The first five years of a child’s life are crucial to their development. During this period, children learn at a faster rate than at any other time in their lives, developing basic cognitive and socio-emotional skills that are fundamental for their future achievements in school and later on as an adult. These skills are also the foundation for their general wellbeing – how they cope with future successes and setbacks, professionally and in their personal lives. In order to foster this development, children require ongoing interactions, to learn through play and develop their social and emotional skills through care and attention from their parents and educators.
This week, TIGS Prep embraced the ‘Early Learning Matters Week’ national celebration. This is a week to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of early childhood education. Early Learning Matters was started by Service providers, peak bodies, research and advocacy groups to better inform political decision-makers of the importance of quality early education and this year they are expanding that message to include families and communities.
Early childhood education ensures that all children have access to stimulating and educational experiences, supported by educators who are trained to deliver them and impart important educational imprints on a child’s learning and development. These experience can have a notable positive impact on a child acquiring the skills needed to flourish and enter their formal years of schooling with confidence and readiness.
Minister for Education, Mr Dan Tehan has paid tribute to Australia’s early childhood educators during Early Learning Matters Week.
“COVID-19 has made us appreciate more than ever the important contribution that our early childhood educators and providers make to the lives of our children and Australian families,” Mr Tehan said.
The TIGS Prep educators would like to refocus some attention on the critical role of early learning in our country and the strong foundations that schools such as ours play in helping children to develop their unique strengths and abilities.
Early education and care support children to be confident, enthusiastic learners, building a foundation for wellbeing and achievement throughout their lives.
The more these skills can be developed while the children are young, and throughout their formal schooling, the more they can be woven into the very fabric of who each child is.
For further information related to this topic, please see the below links to the accompanying article and podcast.