Philosophy

Albert Waterways Children’s Centre Philosophy

Our vision

We believe in the significance of the early years in a child’s development and therefore our aim is to provide children with exceptional beginnings. Through the programs that we implement, our goal is to provide children with strong foundations that will provide; a sense of who they are, of where they belong and the opportunity to evolve and flourish as learners and people.

To see our vision fulfilled our intention is to provide an environment that is rich in play opportunities where adults provide a safe space and act as the facilitators for children, providing respect, understanding, guidance, resources and teacher knowledge to encourage the child’s holistic growth.

In relation to children we believe:

In creating a home like environment with a positive atmosphere where children feel nurtured and safe and have a sense of belonging
In the benefits of family groupings that give children the opportunity to be together, build new friendships and develop a sense of belonging to groups
In extending and fostering child-initiated play
That children learn best from hands-on experiences based on their strengths and interests
That children should be provided with choices in their play to empower their sense of self, being and belonging
That children need repetition where they can practice and master their skills
In providing an indoor/outdoor program that fosters the ‘whole child’ (i.e. identity, wellbeing, communication, connectedness, active learning & cultural development)
Children are competent and capable learners that should be treated with respect at all times
In building children’s self-esteem throughout the entire program
That each child is unique with their own personality and learning style
In providing predictable routines that develop autonomy, resilience and sense of agency
In creating an anti-biased curriculum and environment where individual needs are catered for and respected
In supporting children to feel proud of their cultural heritage
In including children with additional needs and creating an environment where they feel secure and a sense of belonging.
In providing healthy and nutritious meals which meet current recommendations
In supporting children to make healthy lifestyle choices
In encouraging children to be socially responsible for the environment by developing an understanding of our environment through our program

In relation to families we believe:

In an open-door policy where parents are encouraged to support and enhance the program
In providing a daily visual diary for parents to share and discuss with their child
That staff should share and discuss methods of behaviour management to ensure consistent care between home and the centre
In developing a partnership with families where they can seek further information on a range of programs within the community
That parent and staff communication should be warm, open and productive
In parental input within the centre management committee

In relation to staff we believe:

In staff working as a team using the Centres policies and philosophy to guide them in their daily work
The relationships staff build with children and their families are warm, friendly and respectful
In staff maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of children and families
In staff using clear and open communication with children and families and other members of the community.
In encouraging staff to share their ideas, skills and talents with each other and within the Centre
In staff proudly sharing their own cultural heritage with children, families and other staff members
In staff continuously developing their skills through professional development opportunities
In staff always working within the Centres ‘Code of Conduct’
In staff working within the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics 2017

In relation to the local Community we believe:

In respectfully acknowledging our local Aboriginal mob, the Kombumerri people and in valuing the wealth of knowledge that can be passed to us from Elders, both past and present
In fostering links between the children, their families and the broader community as there is an understanding of the valuable contribution other people and resources can make towards the wholistic development of each child
In valuing the wealth of knowledge and resources that can be provided from within our local community and accessing them to support and enhance the Centres programs
In respecting our local physical environments and working together with the community to maintain them for a better world for our children and the future generations to come.

In relation to the Program we believe:

In implement the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines
In embedding the frameworks throughout our daily programs as we strive to develop each child’s sense of being, belonging and becoming through child initiated and intentional teaching activities while providing quality care.
It is important for children to make their own decisions and choices, giving them the opportunity to use their voice and be heard during all experiences
In ensuring that documentation is meaningful and relevant to each child’s learning; reflecting and assessing their development and adapting to acquiring life-long skills.

In relation to the Environment we believe:

In the value our large natural outdoor environments that provide children with opportunities to explore, discover and learn
In the value our spacious interior play rooms which are flexible in their design making them ever changing and constantly inviting
In providing large blocks of time for children to become fully involved in their play
In offering children risks in safe, well supervised learning spaces
In the use of quality learning resources to enhance children’s learning
In using open ended resources that have more than one purpose
In giving children real choices in the setting up of equipment and resources

In relation to our World and Sustainability we believe:

In role modelling and teaching children the importance of living in this world sustainably
In recycling, reusing, reducing and rethinking our resources each and every day
In re-using and re-purposing unwanted items from within our community
In working with children, families and community to grow and care for all plants including flowers, herbs and vegetables
In teaching and reminding children of the link between food and plate
In giving children the opportunity to feed, nurture and care for living animals.
In composting fruit and vegetables to reduce greenhouse gases
In using natural fertilizing agents such as worm castings
In educating families about the importance of sustainability within community for our lands, sea and air

February 2018

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