S5 EP09: How One Kindergarten Transformed Their Approach to Aboriginal Education
Educator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
Release Date: 06/01/2025
Educator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Lisa Mavin, the nominated supervisor of Tilly's Play Development Centre in Rutherford, who shares her remarkable 18-year journey in early childhood education and her transformative approach to embedding Aboriginal perspectives in mainstream services. As a non-Aboriginal educator married into an Aboriginal family, Lisa offers a unique perspective on creating culturally safe environments and building genuine relationships with First Nations communities. In this episode, Lisa reveals how she completely restructured her centre's approach to Aboriginal...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this honest and practical episode of Educator Yarns, Jessica Staines and Bec Burch tackle the concerns many early childhood educators face when taking children out of the gate and onto Country. Rather than sugar-coating the challenges, they share real experiences from the field - from unexpected encounters with dogs and community members to navigating snake safety and supporting children with additional needs. Drawing from years of experience in bush kindy programs across Australia, they demonstrate how careful planning, community partnerships, and cultural awareness can transform perceived...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this deeply insightful episode of Educator Yarns, we journey with Kat Fulford, a passionate early childhood educator from Ararat, Victoria, who shares her transformative approach to embedding Aboriginal perspectives in kindergarten education. From her unique background transitioning from agricultural industry to early childhood education, Kat brings a profound connection to Country that permeates every aspect of her teaching practice. She candidly discusses the challenges of finding Aboriginal education resources in regional Victoria, the powerful moments that shaped her commitment to this...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
Educator Yarns Season 5 Episode 10: From Intention to Connection: A Guide to Engaging with Local Aboriginal Communities In this episode of Educator Yarns, hosts Jessica Staines and Bec Burch tackle one of the most frequently asked questions in early childhood education: how to appropriately and respectfully connect with local Aboriginal communities. Prompted by a heartfelt voicemail from Kate at Little Saints at Tallebudgera, who runs a Bush Kindy program seeking guidance on community engagement, the hosts dive deep into the nuanced process of building authentic relationships with Aboriginal...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this episode of Educator Yarns, we chat with Taylar Malouf, an inspiring early childhood educator from Hopscotch Kindergarten. Over the past two years, Taylar has embarked on a transformative journey to embed First Nations perspectives into her teaching practices, creating meaningful learning experiences for children under her care. From her initial "Caring for Country" project that began with children's concern about rubbish in their local park, to developing a Bush Tucker Garden and exploring Indigenous seasons, Taylar shares how these initiatives have become central to her pedagogy. Her...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this episode of Educator Yarns, we speak with Stephanie Watson, an inspiring early childhood educator and nominee for the Koori Curriculum Early Childhood Educator of the Year awards. Based at Happy Hearts Academy Early Learning Centre in Helensburgh, Stephanie has transformed her service's approach to embedding Aboriginal perspectives through developing a meaningful Reconciliation Action Plan from scratch. With over ten years of experience in early childhood education, Stephanie shares her journey from wanting to work with the Starlight Foundation to becoming an educational leader...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this episode of Educator Yarns, host Jessica Staines, Director of Koori Curriculum, is joined by Bec Burch, founder of Bush Kindy’s Australia, to explore the transformative power of "On Country" program for early childhood education. This thoughtful dialogue delves into how venturing beyond the confines of traditional learning environments enriches children's development through meaningful connection to place. The conversation weaves together Aboriginal perspectives, particularly the concept of "land links" where learning connects back to country, with the principles of nature pedagogy....
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this episode of Educator Yarns, Jess Staines speaks with Linda Wilson, a dedicated early childhood teacher at Sentia Early Learning in Melbourne CBD. Originally from Sweden, Linda shares how her childhood experiences exploring Swedish forests shaped her deep appreciation for nature as a teacher and guide. Now living and working on Wurundjeri Country, Linda beautifully intertwines her background in Nordic Forest pedagogy with Aboriginal perspectives in her teaching practice. Despite being based in Melbourne's urban centre, Linda has led her kindergarten children on more than 30 excursions to...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this illuminating episode of Educator Yarns, we welcome back Bec from Bush Kindy’s Australia for an in-depth conversation about Bush Tucker Gardens in early learning environments. Together, Jessica & Bec explore the profound educational value these spaces offer and address a common challenge observed across many services: the tendency for Bush Tucker plants to be underutilised, neglected, or misunderstood. Bec shares her wealth of knowledge about why these gardens matter, how they connect children to Country, and practical approaches to establishing and maintaining meaningful native...
info_outlineEducator Yarns with Jessica Staines & Bec Burch
In this illuminating episode of Educator Yarns, we welcome back Bec from Bush Kindy’s Australia for an in-depth conversation about Bush Tucker Gardens in early learning environments. Together, Jessica & Bec explore the profound educational value these spaces offer and address a common challenge observed across many services: the tendency for Bush Tucker plants to be underutilised, neglected, or misunderstood. Bec shares her wealth of knowledge about why these gardens matter, how they connect children to Country, and practical approaches to establishing and maintaining meaningful native...
info_outlineIn this episode of Educator Yarns, we chat with Taylar Malouf, an inspiring early childhood educator from Hopscotch Kindergarten.
Over the past two years, Taylar has embarked on a transformative journey to embed First Nations perspectives into her teaching practices, creating meaningful learning experiences for children under her care.
From her initial "Caring for Country" project that began with children's concern about rubbish in their local park, to developing a Bush Tucker Garden and exploring Indigenous seasons, Taylar shares how these initiatives have become central to her pedagogy.
Her authentic approach demonstrates how early childhood settings can move beyond tokenistic representations to create genuine connections with Aboriginal perspectives that resonate with children, families and the broader community.
Taylar's story highlights the power of sustained commitment, relationship-building, and using frameworks like the Aboriginal Eight Ways of Learning to create rich, culturally responsive learning environments.
Key Takeaways:
· Taylar's journey began with a professional development workshop that opened her eyes to Aboriginal perspectives in education, highlighting the gaps in her own schooling and inspiring her to create different learning experiences for children.
· The "Caring for Country" project evolved organically from children noticing rubbish in their local park, leading to community advocacy, poster creation, collaboration with the local primary school, and publishing a book that was displayed at their local library.
· Children's learning was deepened through multiple modes of expression—creating posters, composing songs, writing books—demonstrating how passionate they became about environmental stewardship through an Aboriginal lens.
· Taylar utilises the Aboriginal Eight Ways pedagogy as a framework for her teaching, incorporating diverse learning approaches like storytelling, symbols, and community connections to reach all children.
· Building and maintaining genuine relationships with Aboriginal organisations like Koori Curriculum has been essential to Taylar's success, showing the importance of sustained connections rather than one-off consultations.
· The initiative extended beyond the service walls, with children becoming advocates who taught their families about caring for Country, showing how embedded Aboriginal perspectives can influence the broader community.
· Taylar acknowledges the challenge of avoiding tokenistic approaches, emphasising the importance of education, respectful integration, and ensuring Aboriginal perspectives become core values rather than "tick-box" exercises.
· Projects evolved naturally over time, with initial caring for Country work expanding into exploring Indigenous seasons and creating a Bush Tucker Garden, demonstrating how one concept can lead to rich, interconnected learning.
· Taylar's approach shows how acknowledgment of Country becomes meaningful when translated into action—teaching children to be custodians and caretakers of the land they play on every day.
· Embedding Aboriginal perspectives has transformed Taylar's teaching practice over five years, showing how educators can grow in confidence and knowledge through consistent engagement with First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing.
Taylar's journey demonstrates that embedding Aboriginal perspectives is not a destination but an ongoing process of learning, connection and growth. Her experiences highlight the importance of starting from authentic interests, building meaningful relationships with First Nations organisations, and using culturally responsive pedagogical frameworks.
For early childhood educators across Australia, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration for moving beyond tokenistic approaches to create learning environments where Aboriginal perspectives are truly valued and integrated.
Listen to the full episode to discover how you can begin or deepen your own journey of embedding Aboriginal perspectives in your early childhood setting and see the profound impact it can have on children's learning and connection to Country.
Access the episode resources here.