Eid-al-Adha at Childcare
See how Sentia Early Learning celebrated this important Islamic holiday.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Sentia Early Learning is a Melbourne City service with a vibrant childcare culture, and recently, they’ve been busy celebrating Eid-al-Adha.
Also known as ’The Feast of Sacrifice,’ Eid-al-Adha is the second, and biggest of the two holidays celebrated in Islam.
This year, the first day of Eid-al-Adha fell on Wednesday, 28 June, and Sentia Early Learning took every opportunity to focus on the festivities.
Centre Director, Angela Hunt, explains that Sentia is fortunate to have many Islamic families in its childcare community, and she knows how important Eid-al-Adha is to them.
Eid-al-Adha honours the actions of Prophet Abraham, who was commanded to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, in a test of faith.
Though it’s believed that God replaced Ishmael with a sheep before harm could come to him, Eid-al-Adha commemorates this prophetic tale of sacrifice and devotion to God.
In the wider community, communal prayers and feasting are two ways that Islamic people mark this holiday, and at Sentia Early Learning, Angela says Eid-al-Adha is always a time for reflection and sharing.
Angela says, “Each year, we take the time to listen and learn from each other. Educators and families share their knowledge about the devotion of Abraham and Ishmael.”
“We reflect on the values of faith, selflessness and gratitude, and consider how we can strengthen these in everyday life and our interactions with each other.”
During this year’s Eid-al-Adha, there were lots of opportunities for children, educators and families to wish one another “Happy Eid,” and the early learning environment had a decidedly celebratory feel!
Angela says, “Islamic families dressed their children in traditional garments and visited the centre to tell us about this important time of celebration in their faith.”
“Educators also prepared special treats, such as Kunafeh with sugar syrup to share in the Team Lounge.”
The team also honoured the celebration of Eid-al-Adha by putting up beautiful signs and creating social media posts; and practical measures were put in place to help people feel respected and valued.
Angela says, “We offered flexible work and care arrangements during the celebrations, and it was a really important and positive time to learn about each other.”
The Eid-al-Adha celebrations at Sentia Early Learning drew to a close when everyone went home on Friday, 30 June, however the service’s wonderfully inclusive approach continues.
At Sentia Early Learning a great effort is made to ensure everyone feels secure and heard.
Angela says, “We listen to our children and families, and their feedback informs continuous improvement processes.”
“We have also worked hard to create a positive team culture, which makes our centre a great place to work. This promotes continuity of care and a genuine partnership with families.”
Their efforts definitely haven’t gone unnoticed.
Sentia Early Learning has been awarded an Exceeding rating under the National Quality Standard, and they also currently hold a 9.5 KindiCare Rating, which is miles ahead of the local area average of just 4.5.
To learn more about Angela’s impressive – and inclusive – service, search KindiCare, and we hope everyone in the Islamic community had a very happy Eid!
