Our Curriculum
Early Education at Yarra Glen Early Learning Centre
At Yarra Glen Early Learning 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 our programming, Educator and parent input collectively address the children’s interests, needs, strengths and abilities to help extend their learning journey. It is our goal to develop secure and respectful partnerships with children to scaffold their development on their early learning journey.
Our programs and experiences are underpinned by our belief in utilising a varied range of pedagogical practices. We draw on; observations of children’s strength abilities and interests, community / family life and events and equivalents of child-directed, educator supported and educator initiated 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 employ a flexible program at the centre. Educator reflections of each day’s learnings are documented and collated to provide parents with valuable insights of their children’s activities whilst at the centre. This freedom and lack of rigidity allows our Educators to respond meaningfully to the needs, interests, abilities and strengths of the whole child and parent.
Every child at the Yarra Glen Early Learning Centre is programmed for on an individual basis. Parent input, staff observations, artwork and indicators of each child’s learning are taken by Educators, interpreted, evaluated and filed into their learning journal, (a story like album) detailing each child’s learning journey at our centre.
All educators at the Yarra Glen Early Learning Centre respect and value the central role the family plays in shaping their child’s development. Therefore we work in partnership with each family to gain their expertise and knowledge associated of their child’s strengths and interests. Parents are encouraged to comment in learning journals. These comments are used to help guide our programs, evaluations and daily reflections.
Our Environment at Yarra Glen Early Learning Centre
All spaces at the centre have daily routines which have been developed within 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 and they are also times when educators can meaningfully interact with the children. While each learning space has a routine in place there is space for spontaneous experiences and flexibility as part of educating children.
Our early learning day has a natural rhythm, a relaxed pace where one part of the day flows happily to the next. The children have the opportunity to long periods of uninterrupted time which allows and encourages them to get involved in what interests them without being hurried on or having their efforts packed up before they are finished. We aim for all the children to have choice and balance throughout their day.
