Honouring our image of the child.
Children are seen as active agents of their own development, driven by self-guiding forces that show them the way towards learning and growth.
Our environments will be homely, familiar and natural – there are no formal or academic activities, and teachers avoid giving explanations or instructions. For example, teachers might respond to children’s questions with ‘I wonder’ rather than with technical information, they might offer models for imitation and develop familiar rhythms that avoid the need for instruction.
Educators aim to provide rich sensory environments for children, which encourage children’s free-flowing ideas and actions to support the holistic development of the child.
Documentation of learning.
At Orenda Circle, each day’s program will be planned and implemented for by qualified educators who take the children’s current interests, abilities and needs into account. All planning will be underpinned by our centre philosophy and core beliefs.
Families will receive documentation of learning for their child via the OWNA application. Group planning promotes community links, peer scaffolding and relationship building. We believe documentation of children’s learning should always be done through a competency-based lens, ensuring children’s strengths, skills and interests are highlighted. We believe group learning should primarily be documented for the children and with the children, using resources such as floor books, multimedia presentations or wall displays. Our inquiry projects will always be documented collaboratively by the children and educators and displayed at a level that allows even the smallest of children to connect with their learning.
Sustainability
We believe in supporting children to appreciate and care for the environment by modelling sustainable practice into our daily rhythms.
Through our sustainability program, we highlight children’s ability to influence their world, enabling them to learn and appreciate their environment in an engaging, fun and exciting manner. We do this through discussions and modelling sustainable practice. We welcome and respond to each Childs interest to participate in;
~recycling,
~composting,
~reducing energy,
~water conservation.
We aim to provide children with the skills and knowledge required to become environmentally responsible.
Community Links
We believe children are not just future citizens but are citizens in their own right in the here and now, with the capacity to express their opinions and participate in the cultural life and process of their city.
We aim to connect children with their local community and support them to contribute in meaningful, lasting ways.
"Community is more than we see, it's a collaboration; understanding how our decisions impact others.
A circle of communication that shapes each of us."
Risk
- the possibility that something unpleasant or unwelcome will happen.
At Orenda Circle we believe that exposure to risk has benefits that reach far beyond gross motor development. When children are exposed to an environment that allows them to take considered risks in their decision making they begin to learn about their own skill sets and limitations. At Orenda Circle our physical environment consists of open-ended loose parts such as pipes, milk crates and natural items that allows for an element of risky play. Children will be exposed to real items in their physical play, such as tools or real china within our program.
At Orenda Circle we believe that if taught respect and given exposure to real items from an early age, children will show responsibility and competence. When using real items, not only do the benefits and the learning associated with this activity far outweigh the potential for problems, the exercise allows a child to develop a true sense of confidence in their own abilities.
Even the smallest of children are trusted to be active participants in their own movement and care routines. These seemingly small acts of trusting a child with their own development is seen as the foundation for them to have a sound understanding of their competence and abilities,in which to take bigger risks.
We believe children are capable of leading their own learning when provided with rich environments and educators who scaffold and facilitate opportunities through careful observation and reflection.
Life tasks.
Educators believe that the purposeful and useful work of real life, such as housework, cooking, toy making and gardening, as well as artistic activities such as storytelling, music, hand craft and painting, foster the healthy development of imagination and creativity and should be included in the early childhood program.
Adults who are active in a purposeful, calm and organised way create a range of possibilities for imitation. Educators engaged in their work encourages children’s curiosity, they are often highly motivated to participate or imitate these activities.
Experiences in Nature
Nature is a wonderful gift for a child's imagination.
Children are open to learning from their environments and are encouraged to retain a sense of connection to the natural world.
Time is prioritised for outdoor education because of its importance in sensory and motor stimulation.
Children spend a lot of time outdoors, to learn from the natural world through their own interests and self-initiated play, with simple resources such as sand, water, sticks and leaves along with up-cycled materials and loose parts.
Our Daily Rythm
To support each child to feel safe secure and supported educators follow a daily flow. However, within this we remain flexible, to holistically support the needs of both each individual child and the group collectively.
Individual Care routines such as sleep, meal times and nappy changes are not undertaken on a schedule but rather available continuously, with educators responding to each child's care routines as required.
Individual indoor/outdoor arrival.
Preparation of dining area.
Morning Gathering.
Morning tea
Planned learning experience.
Free play
Lunch
Rest, sleep or slow down play as required.
Story time.
Small group play.
Afternoon snack.
Free play.
Evening life tasks.