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Our principles derive from
- The social cultural theories namely, Vygotsky, Howard Gardner, Ecological theory of Bronfenbrenner
- The Psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson
- The Reggio approach which inspires us to explore our own ways of enabling children to realise their own potential as knowledge builders and meaning makers
- UN Convention Article 12/13 which links to children’s entitlement to freedom of expression and Article 29a recognises that education should focus on the development of the child’s personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential
Principle 1
Learning environment, the third teacher
Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.
Maria Montessori
The teacher’s image of the child can impact educational decisions. How we design our spaces, how we plan our learning experiences, how we organise their schedule, how we interact with our children, how we view parents’ participation depends highly on how we view children and perceive children. Our view of children is that they are powerful thinkers who are rich in potential.
Principle 2
Relationships, the heart of quality care
Children learn best when they have a secure relationship with members of the school community – peers, teachers, centre leaders, para-educators and support staff. Life for young children is based on relationships.
Wherever they spend their time, they need to be cared for by teachers who are emotionally invested in their well-being. Teachers focus on providing respectful, responsive and reciprocal relationships with children. This is only possible when teachers have a strong image of the child; that every child is curious and has the potential to become effective and active contributors.
Teachers are role models for children. What they say, how they talk and how they encourage and guide a child will influence his/her self-worth, confidence and happiness.
Their eyes light up and it shows that it is a special moment. Family participation bridges the gap between the centre and home.
We work in partnership with parents to ensure our participation in the children’s education is in line with the best practices in education. The mutual respect of teachers, children and parents becomes palpable. When there is a connection and similarity between the centre and home, children feel secure within a circle of belonging.
Principle 3
Child-centric Curriculum
The child is the centre of the curriculum. Fulfilling this responsibility forms the cornerstone of the curriculum. This means that the curriculum is designed to meet the developmental needs of each individual child. We focus our attention on the individual child, and the individual child in group settings. We use observation as an integral part of our daily work. We take the child’s point of view, by asking ourselves what is the child figuring out, what theories are they testing? The child’s strengths and current abilities are determined through a cycle of listening, observing, recording, analysing and planning. We act upon the knowledge we gain from the assessment by planning realistic and challenging goals that motivate the child to engage in provocative and challenging experiences.
