If I have learnt something from reading to my daughters from birth – and more lately, listening to them read – it is that children are ready to learn right from the start.
Anyone who embraces reading to children right from birth can see those very first signs of learning and development right before their eyes.
It isn’t necessarily intuitive that reading to children from birth has such an enormous effect on their futures. But we now know that what happens in the first five years of a child’s life has the greatest effect on the child’s development.
In fact, that’s the simple philosophy behind educational approaches such as Reggio Emilia – which was developed by a teacher and parents in the villages of the Italian region.
It isn’t necessarily intuitive that reading to children from birth has such an enormous effect on their futures. However, I have embraced this philosophy in my own home as my girls have grown up.
I used it in education policy when I was Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development.
This year, it was the driving force behind an idea I raised in my address to the National Press Club in July. It is an idea that I believe has far-reaching social, budgetary and productivity benefits.
My idea is this: I think the States should have responsibility for the education of our children.
Childcare, preschool, primary school and secondary school – that is everything from birth to age 18 – should be taken care of by State Governments.
The Federal Government should be in charge of universities, vocational education and training.