Philosophy Statement
It is deeply embedded in our philosophy that children learn through relationships. Any experience a
child has involves a relationship on some level be it with people, places, things or time. For children to develop these relationships they need time to be, they need to have time to communicate, time to belong, time to contribute and time to explore and discover.
A child’s ability to think emerges out of interactions and social relationships. In our home based settings children receive education and care that is calm, predictable and familiar, enabling them to develop responsive and reciprocal relationships with one significant adult who cares, has plenty of time, enjoys having fun and who gives clear guidelines backed up with reasoning.
When children are able to participate in real life experiences valuable life skills are learnt, for example hanging out the washing, doing the dishes and vacuuming, going to the supermarket, the park and the art gallery. The child is affirmed for who they are; their culture, background and family structure. If children have a clear sense of who they are it enables them to set roots in their new environment. This knowledge is an integral element of the child becoming part of the environment and the relationships they will build within it.
Responsive adult/child interactions from adults that have the flexibility to allow children to try to do things by themselves are fundamental to the quality of our service. Adults working with children need to have a clear understanding of the processes of child development, and recognise each child as unique, with their own personality and way of learning. Knowledge and training are the keys to quality and we are committed to ensuring educators have access to appropriate training that is relevant to their work with children.
Children need a safe, secure environment that provides both challenges and predictable happenings, with opportunities for independent exploration and movement, that is rich in language, resources, ideas and thinking, and encourages learning with enthusiasm. The child builds relationships with a number of people on different levels as shown in the diagram. “Bruner & Vygotsky working from educational perspectives contributed the idea that children are able to do tomorrow alone what they are able to do in co-operation with others today.” (Champion Centre 2005).
It is inherent in our philosophy that children learn through relationships with people, places, things and time. It is the support that the children get from these relationships that enable them to be confident in their own abilities and to “grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society”. (MOE 1996)
