Alkira Early Learning Centre

Philosophy

We recognise that teaching and learning have taken place on this land under the same sun for thousands of years and are honoured to be continuing this tradition. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, past and present.
Alkira ELC is a nurturing community made up of children, their families and friends, staff and the wider community. At Alkira ELC we aim to provide an environment where everyone experiences a sense of belonging. As relationships are crucial to a sense of belonging, we aim to develop secure, respectful relationships within our community. We aim to work with families and the community to support and raise each and every child as individuals… As the proverb states “it takes a village to raise a child”

Environment

Recognition of the rapid development and learning that takes place in a child’s first five years of life has been highlighted in many research studies. At Alkira ELC we show a commitment to the results of the research by providing environments and learning experiences that will extend and enrich each child’s development. We aim to provoke each child’s natural curiosity and wonder in their environment, to spark lifelong passions for learning and respect for the planet we all share.

Educators at Alkira ELC will respect and value the significance of the here and now in each child’s life and the importance of a child’s right to be. Childhood is a time to be, to seek and to make meaning of the world. The environments provided and the interactions the educators have with the children will support the recognition of the significance of the here and now in every child’s life.

Research has shown children learn best when they are motivated from within. The Educators at Alkira ELC will create an enjoyable and challenging play based learning environment which provokes children to investigate, problem solve, explore ideas, engage their imagination and express themselves in many ways. We do this by inviting open ended interactions, risk taking, exploration, discovery and spontaneity. The Educators will provide opportunities for children to be authors, inventors, scientists, and artists in an unhurried, playful environment.

The environment, both indoor, outdoor and the beyond, will play a significant role in children’s learning and development. All spaces will be flexible and responsive to the interests and abilities of each child. The children will be empowered to make choices and solve problems to meet their needs in a secure, familiar, natural environment. Our play spaces are strongly influenced by nature pedagogy providing the children endless opportunities and promoting connectedness to the world we live in. As recommended in the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards, children will be given equal opportunities for unhurried periods of time to engage in learning, through our flexible rhythms. The Educators will work with the children to foster an appreciation of the natural environment, sustainability and healthy living.

Educators

The Educators at Alkira ELC will work in partnership with families to support each child’s learning and development. We understand that our practices and the relationships we form with each child and their family will have significant effect on the child’s success for lifelong learning. We value family input into decision making and ideas and will use the information to create an appropriate learning environment for every child as well as improving the quality of the centre. Our educators will be role models to our children and teach them respect by looking after our belongings, caring for our environment, resources and each other.

Through partnerships with families and interactions with each child, the Educators at Alkira ELC will build a holistic picture of every child, recognising and respecting each child’s differences and embracing the richness that diversity brings to the community. Educators will assist the children to be comfortable with differences and to appreciate the fundamental commonalities and similarities that lie behind many differences, and to truly understand the notion of unity through diversity.

At Alkira ELC we aim to establish a lively culture of professional enquiry. All Educators will be actively involved in an ongoing cycle of review in which current practices are examined, outcomes reviewed and new ideas generated. Educator’s reflective practice will help them to become increasingly thoughtful about their work and will motivate them to look deeper and explore new ideas, making a positive difference to children’s learning and development.

Teamwork and effective communication are essential requirements for positive outcomes. We recognise Educators are our Centre’s most precious resource and aim to equip them with a satisfying and safe work environment, providing opportunities to build on their professional knowledge through ongoing training. We will assist the Educators to identify their unique talents and support them to use their strengths and interests to benefit the Centre.

We acknowledge that children’s lives are greatly influenced by their early learning. We will foster an environment that creates a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging for all children and their families. We believe all children are unique and have special talents and at Alkira ELC our mission is to cultivate these special talents and assist each child to reach their full potential, by providing them with “a place to shine”.

“A place to Shine”