Reggio Emilia InspirationAt Care for Kids our philosophy and values have been influenced by the philosophies of Reggio Emilia.
The Reggio Emilia approach to early education was founded by Loris Malaguzzi in the northern Italian town of Reggio Emilia.
The Reggio Emilia principles require that children are seen as competent, curious, imaginative and resourceful.
Below are the fundamental principles of the Reggio Emilia approach that we adopt within our settings:
The Image of the Child
Young children are viewed as strong, capable and rich in resources. They are capable members of society who are born with the ability to question, interpret and understand the world around them. They are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge but are unique individuals who already have a great deal to offer.
The Environment is the Third Teacher
The Reggio Emilia environments are open spaces which are intentionally planned by educators to ensure every corner is ever evolving to encourage children to delve deeper into their interests. The environments encourage explorations, communication and collaboration. They are a vibrant, flexible space which is rich in choices and provides dynamic opportunities for learning as individuals and as part of a group. The environments are cared for by both the children and educators.
Parents, Children and Educators as Partners in Learning
Children, educators and parents are viewed as three equal components in the educational process. Parents are encouraged to be active contributors to their child’s learning within the early education setting. Educators, children and parents work in partnership and collaboration to co- construct children’s learning.
Learning is Visible
Learning is made visible through carefully displaying and documenting children’s thoughts and progression of thinking in many different ways – photographs, transcripts of thoughts and visual representation. Adults and children reflect on prior experiences, listen to each other’s ideas, theories and understanding and make decisions together about future learning paths. When documentation is revisited and assessed the processes children use and learning paths they take become evident.
The Hundred Languages of Children
“The Hundred Languages of Children” is a metaphor for the potential of children. The belief is that children use many different ways to show their understanding and express their thoughts and creativity. A hundred different ways of thinking, of discovering, of learning, through drawing, dance and movement, painting and pretend play. Each of these “Hundred Languages” must be valued and nurtured.
Care for Kid’s “EPPIIC” values underpin and lay the foundations for our commitment to:
Our Values are:
We strive to be the very best at everything that we do so that we provide the highest quality service to our children, families, staff, the local community and all stakeholders.
We approach every day with a positive attitude and a willingness for growth and learning. We work together to make Care for Kids a fun place for all.
Professionalism is embedded in all of our interactions and communications with children, families, colleagues and the community.
We believe in ourselves and the people around us on our journey for growth and continuous improvement. We are open to try new things and challenges.
Integrity is at the heart of everything that we do.
Be true and honest by saying what you are doing and doing what you are saying.
We are respectful and supportive of one another and work together to achieve common goals. We understand that “it takes a village to raise a child”, so we work closely with families and the community to achieve these goals.
Care for Kid’s PhilosophyOur Philosophy identifies the beliefs, values and principles that form the foundations which Care for Kids School of Early Learning management, Educators and services implement in their daily practices.
We recognise young children are capable and competent participants of our community and we strive to create an environment where Educators and children co-construct their learning together.
We acknowledge that children learn best when working with others, including other children, family, Educators and the community and we understand the importance of maintaining collaborative partnerships with our parents through open, respectful communication and shared goals.
Care for Kids combines care and education by following the principles, practices and outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework and the Philosophies of Reggio Emilia.
Our curriculum is driven by the children’s ideas, thoughts, inputs, and curiosity.
Educators listen to, observe and interact with the children and use their knowledge, experience and qualifications to plan the curriculum and the environment.
Children’s actions, conversations, responses and progression of thinking is carefully documented, displayed and planned for, making learning visible in many different ways.
We are committed to providing the children with a warm, safe, fun, welcoming, inclusive environment that promotes secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.
This is an environment where children and their families feel comfortable, respected, and valued as individuals. Children are provided opportunities to develop independence, self-expression and confidence through everyday routines.
Educators are friendly, professional, respectful, understanding, and compassionate, treating all children, families and other Educators with respect, without bias, listening with empathy and responding with understanding. We recognise that early positive experiences lay the foundations for children to reach their full potential.
Being a part of the Care for Kids family is a wonderful experience, one that will create lifelong memories.
We model our behaviour on our Care for Kids EPPIIC Values, which are:
• Excellence
• Passion and dedication
• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Collaboration
Each individual Care for Kids School of Early Learning has a unique Service Philosophy, which has been designed in collaboration with families, children and staff.
Healthy Menus and NutritionTo bring nourishing whole food meals to the children in our care, we have partnered with Nourished Beginnings, a Perth based specialist in early childhood nutrition.
We understand the important role nutrition plays in early childhood and have made it our responsibility to provide meals that are packed full of nutrients essential for optimal growth and development. Our nourishing menus are carefully planned and researched based on the whole food principle. Whole food is food which is eaten as close to its natural state as possible, with minimal additives, added sugar, processing and little to no traces of chemicals.
It is thinking about where our food comes from and the processes that are undertaken to get it to our plates. Whole food is enjoying the food we are eating whilst appreciating and understanding the nourishment it provides our bodies. Wholefood is real food.
Nourished Beginnings’ mission is to set a new standard for what is acceptable nutrition in childcare centres and family dinner tables throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Our children are our future and it is our aim to assist early childhood centres and families by providing them with quality food education and training to see their children grow and develop into healthy adults with strong food values and a healthy relationship with food for life.
Our curriculum was created using the Early Years Learning Framework and is driven by the children’s interests and curiosity. Educators listen to the children to discover their interests, ideas and thoughts – they use this knowledge to plan the curriculum and the environment. Children’s thoughts and progression of thinking is carefully documented and displayed, making their thoughts visible in many different ways.
StoryparkWe utilise the learning platform “Storypark” – a secure, private online space to ensure your child receives the best support possible and that you are involved and up-to-date with your child’s learning and development. Storypark provides each child with an online community which you (their parent/guardian) own and control who has access to, at no cost.
You can choose to add your own comments and feedback for children and our educators. You can also choose to share Storypark with family members. We hope that you will invite your extended family so that the children have an authentic audience who are genuinely interested in their learning.
Babies: 0-2 Years
Your baby will feel safe and secure in our homely, comfortable and warm environment. Our educators will help and support your baby to settle into the environment by building meaningful connections.
Our educators create an environment which is supportive and nurturing and provide babies with opportunities to explore, learn, engage and build meaningful relationships. Our educators are attuned to the individual personalities and preferences of babies and families. They work in close collaboration with parents to ensure their baby is happy and parents have peace of mind.
Toddlers: 2-3 Years
The toddler room is a nurturing and flexible environment where your toddler can grow and learn at their own pace.
Our educators create experiences and environments which will guide your child’s play, learning and individual interests. Environments will provide opportunities for your child to explore, learn to communicate, be curious, engage and discover.
Educators will encourage your child to develop friendships, independence and self-help skills in a safe, warm, nurturing and relaxed environment.
Kindy: 3-5 Years
The early childhood teacher and educators in the kindy room provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment where children are confident to explore and learn.
The educators will design and implement individual programs for your child which will offer them choices and encourage them to express their thoughts, ideas and curiosity.
The program is designed to further develop the skills which will help them with school readiness and the transition from the early years setting to school.
It is important that all children (and their families) are ready to make a smooth transition from childcare to school.
Our centres have a planned School Readiness Program for the children who will be attending school in the following year.
As well as learning basic academic skills (writing, counting, colours etc) in a fun environment, we focus on: