Passionate professionals from Gowrie Victoria and Lady Gowrie Queensland came together for a two-day study tour to share and learn from each other.
In August and September, we had the pleasure of hosting two groups of delegates from 16 different services across Lady Gowrie Queensland and their affiliates, including educators, teachers, educational leaders, and service managers. Over these two days, participants had the opportunity to reflect on their own practice and new ways of doing things.
The delegates toured three Gowrie Victoria services in Melbourne, participating in presentations, professional learning sessions, and lively panel discussions. The program focused specifically on three areas:
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Incorporating First Nations Perspectives
- Building Capacity through Coaching.
These activities encouraged deep reflection on their own practice and the new ideas that emerged during the program. Taking time away from their own services provided a fresh perspective, allowing participants to step back and consider their approaches through a different lens.
Why it’s important to take a step back and reflect
Stepping out of our usual routines is essential for personal and professional growth. When educators take time away from their everyday responsibilities, it creates space for deeper reflection and learning. As Gowrie Coach Leanne says, “Our Early Years Framework asks of us in the practice principles that we reflect regularly on the work that we do.” This study tour allowed participants to immerse themselves in different environments and practices, providing a fresh perspective on their own work.
By spending two full days in different settings, the participants could observe how other teams approach similar challenges, which encouraged them to think critically about their own practice. For example, observing how others engage in this work enables participants to reflect on their own practices and think about how new ideas may be implemented in their context.
Looking at early childhood education through a different lens helps educators challenge some assumptions that we might take for granted in our day-to-day practice. It prompts us to ask questions. These new insights can lead to innovation or new practice back at their own services as educators who feel inspired are likely to keep on reflecting and be open to share their thoughts with their wider team.
What was the experience like for participants?
Renae
Renae described the tour as ‘nurturing curiosity’ by emphasising the importance of reflecting on how we present opportunities and experiences. From her observations during the tour, she found that exploring different approaches to a child’s educational outcomes can be beneficial for them.
Janine
Janine found the tour to be insightful into how other services also support children with complex needs and diverse backgrounds by taking different approaches, and reflected on what she could adopt in her service. “We have started with small changes like the softer lighting and gentle calm background music,” says Janine.
While the six Gowrie state-based organisations have been built from the very same foundations by Lady Gowrie 85 years ago, there are many things that the Gowrie organisations in Australia can still learn from each other today. We share the same goals and have a lot in common but are also actively asking ourselves how else can we share our rich experiences across states and how working together under the Gowrie Australia banner can amplify our impact.
