Overview

Ardeer Kindergarten Philosophy

Educational curriculum: We provide a stimulating and engaging program that meets the individual and collective needs and interest of the children. The program enhances educational and social outcomes for children.

A rights paradigm: We uphold the right for children to feel safe, respected, heard and have access to quality education at all times within our program.

Collaboration: Families play a central role in their child’s education and as such we strive towards a collaborative approach to working with families. This is marked with respect, honesty and integrity.

Environment: An educational environment that is sustainable and embraces the gifts offered to us by nature, enhances the children’s curiosity for learning and deep care for the build and natural environment. We offer an indoor/outdoor program so as to meet the individual needs of children and to facilitate a best practice program.

Valuing and acknowledging indigenous people and cultures: Acknowledgement and the valuing of Indigenous peoples and cultures are central to equity and pedagogical endeavours. We are committed to collaboration and learning from all cultures and the community members who may enrich our understanding of diversity and difference.

We believe every child is unique in terms of life experience, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. Partnership between family and Ardeer Kindergarten is, therefore, essential to the optimal growth and development of young children.

Our aim is to provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment that accommodates and embraces differences. We believe in the integration of learning and play. Our program is child centred, extended, scaffolded and consolidated by teachers and reflects the interests and ideas of the children. The children have opportunities to explore the world around them, enabling them to become active, involved learners.

We believe, with this foundation, children become curious, well-rounded learners, able to make independent choices and act responsibly, as capable individuals who can be instrumental to their own decision-making processes and outcomes. This incorporates the following understandings that all children:

• are individuals and learn and express themselves through a variety of experiences,
• learn best through experiences which are child initiated, adult supported, open-ended, flexible spontaneous and fun,
• have the ability to self-direct their play,
• are naturally curious and by encouraging them to ask questions, learning becomes more relative and authentic,
• and that social and emotional development is the foundation for a positive approach to all learning.