In our practices in early childhood education at Ambrose Early Years and Education, it’s often the seemingly simple yet profound insights that spark transformation. What may appear evident to some might be a revelation to others, underscoring the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences within the community and beyond.

At the start of our Early Years Education leadership meeting, which includes Directors and support team members, there is a ritual of sharing. Each participant shares a ‘Glow’—something they or their team are proud of within their early learning service. This is followed by a ‘Grow’—an area they or their team wish to explore further or develop, whether due to interest or as a response to a current challenge. 

I cannot remember where I first encountered this ritual, but a Google search reveals it is a common feedback strategy teachers use to direct student learning and inquiry. This recollection reminds me why I found it appealing—it fosters learning and inquiry and offers numerous other benefits. 

In early learning services, we work to support children’s growth and development, supporting their inquiries and curiosities. The teacher’s role is not to provide direct answers to children’s inquiries and wonderings, but to scaffold their wonderings by providing safe environments to extend their interests and guide their discoveries about the world around them. This same investigative process should be encouraged and replicated with teachers and leaders in early childhood as well. This practice supports collaborative leadership, which is a key principle in the Early Years Learning Framework, (2.0)

“Children’s learning, development and wellbeing is optimised when educators communicate and share ideas and views about improving practice. Collaborative leadership and teamwork support a culture of peer mentoring and shared learning where all team members contribute to each other’s professional learning and growth for high quality programs for children in early childhood settings.”

The glows and grows ritual have provided insights into what is happening for individuals in their services. It has been helpful to identify shared challenges across services and to provide support, sometimes just via a listening ear, and safe space, building a sense of belonging to the team. Helping to create psychologically safe environments where ideas can be shared and shared learning supports growth and change. Pelo & Carter (2018) in their book “From teaching to thinking: A pedagogy for reimagining our work” highlight this imperative to create a culture of inquiry, not only for children, but for teachers as well.

“We believe that educators – like children – have a vast capacity for deep dives of mind, heart and spirit….their work is challenging and exhilarating, and demands their full intellectual and emotional attention. Educators deserve – and are sustained by professional learning that strengthens their development as thinkers, researchers, innovators and constructors of knowledge.”

Our Early years Education leadership meetings, provide opportunities to build communities of practice, helping to build a positive, psychologically safe learning culture.

The Grows and Glows sharing has inspired a further exploration across our services in a variety of areas including the establishment of a wellbeing network group; the development and exploration of practices to support emotional regulation with children and teachers; and the sharing of settling in strategies to support the building of relationships with families.

Too often, meetings can be overwhelming and filled with information delivered with little opportunity for individual sharing. Meetings should also be supporting the creation of a positive team culture where experiences are shared and discussions support creative thinking to overcome challenges and plan for innovative solutions, providing a positive environment for people to flourish. This supports quality outcomes for children and the practice is supported as an exceeding theme in the National Quality standards as outlined in guide to the national quality framework standard 4.2.

Collaborative leadership and teamwork are founded on professional and respectful conversations about practice. Educators respect and engage with different ways of thinking and working as a team to critically reflect on practice. When educators communicate effectively and share ideas about practice, children’s learning, development and wellbeing is optimised (Guide to NQF – Standard 4.2, Professionalism”)

Providing a safe sharing environment for the sharing of experiences which includes challenges faced, supports the building of a positive culture where ideas can be generated to overcome obstacles, as well as sharing ideas across settings to support positive outcomes. Sometimes what is obvious to you is amazing to others. What others may be facing as a challenge, you may have already worked through and can provide insight to overcome perceived obstacles.