Our Philosophy and Values
The staff and management of ABC Grey Lynn are passionate in providing a safe and nurturing environment for the care and holistic development of children aged three months to school age. We are convinced that commitment of staff is crucial to excellence in early childhood education. The centre has experienced teachers that hold a great understanding of children and their development. Our team members partake in professional reflective practice and ongoing professional learning.
At ABC Grey Lynn parents and whanau are respected as children’s first teachers. We continually strive to support parents / whanau in their role and build meaningful open partnerships with families to work towards common goals and aspirations for their children. Parent participation is actively encouraged and valued.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi reflects the unique place Maori have in our community and we respect Maori as tangata whenua. Aotearoa / New Zealand is the home of te reo Maori (Maori language) and tikanga (Maori culture and tradition). We bring these values into children’s learning in everyday interactions and experiences. We respect and encourage all aspects of all cultures and backgrounds and make provisions for individual families.
We are committed to Te Whaariki (NZ early childhood curriculum) and believe in promoting the principles, strands and goals in our practice and environment. The Curriculum fosters holistic development for individual children.
As our teams are passionate about and devoted to their specific developmental areas, we have shaped additional statements to coincide with our overall philosophy (above).
Whare – Infants & Toddlers
Our Whare team believe children learn through meaningful interactions. Care routines provide opportunities for relationships to develop between children and teachers; one on one time is key to building meaningful and trusting relationships. Primary care giving is practiced to ensure there is always one connection for each child within each setting.
The natural world is an integral part of our Whare. We strive to provide open ended and natural resources, and we spend time outside in all weather. This enhances children’s connection with nature and self confidence in their abilities. Children have time and space to freely move through and explore these environments. Infants and toddlers have the ability and opportunities to steer their own learning and make their own choices.
Infants and toddlers are capable and competent learners. This is reflected in the Whare teachers’ practice where children are not put into positions they can’t get into or out of by themselves. We believe children’s identity and sense of self builds through the feeling of empowerment and this occurs when a child has the ability and opportunity to achieve their own goals, on their own terms, in their own time.
Studio – Young Children
Our studio team believe the environment is an essential component in children’s learning. The centre environment is a place the children spend a lot of their time; it is respected as their space to make their own decisions, be creative, get dirty, problem solve, and to enjoy being children. We provide a programme that is flexible to allow uninterrupted time for children to explore their environment allowing opportunities for social interaction.
We believe children are competent active learners who bring with them a wealth of experience and working theories of the world in which they live. It is our role to recognise, support, build on, challenge and enhance this prior knowledge. We believe children learn most effectively through active participation in self-directed play, with real life experiences. The most effective learning occurs when child’s interests are acknowledged, valued and fostered.