Somers Parade Philosophy Statement
We at Somers Parade Kindergarten practice “Learning through Play”. Evidence supports that learning through play provides the context through which children organize and make sense of their social worlds. Play allows children to actively engage with people, objects and ideas. Play improves a child’s potential for learning later in life. It provides an opportunity for children to follow their interests and simply enjoy -‘Being’.
We value the importance of secure attachments. Children who are secure in their attachments more freely explore their environment and are able to learn with confidence. Respectful relationships foster positive social interactions and emotional stability. All these skills contribute to developing a child’s sense of ‘Belonging’. We pride ourselves on being a child safety service, where children’s health, safety, and well-being, is central to all our work practices.
We value the uniqueness of each child. We practice a holistic approach to teaching and learning that respects individual learning preferences, strengths, and abilities. We believe it is the role of the educator to provide a stimulating learning environment that supports a child’s learning through meaningful, challenging experiences, where we focus on the process not the end product of creative experiences. We combine this approach with intentional teaching and scaffolding of learning and children’s ideas to actively promote children into “Becoming”.
We value children as capable and confident learners. We believe educators and children learn together. By observing and listening to children we are able to include the child’s voice in the learning process. Children develop respect, trust, and love of learning when they are participants in learning decisions.
We encourage the participation of families. We understand that families are the child’s first most influential teachers. We actively encourage partnerships between families and educators to explore the learning potential of each child. We recognize the importance of building a strong community for our families and children through participation within our service and the wider community /neighbourhood.
We celebrate diversity. We encourage children to embrace difference and promote tolerance. Sharing traditional, cultural and family experiences allow children to better understand themselves and others and to explore the world around them. We believe in the importance of learning about our Indigenous cultures as part of learning about our shared heritage.
We value the importance of the learning environment. We encourage both indoor and outdoor play that encourages spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, and discovery. We provide spaces for a non-structured play that promotes independence and open-ended interactions. We encourage interaction with the natural environment and continuing a child’s connection with nature and living things. We use our surroundings to demonstrate how to care for the natural environment that sustains us.
We are committed to evidence-based learning practices that develop our children. We provide an environment of learning and continued professional development for our educators. All educators in the team are valued for their unique experiences, skills and strengths and their contributions to the service. We facilitate open discussions and reviews of current research, reflecting on our own philosophy and practice.
We aim to be a kindergarten of best practice. Our philosophy statement is a living document that continually evolves in response to new ideas and evaluated practice. It reflects the values and beliefs of current management, educators and families that form the Somers Parade community.