Image of the Child
All children have potential, curiosity and interest in constructing their learning, negotiating with everything their environment brings to them. Children are strong, and capable.
The child is a collaborator. The program focuses on each child in relation to other children, their family, the teachers and the community rather than on each child in isolation. The child is a communicator. The program supports a child’s intellectual development through a focus on representation including words, movement, drawing, painting, building, collage, dramatic play and music.
Children have the right to use many materials in order to discover and communicate what they know, understand, wonder about, question, feel and imagine. The children make their thinking visible supported by their teachers through these avenues.
Children have the right to feel safe, cared for, respected, and encouraged by caring, professional teachers.
Role of the Teacher
Teachers facilitate children’s exploration of ideas; work on short and long-term projects, and guide expectations of joint open-ended discovery and problem solving. Teachers listen and observe children closely as they guide the children through the projects and the daily activities. Teachers ask questions; discover children’s ideas, theories and provide occasions for discovery and learning. Teachers are seen as digging with the children for knowledge rather than filling the children with knowledge.
Teachers are seen as researchers. Teachers work together and maintain a strong, collegial relationship with each other, they engage in continuous discussion and interpretation of their work and the work of the children. Teachers are researchers preparing documentation of the children’s work.
Parents as Partners
Parent participation is essential in the strong relationship of the child, teacher and parent. Parents play an active role in their children’s learning experience. The exchange of ideas between the teacher and the parents support the child as she grows and develops within our programs. It is an intrinsic element in supporting, guiding and caring for the child.
Environment is the Third teacher
The children’s environment should be enticing, rich with materials, engaging, filled with wonder and delight and an occasional surprise. The environment should be aesthetically pleasing, welcoming and comforting.
The environment set up should promote choice and self-direction. The children need to be part of caring for the toys, equipment and materials. This promotes respect in young children. Teachers are role models for this type of behaviour.
The environment should encourage social interactions, cooperation, sharing, and problem solving. There should be choices for children to practice decision-making, can play with materials until they are finished, lessening the potential for conflict over equipment/toys and waiting.
The environment should let the children know what is expected of them; messy, noisy or quiet play. Children should be allowed to retreat and reflect, be alone, or interact with just one other person. Children are responsible for their possessions: clothing etc. And should respect other’s privacy and possessions.
The space should encourage movement and exploration and avoids conflict over lack of space and teachers should be able to observe and supervise with ease.