Through collaborative partnerships, we are able to develop an understanding of each family’s expectations and can address any concerns in an open and supportive way. The best learning outcomes occur when families and educators work together. Participation in our programs, give parents and families the opportunity to be a part of a community and focus on children’s education and well-being.
Our pedagogy encompasses a spirit of enquiry and professional dialogue about why we do what we do, that learning through play and intentional teaching are key to optimising children’s learning and development. We promote each child’s agency, enabling them to make choices and decisions. We understand the importance of a shared understanding of high quality pedagogy, reflected in our philosophy and in the Centre values which is embedded in our everyday practice. We aim to provide programs which support children in developing knowledge, skills and attitudes that will assist them in becoming environmentally responsible. Play is a vital part of a young child’s world and it is with this that we adopt a child-centred approach to learning about sustainability.
We follow the primary caregiving approach which enables young children to establish and build respectful and trusting relationships with their primary educators, which are supportive of the trusting relationships they form with parents and other significant adults in their lives. This does not mean the educator cares exclusively for their primary children rather the educator has principal responsibility for the few children in their direct care. The primary caregiving approach does not benefit only the children, but it also has a positive effect on the educator’s sense of value and connection with the children.
We value providing a warm and welcoming environment that assists children to feel safe and secure. We believe developing trusting respectful relationships between children and educators is of upmost importance in children to reach their full potential to learn and develop according to their needs. This enables children to feel supported to explore, learn and take risks in their learning environment.
Children are social learners, co-constructing their understanding of the world around them and themselves through interacting with peers and adults alike. Through social interaction, children’s learning is facilitated and scaffolded by more capable others, whilst the child remains an active participant in their learning. By providing an environment and program that encourages and supports social interaction children are enabled to develop reciprocal relationships and develop a sense of Community with their peers and teachers. Children are also provided with consistent opportunities to resource their own learning and initiate their own play experiences. Through this discovery, children further develop their sense of agency within our service.
We acknowledge the importance of developing a sense of community within the Geelong Children’s Centre and the importance of involving families in their child’s learning journey. We value and respect the contributions that families make, as it is through family involvement that children feel their learning is valued and recognised. Family involvement also enables the curriculum to reflect the diversity of the community. By building trusting and reciprocal relationships between home and the learning environment we aim to positively contribute to children’s holistic wellbeing and development, allowing us to focus on the ‘whole child’ including individual culture, heritage and family values. We endeavour to connect with the local community services, groups and events including maternal health services, local schools, sport groups, library and community festivals and events.
We believe children learn best when they are provided rich opportunities to make independent choices to guide their learning. Through engagement in a play based program, children’s learning is fostered to meet the diverse range of learning intelligences. We also aim to provide programs which support children in developing knowledge, skills and attitudes that will assist them in becoming environmentally responsible. We value providing developmentally appropriate, open ended play experiences that are meaningful to children. This is provided through an emergent curriculum that is planned in response to children’s developmental needs and interests. Curriculum decision making promotes inclusive practices by building on children’s strengths interest and abilities in both planned and spontaneous learning experiences. Gender equality create opportunities for children to engage in social and educational learning. We believe that these experiences support children to develop the skills and concepts that enable them to become lifelong learners. Children develop early literacy, numeracy and scientific concepts and knowledge as well as social, emotional and physical skills through actively participating in play based experiences. Each child develops and learns in their own unique way and rate. By providing a combination of teacher-initiated and child initiated learning experiences, all children are able to positively participate in the program at their own level and reach their individual potential.
The management promotes professional enquiry and development for all teachers and educators to enhance their knowledge. Code of ethics is embedded in our practice and informs our relationships with the children, families and each other. We aim to have constant reflection in all areas of our work and will remain committed to Early Childhood Education and the broader Community. Educators collaborate with variety of organisations and service providers to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing.
Our educators are dedicated Early Childhood Professionals who work together to create a supportive and positive environment. Each teacher and educator is recognised for their skills and ideas that they contribute to our service and wider community. The Board of Management supports the management team, staff, teachers and educators to effectively manage the service with a shared sense of purpose, providing direction and leadership and dealing with collective responsibility.
