Educator Yarns Season 6 Episode 3: Babysitting Play School Royalty and

Pull up a chair, because this one's a proper yarn about the Early Childhood Australia conference at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, where roughly 2,800 educators took over the venue.

It was the first time Koori Curriculum ran a booth together. Kelly clocked somewhere between 13,000 and 14,000 steps on day one. Setting up the booth took about seven hours, and they packed it down in 20 minutes flat so they could get a front-row seat for Thomas Mayo's keynote. Shan came out of what he lovingly calls the "deep, dark curriculum dungeon" to meet the people he usually only sees as names on a screen.

Jess ran into a mum whose child she taught 18 years ago, which is the kind of thing that happens when you've been in this sector long enough to get a little bit famous and a little bit embarrassed about it. The booth was set up like a living room instead of a shop, full of programming examples, Shirley Pearl letters and well-loved scrapbooks from the travelling mascots.

The team also had a visit from Play School's Kiya and Gemima, and Shan still isn't over it. Underneath all the laughter is a serious conversation about embedding Aboriginal perspectives in a way that fits your community, your children and the moment you're in. Copying someone else's beautiful wall display won't get you there.

Here's a taste of what the episode covers:

Five years in the making. Jess talks about Intercultural Ways, the module Koori Curriculum created with Early Childhood Australia, starting around 2019. The team travelled to every state and territory to yarn with educators doing exemplary work. The self-paced course takes about 2.5 hours, but Jess's advice is to listen to the full-length yarns as well. That's where the gold is.
The principles and the process stay the same. The practice changes. An Aboriginal community-controlled service, a busy urban centre and a regional not-for-profit will all look different, and they should. Cookie-cutter approaches belong in the biscuit tin.
The stew and the saltshaker. A metaphor first shared at a Koori Curriculum retreat flips the usual thinking. In most mainstream services, the programme is the stew, and Aboriginal perspectives get sprinkled in like salt. In many Aboriginal community services, culture is the stew, and the EYLF, the NQS and the Code of Ethics are the seasoning.
Rubbish bins in Japan and caring for Country. Jess's partner Charlie taught Japanese in Japan for years. His stories about carrying your rubbish home and sorting it into seven categories turn into a lovely lesson in using the same intercultural process for every culture in your room.
The 8 Ways of Learning is a springboard. The custodians of the 8 Ways are happy for educators to use the framework, if you adapt it to the children, families and Country where you are. A lift-and-drop template won't do that.
Mogo Aboriginal Preschool and the presentation that vanished. Mogo had 15 minutes to share years of beautiful work, and then the conference tech lost their presentation on the day. They've since recorded it, and their 45-minute coaching camp webinar is a treat if you want the whole story.
Team meetings with a highlighter. Educators told the team they use the weekly Koori Curriculum newsletter articles as reflective readings. Staff highlight what speaks to them, then use those notes to shape their service's own vision and philosophy statement.
Tag the author, please. Aboriginal authors and illustrators pour their heart into their books and hear "my kids love this" far less often than you'd think. A quick message on social media can make someone's whole week, especially in a job that brings plenty of unkind feedback too.
Thomas Mayo, in person at last. Shan interviewed him about Dear Son and Finding the Heart of the Nation. Jess interviewed him alongside Bernard Namok Jnr about Our Flag, Our Story. There's also a family link through the waterfront, because both Jess's and Kelly's dads worked on boats. In his keynote, Thomas said that around 64% of voters aged 18 to 24 voted Yes in the 2023 referendum. Take that as a reply to recent claims, including Pauline Hanson's, that early childhood educators are "indoctrinating" children with Acknowledgements of Country. The work you do on the mat matters, and it's already showing results.
Floor books and slow pedagogy. Jess shares why Claire Warden's talking and thinking floor books fit so naturally with the 8 Ways and Intercultural Ways. You don't need to run two programmes side by side. Bring the two together, then refine as you go.

There's also a little confession from Jess, who insists she's shy (yes, really). She calls herself an extroverted introvert, and Shan and Kelly are the ones nudging her out of the booth to say hello.

Whether you were at the conference or following along from home, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged and ready to look at your own programme with fresh eyes. If you visited the booth, the team would love to hear what you took home with you and what you made of that very large Shirley Pearl display.

Have a look at the photos on the Koori Curriculum Facebook and Instagram pages, then head to The Koori Curriculum Educator Community to see how the team can support you and your early learning service. Hit play, grab a cuppa and yarn with us.

Resources discussed in this episode:

Connect with Jessica Staines:

Subscribe to Educator Yarns on your favourite podcast platform:

Educator Yarns Season 6 Episode 3: Babysitting Play School Royalty and Other Yarns from the 2026 ECA Conference

Recent Blog Posts

Mirrors Matter: What My Preschool Records Taught Me About Cultural Identity

The First Teachers: Honouring Aboriginal Pedagogies of Childhood and Child-Rearing

Stop Planning Activities. Start Planning for Learning