Early Learning Programs
At Pioneer Road Long Day Care Centre we provide a diverse array of learning opportunities aimed at promoting children’s learning and development and which cater to the whole child. This means that within all of our programming the children’s interests, needs, strengths and abilities are given full consideration. It is our goal to develop secure and respectful partnerships with children to scaffold their development on their preschool journey.
Our programs and experiences are underpinned by our belief in utilising a varied range of pedagogical practises. We draw on; observations of children’s strengths, abilities and interests, community/family life and events and equivalents of child-directed, teacher-supported and teacher directed learning to guide and support our programs.
Our educators are responsive to the children, throughout the day we actively listen to the children’s ideas, observe their play and engage in interaction and conversation with them. Educators then utilise individual, small and large group experiences, project work, interest/dramatic corners and play environments to facilitate and extend upon the previously mentioned observations of children’s learning.
Subsequently we have no set pre-planned programming format used but pride ourselves on being present and mindful throughout our days. Educators however do document the day as it happens via Kinderloop. This flexible documentation allows educators to share with families about their children’s day instantly while also giving them the freedom and lack of rigidity and respond meaningfully to the needs, interests, abilities and strengths of the whole child. Our daily documentation through Kinderloop is formatted in a manner that encourages our educators to reflect and evaluate on their practises, observations, interactions and conversations as they happen. Every child at Pioneer Road Long Day Care Centre is programmed for on an individual basis. Observations, artwork and indicators of each child’s learning are taken by the educators, interpreted and evaluated and documented in Kinderloop, as the app creates a story like album detailing the child’s learning journey at our centre.
All educators at PRLDCC respect and value the central role the family plays in shaping their child’s development. We endeavor to establish secure, respectful and reciprocal partnerships with the children, the families and the wider community. When this is achieved, we believe that children’s confidence to explore, trust and learn is facilitated and that we can provide a learning journey that is meaningful to each child and entire family. We work in partnership with the families in gaining their expertise and knowledge of their child’s strengths and interests, encouraging their input and involvement constantly such as parent questionnaires, comments and suggestions on Kinderloop and joining us throughout the day to aid our programs, evaluations and daily experiences.
Both rooms have a daily routine, which has been developed with the children’s ages and developmental stages in mind. These routines incorporate daily events such as meal times, rest times and group times. These routines are put into place to provide the children with a sense of security and continuity throughout their day but educators are also very mindful of manipulating these routines accordingly for the children’s changing needs and interests.
Our preschool day has a natural rhythm, a relaxed pace where one part of the day flows happily to the next. The children have large flexible sections of time to encourage them to get involved in what interests them without being hurried on or having their efforts packed up before they are finished. Our aim is for all the children to have choice and balance throughout their day.
