simple yet powerful ways that you can ensure you have the best positive impact.
We all want what’s best for our children – and these little steps don’t only benefit our little ones, it’s also incredibly rewarding for you as well.
At Evoke Early Learning we actively encourage parental engagement. From our carefully created curriculum that we’re delighted to share with you, through our use of the Reggio Emilia approach and curated nursery, toddler and kindergarten-specific education programme, we consider our centre as the perfect home-from-home extension that continues the great work that parents and guardians are doing.
Read more about our childcare philosophy and call your local centre today.
Tracey is a highly qualified educator and administrator and brings a strong combination of academic achievement, extensive work experience in the education and business sectors as well as drive and passion to her role as General Manager of Operations at Evoke Early Learning.
Tracey has a Master of Education and an Advanced Diploma of Business and holds VIT Dual Registration to teach in Early Childhood and Primary School settings. She’s also a VIT Trained Mentor Teacher and has worked in ECEC settings as a Director, Educational Leader and as a Victorian Senior Area manager. Her recognition as a state finalist in the recent Director of the Year Awards is testament to her achievements in the early education sector.
Her extensive work experience also included a stint as Head of Curriculum at the Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute and positions as head of ICT at a number of large primary and secondary schools. Tracey is also experienced in not-for-profit sessional kindergarten settings and long daycare environments, so she has a deep understanding of what’s required to support the needs and expectations of young children, educators, parents and caregivers.
Tracey is responsible for operational management at Evoke Early Learning’s Clayton centre in Oakleigh East and their Albert Park centre in South Melbourne and is deeply committed to leading and driving effective and sustainable service delivery throughout the company.
Tracey is passionate about making a meaningful difference to young children, their parents and the wider community and under her expert guidance, Evoke Early Learning is continuing to raise the bar in quality early education and childcare.
