At Greenwood
Park Kindergarten we believe that children learn most
effectively in a safe, secure and responsive environment. Our
approach is facilitated through interactions between the teachers
and children and to assist children with their interactions
between each other. The teachers role-model positive social
interactions between their peers and children, clearly communicating
their own feelings to others in a socially acceptable manner.
Learning is
a social process. We believe that the
children learn through interacting with their environment and
with others to enhance their development. The teachers plan
experiences that engage the children’s interests as effective
learning occurs when context is meaningful and interesting to
the children. The kindergarten environment encourages children
to be active in their learning by problem solving, taking risks,
reflecting upon their learning and participating in higher-order
thinking.
The children are provided with open-ended experiences
to enhance their creativity, self expression, imagination and
their knowledge of the world around them. We offer children
a variety of materials and experiences to foster their creativity.
The program
covers all domains of the children’s development. This
includes fine motor, gross motor, language, social, emotional
and cognitive areas. The children’s needs, wants and interests
are closely observed through regular observations. Goals and
objectives are developed for each child to support their learning.
Play is
vital to the children’s learning. Children learn most
effectively through actions rather than instructions. Play is
a resource for children to construct their own knowledge. Through
touching, manipulating, exploring and testing, children find
out about themselves and their relationships with others. We
provide different sized play spaces to encourage individuals,
small groups and large groups of children to interact.
Play:
• Enables children to make sense of their world.
• Develops social and cultural understandings.
• Allows children to express their thoughts and feelings.
• Encourages flexible and divergent thinking.
• Provides opportunities to meet and solve real problems.
• Develops language and literacy skills.
• Develops numeracy skills and mathematical concepts.
We believe that children
are capable and should be given every opportunity to learn.
Inclusion is a right for all children regardless of their diverse
needs. The inclusion of children with diverse needs models and
promotes acceptance to their peers. Through an inclusive program
we emphasise children’s similarities rather than differences.
We incorporate a culturally inclusive environment on a daily
basis with books, pictures, toys, songs, photos and artifacts.
Greenwood
Park Kindergarten values the importance of relationships
with children, families, staff, the committee of management
and the wider community. We believe relationships are built
on mutual trust and respect. For quality interactions to take
place educators need to be aware of each family’s values, beliefs
and culture as well as their child’s strengths and interests.
Open and honest two way communication between the parents and
the educators allow for decisions to be made in the best interests
of the children. Each person needs to feel that his/her contributions
are valued so information is exchanged.
