Connecting With Country Challenge 2019

Connecting With Country Challenge 2019

Posted on By Jessica Staines

Koori Curriculum Educator Community Facebook Group

#connectingwithcountry

Each day for thirty days take a photo and post it in this group of how you are connecting with country and nominate a friend to take part as well. Don’t forget to tag #connectingwithcountry

At the beginning of January each year it has become tradition that the Koori Curriculum holds a connecting with country challenge.

For me personally the end of every year is excruciatingly busy and January is the one time that I am guaranteed to get a decent break from work. I usually use this time to reflect on the year that has been, centre myself and prepare for the year ahead.

Pictures from my challenge

What I learnt about myself....

I learnt how quickly life can get busy and for me when things are busy anything that is seen as unnecessary even if it is for self preservation and my wellbeing immediately falls to the way side. Things that I tend to let slip when life gets hectik include reading, the gym and connecting with country.

 

 

Over the thirty day challenge there were definitely days that I had to work hard to connect with country. It made me realise how easily days and weeks could fly by before I had time to stop, connect and be present with country. I learnt early on in the challenge that I had to carve out time every day for myself if I was going to make this work.

After 30 days of connecting with country I felt grounded with a sense of calm. Even though the thirty days has ended I am still trying to connect with country on a daily basis.

Throughout this challenge I have also been reflecting on what connecting with country looks like in early learning services.

Where I live in Sydney's inner west early learning services are encapsulated by units, houses and buildings in often built up claustrophobic neighbourhoods. We live on the outskirts of a city and it isn't unusual for early learning services to have small outdoor play spaces or have indoor simulated outdoor play spaces.

The context of early learning services married with busy family lives consequently could minimise the amount of time that children get to connect and be with country. I think it is essential that educators facilitate children's connection with country and make this an indelible part of their program.

How do you ensure children get to connect with country in your early learning services? Write a blog for the Koori Curriculum and tell us how.