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Looking Back - History of FNECN
Dorothy McKinnon, Fraser Mustard, Reesa Sorin (2003).
Associate Professor Reesa Sorin came to James Cook University in Cairns in the year 2000. It was during her early years teaching and interacting with various students that she became aware of a recurring concern of students: that they felt a disconnect between what they were learning at university and what was happening in schools. In an effort to bridge this gap, ‘Megina Kazil’ was born (which means ‘little children’ in Torres Strait pigeon). This was an early childhood pre-service teachers' group, with practicing teachers invited to attend meetings to discuss issues of early childhood teaching.
In 2002, Reesa attended a presentation by Professor Fraser Mustard at a Principals’ Conference in Townsville. Fraser Mustard spoke about the importance of early years learning and experience to brain development in children. He explained that the best way to offer children positive early learning experiences to support brain development was through a communities approach, where parents, educators, health and wellbeing personnel work together to support children and families in the critical first years of life.
This struck a chord with Reesa, and became a further direction for Megina Kazil. Between 2003 to 2011, Reesa visited Fraser Mustard at the Founders Network in Toronto, Canada and met with a variety of his colleagues in Canada. These included: researchers at Healthy Child Manitoba; the Roots of Empathy program; the University of British Columbia’s Human Early Learning Project; and the creator of Early Development Instrument at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 2005, Megina Kazil evolved into the Far North Early Childhood Network (FNECN). Rather than a network primarily targeting James Cook University early childhood pre-service teachers, FNECN expanded to include members of the wider community such as teachers, social and health workers and parents. FNECN became the first community site on James Cook University’s Learn JCU platform, where it served as an information exchange between stakeholders in early childhood education and care services. Beyond the Learn JCU site, monthly meetings and twice yearly forums were held to explore topics of relevance to early childhood education and care.
From 2017 - 2018, FNECN underwent another change. Early Childhood Community Networks (ECCNs) were established to localise membership and facilitate meeting each community's needs. FNECN, as a core group, became a smaller group of key representatives from a variety of early childhood services, who meet as professional partners to share information and expertise, and to be informed of the activities of the ECCNS. FNECN is currently comprised of a group of 22 members from 9 different areas of early childhood education and care, and meets each term. There is an executive committee who are responsible for administration of the network, including the website, Facebook page, meetings and liaison with the ECCNs.
In 2002, Reesa attended a presentation by Professor Fraser Mustard at a Principals’ Conference in Townsville. Fraser Mustard spoke about the importance of early years learning and experience to brain development in children. He explained that the best way to offer children positive early learning experiences to support brain development was through a communities approach, where parents, educators, health and wellbeing personnel work together to support children and families in the critical first years of life.
This struck a chord with Reesa, and became a further direction for Megina Kazil. Between 2003 to 2011, Reesa visited Fraser Mustard at the Founders Network in Toronto, Canada and met with a variety of his colleagues in Canada. These included: researchers at Healthy Child Manitoba; the Roots of Empathy program; the University of British Columbia’s Human Early Learning Project; and the creator of Early Development Instrument at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 2005, Megina Kazil evolved into the Far North Early Childhood Network (FNECN). Rather than a network primarily targeting James Cook University early childhood pre-service teachers, FNECN expanded to include members of the wider community such as teachers, social and health workers and parents. FNECN became the first community site on James Cook University’s Learn JCU platform, where it served as an information exchange between stakeholders in early childhood education and care services. Beyond the Learn JCU site, monthly meetings and twice yearly forums were held to explore topics of relevance to early childhood education and care.
From 2017 - 2018, FNECN underwent another change. Early Childhood Community Networks (ECCNs) were established to localise membership and facilitate meeting each community's needs. FNECN, as a core group, became a smaller group of key representatives from a variety of early childhood services, who meet as professional partners to share information and expertise, and to be informed of the activities of the ECCNS. FNECN is currently comprised of a group of 22 members from 9 different areas of early childhood education and care, and meets each term. There is an executive committee who are responsible for administration of the network, including the website, Facebook page, meetings and liaison with the ECCNs.