Marjorie Mann Lawley Day Care Centre

At Marjorie Mann, reconciliation is not something reflected on for only one week of the year.

It is a commitment to listening deeply, walking respectfully, and continuing to learn alongside children, families, and community.

As we approach National Reconciliation Week, we are reminded that reconciliation begins in relationships.

In the everyday moments.
In the stories we share.
In the perspectives we value.
In the environments we create for children to grow with respect, curiosity, and connection to Country.

Children are born with a natural sense of wonder and belonging within the world around them. When we create spaces where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, voices, and ways of knowing are genuinely embedded — not added as an extra — we help nurture a generation who understands the importance of care, respect, and shared responsibility.

At Marjorie Mann, we continue reflecting on what it truly means to walk alongside one another with humility and intention.

Not rushing to have all the answers.
But remaining open to listening, learning, and doing better together.

Because reconciliation is not a destination.

It is something we must continually live through our actions, relationships, and everyday practice.

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At Marjorie Mann, our natural environment is more than a backdrop for play — it is a living relationship. A place children return to, listen to, wonder with, and make meaning alongside.

Recently, two children continually returned to the same place beneath a tree over the week. Lying quietly together, watching the movement of leaves and birds in the wind.

They always began in silence.Listening. Watching. Waiting.

And then, after some time… they would begin to sing.

For over a week I observed this rhythm repeat itself. Finally, I asked them what they thought the tree liked.

Together they replied, “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.”

When I asked how they knew, one child softly responded, “Because the leaves say so.”

She gathered dried leaves beside her and gently tossed them into the air. As they drifted back down she whispered,“See.”

The other child smiled quietly in agreement.

What struck me most was not the answer itself, but the depth of connection behind it.

Children do not simply observe the world.They enter into relationship with it.

Through silence. Through movement. Through rhythm. Through imagination. Through deep listening.

In a world that often asks children to move faster, answer quicker, and consume louder, they reminded us of something powerful:

Children already know how to listen to the world.

Perhaps our role as educators is not to interrupt these moments with instruction, but to protect them. To value them. To slow down enough to witness the extraordinary ways children make meaning through their hundred languages.

Sometimes the most profound learning does not happen at the table.

Sometimes it happens beneath a tree, with two children, a handful of leaves, and a conversation with the wind.

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Thursday night we had the privilege of opening our doors and hosting the Perth network -Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange community within our beautiful centre — an evening grounded in connection, collaboration and shared thinking.

There was something incredibly powerful about educators coming together to listen, reflect, question and learn alongside one another. Conversations flowed through the space as ideas, experiences and perspectives were exchanged with such generosity and openness.

A heartfelt thank you to Eloise, Susan and Noel for leading such a thoughtful and inspiring reflection on their experiences in Reggio Emilia. Their stories, insights and deep pedagogical thinking invited us all to pause and reflect on what it truly means to see children as capable, competent and full of potential.

A special thank you to Shelley for opening the doors of Marjorie Mann so generously, and to the educators whose ongoing commitment to reflection, research and collaboration brought the learning to life so beautifully. The relationships being nurtured alongside the children speak volumes about the culture of listening, curiosity and care that lives within the space.

What stood out most was the reminder that education is never a solitary journey. It is built through relationships, dialogue and the willingness to remain curious together.

When educators gather in spaces of trust and reflection, possibilities begin to emerge — not only for ourselves, but for the children and communities we walk alongside every day.

We hope everyone left feeling inspired, challenged and re-energised in their thinking.

Because when we create space for collaboration, we also create space for transformation. ✨

At Marjorie Mann Lawley Day Care Centre we believe collaboration is not an “extra” in education — it is part of the ethical responsibility we hold to children.

Last Wednesday, eight educators came together in a small reflective meeting to think deeply about children’s learning, discuss what is working, challenge what is not and consider how our environment, relationships and decisions continue to shape children’s experiences.

There was no hierarchy in the room.
Just educators listening, questioning, wondering and learning alongside one another.

Sometimes the most meaningful professional growth does not happen in large conferences or polished presentations.
It happens around a table where educators feel safe enough to speak honestly, share perspectives and reflect collectively.

Keeping these meetings small allows every voice to be heard.
It creates space for dialogue rather than compliance.
For reflection rather than routine.
For relationships rather than roles.

When educators feel valued, respected and trusted as thinkers, it changes the culture of a service.
And when the culture of a service grows, children feel it too.

Because children deserve educators who are continually reflecting, researching, collaborating and evolving in the best interest of their learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging.

The work of education was never meant to be done alone. 🌿

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Marjorie Mann is more than an early learning centre.

We are a community.

Families, grandparents, aunts, uncles and guardians are all part of the learning journey.

We believe children thrive when they feel surrounded by a network of relationships that support them.

That’s why we welcome families into our centre — not just as visitors, but as partners in learning.

Because early childhood education works best when it is built on connection, trust and shared purpose.

It truly takes a community to raise a child.

What does community look like in your learning environment?

There’s something incredibly powerful about opening your doors to conversation, reflection and shared learning.

Having Kate Mount visit Marjorie Mann Lawley Daycare Centre was a valuable opportunity for our team to pause, think deeply and engage in meaningful dialogue about children, learning and practice.

What stood out most wasn’t just the ideas shared — it was the way thoughtful conversations can reignite curiosity, challenge assumptions and strengthen collective thinking.

In early childhood education, growth often happens in these moments:
When educators feel safe to question.
When practice is made visible.
When collaboration replaces perfection.
When we remain open to learning alongside one another.

Over the past two years, we have also intentionally invested in sending educators to engage with the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange, and experiences like these continue to deepen our shared understanding of practice and pedagogy.

Thank you, Kate, for bringing your knowledge, insight and generosity to our space. Opportunities like this remind us that professional learning is most impactful when it is relational, reflective and grounded in real practice.

At its core, this is what we are building at Marjorie Mann — a culture where learning is continuous, thinking is shared, and children remain at the centre of every decision.

ReggioInspired

NETWORK MEETING | PERTH 💚

We look forward to bringing the Perth Reggio Network community together again for an evening of dialogue, research, reflection and connection.

In 2026, our network's research focus will centre on the Reggio principle of Participation, inviting us to consider participation as a lived, relational and democratic practice.

Our first meeting will be hosted by Marjorie Mann Lawley Day Care Centre. We are delighted that three members of the Marjorie Mann team, who have recently participated in a study tour to Reggio Emilia, will share a presentation drawing on their insights and reflections. This will be an invaluable opportunity to hear about their experiences, consider connections to our own local contexts, and engage in dialogue through a Q&A session.

The evening will also include a twilight tour of the inspiring environments at Marjorie Mann, offering further provocation for our thinking about participation, place, and relationships.

Registrations are limited, and essential via the link below. Street parking available, with additional bays at the Mount Lawley Bowling Club if required.

Our meeting will be held on the the traditional lands of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. Jinjeejerdup is the Noongar name for the Mt Lawley area, on which we will meet.

We would love to see you there!

Register here: https://events.reggioaustralia.org.au/PerthReggioNetworkMeeting

What if the most powerful learning environment isn’t bought… but found?

At Marjorie Mann, loose parts aren’t an “add-on”… they’re a philosophy.

Sticks. Stones. Bark. Fabric. Reclaimed materials.

To an adult, they might look ordinary.
To a child, they are endless possibility.

Every day, we watch children transform these materials into ideas:
– a bridge
– a home
– a story
– a solution

There’s no instruction manual.
No predetermined outcome.
No “one way” to get it right.

And that’s where the learning begins.

Loose parts and natural resources create space for children to:
✨ think critically
✨ take risks
✨ collaborate
✨ problem-solve in real time
✨ connect deeply with the natural world

This isn’t just play.
This is children developing agency, identity, and a sense of belonging.

In a world that often rushes childhood, we choose to slow down.
To trust the child.
To see the potential in the simple.

Because sometimes… the most powerful learning doesn’t come from what we provide,
but from what we allow.

ECECLeadership PlayBasedLearning OutdoorLearning ReggioInspired

Happy Birthday Alicia
Today we celebrate one of our quiet achievers 💛
Alicia, the warmth you bring to our Babies Room never goes unnoticed. Your calm, caring and understanding nature creates such a beautiful sense of security for our little ones, and the genuine relationships you build with both children and families are something really special.
We are so lucky to have you as part of our MMDC family.
Wishing you a day filled with happiness and a year ahead full of everything you deserve 🎂✨