Goodstart Early Learning Strathfieldsaye

DJAARA
Today we were privileged to welcome Uncle Jason to our service to hold a Welcome Smoking Ceremony on Djaara Country.
Uncle Jason shared the importance of coming together, respecting one another, working together, and caring for Country. He spoke about the importance of walking together, with no one in front and no one behind, reminding us that connection, respect, and unity are what will carry us forward into the future.

Through sharing culture and stories, Uncle Jason highlighted the importance of teaching and passing cultural knowledge on to the next generation, as this is where our future lies. He encouraged us to build strong connections with community and to recognise that we all have a role to play in caring for Country and each other.

One message that deeply resonated was that what we do upstream impacts downstream. Our actions, decisions, and relationships today create lasting impacts for future generations. By working together, respecting one another, and caring for Country, we contribute to a stronger and more connected future for us all.

We are incredibly grateful to Uncle Jason for sharing his wisdom, culture, and knowledge with our children, families, and educators. Experiences such as these help strengthen our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and deepen our connection to the land, community, and each other.

Today our Educational Leader Jaime attended the Victorian Institute of Teaching, Mentor of Pre-Service Teachers Seminar, an opportunity to deepen understanding around mentoring and supporting future educators as they begin their teaching journey.

Quality mentoring plays such an important role in shaping confident, capable and reflective teachers. Through guidance, encouragement and genuine connection, mentors help bridge the gap between theory and practice, creating safe spaces for pre-service teachers to learn, ask questions and grow.

At our service, we value the opportunity to support emerging educators and recognise the impact that strong mentorship has not only on teachers, but ultimately on outcomes for children and families ❤️

When we are intentional about our teaching and learning, even the simplest experiences become opportunities for curiosity, collaboration and discovery.

Our toddlers have been exploring volume, movement, cause and effect, and problem-solving through sensory water play using foam, tubing, funnels and loose parts. As children poured, transferred, scooped and experimented, they worked together to test ideas, predict outcomes and adapt their thinking alongside their peers.

These moments may look playful, but underneath the foam were rich learning opportunities supporting communication, critical thinking, fine motor development and social connections.

Intentional teaching is not about interrupting play, it is about thoughtfully creating environments and experiences that invite children to wonder, investigate and lead their own learning.

We are beyond excited to celebrate an incredible milestone for someone very special to our Goodstart Strathfieldsaye family, Tara, who has dedicated 20 amazing years to Goodstart! 💛🎉

Over the past two decades, Tara has played such an important role in the lives of countless children, families and educators. Beginning her journey as an educator, Tara built strong and meaningful relationships with children and families through her warmth, kindness, patience and genuine passion for early learning. Her caring nature and dedication have left a lasting impact on so many little hearts over the years.

Now, in her role as our incredible cook, Tara continues to make a difference every single day bringing comfort, care and joy into our centre in so many ways 🍎🥗👩‍🍳

Tara’s commitment, loyalty and passion for what she does is truly something to admire. Twenty years of supporting children, nurturing families and contributing to our centre community is such a remarkable achievement, and we are so incredibly grateful to have her as part of our team.

Please join us in congratulating Tara on 20 wonderful years with Goodstart Strathfieldsaye! 💐✨

💞Thinking of you💞
💞Mothers who have children
💞Those who have lost children
💞Those with strained mother relationships
💞Those with strained child relationships
💞Those who have chosen not to be mothers
💞Those yearning to be mothers
💕Those who have lost mothers
💞Those who never had mothers
💕Those who play a mothers role

This month has been filled with anticipation, gentle hands and lots of “I wonder” as we cared for our eggs and watched the process unfold. From numbering each egg and checking in with our torch, to predicting what might be happening inside, the children have been deeply engaged in every step.

The conversations have been rich — “Is it ready yet?”, “How does it get out?”, “Do they need their mum?”, each question opening the door to thinking, problem solving and shared discovery.

And then came the moment we’d all been waiting for tiny cracks, soft peeps, and our chicks making their way into the world

There’s been such a sense of calm excitement as children observe, connect and respond with care learning how to be gentle, noticing the chicks’ needs, and developing an understanding of responsibility and respect for living things.

Experiences like this remind us that some of the most powerful learning happens in the in-between, in the waiting, the wondering, and the quiet moments of connection.

A huge thank you to one of our wonderful families for making this experience possible. We are so grateful to Steph, Josh and Vincent for generously donating the incubator and eggs to our service, what a gift for our children to learn from in such a meaningful way!

Did you know that a key part of our Protective Strategies approach is helping children understand safe and unsafe, not just as words, but as feelings in their bodies and emotions they experience?

Through everyday routines and rituals, these conversations come to life. Children begin to recognise what safety feels like - calm, happy, comfortable and what might feel unsafe - worried, unsure, or uncomfortable.
They learn to notice these body signals and emotions, and use their voice with confidence.

M took on the role of safety inspector, exploring our outdoor environment and identifying what was safe and what was unsafe. From water play to climbing equipment, she shared thoughtful ideas about how we keep ourselves and each other safe, showing a growing awareness of both physical safety and emotional wellbeing.

When children are empowered with this knowledge, and it’s supported by educators, families, and the wider community, it becomes more than a lesson, it becomes a lifelong skill. 💛