Early Learning Centre Gratitude changes everything Having fun dressing up for Book Week at the Early Learning Centre. Gratitude should not just be a one-off as they watered our vegetable garden From gratitude comes a sense of reaction when you receive what you want. and fed worms in our worm farm. enthusiasm. The ELC is grateful to have For the children at Newington’s ELC, Gratitude engenders joy, and the children a team of high-quality educators who are gratitude is an ongoing response, evoking at our ELC find joy in the simplest of enthusiastic about using their strengths appreciation, joy and enthusiasm. things, from genuine interactions with to develop engaging learning Examples of gratitude are everywhere at their teachers to simply sharing a meal experiences. With oversight from the the ELC. For NAIDOC Week this year, the with their friends. They find fascination in Head of Early Years, Ms Sandra Gray, ELC children gathered to acknowledge the the simplest of objects – rocks, sticks the staff endeavour to instil the ongoing Gadigal Wangal clan for letting us share and leaves – and in big topics (‘How attitude of gratitude to bear the fruits of their land. In the Acknowledgment of does a plane fly?’). They relish enquiry- joy, enthusiasm and appreciation for the Country, the children vowed to look after based projects which pique their curiosity College’s youngest members. the land, the animals and the people. The and unbounded imaginations. Gratitude Miss Malia Puna children showed their growing appreciation is present as the ELC children experience Director, Early Learning Centre and care through gardening experiences the many joys of childhood. Children and staff engaged in a range of activities during NAIDOC Week. GRATITUDE | NEWS SPRING 2018| 43