Our aim in our program and approach to teaching is that our role as educators is to extend on the knowledge and interest of the children and co-explore and provoke new learning experiences that will enhance and equip them for lifetime learning.
In the Over 2 centre our program is centred on aspects of the Reggio Emilia (Learning Philosophy) approach to teaching. We have pulled in aspects such as “Emergent Curriculum”, a curriculum that builds upon the interests of children and follows what interest them, and “Project Work” also emergent, are in-depth studies of concepts, ideas, and interests, which arise within the group. Project work is treated like an adventure that the group will research, projects may last one week or could continue throughout the school year.
We also believe that documentation of learning is an important tool in the learning process for children, teachers, and parents as it allows the children’s work to be viewed. Pictures of children engaged in experiences, their words as they discuss what they are doing, feeling and thinking, and the children’s interpretation of experience will be documented by us
Te Whariki (NZ Early Childhood Curriculum) Strand 5 Exploration Goals states that Children should experience an environment where their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised. At Kingdom Kidz we believe children learn best when they are having fun and that play is valued learning it is up to us as educators to observe the learning inside the play and provide opportunities to extend on their learning.
For example the simple action of building sandcastles in the sandpit includes mathematical concepts such as measuring (height weight and volume), co-ordination and balance skills, and communication verbal and non verbal, teamwork and problem solving skills (just to name a few).
In this way our programming is an integrated curriculum – one activity will contain many learning areas such as English, Arts, Health and Physical Wellbeing, other Languages, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Technology
