Meet the Newcastle Gymbaroo Leadership Team

GymbaROO was created by Margaret Sasse in 1983 to address the early chilld developmental needs of 0-5 year olds from a natural neuro-physiological perspective that directly affect future reading and learning skills. The programs Margaret developed were based on research of the leading childhood development experts of the time, with a specific focus on the relationship between physiological activities and their impact on the developing pathways of the brain that impact upon reading and learning capabilities. Over the ensuing years Margaret and the Gymabroo Leadership team have continually been researching leading developments in the arena of early childhood development, and feeding this information back to the Gymabroo teaching family in the form of professional development, and back to the public in the form of continually updating the programs on offer to reflect latest knowledge, books such as If Only we had known, Tommorrows child, and her last book "Smart Start" and the DVD video series – The importance of being an Infant, I, 2, 3 and 4. Programs have developed for babys through to Primary Schools, including School readiness, Day care centres, kindergardens and of course Gymbaroo centres. Gymbaroo teachers are encourgaed to become local leaders in their communities in our area of expertise, and after fives years of successful teaching and maintaining up with the professional devlopment work load, can be qualified to become Gymbaroo consultants. Gymbaroo programs incorporate the latest knowledge for natural neurophysiological development of babies which of course includes sensory and essential play related activites, but our focus is on encouraging your babies normal natural development of the pathways of the brain related to learning and the parents knowledge so the parent is enabled can re-inforce the programme at home with fun activities both the baby or young child and Mum and Dad can enjoy together.

Margaret Sass's daughter Dr Jane Williams is now the Director for Research and Professional devleopment. Dr Williams taught and operated a GymbaROO in Townsville for a number of years, then returned to University to complete a Ph. D in our area of expertise. This Ph.D was assessed by International experts in both the field of study and the methodology, and she was recommended for a Cum Laudae by one of the examiners. The Ph.D. so impressed one of the examiners that she paid close attention to GymbaROO and its underlying programs, and the work of Margaret. This examiner, Professor Frances Page Glascoe is a worldwide authority on parenting and early childhood development, and is Co-editor American Academy of Pediatrics: Development and Behavior Newsletter. She also Mentors the Royal Children’s Hospital (Vic) Community Child Health Program, and is a leading advisor for many similar programs around the world. In her forward in Margarets new book "Smart Start" Professor Glascoe described Margaret as "a leading international authority on the value (and enormous fun) of movement in children's lives; and in parent's lives too".

Prof Glascoe was so impressed that she has come on board the Gymbaroo team as our Patron for research and support– pro-bono. Margaret and Jane lead the intellectual development of the franchisees and teachers. They and (some of our) franchisees regularily attend and contribute to international conferences on early childhood development. They and our leading franchisees ensure that our programs, in-house professional development courses, and reference material for franchisees are kept up to date with the latest research and knowledge. They are also involved in leading research programs.

We expect our franchisees and teachers to aspire to become the local experts in our field and we have in place an ongoing professional development and educational program to support skill and knowledge development. Early childhood development is a life time commitment for our teams.

Dr Jane Williams an adjunct lecturer at Townsville Univesity, leads the Newcastle Gymbaroo Team, and has been visiting the Newcastle area frequently. As you will note from her profile Dr Jane Williams we feel that is is one of Australia leading experts in early child hood development and leads in our field of expertise. Recently Dr Williams ran a seminar in Newcastle and in Maitland on "All play is not Equal" a subject she presented at The PlayGroup conference, where she was also a member of the mediated Panel of Experts. Dr Williams is expected to be a frequent visitor to NewCastle due to planned family arrangement.

Newcastle Gymbaroo comprises three centres located in the immedaite Newcastle Locality Jesmond, Maitland and Warners bay, and there are two other centres between Sydney and Newcastle – Tuggerah and Gosford.