“It’s about giving our people the opportunity to connect and plan a holistic approach and shared vision for the type of early education we will deliver to the children enrolling in early education as babies, toddlers and preschoolers over the next five years,” Jola Sung, National Education Manager
More than 100 Communities of Practice events are currently underway, providing Affinity’s educators, teachers and Senior Educational Leaders paid professional development sessions to network and connect.
With a shared common provocation of How Data Informs Programming and Practice, Affinity’s Senior Educational Leaders – an above award wage role held by respected and experienced Diploma or Bachelor Qualified employees across the country – have already facilitated sessions with attendances ranging between 10 – 40 employees in Canberra, Western Australia.
“Our 2024 National Communities of Practice series offers four dedicated paid professional development sessions, focused on our three key age groups and a final session focused on the role of Educational Leaders in driving quality early education,” explained Jola.
The CoP groups are exploring our AEDC and data on First Nations and vulnerable children can inform programming and practice, taking insights back to their home Affinity centres and sharing more broadly in online community forums.
“We find that face to face is the preferred CoP format, but we are facilitating zoom sessions where our centres are more regionally located around Australia so everyone has the chance to participate.
Affinity’s Lifelong Learning Curriculum is a key element of the 2024 CoPs, with a spotlight on the Early Years Toolbox program Affinity is running in collaboration with the University of Wollongong as part of its School Readiness program.
“These opportunities to connect and reflect are so important and empowering for our people,” Jola said.