BEACH FRIENDS – MARRANG GAMARADA NATURE PLAY PEDAGOGY AT KU WOMBARRA PRESCHOOL
BEACH FRIENDS – MARRANG GAMARADA NATURE PLAY PEDAGOGY AT KU WOMBARRA PRESCHOOL
“ We can sense real joy and liveliness in our pedagogy , both at the beach and back at preschool . The curriculum is alive and interesting for all , a culture of enquiry and an intimate knowledge of our place has been fostered and we are all so much richer for this experience . We know that we are a valued part of our community and are part of the unfolding history of our place . We are grateful for the opportunity to share the work we love with others , that they may deepen their own ecological understandings and bring their children on a similar journey within their own communities .”
Fiona Harris – KU Wombarra Director
KU Wombarra Preschool , located in the Illawarra region of NSW on the shoreline of Wombarra Beach , has created space for thinking , research and discussion and has recognised the benefit of nature play pedagogy on the development of children ’ s ecological identities . This focus prompted the implementation of a beach play program , known as Beach Friends – Marrang Gamarada . ‘ Marrang Gamarada ’ means beach friends in the language of the Dharawal people with permission given by a local elder and language holder . At Beach Friends – Marrang Gamarada , children are supported to observe , explore , question and examine rock platforms , beach and tide lines , marine life and materials , as well as the bush and cliff top headland nearby . Through an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning , the children are encouraged to ask complex questions about complex issues including endangered animals , pollution and human impact on the earth which has helped to shape a growing disposition towards activism and afforded opportunities for educators to connect theory to practice .
The Beach Friends – Marrang Gamarada program has been significantly influenced by post structural theorist Ann Pelo : “ To nurture ecological identity in young children , we invite them into relationship with the world beyond walls and with the creatures that live there . We invite them into ethical thinking anchored by the compassion that comes from caring and engaged relationships . We invite them to come home to the earth and to live honourably in that home .” ( Pelo , 2013 )
www . ku . com . au MAY 2017 Page 3