We like questions; they keep us learning.
In fact, we like to regularly and purposefully ask them. We practice what’s referred to as an ‘inquiry based approach’. This reflects our view of your child as a constructor of their own knowledge and learning, instead of being a passive recipient of someone else’s.
Children are curious learners who naturally investigate, inquire and engage in the world around them. Time, space and people influence how children approach learning and how they see themselves as learners. Through such conversations we are able to enrich and guide children’s thinking and learning as they gain new understandings of themselves, the learning process and the topic at hand.
The joy in exploring meaningful interests for the children comes in the journey of discovery, not just the accumulation of knowledge. Children learn to challenge their own thinking, listen to others ideas, become researchers, be present in the moment and enjoy the whole process.
We focus on the key characteristics of effective learning; helping children create a growth mindset, where they are encouraged to be involved and engaged learners, to develop life skills that will support them throughout all of life’s adventures and to instill a love of learning.
Acknowledging the fragile state of our world, our programs support children to care for their environment and build awareness of their footprint on our earth, inviting them to explore and develop their sensitivity to sustainability. We nurture physical spaces that honour the natural world and allow for children to get dirty, use real tools and be a part of the construction of their own learning spaces.
Children learn best when they follow their own curiosities, so we encourage this with a seamless use of our indoor and outdoor spaces – all day, every day.
Our outdoor environments are large, open spaces where children can explore nature and all its wonder. Filled with loose parts and opportunities for children to get messy, as they engage in play that encourages them to take and manage risks. We know children learn by experience, they are intrinsically motivated to push boundaries in order to assess what they can and cannot do. We provide risks, not hazards, for children in a controlled environment.
We understand children to be powerful, capable, and competent members of our community. They are curious learners who naturally investigate, inquire, and engage in the world around them. We believe that when you observe and listen to children they communicate what they need. They give us obvious indicators as to what they want in order to learn and, particularly at a non-verbal stage of development.
Respecting children, their choices and treating them with mindful consideration is the foundation of our teaching approach. When children have the opportunity to express their needs and preferences, their wellbeing is recognised and maintained. This means treating even the youngest infant as a completely whole being, not an object.
Supported by the work of Dr Emmi Pikler, in conjunction with current research, these ideals also influence how we design our environments. The spaces we invite children into are arranged to allow children to explore a natural unfolding of their development, that being, we don’t put children into positions they can’t get into, or out of, by themselves.
Relationships are the foundation of everything we do, particularly in our work with infants. The more we know someone, the more attuned we become to them and their needs, creating an ability to respond to them as unique individuals. Moving from task-based to relationship-based care supports children’s foundational need for secure attachment in an out-of-home setting.
In response to our understanding of children’s need to form secure attachment, we have a primary care based model we refer to as a child’s ‘Family Anchor’. The Family Anchor builds and maintains strong relationships with a child and family, learning about the child’s daily rhythms and rituals at home. They are involved in the majority of care moments, creating consistency, predictability, and familiarity. The Family Anchor is the first point of contact for the family and shares all relevant information with the whole team.
The furniture and resources in our environments are deeply considered to offer children ownership, and invites and empowers play, learning, creativity, agency, and a strong sense of self. Everything in the space is designed for the child; this accessibility and lack of restriction says 'yes' to the child's biological, physiological, cognitive, emotional and developmental needs.
We understand children as being capable and competent. We offer the opportunity to move freely, trusting in their innate drive to explore their world and themselves, and develop skills in their own time. As children gain mastery of their movement and start exploring different parts of their physicality, Freedom of Movement translates into opportunity for risky and courageous play.
Over years of reflection, experience and learning we’ve become a little more refined in what we understand to be the best ways to support children during the critical and singular window of development they’re experiencing in the first years of life.
We’ve developed a philosophy and approach to early childhood that we think is unique, and as our communities have developed, we’ve found our philosophy taking on its own individual expression in each campus, out of which specialist programs have evolved.
Beginning in 2016, the Outdoor Education Program was developed with the intention of introducing children to the natural environment and its processes; allowing them responsibility of its maintenance and care whilst giving children the opportunity to find wonder in its intricacies and beauty.
Our Outdoor Education Program is supported by a Bachelor trained teacher and it’s home is in the Harmony Garden; a purpose built space that honours the natural world and allows for children to get hands on, use real tools and be part of the construction of their learning spaces.
There’s chickens, turtles, garden beds, compost, worm farms, a fire pit and other elements that combine to make a nature-based curriculum that supports children to explore and develop their sensitivity to sustainability.
We’re big on community and searching for new ways of developing it. Why? The connections a child has both to the world and to the people who are part of it become embedded within them, helping shape their inner being, their character and their world.
But a community is more than a location; it involves the quality of relationships that connect people across places. Connecting with our community is a reciprocal relationship that enhances everyone’s wellbeing and sense of belonging.
Working with a diverse group of people within our community enables children to understand their place in our community. Learning to value and respect diversity encourages children to see differences amongst individuals as both common and positive.
As the communities within each centre have developed, we’ve found our philosophy taking on its own individual expression in each, out of which a range of community programs have evolved.
There is a group of wood-work loving people from our community who work in the shed in Geelong’s Harmony Garden. They help us by fixing, refurbishing and repurposing a lot of our toys and furniture that have been a little “too” loved, as well as being a helpful source of information.
More information coming soon.
One focus that we place high value on in our curriculum is social justice. Social justice teaches children to embrace the notion that we can challenge biases and stereotypes, while promoting inclusiveness and equity within our extended communities.
This happens in our classrooms everyday as the children learn respect and empathy, and explore similarities and differences in people, accepting each other for who we are. This is also emphasised in the social justice projects we take part in, of which has been vast and varied over the years.
Acknowledging the fragile state of our world, our programs support children to care for their environment and to understand the responsibility we all have to reduce, re-use and recycle.
We are creators, not consumers.
This value has an influence on how we approach many things, including our everyday practice, programs and environments.
We have a sustainability and resources officer who works closely with our team to ensure we are using equipment that is resourceful and upholds our beliefs in environmental sustainability.
In Geelong and Warrnambool, we have established ‘Resource Room’s’: they are spaces visited regularly by the children and educators to collect recycled resources and loose parts to use in both indoor and outdoor classrooms.
In both Geelong and Bannockburn, you’ll find a “Community Food Exchange Cart”; a food exchange program where the community is welcome to take and/or give fresh, home-grown produce or helpful goods.
It works on the principle of ‘Take what you need, give what you can.’
Free, of course, and in the car park or foyer every day we’re open.
Check out our latest socials